Acoustic B115 NEO - Backplate Whistle

[Jackal J Noble]

I just recently purchased an Acoustic B115 NEO Cabinet, and the back plate produces a very very annoying whistle, out of the horn switch and the spare input jack. I can muffle it with a t-shirt, but a brand new $400 cab shouldn't whistle.

Anybody have a similar problem with the B115N, or any other cab for that matter?

Any advice?

[oldcatfish]

No, but I've heard from more than one bass player that you can plug the unused inputs with foam ear-plugs to take care of the problem. I've personally never tried it though.

[will33]

Originally Posted by oldcatfish

No, but I've heard from more than one bass player that you can plug the unused inputs with foam ear-plugs to take care of the problem. I've personally never tried it though.

You can do that, or leave an old broken plug in there. Sounds to me like nothings sealed right. You can return it, show them the fault, or you can take the backplate off, take the lpad off, put a rubber o-ring or some caulk there, put it back together, run a bead of caulk around the jackplate, screw it back down. They're budget cabs, they're made cheaply.

[Jackal J Noble]

Well, just an update. I exchanged my cab for a new one through GC. Same problem. Not only the same problem, but the speaker sounded like garbage too. It was crackling and distorting, sounded awful.

DON'T BUY THE NEW ACOUSTIC STUFF

It's not worth it. The only reason I bought it was because I found it online for $179. Their speakers and cabs are junk. Purchase at your own risk.

I also have a B100 Combo, that the speaker crapped out on me. But that was most likely due to this one gig I had with a terrible soundguy, and I had to crank up my combo way louder than I ever have before, just to hear myself on stage. Never playing there again, and never buying Acoustic ever again.

Btw, their customer service sucks. All it is, is an online question and answer form, where people who clearly know nothing about their own products send you messages telling you that the unit is probably defective, and I should arrange an exchange with the seller. And they don't have a phone number. I even asked for a number, they wouldn't give me one. Terrible.

I had to play 4 gigs with their flawed/broken equipment. I got an Ampeg cab on the way, it'll be nice to have working equipment again. Hopefully :/

[Bufalo]

Odd. I picked up a B115 Neo used from a GC for $140 back in the spring with the intention to just to leave it at my band's practice spot - easier travel for practice. This past Saturday I decided what the heck, I'll gig with it tonight rather than load up my GIII. It thumped all night long without any unusual noises, plenty of thick tone and no sore back at the end of the show! I've actually be very impressed with the cab, sucks to hear that others haven't had the same experience. It's certainly not of the build quality or sound quality of my SWR 4x10, but for the country rockin' that I've been playing lately, the Acoustic has been just fine.

[lazerbrains]

I have one of the Acoustic B410 cabs (not the neo) - it had the same "whistle" as you describe. I put a piece of gaffer tape over the unused jack and over the horn switch - fixed the problem just fine. Cab sounds fantastic now - really hard to complain - nothing else I have tried in the same price bracket comes close to the sound.

[BLeslie]

I too have taped over the horn button and it stopped the whistle. For me, the cab never whistled out of the other input jack. And since I have taped it, I haven't had that problem since. I think the cab has great tone. Very punchy. So far, I have no complaints about any Acoustic product.

[SurferJoe46]

I opened my B-115 and just silicon glued a Tupperware cup over the whole jack plate from the inside.

No more troubles. BTW: the B-115 was the only Acoustic to have the whistling jack hole problem, but I've seen it in other brands too. So it ain't just an Acoustic problem.