Thanks to your high praise, I just bought this '77 B-15N from Bass Central after some hemming and hawing over the price (2nd one down):

http://www.basscentral.com/2003/ampeg.shtml

It's totally original except for one 6L6 (all the other tubes are original Magnavox-stamped tubes), a broken fliptop latch, and a missing dolly. But I got it for a pretty good deal, so I can't complain about that.

I wanted to know what your B-15N cabs are loaded with. Mine is loaded with the original '77 CTS, and it's voiced very deep compared to the '66 CTS speaker in my '64 B-15N. I tried the '66 CTS and a new Eminence Delta 15A in it, and it brightened up considerably, and the differences between the two cabs became a lot less apparent with the other speakers. It still has a deeper low end, but the brightness I thought was more a function of the different cab designs seems to be more related to the type of speaker. I hate to replace the original speaker, but I'm really tempted to get another Delta 15A and load it in there. But since your recorded clean tones are very similar to the tones I like for myself, I thought I'd get your input and see what you thought about the 70's CTS.

Just so we are clear I hate you :D

HAH! So do you hate me more because I have two B-15's now or because I live half an hour away from BC? I really need to know, because if you hate me because of the B-15's, then you'd have to hate Justin twice as much because he's got like 4 of them, and I can't stand to see all this hate directed at such a nice guy :bassist:

B-15's and justin should recieve another 20 hate letters today from me :p

Closest I've got to a B-15 was the Ampeg plug in and it sounded awesome

Congrats on the purchase! Sorry TaySte.

My two B-15's have the 70's CTS in there, with the square magnets. They sound good to me. I don't really have any reason to change anything, my guy goes over these with a fine-tooth comb and he's an Ampeg purist (Bob Dixon, Amphole in Burbank). My silver and black fronted one stays at my home studio for recording and practicing, and the blue line and the B-15R are at cartage available for sessions.

JMJ

Congrats on the purchase! Sorry TaySte.

My two B-15's have the 70's CTS in there, with the square magnets. They sound good to me. I don't really have any reason to change anything, my guy goes over these with a fine-tooth comb and he's an Ampeg purist (Bob Dixon, Amphole in Burbank). My silver and black fronted one stays at my home studio for recording and practicing, and the blue line and the B-15R are at cartage available for sessions.

JMJ

Sadly your words mean nothing to me :rollno:





:D

Man I need an english equivelent of a B-15

WEM Super Bass 30 might do it ;)

Dude those WEM's are SICK sounding. Hook it up!

I just looked up that WEM Super Bass 30. Pretty wild looking. I'd love to hear what that cab sounds like, but I don't think I've seen a single WEM product in America. Maybe when I was a kid, but certainly not since then.

Anyway, on your recommendation, I will keep the CTS in it for now. It does sound very warm, which is not a bad thing at all. I think I may tilt it back, though, just so the mids and highs don't blow past me.

Well I do have these

http://i27.tinypic.com/2zzizb8.jpg

I can get a WEM 2x15 and I've found an ER15 with 1x15 which would be alright for recording but its only 15w

Open to opinions since B-15's are like fleas on hens teeth building houses out of rocking horse poo in the UK

Never heard of Simms Watts but those PA heads look pretty serious! And don't worry...having a B-15 won't make or break you as a bassist. They're just fun amps to have that sound magnificent when you record them. I don't do a lot of recording, but I play in a couple bands where I can easily use them onstage.

Oh I know but they look and sound seriously awesome so you know how it goes........ WANT!

:D

Oh I know but they look and sound seriously awesome so you know how it goes........ WANT!

:D
Dude, I'll be totally honest...I was just saying that to keep you from feeling too bad about yourself. You need one, bro! They're the most magical amps I've ever owned!

EDIT: Was that too mean?!?

http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?p=5574170#post5574170

Thought some of you might enjoy this...I recorded both the double baffle and Thiele cabs earlier tonight, and posted the clips. After doing this, I've come to the conclusion that I like both cabs a lot, but I think in general I prefer the double baffle, though I like the Thiele a lot with a brighter speaker than the stock CTS. It's got a very heavy bassy sound with the CTS, and if I did more of what Justin does, I'd definitely be using it a lot, but my bands cover a lot of sonic ground and it's nice to have a little more full-range freq response. I'm going to put a brighter Emineince speaker I have in it and try it out on a gig. I haven't got to gig with it yet. Still working the bugs out...spent $75 on tubes today.

BTW, let me apologize to Justin and his fans for slapping in my clips. I only did it so you all could get an idea what slap sounds like on it. Really. I never slap on a gig. Never. OK, maybe a little when we play 70's funk, or during soundchecks when it's the most annoying ;)

BTW, as a side note, I totally missed an opportunity for a little bass player's humor. I should have entitled this thread, "Mixed B15ness." Get it? I replaced the "Biz" in "Bizness" with "B15." HAHAHAHAHAHAHOHOHOHOHOHOHEHEHEHEHEHEHE!!!

Justin, be sure to tell Beck that one. He'll probably change it for all the new copies of Midnite Vultures. That one is for free, my brutha!

:bassist:

Can't wait to get home and listen to these clips I just bought a DeArmond Starfire so really needing some B-15 goodness to complete the JMJ ripoff setup.

Can't wait to get home and listen to these clips I just bought a DeArmond Starfire so really needing some B-15 goodness to complete the JMJ ripoff setup.
Excellent! I love the hollowbodies and I need to get another one soon. Be sure to post your comments. But you may be disappointed since I used a PJ with rounds.

Hey Justin, I do recall reading somewhere that you have a B100R too in your amp collection--do you still use that ever? With the B15s on hand I don't suppose you'd need to whip out the solid state version, but perhaps you use it for some things--just curious.

I have a B100R, and it's certainly very good. Bought one to have over at Beck's house too. But now, mine is sitting in my garage, because I put a '71 B-15N in the home studio (that I had inexplicably been storing in the garage).

Those US made B100R's are surprisingly good, actually.

JMJ

Hey, just wanted to tell you that the 70's CTS is the shizzy in the Thiele cab. I did 4 gigs with it so far, one with the brighter Eminence, and even though there wasn't the high end like the Eminence, the CTS is THE sound. I used the CTS on the last two gigs I did this week, and it sounded like all those recordings from the late 60's and 70's that I grew up with, whereas the Eminence was brighter but didn't have the magic of that CTS.

Having said that, I bought an old Altec 418B on Ebay earlier this week, which was the upgrade speaker Ampeg offered, so that should be a lot of fun to try out. But after last night's gig, I'm sold on the CTS. Best sound I ever had in over 30 years of playing. Took me a while to warm up to it because I'm used to brighter cabs like SVT's and the double baffle, but that Thiele cab is the greatest thing since sliced bread. Probably wouldn't have thought twice about it if you hadn't recommended it. Thanks for that :bassist:

That's rad.

I'm recording with my '70 Thiele right now with Dixie Chicks/Rick Rubin, sounds sweet. Found my new favorite bass cab mic that's cheap: Heil PR-40. A big ass dynamic that sounds a bit like a condenser. Great for those (like me) who can't afford the ultimate, a Fet 47.

JMJ

Rick Rubin producing the Dixie Chicks? Did I just step into a parallel but opposite universe? ;)

I've heard a lot about Heil mics, but have never got a chance to use one. It's freq response chart looks perfect for bass, though...darn near flat from 40-20,000 hz.

So after looking over Heil's product line, I think pretty much all their PR line of mics would be great for bass. They're all almost dead flat. But the PR-40 adds a lot of extra low end, which would be most excellent for a Thiele cab.

Sounds like I need to get down to the music store and try one out.

OK, sorry if I'm being irritating over this, but after getting that B-15, I'm wanting to put a little more into a mic for live work than a 57 or 58, so I've been tossing around getting an RE 20. But then you mentioned that Heil PR 40, and now I'm considering it as well. I talked to a fairly knowledgeable gal at GC who is very much into the RE 20 and thinks that the Heil doesn't have as much gain before feedback as an RE 20, but she didn't have an RE 20 to A/B so I could hear for myself. So let me ask you in your infinite tonal wisdom...which would YOU, the Grandmaster Freak, taking into account that it will be predominantly for live work, choose? The RE 20, the PR 40, or would you recommend sticking with a Shure?

Rick Rubin producing the Dixie Chicks? Did I just step into a parallel but opposite universe? ;)

I've heard a lot about Heil mics, but have never got a chance to use one. It's freq response chart looks perfect for bass, though...darn near flat from 40-20,000 hz.

Obviously you were in a parallel universe during the 2007 Grammy awards, where the last record (which I also did with the Chicks and Rick Rubin) won 5 Grammys, and Rick Rubin got "Producer of the Year" for it.

:rollno::D

The Heil is sick. I'm buying one immediately. By the way, I wouldn't pay much heed to frequency response specs anyway, because there just so happens to be very little uniformity in the standard with which they measure such response. Bass amp companies are the worst with that stuff.

OK, sorry if I'm being irritating over this, but after getting that B-15, I'm wanting to put a little more into a mic for live work than a 57 or 58, so I've been tossing around getting an RE 20. But then you mentioned that Heil PR 40, and now I'm considering it as well. I talked to a fairly knowledgeable gal at GC who is very much into the RE 20 and thinks that the Heil doesn't have as much gain before feedback as an RE 20, but she didn't have an RE 20 to A/B so I could hear for myself. So let me ask you in your infinite tonal wisdom...which would YOU, the Grandmaster Freak, taking into account that it will be predominantly for live work, choose? The RE 20, the PR 40, or would you recommend sticking with a Shure?

I'd buy the PR40 in a heart beat, mainly because I'm high on it from two great days of recording with it. I love my SM7, but the Heil was beefier to my ears on that cab. RE 20's are great too, because you can, like an SM7, always use it for vocals and other stuff. Likewise the PR 40. I just think it sounds great. I'm not really worried about gain before feedback, that's a little esoteric for this application, mic'ing a bass cab.

You can't go wrong with any of those mics. I'm just adding it to my collection...it may never replace my SM7 for male vocals, but I haven't tried it on vox yet.

JMJ

Obviously you were in a parallel universe during the 2007 Grammy awards, where the last record (which I also did with the Chicks and Rick Rubin) won 5 Grammys, and Rick Rubin got "Producer of the Year" for it.

:rollno::D

The Heil is sick. I'm buying one immediately. By the way, I wouldn't pay much heed to frequency response specs anyway, because there just so happens to be very little uniformity in the standard with which they measure such response. Bass amp companies are the worst with that stuff.
I guess I'm conditioned to think of Rick Rubin alongside acts like the Chili Peppers and the Beastie Boys, occasionally forgetting how he resurrected Johnny Cash's career. It just seems like a really odd pairing in my mind because of his early history but not so odd if you take the Cash albums into play. And I had no idea that Rick Rubin did their last album. I used to follow that stuff about producers and engineers and who's hot but not so much anymore. What do I know? I'm old ;)

Thanks for the advice about the Heil. I had pretty much decided to get the RE 20, but this complicates things. At this point I can't get both it and the RE 20, so now a no-brainer becomes a tough decision.

I guess I'm conditioned to think of Rick Rubin alongside acts like the Chili Peppers and the Beastie Boys, occasionally forgetting how he resurrected Johnny Cash's career. It just seems like a really odd pairing in my mind because of his early history but not so odd if you take the Cash albums into play. And I had no idea that Rick Rubin did their last album. I used to follow that stuff about producers and engineers and who's hot but not so much anymore. What do I know? I'm old ;)

Thanks for the advice about the Heil. I had pretty much decided to get the RE 20, but this complicates things. At this point I can't get both it and the RE 20, so now a no-brainer becomes a tough decision.

I would have thought Slayer and The Dixie Chicks would be a more insane comparison :p Rick has done everything!

Justin, I think I'm going to do everything you do from now on. This is twice now I've tried a piece of gear based on your recommendations, and twice they've totally killed. I bought a PR 40 today, and it's everything you said it is. I've only got to try it out a little bit in my cheapo home studio, but I've never heard such a warm bottom end in a $325 mic. It really does sound like a much more expensive condenser.

Judging how good it sounds in my little hodgepodge studio with no processing, I'll bet it absolutely kills in a real studio, and I'm looking forward to hearing what you did with it. Despite me goofing on the idea (hope you weren't as offended as I think you might have been), I have a ton of respect for both Rick Rubin and the Dixie Chicks and I'm a big fan of old-timey country music, and the Dixie Chicks catch that vibe really well.

That's so awesome, man. Thrilled the PR40 worked for you. I'm buying one immediately, that's fer sure. Imagine how it might work on a vocal!

All good on your goofing, I was not even remotely offended!

JMJ

I wish I had a bunch of vocal mics to AB it with, but I did record a little bit of vocal with it just to test it out, and I think you will like it. Been a while since I sang into an RE 20, but I don't remember the RE 20 being so warm and clear. It was clear, but I don't recall any warm fuzzies like the PR 40. I think at the very least it would make a good mic for backgrounds when you run out of expensive mics, and it's great for spoken word. I also tried micing a Super Reverb and an old Airline 15w tube amp from '62 with it and it kills for that as well. It's a real Swiss Army Mic, that's for sure.

Sick. Sign me up.

This thread is gold!

After reading this thread, I decided to use a PR-40 earlier today in the studio and got some awesome results. Threw it up on a B-15 and couldn't have been more pleased. As soon as I can, I'm gonna get one for myself, because this thing is the heat on a bass cab.

Another strong endorsement! Awesome!!

JMJ

Yep, and at my gig tonight, the PR 40 actually drew a crowd. It was the first time the tech crew had ever gotten a chance to use one, so they all came over to look at it while I set up. Used it on the new B-15N with no DI and all of them said it was the best bass sound they ever heard at the venue. I get a lot of similar compliments when I use that rig. I thought it was my playing, but apparently it's all in the equipment ;)

So Justin, I know you get to work with some cool acts, but I think even you would agree that this guy I worked with tonight ranks up there as one of the coolest...Ron Dante, who produced all of Barry Manilow's big hits, and he also sang lead for the Archies. I'm sorry, but it don't get much cooler than the Archies! Got another night with him tonight plus a couple other singers from that era. Always wanted to be in the Archies when I was little...who knew I'd get to do it 40 years later?!?

HAH! So do you hate me more because I have two B-15's now or because I live half an hour away from BC? I really need to know, because if you hate me because of the B-15's, then you'd have to hate Justin twice as much because he's got like 4 of them, and I can't stand to see all this hate directed at such a nice guy :bassist:

< envisioning stacked B-15's>

Can I have a number for the Twin Fliptop Owners Club? :hyper:

Thanks for the mic recommendations..sounds hawt.

THE ARCHIES!!!

Sweet!!!

JMJ

Can I have a number for the Twin Fliptop Owners Club? :hyper:

Thanks for the mic recommendations..sounds hawt.
If there's not a club, there should be!