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Post subject: fitting castors
Posted: Mon Mar 15, 2010 9:02 pm
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is there a problem fitting castors to a 59 bassman reissue. Is it just a simple method of removing the existing glides, drilling holes and screwing the castors to the base. I'm asking this question because i would hate to damage this amp - rather be sure than sorry.
cheers norm


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Posted: Mon Mar 15, 2010 9:14 pm
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Why do you want to put measly little casters on it?

Trust me, being able to roll your amp is great, but the crappy tiny casters for amps are asking for trouble - they'll bind up and tip the amp over when they come to the first doorjamb or even a guitar cable. You need 3", preferably 4" for rolling things around.

Better suggestions, in order of expense:

Dolly - Home Depot sells these carpet-covered furniture dollies that move stuff great.

Hand truck - Home Depot sells a great convertible one that you can put your Bassman, guitar case, and even the drummer's stuff on.

Case - http://www.audiopile.net/products/Cases ... heet.shtml
This one is fitted exactly to your amp. These guys are great and I buy all my cables and racks from them - heavy duty stuff. Bonus on this - it will protect your amp in transit, and you can put the amp up on the case to get the sound to your ears vs. your ankles...

Good luck, but I'd really avoid the traditional caster route - they're just a pain in the $@!.

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Posted: Tue Mar 16, 2010 3:42 am
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Don't forget, using castor could damage your amp tubes.

It hurt the amp ( tubes) ,when you roll it on the floor


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Posted: Tue Mar 16, 2010 8:48 am
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I don't think casters (correct spelling) will hurt your amp tubes - Fenders are built more sturdy than that. However, having your amp tip and fall over when you're pushing it on those little casters and it snags on a guitar cable will.

Now putting castor in your amp will definitely hurt your tubes...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castor_oil
:lol: :lol:

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Posted: Tue Mar 16, 2010 10:51 am
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It's not how fender built the amp the problem . It's the tube itself , they are made with smalls parts and specialy when hot, the are fragile.

tubes are not shock proof.

And casters cause shock on these small parts in tube. That's not apened when you carry amp with your arm.


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Posted: Tue Mar 16, 2010 11:14 am
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stratele52 wrote:
It's not how fender built the amp the problem . It's the tube itself , they are made with smalls parts and specialy when hot, the are fragile.

tubes are not shock proof.

And casters cause shock on these small parts in tube. That's not apened when you carry amp with your arm.


While this may have happened to someone, I have never heard of someone's amp tubes being damaged by rolling on stock casters - if you have heard of it first or second hand, let us know. This sounds like an old wive's tale. Sorry for the idiomatic expression - don't know the french equivalent.

Again, all the more reason for larger caster wheels on a dolly or case.

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Posted: Tue Mar 16, 2010 11:15 am
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The most likely time to damage tubes by moving an amp is when they're still hot right after shutting down...or removing the tube and handling it roughly like when you're tube swapping.
edited to add: could be an old wives tale...doubt it,but then again I had played tube amps for 30 years before I knew about biasing...we used to go down to the drug store and pop tubes in the tester,if they tested good ,fine...if not we just bought more and popped them in.
Ahhh the good old days when you could buy as many RCA 6V6s and 12AX7s as you could afford. :(


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Posted: Tue Mar 16, 2010 4:32 pm
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You could use casters but be careful. Now, you know.

The tubes won't break in half, but tube life can be shorter
If your tube life is shortened how can you be sure is not your wrong bias or cheap tubes or ..casters ?


You simply don't know, and you don't ask, You put knew tubes that's all.


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Posted: Tue Mar 16, 2010 6:31 pm
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Again, skip those amp casters. If they shorten the tube life as Stratele52 believes, even a better reason.

Dollies, hand trucks and cases with wheels are a completely different kind of caster. All have (or good ones do) 4" or bigger rubberized wheels that roll better over the bumps, cables that can be problematic. The hard plastic amp wheels they sell for Fender amps are 2" or smaller in diameter; the first guitar cable on a stage or even a door sillplate will make them catch and your amp can tip over.

Other drawback is sound - for an open backed amp having the option to have the amp on the floor for a coupling effect can be good on the sound. With casters, you lose that ability, unless you pop them out, which is annoying and then you have 4 casters rolling around somewhere waiting to lose one of them.

Trust me - they're not worth their $25 cost.

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Posted: Tue Mar 16, 2010 8:43 pm
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I use a dolly with a strap and pneumatic tires with less a little than full pressure. Very smooth over rough surfaces and very secure.

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Posted: Tue Mar 16, 2010 8:52 pm
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Hi guys, thanks for all your good information and replies. I never gave thought to tube damage etc but i am going to go ahead and build myself a dolly with good castors / rubber wheels as recommended.When you get up in years lugging an amp as heavy as the bassman is no joke. Once again thanks guys for the advice.
cheers norm


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Posted: Tue Mar 16, 2010 9:02 pm
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Norm - I think you'll be happier, plus your dolly can do double duty on other pieces of gear. I think my hand truck is the best <$100 investment I've made in band equipment!

For casters, Mike at Audiopile carries these:
http://www.audiopile.net/products/Cases ... heet.shtml

I'd get 4" and not smaller. Make sure you cover the entire caster with carpet or no slip something (even the kitchen cabinet no slip stuff is good). can even get fancy and put wooden cleats that precisely fit your amp - or just use a good ratchet strap.

Good luck!

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Our band: http://www.facebook.com/thetoysband


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