barefaced or aguilar cab?

[brekfustuvluzer]

i think i might buy a LMIII and would like to pair it with a 2x12. i have narrowed it down to either a barefaced super12 or a pair of aguilar db112nts.

here is a quick comparison.

weight: barefaced - 40lbs, aggie - 42 lbs (x2!)
sensitivity: barefaced - 102db, aggie - 95db
price new: barefaced - $1100 shipped, aggie - $1150 for the pair + shipping

the barefaced obviously wins here. but the barefaced will have to be shipped from uk. also, i may be able to find the aggies used to save a few hundred. so, which would you guys choose and why???

[MysticMichael]

Originally Posted by brekfustuvluzer

so, which would you guys choose and why???

Before anyone else pipes up to suggest what HE would choose and why, why don't YOU explain something about your intended application(s)?

MM

[brekfustuvluzer]

i like old school tone. mainly old svt/b-15 type stuff. but i dont want to lug a big tube rig around anymore. i need something to cover medium club gigs with pa (although i dont like to rely on monitor mixes alone) with a drummer and guitar player. i like tones like mccartney/carol kaye/jamerson and i play indie rock.

[MysticMichael]

Get the Aguilars. Especially since they're the NT (no tweeter) model, they'll do old school like nobody's bidness...

MM

[Musicman20]

Aguilar

[lbwdog]

Choice: Barefaced
Why: Duh...just look at the specs!

[m.oreilly]

Originally Posted by lbwdog

Choice: Barefaced
Why: Duh...just look at the specs!

but is it "old school"?

[kosmicwizard]

If you get the barefaced without the (T) or turn off the tweeter it could be old school. A lot of what old school is can be in your playing style, your Pups, your choice of strings, your amp head, etc. That barefaced cab is the shiznit! Cheers.

[carlos840]

All i can say is that i just ordered a Barefaced Midget and that alex is great to deal with!
You should send him a mail he will help you get what you want!

[SactoBass]

No comparison. Barefaced all the way. Alex Claber's engineering is second to none. It leaves most USA cabs in the proverbial dust. Plus, they look way cooler than Aggies IMHO.

[Dub56]

I've never played Barefaced cabs, but I did really like a pair of Aguilar GS 112's I had.

I might also suggest getting ONE with a tweeter and the other without if you go with the Aguilars. I had that with my GS112s, and I turned the tweeter on just a slight bit on the one cab and it sounded great. You can also turn the tweeter all the way of, of course, so it just gives you a little more flexibility.

[brekfustuvluzer]

Originally Posted by lbwdog

Choice: Barefaced
Why: Duh...just look at the specs!

thanks dr. steve brule!

[Mr. Foxen]

I have an Aguilar GS412, and the only thing I'd consider replacing it with would be Barefaced big cabs (either the Big One or the forthcoming replacement for the now discontinued Vintage, maybe a pair of Compacts). My housemate has a Barefaced, and it is awesome.

[ishouldbeking]

keep in mind there are the new Aguilar ultralight neo 12" cabs coming out too. 25 lbs each IIRC?

i came pretty close to ordering a barefaced super twelve not too long ago... ultimately i just decided it was too much to spend on a completely blind purchase without a lot more reviews out there. some folks can afford to put themselves in that situation, but i'd be relying on it as my gigging rig, and if i don't love it, returning it would be a hassle, and trying to flip a new piece of gear is always a losing proposition. (though in this case i bet they hold their resale well since they'd be hard to get here.)

my main barefaced reservation was regarding the durability... one poster wrote me to share his experiences and thought the cab had a homemade feel, and I read a little bit on basschat where a few folks thought the cabinet wood dented very easily, and expressed concern over the quality of the spray-on coating. given, these things may have been changed since that post, so may be a non-issue. for me, durability is king, as i'll be touring my cabs, and need something bombproof unless i want to be replacing it soon.

re: the aggy cabs you mention, make sure you see them in person before you order them. they're actually pretty heavy for their size, and they're exceptionally deep cabs, something like 18 or 19" deep. in comparison, my 610 is 16" deep. with the single handle located on the side(!?) of the aggy cabs, its a pretty awkward schlep. never played through them though, and i gather they sound really good, if you like the big midrange bump they supposedly give.

for the record i got two Mesa walkabout scout cabs and I'm really liking them so far.

[greenboy]

barefaced. It's got a construction approach that shaves dead weight off the SPL. It's got woofers that can handle more power. It's got bracing that's not just a token effort. It's got a fine shape for hearing it better. What's not to like about louder yet lighter?

Tone? That's up to player, bass, strings, EQ (if any). Either cab should be able to sound old school by most people's definitions.

[Musicman20]

PS - I seriously think you should TEST if at all possible. You may flat out prefer one over the other within a few minutes. The DB112 x 2 sounds absolutely huge....with a great punchy yet smooth midrange.

[dincz]

Originally Posted by brekfustuvluzer

sensitivity: aggie - 95db

Is that for one cab or for the two stacked?

[KJung]

I've owned the DB112's and played a couple of 3012HO one way cabs similar to the Barefaced Super 212.

Both are obviously nice and sound quite different. The Aggies have a bigger inherent low end, and a mid voicing that emphasizes the mid mids. The 3012HO cabs are quite a bit tighter/punchier down low, and have a pretty strong dose of upper mids (what some people describe as the classic neo type tone).

I dug them both. 'Old School' is a difficult term to define, since there are different flavors of it. I recently played an early 60's Ampeg B15, and was quite suprised at the tight low end and the super upper midrange brightness of that cab. That is very much in the 3012HO voicing (Barefaced or whatever). The DB112's are much rounder and smoother and fatter... more toward the old 215 cabs to my ear. So, pick your poison!

One word of warning... the DB112's are heavy and awkward (strange handle placement and footprint... big footprint, low height). I HATED the schlepp factor on those. Also, given the rear porting and the deep footrpint (I think 19", you have to have about 25" of space on stage (the depth of the cab and the 6" from the wall that the rear port requires... that can be a slight issue on small stages.. just FYI). The quality and look is fantastic, but similar to the Barefaced cab, a padded cover is an absolute must to keep tolex and grill cloth from being beat up.

I love that grind and punch and brightness of the 3012HO cabs, but it isn't for everyone.

[greenboy]

Originally Posted by KJung

I love that grind and punch and brightness of the 3012HO cabs, but it isn't for everyone.

And yet, they can easily be EQ'd to sound almost dull, phat, "slow" and round ; }

If you have better than a Fender tone stack it should be easy. Even with a Fender tone stack you can go a fair way if you understand the Fender tone stack.

[MOSCOWBASS]

I have't used the aggies, but I have half a super 12 in the form of a Barefaced Midget T. The power handling is shocking, I've yet to hear it fart out with a shuttle 9 pumping 500 watts into it. I'm concidering adding a Compact and getting rid of my Epi 4x10, not beause I don't like the Epi, but because the Barefaced cabs are so easy to transport. The Midget gives me more clean spl than my old EA nl210 and weighs half as much. I haven't noticed any lack of bottom end for such a small cab, but I think a Compact in addition would give that big fat bottom that the Epi has. Given how powerful the Midget is, I can do most of my gigs with one lightweight cab, would a Midget T and Compact be a better option than a super 12?