Everyone’s telling me not to buy a 12u Rack...

[Mincer]

It does if you know what you are doing.

Sent from my SM-A115A using Tapatalk

Yeah, but if you have the choice to make it easier now, you take it.

[eclecticsynergy]

A pair of sixes would be a lot more convenient. Just sayin'.

Six space is about the max for easy carrying and fitting conveniently in various cars.

[Synapsys]

You obviously haven't played outdoor festivals with hand built/scaffold/flatbed truck stages, dirt/mud back stage areas, and 1000 obstacles between parking and the stage; or small hole in the wall european cafe/bars with parking blocks away and steep cobblestone hills every direction ... I could go on.

I know well the european bit you mentioned. That's the reason I went Helix last week.

[PFDarkside]

I currently have a 6, 4 and 2 space racks. I switch things up and don't use the same setup all the time, and sometimes have to play smaller places, or more specific music, so.. need to be able to mix and match. I was in a band with a 12 space in the 1980's, had a 6 channel mixer, some effects and a power amp in it, and no casters. It was a two-man haul that should have just been furniture. Never again.

So you are swapping things around based on what you need at the time? Do you ever need more than one case?

[ehdwuld]

You obviously haven't played outdoor festivals with hand built/scaffold/flatbed truck stages, dirt/mud back stage areas, and 1000 obstacles between parking and the stage; or small hole in the wall european cafe/bars with parking blocks away and steep cobblestone hills every direction ... I could go on.

are you saying that physically carrying a heavy bulking case is preferable to a wheeled anything
you have never heard of pneumatic wheels?
they go over mud and cobblestone,
you dont climb obstacles when walking, you go around them same as with a hand cart

you obviously dont want to be wrong

[beaubrummels]

are you saying that physically carrying a heavy bulking case is preferable to a wheeled anything
you have never heard of pneumatic wheels?
they go over mud and cobblestone,
you dont climb obstacles when walking, you go around them same as with a hand cart

you obviously dont want to be wrong

Dude, i'm speaking from direct experience. Pnuematic wheels puncture, deflate, and behave differently depending on temperature. Running over cobblestones dumps the load onto the street. You cannot avoid all obstacles, on narrow streets and back alleys of 2000 year old cities. It has nothing to do with absolute right and wrong. You obviously haven't toured internationally and don't understand the experience I have had.

The question isn't cart or not, the question is getting the rig down to something you can carry.

[beaubrummels]

So you are swapping things around based on what you need at the time? Do you ever need more than one case?

Yes, of course.

[LLL]

Awww what's all the fuss about? Handtrucks? Stairs? 12u racks?

Just get your roadies to lug it around!

[PFDarkside]

There’s got to be an ancient quote, parable or story about a fool seeking advice and ignoring it, vs a sage taking a LLL counsel.

I think it will behoove me to try to make this thing modular.

Any tips on passing power from one rack to another? I’ve got a single Furman unit, just leave slots open on it and use power strips in the other cases?

[ehdwuld]

Furman in one
power strip in the other
plug strip into furman

[ItsaBass]

I would go with two 6Us before a 12U, if I was going to be hauling it myself to local gigs. If I had a nice rolling shock mounted rack case, or even better, roadies, a 12U might make sense on tour. Easy setup night after night, and fewer trips to/from the van.

I needed a rack setup that was 6U shallow, and after laying everything out and considering weight (and size), I decided that two 4Us with room to spare would be a better way to go. I separated the amps (a flip top 800 W Ampeg along with an old 100W Ampeg that can be used solo or as a pre-amp) and some jury rigged internal lighting for the controls into a shallow 4U cab. I then put the additional equipment into another. I have to hook up a few cables every time I want to use both racks, but it allows me more modularity. The second 4U has a stereo e.q. unit, a rack mounted power strip (no, not a snake oil "conditioner" – just a strip), a tuner, and a 2U short drawer for cables. I don't need all that stuff for every gig. Sometimes the rack with the amps and a speaker cab is fine.

[SlyFoxx]

Unless your gear and cables are made of balsa wood I'd stay clear of any rack that large. I still have a 10U SKB from the mid 90's but it has not left my house in over 15 years. Two 6U's and some intelligently engineered interconnects would be my vote if you really need 12 spaces.

[Mincer]

Not to mention, if you had roadies, and a 12 space rack...they would hate you.

[PFDarkside]

It’s clear what the issues are. I could build up the “effects”
portion to use with a head and there would be no issues moving it. It’s those damn preamps/poweramp!


Furman PL-8C: 11.8lbs

Dunlop Rack Wah: 3lbs?

Korg Pitchblack Pro: 0.8lbs

Voodoo Lab GCX: 3.65lbs

TC G-Major 2: 4.1lbs

Shelf: 2lbs

Pedal Power: .8lbs

Pedals (6): 4.2lbs

Marshall JMP-1: 10lbs

Mesa TriAxis: 11lbs

Mesa 2:90: 35lbs

[Mincer]

I am always amazed at how heavy the Furmans actually are.