Bag End S15-D vs. Mesa PH15 for Walkabout stack?

terlewine · #1 11-30-2012, 07:43 PM

I have a Mesa Powerhouse 15 cab, but have never heard a Bag End 15.

I'd like to find something to stack under a Walkabout Scout 15, and the BE looks like a good size fit. Anybody familiar with these two who can compare them?

(A second Scout 15 seems like a good choice, but they don't show up often.)

bassgod0dmw · #2 11-30-2012, 07:51 PM

I have no experience with the PH cabs and a Walkabout, but I really like my Bag End S15D's and the Walkabout head.

I'm awful at describing tone.

terlewine · #3 11-30-2012, 07:57 PM

Thanks. How about volume? What kind of gig situations does it handle for you?

**Stumbo** · #4 11-30-2012, 08:01 PM

http://www.talkbass.com/reviews/show...hp?product=351

terlewine · #5 11-30-2012, 08:09 PM

Thx also. I read those reviews, then decided to post this hoping to get a comparison to two of the few cabs I'm familiar with (PH15 and Scout).

I like the looks of the BEs and their compact size, but don't know if the WA thru them will keep up with two/too loud guitars, drums, keys w/no PA support.

Hard to know without going the $$ "buy and try" route... :-/

bassgod0dmw · #6 12-01-2012, 04:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by terlewine

Thanks. How about volume? What kind of gig situations does it handle for you?

Quote:

Originally Posted by terlewine

I like the looks of the BEs and their compact size, but don't know if the WA thru them will keep up with two/too loud guitars, drums, keys w/no PA support.

Bag End cabs are crazy efficient, and thus very loud. Don't let the small size fool you. Besides, a pair of 15's is basically a 2X15.

My pair kept up just fine with a loud metal band that just didn't understand the concept of good stage volume. I'd argue that rehearsals were louder than some bands gigs.

lowfreqguy · #7 12-01-2012, 05:22 AM

I often play with a pair of BE S15 XDs with no PA support. The stage volume may be a little loud, but I can be heard throughout the venue without a problem. They are very efficient and the rear port allows the drummer to hear me onstage as well.

heavychevy · #8 12-01-2012, 05:32 AM

got a pair of S15-d's running through a Walkabout and absolutely love the tone and it has plenty volume. No problems playing with a couple guitars, sometimes 3, a drummer, percussion, sax player, and a B3 through 2 Leslies...go for it!

terlewine · #9 12-01-2012, 05:47 AM

The YouTube examples of the S15-D I've found seem to be about bright round wound clarity. How are these cabs at handling old school flat wound thump?

obimark · #10 12-01-2012, 06:58 AM

I play thru (1) Bag END 15 on the bottom with a DNA 112 on top for our gigs now. PLENTY of VOLUME and HEADROOM, had too much actually at our last gig in a pretty big room.

Powered by the MIGHTY TH500, never turned up past 4 or 5 when PA is provided.

BAGENDS are great cabs (at least the 15s are)

Luckydog · #11 12-01-2012, 07:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by terlewine

The YouTube examples of the S15-D I've found seem to be about bright round wound clarity. How are these cabs at handling old school flat wound thump?

I often use 2 BE 15s with shuttle 9 and P or J with flats. I can get very nice thump but you have to realize The S15-D is not going to bring the lows of a large cab. But in a mix that is sometimes a benefit, particularly for controlling stage boom.

mcm · #12 12-01-2012, 08:47 AM

I use a s-15d/s-15xd stack and love it. I use a pbass with flats with it, and it's nasty good.

mcm · #13 12-01-2012, 08:50 AM

Also as stated above, the bags are not for low frequency tones. They are loud and balanced.

terlewine · #14 12-01-2012, 08:56 AM

The oldies band I'm in likes a fat, fat bass. Right now, I'm thinking the ideal rig for me would be two Walkabout 15 radiator cabinets...

bassgod0dmw · #15 12-01-2012, 02:26 PM

They definitely don't have the low end of the Scout cabs. IIRC, they roll off at 50hz.

I will say that you can get a fat tone if you carefully EQ. There are a few songs that we do that call for a P bass with the tone knob rolled off and a bass boost. They do that just fine. I think they excel at just sounding good. Much like a P bass just fits into any mix, Bag End cabs seem to give you the perfect frequencies to be heard well. They punch pretty good too.

mcm · #16 12-01-2012, 02:42 PM

I actually like the bags because they dont have the low end mush.

parsons · #17 12-01-2012, 02:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by terlewine

The YouTube examples of the S15-D I've found seem to be about bright round wound clarity. How are these cabs at handling old school flat wound thump?

Thats because almost every vid on youtube belongs to TB member JGR. Almost every video is one of his basses which all use stainless steel roundwounds through aggressively wound pickups played with a pick so you will notice the tone is quite bright. I believe he has owned the Mesa cab in question, so asking him for his comparison would be a good idea.

I have three Bag End S-15s right now. I have a variety of basses- mostly Musicmans and Fender P and PJs that are setup with steels, nickelwounds and flats. Those cabs will do pretty much everything. But yes, they are built to be driven hard and loud. They arent the lowest of the low by any means but they get you to cut through amazingly clear.

They sound great to me using a P with flats.

EDIT: Just shot this quick crappy video with my iPhone. Sorry about the quality but I dont have a great camera for recording AV.
1980 Fender bullet with SPB-2 Precision PU, BA II bridge and DAddario Chromes 50-105
Reiner Rock tube preamp
Peavey IPR3000 power amp @4ohms into
two Bag End S-15D

Excuse my crappy playing of "Strutter", just wanted something that had a little bit of range up and down the fretboard that was simple to hear. Also, my open A string is buzzing (saddle needs adj) so youll hear a little bit of twangy "mwah" on the A string notes. The pickup is also wound very hot and has boosted mids so its not the greatest for getting that old school thump that youd get from a typical Fender 62 or something along those lines.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C8KZFtjwalQ&feature=plcp

terlewine · #18 12-01-2012, 03:14 PM

Hey, that's nice of you to go to the trouble! (Talkbass is a pretty amazing place for help and advice.)

I'm getting a clearer picture of these cabs. nice articulated sound without being thin. still, it's making me think they're not the cabs for this project I'm into right now. I'm leaning stronger toward two Mesa Scout 15s, if I can manage it.

bassgod0dmw · #19 12-01-2012, 03:29 PM

Oh...I forgot to add. If you can find a pair of used S15D's they usually go for pretty friggin' cheap since they aren't the flavor of the month around here. I bought my pair for $400. They'd also be easy enough to flip if they didn't work for you. It's an easy enough way to find out how they sound without spending a fortune.

parsons · #20 12-01-2012, 06:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by terlewine

Hey, that's nice of you to go to the trouble! (Talkbass is a pretty amazing place for help and advice.)

I'm getting a clearer picture of these cabs. nice articulated sound without being thin. still, it's making me think they're not the cabs for this project I'm into right now. I'm leaning stronger toward two Mesa Scout 15s, if I can manage it.

No prob. For comparison, look at my other vid that's on YouTube with my Gibson grabber. The iPhone doesn't pick up the low end very well, but on the grabber there was plenty of bass, then compare to the thump of the flats in the other vid.

Also, these cabs are found cheap used and sell VERY quickly if you ever wanted to get rid of them. I missed several of them when I was looking for mine because people had sold them within 24 hours of listing them