Protecting the sides of your cabs...

LogicalFrank · March 18, 2011, 10:29:35 AM

My cabs are getting all fucked up from loading them in and out of the van. The problem is there are still seat mounts in the van that poke up from the bottom and they scratch the bejesus out of the tolex. Any ideas what I can do to protect them? The cab that is specifically a problem is a giant 2x15 Ampeg cab which we load on its side for space reasons.

I was thinking I might put some wooden rails to raise it above the level of the seat mounts so it can slide over them. My other idea was to cover the sides w/ sheet metal of some sort.

grimniggzy · March 18, 2011, 10:34:23 AM

this is what Electric does to their cabs.

http://www.electricamp.com/main.html

LogicalFrank · March 18, 2011, 10:42:08 AM

Yeah, that's what I was thinking only along the one side and they'd probably have to have better clearance. I actually might do some on the back while I'm at is since we frequently wind up grabbing the bar on top and pulling it up on stage. Is there anything I need to consider as far as attaching them? Just use countersunk wood screws?

grimniggzy · March 18, 2011, 10:47:48 AM

Quote from: LogicalFrank on March 18, 2011, 10:42:08 AM
Yeah, that's what I was thinking only along the one side and they'd probably have to have better clearance. I actually might do some on the back while I'm at is since we frequently wind up grabbing the bar on top and pulling it up on stage. Is there anything I need to consider as far as attaching them? Just use countersunk wood screws?

Sheet metal would certainly work. but drilling all the holes beforehand might be a little more work.

Hemisaurus · March 18, 2011, 11:24:08 AM

Just make sure you get them on nice and tight. You don't want anything on your cab that would start buzzing in sympathy with the vibrations. That would be the downside of using sheet metal, and if you've ever had a cab with a grille that buzzes, you'd know what I mean

I suppose you might want to consider using a layer of glue behind the wood rails to keep them solid against the cab, but I don't know about glueing onto the tolex

Baltar · March 18, 2011, 11:33:18 AM

I had thought of using skateboard rails but I'm not sure that they would protect all that well.

VOLVO))) · March 18, 2011, 11:56:44 AM

Counter sunk wood screws and dots of Gorilla glue, on tolex. Contact cement will also work.

Danny G · March 18, 2011, 12:39:04 PM

I put pieces of plywood over the seat mounts, but I also have carpet in the back of the van so that sorta works.

Maybe remove the seat mounts.

Lumpy · March 18, 2011, 05:05:08 PM

"slide rails" is what the strips are called. Fliptops.net might have them, I think Mesa Boogie might sell them too? I made some home made ones out of Delrin (super hard slippery plastic) strips that I bought from McMasters (industrial supply) but IMO try to find pre-fabbed ones already made for speaker cabs... my home made ones have sharp edges

spookstrickland · March 18, 2011, 07:07:45 PM

A 4x8 chunk of carpet is your friend. throw that in the back and it's smooth loading. If your drummer forgets his carpet or the venue does not have one then you already have one it's a win win situation.

LogicalFrank · March 18, 2011, 08:03:52 PM

I was actually just thinking that attaching a piece of carpet to the actual cab would work.

Lumpy · March 19, 2011, 03:26:07 AM

Quote from: LogicalFrank on March 18, 2011, 08:03:52 PM
I was actually just thinking that attaching a piece of carpet to the actual cab would work.

Don't do that.

neighbor664 · March 21, 2011, 09:44:01 AM

Fuck keeping your cabs nice. Wear those scars and ripped tolex like a mother fucking badge of honor!!!
I don't trust touring musicians with nice unscathed gear.

LogicalFrank · March 21, 2011, 10:19:57 AM

This cab is well beyond the point where it will ever look nice.

Jake · March 21, 2011, 10:34:31 AM

Yeah, but you if you play enough smokey bars or just get it damp with carpet on that thing, it will immediately smell like ass.

LogicalFrank · March 21, 2011, 10:48:18 AM

I have a carpet covered Avatar cab which I have taken to every gig I've played w/ Sun Splitter for three years--including the last show at the Mopery where the place was so sweltering that evaporated sweat was condensing on the water pipes and raining back down--and it smells more or less the same as the rest of my cabs.