This is an interesting problem, BTW - the kind of thing I can really have fun problem solving with ?
Keira WitherKay wrote
i guess having it built into a moulded case would be 1st prize or what you thinK???? and then trying for a lighter speaker...
I have a sneaking suspicion that the speaker swap will make the most difference. The
Eminence Acoustinator NH2008 speaker is only 1,5 kgs, while it's ceramic magnet version (the CX2008) is 3 KG - so if your speaker compares to the CX2008, you'll shave off 1.5kg right there. An added bonus is it's a speaker designed specifically for acoustic instruments! ?
I'm guessing, but swapping out a chipboard cabinet for a ply one would probably save you under a kilo. Building another cab might have other benefits though - your Taxi has a steel grille (according to the pics I've seen on the Net), that could be swapped for a plastic one, saving a few hundred grammes too. I'm sure a cabinet builder could come up with more ways to shave off weight, but not really my area of expertise.
Another random idea: Recently I saw an electric guitar case with the amp and speaker built in. It was designed with portability in mind - an all-in-one solution, so weight wasn't really the issue. I suspect that that may work out heavier than a lightweight amp and guitar case, because the whole case would need to be more robust and rigid.
i also have a battery/ mains powered "Peavey solo amp" ...which is way light only about 5.5 kg but only 10 W but i find the inputs it has a great input setup offering 2 x 1/4 inch jacks and a Cannon mic input ... but the inputs are all way too sensitive.... and for some reason my condenser mic picks up a buzz .... is there an affordable way to reduce this i have tried DI box's but wierdly enough i tried 2 and the amp does not like it and gets a wierd earth loop /buzz and added hiss/noise even when i add in a 4 input line mixer.... so this puzzles me...
I have seen the Solos. Peaveys have a tendency to hum if you don't replace the Euro style two pin mains plug for a local three pin - they end up being unearthed if you use a two pin adaptor socket. I'm not sure if this applies to the solo, which IIRC uses a mains power supply adaptor... It may be that it's not earthed at all which can be a problem with some gear. Does it hum when run on batteries or only on mains?
As far as the gain issue - make sure you use the channel 2 input - the channel 1 inputs are mic only and you will overload them with something like a preamplified acoustic. If you overload channel 2, try turning the guitar down and the amp up.
