Bad Idea?

TravTrav · #1 11-22-2011, 01:31 AM

So, I have an Ampeg J20 (yes, a guitar amp) and occasionally like to thump around on bass. I also have a Bag End S15-D that I use as an ext. cab for it sometimes.

I was wondering would it be a bad idea to just buy a 12" Bag End speaker to put in my Ampeg? Or would the frequencies of the speaker just end up being too weird for the combo, and out of whack when I want to play guitar?

walterw · #2 11-22-2011, 01:34 AM

yeah, bad idea. wrong speaker = bad guitar tone, wrong cab design = bad bass tone.

plugging the amp into the bass cab instead (bypassing the amp's own speaker) is the way to go for home noodling.

bongomania · #3 11-22-2011, 01:38 AM

Agreed.

TravTrav · #4 11-22-2011, 01:39 AM

Right on. That's what I've been doing, but I thought it would be nice (for when I go jam at my buddy's house) to just pick up the combo alone and be good to go.

But, ain't no thang. One more thing to pick up is all.

TravTrav · #5 11-22-2011, 12:46 PM

Rather than start a new thread, how much of a power difference do you think I would notice if I were to "upgrade" to an Ashdown LB-30? I'd imagine the eq would probably be a bit better tailored for bass, but do you think there would be an increase in headroom? The combo I have now uses 2 6v6's in the power section, if that means anything to you guys.

JHAz · #6 11-22-2011, 02:18 PM

6v6s and EL84s are roughly equivalent. All other things being equal, about doubling your available power. Changes in voicing and EQ could have a significant effect, but theoretically a 3 dB increase in headroom (about "one notch" to most folks).

TravTrav · #7 11-27-2011, 03:26 PM

I think I'm gonna replace the speaker anyways, ha ha.

I'm bad like that.

RickenBoogie · #8 11-27-2011, 03:42 PM

It's your (wasted) money).

walterw · #9 11-27-2011, 04:05 PM

yeah, you could put the best bass speaker in the world in that cab, and it'll still suck for bass; it's an open-back cab, no good for bass guitar.

TravTrav · #10 11-27-2011, 06:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by walterw

it's an open-back cab

Wrong.

But, yeah, you are all probably right. For what I do, though, I think it'll be fine. I'm sure we don't all play bass/have the same tones as each other. I'm more of just going for a that's "a four string guitar tuned an octave down" sound rather than "bomm-bumm" thumpy bass.

Probably didn't make sense. I'll report back for poos and gigs once I get a different speaker, though.

walterw · #11 11-27-2011, 07:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TravTrav

Wrong.

really?

walterw · #12 11-27-2011, 07:44 PM

in any case, if you're going for more "down-tuned guitar" sounds, maybe you just want a stronger guitar speaker, one that will handle the extra lows without blowing while still sounding good at guitar frequencies.

maybe something like a celestion classic lead 80 or an eminence legend?

or maybe a decent full-range PA 12, like an eminence beta 12?

TravTrav · #13 11-28-2011, 06:05 PM

^^^ I may just do that. My guitar is tuned B-B, so it would make more sense.

Quote:

Originally Posted by walterw

really?

Personally, I don't consider that lil' rectangle to be an open cab design. But, as you can tell from my ideas that I posted in this thread, I do not know much about resonance/acoustics.

bassgod0dmw · #14 11-28-2011, 06:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TravTrav

Personally, I don't consider that lil' rectangle to be an open cab design.

The lil' rectangle and the entire section that is open around the amp for cooling make it an open back. It's not sealed off beneath the tubes, they just dangle into the speaker area.

I agree that it's wasted time/money. You'd be better off removing the "head" from the combo and building a little head case for it, then you can use it with the Bag End cab as well as the Ampeg combo very easily.

will33 · #15 11-28-2011, 07:07 PM

An absolute waste of time, money, and a decent guitar amp, period. Wire the amp to a small bass cab. Bass+amp+openback cab= crap tone for a few seconds, silence after that.

jungleheat · #16 11-29-2011, 10:53 AM

It is a "bad" idea (or at least a pointless one), but the amp as is could certainly work for low volume bass practicing if you're careful with volume and eq. Actually it probably doesn't sound half bad if youre going for more of a vintage vibe. When I didn't have anything else, I would use my 120w 2x12 VERY open back Roland JC120 for bass and it actually sounded pretty good, although without a ton of low end.

But a better idea is to just disconnect the internal speaker and use the Bag End cab (using the Ampeg as just a head). I have 2 friends with those amps (actually one friend had both and then decided he didnt need 2 and sold the other one to my other friend) and they are pretty cool. Like 25 pounds and loud enough for most band situations (on guitar). So don't screw with the amp or make any permanent changes to it.