Any Advice for converting a fender 4x12 to 2x15

ric3xrt · #1 10-18-2010, 10:50 AM

Found one of those 4x12 Fender cabs the one that has the speakers on an angle at a yard sale this weekend, $10 took the cab and $20 bucks took the 135 head, $50 took the 66 Jazz ,gave the guy $40 for all of it and RAN.(LOL)
The stock speakers are all blown and the baffles(?) are either broken or lose either way this thing makes one hell of a racket when moveing it around.
I'd like to convert it to a 2X15 cab any advice? any web site that might be able to help.
Thanks

pfschim · #2 10-18-2010, 07:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ric3xrt

Found one of those 4x12 Fender cabs the one that has the speakers on an angle at a yard sale this weekend, $10 took the cab and $20 bucks took the 135 head, $50 took the 66 Jazz ,gave the guy $40 for all of it and RAN.(LOL)
The stock speakers are all blown and the baffles(?) are either broken or lose either way this thing makes one hell of a racket when moveing it around.
I'd like to convert it to a 2X15 cab any advice? any web site that might be able to help.
Thanks

so, let me get this straight .... you got
a 66 Jazz Bass
a Bassman 135
and
a Bassman 4x12 cab

for

$40

how is that even possible ??

If true, great grab on your part brother.

As far as converting the 4x12 cab to a 2x15. my advice is forget about it. Use some of the money you saved getting all that stuff for $40 !!!, and buy a real 2x15 cab. There is probably not much you can do with that old "pyramid" 4x12 to make it sound good. They were very poorly designed and built (which probably explains all the rattling around noise - the baffles and blown speaker parts are sloshing around inside there).

good luck

AwkwardLoudness · #3 10-18-2010, 10:55 PM

Wow. That was a killer deal regardless of the condition of those items.

Definitely buy a separate 2x15 cab if you insist on having a 2x15 cab. The time and expense to custom build a new baffle board to replace the old would not be worthwhile. I'm not certain that 2 15" drivers would even fit.

**colcifer** · #4 10-18-2010, 11:12 PM

66 j?

rpsands · #5 10-18-2010, 11:48 PM

If you with a straight face paid a man 40 bucks for a 66 J bass, you need to go back and make amends. That's robbery.

Vaider · #6 10-18-2010, 11:50 PM

i say pics or this never happened... Not sayin your lyin but ya know back the truth up

will33 · #7 10-19-2010, 12:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rpsands

If you with a straight face paid a man 40 bucks for a 66 J bass, you need to go back and make amends. That's robbery.

Yeah, I can appreciate a good deal but that's just wrong. 70's silverface bassman's also came with a 215, ditch that angled 412 and look for one of those. Then go back and give that man (or his "estate") a few hundred bucks so you can sleep at night.....that's if you're worth a damn.

Probably some troll trying to start $%!#.

atheos · #8 10-19-2010, 12:17 AM

Oh c'mon, deal is a deal, steal is a steal. He got it dirt cheap and unless the gear is "hot" there's nothing wrong. I could sell all my gear for $20 if I'd want to.

But converting a 412 to a 215? Don't. You'd need to make radical modifications and still it wouldn't sound as great as an actual 215. There are acoustical differences between 12 and 15 inch speakers and thus between 412 and 215 cabs, too. It won't be like you just make two holes bigger and fill the other two and put the speakers in. Do that and all you have is a poor sounding cab.

I mean, sure you can do it if you want to, I'm just saying that the end result won't be worth the trouble; less work means poor result and more work means OK'ish result but the labor would be worth a few hundred $$$ - which will get you a great used 215 cab that'll sound better anyway.

spaz21387 · #9 10-19-2010, 12:31 AM

The size of t he speaker cabinet wouldnt be tuned for 2x15s so it wouldnt sound good. and I also wanna see pics of this "66 jazz

1n3 · #10 10-19-2010, 12:41 AM

As for your yard sale exploits... I don't know where to start.

But to your question... I think it's doable. Major surgery, for sure, but if you've got the woodworking chops, why not? It's pretty worthless as-is, but it's got a plywood shell, and it matches your new head. I'd do it.

Just going from memory, I don't know if that cab has enough internal volume to make two 15s happy. It would depend on your tone goals, and the speakers. If it's too small for the 15s, it should work well for a couple 12s.

Still shaking my head over that deal, though. Pictures, please.

Petebass · #11 10-20-2010, 01:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ric3xrt

Found one of those 4x12 Fender cabs the one that has the speakers on an angle at a yard sale this weekend, ..........
I'd like to convert it to a 2X15 cab any advice?

I know from experience that retrofitting a whole new baffle is often just as much work as building a whole new cab.

Why not investigate 4 nice 12's that will work in a cab that size? There's plenty of help on here - all you have to do is post the cab dimensions and give us details of the existing porting (if any).

Wasted Bassist · #12 10-20-2010, 02:02 AM

I feel like the majority of this forum need to take a deep breath and recognize a joke.

toobalicious · #13 10-20-2010, 12:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1n3

Just going from memory, I don't know if that cab has enough internal volume to make two 15s happy. It would depend on your tone goals, and the speakers. If it's too small for the 15s, it should work well for a couple 12s.

it will have more internal volume than the "tall" 2x15 cabs of the era. it is certainly doable... it will require a lot of work. you will need to build cleats for the new baffle, at least, not to mention the addition of a considerable amount of bracing if you want it to sound worth a damn. but it is totally doable, and i have seen and played through one of these done the "right" way (if there is such a thing). it had jbl speakers loaded, and flat rocked with the bassman 100 it was paired with. IMO, blew my own v.t. bassman cab (the tall 2x15) out of the water and spat on it. of course, that was when i still had the original CTS speakers loaded, so take that as you will (they were a far cry from the D130F).

1n3 · #14 10-20-2010, 04:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by toobalicious

it will have more internal volume than the "tall" 2x15 cabs of the era...

I can believe that... I couldn't remember, and didn't want to search. Until the OP returns with evidence to the contrary, I'll proceed on the assumption that he's jerkin' our chains.

ric3xrt · #15 10-27-2010, 01:45 PM

Not too sure where to start with this response? First let me say I can appreciate and respect the skepticism shown over my yard sale find/deal. My intension of this thread is to deal with the cab and the cab only; looking back on the original post I think I could have worded it differently. The impression I left is that I low balled the guy and took advantage of the situation. Without getting too deep in to the details of the conversation between the former owner and me, I can assure you he was and is of stable mind. He new exactly what he sold me. I do however take offense to the troll remark strictly because I’ve made post and started threads before this and since this. Again I would like to keep this about the cab.
Thank you

Its not that I need a 2x15 I just want to see what can be done with this cab.
Looking more for something to play with at home, something to stay in the corner of the room and act as furniture as much as a bass cab .I was wondering if maybe 1x15 and a pair of 10S or maybe 1X18 and a pair of 10s? I do have a couple of old Peavey 18 20s haven’t had the chance to compare the fender to the 18 20 peavey side by side but from memory I think the fender 4x12 is bigger
I’ll get cab dimensions this weekend.

kesslari · #16 10-27-2010, 01:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ric3xrt

Its not that I need a 2x15 I just want to see what can be done with this cab.
Looking more for something to play with at home, something to stay in the corner of the room and act as furniture as much as a bass cab .I was wondering if maybe 1x15 and a pair of 10S or maybe 1X18 and a pair of 10s? I do have a couple of old Peavey 18 20s haven’t had the chance to compare the fender to the 18 20 peavey side by side but from memory I think the fender 4x12 is bigger
I’ll get cab dimensions this weekend.

Taking everything else out of the picture - if you paid $10 for this cab, consider it a piece of furniture. The cost of retrofitting it to sound good will be considerably more, and the results most likely poorer, than it would take to start from scratch with a good design, plywood, screws and glue.

Bassdirty · #17 10-27-2010, 01:55 PM

But did you really get a 66 jazz for a few bucks?50 or 40 whatev?

Personally , I'd keep it too.

But it sounds like the guy Did NOT know what he had.Not for lettin it go for that cheap..
Not to mention the fact that you took the stuff and..as you put it.."Ran".

Why dont you put 12's in the cab, if thats what it came with.
I don't believe the 15s will work.

Just sayin.

.

billfitzmaurice · #18 10-27-2010, 03:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by atheos

There are acoustical differences between 12 and 15 inch speakers and thus between 412 and 215 cabs, too. I

Those differences were not taken into account by Fender back in the day. You'd be surprised how many manufacturers still don't.
OP, remove the old baffle assembly, make a new flat baffle for two fifteens, load it with Eminence Beta 15 drivers. Be sure to brace the baffle to the back and stuff the cab with pillow stuffing.

Govier966 · #19 10-27-2010, 03:41 PM

pics plz? especially of the 66

1n3 · #20 10-27-2010, 10:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ric3xrt

First let me say I can appreciate and respect the skepticism shown over my yard sale find/deal.

It's good that you can.

Quote:

I’ll get cab dimensions this weekend.

Dimensions would be good - both cab and grille cover. Photos too, to establish ownership, and also for those who have never seen one before - I think there's at least one in this thread. It's not your normal 412.