Bass Cab Tranformation PICTOS!

guitarjam6 · #1 08-25-2010, 02:32 PM

Yo gents. I've been feeling rather resourceful lately, so I wanna try something out. I'd like some input before I start doin stuff. I want to wire these speakers to a jackplate and make a 4 ohm cab I can use with my new Carvin BX1500 head.

I have this early 90's Fender M-80 2-12 guitar cab. It has 2 Peavey Black Widows in it. I can't find the exact model, but I believe they are early 90- to late 80's. Would these be good for bass usage? I know I can wire them together to make this 4ohm cab.

Just ordered that jackplate that has 1/4" and Speakon connectors. I was going to just cut some MDF or plywood and close the back off and mount the jackplate.

Any input or ideas, as usual, is always appreciated.

Strat-Mangler · #2 08-25-2010, 02:41 PM

Guitar speakers don't work for bass usage. You'll blow them up.

smogg · #3 08-25-2010, 02:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Strat-Mangler

Guitar speakers don't work for bass usage. You'll blow them up.

That pretty much sums it up. All you'll end up doing is frying a nice guitar cab.

guitarjam6 · #4 08-25-2010, 03:33 PM

Well, luckily the cab doesnt really work. The inputs are both SUPER noisy. I was under the impression those Black Widows were loudspeakers, which were put in the amp after it was built. The most I can find on those speaks is that they can handle 400w a piece, so I was thinking a BX1500 running one channel to this cab at 4ohm would be kosher. They were always really bassy when using it as a guitar cab.

Strat-Mangler · #5 08-25-2010, 04:19 PM

Do it if you want to. Don't say we didn't warn you.

RickenBoogie · #6 08-25-2010, 04:56 PM

Bad idea.

brendanbassist · #7 08-25-2010, 05:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by guitarjam6

Well, luckily the cab doesnt really work. The inputs are both SUPER noisy. I was under the impression those Black Widows were loudspeakers, which were put in the amp after it was built. The most I can find on those speaks is that they can handle 400w a piece, so I was thinking a BX1500 running one channel to this cab at 4ohm would be kosher. They were always really bassy when using it as a guitar cab.

The speakers may be able to handle the bass frequencies, in a sense. But only if it was a sealed or ported cabinet. In an open back cabinet, you will over extend the speakers and tear the cones.

guitarjam6 · #8 08-26-2010, 01:48 AM

This is the input I like to hear. Just got home from a gig with an SVT Pro 2 and a new 610HLF on the backline... man, that rig was super phatty booty! So I know this amp probably isn't going to sound that good, but it sounds like with the right style of cab it could possibly produce some usable sounds. If found some information that says the speakers frequency response is around 60-3.5k hz. If I ran the signal to a fixed crossover, could that help produce better quality?

BTW I understand that I could totally blow these, I've had em for years and I want to tinker with some stuff so what better way to learn than to try some funky stuff out, who knows, there may be just one usable/interesting tone I can find that could be good for recording. That would make it all worth it.

BassmanPaul · #9 08-26-2010, 10:02 AM

The only thing you will learn from following your plan is how to destroy a perfectly good set of GUITAR speakers. The requirements for a bass and guitar cabinets are pretty much polar opposites. Even if you close the back in, the cabinet will be too small to work well for bass. It will leak like a sieve around the amp chassis.

If you are really in the mood to build something then look to the Fearful threads and Bill Fitzmaurice's website. In other words build something worthwhile. Your new BX1500 deserves at least that.

Paul

bwoodman · #10 08-26-2010, 10:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BassmanPaul

The only thing you will learn from following your plan is how to destroy a perfectly good set of GUITAR speakers. The requirements for a bass and guitar cabinets are pretty much polar opposites. Even if you close the back in, the cabinet will be too small to work well for bass. It will leak like a sieve around the amp chassis.

If you are really in the mood to build something then look to the Fearful threads and Bill Fitzmaurice's website. In other words build something worthwhile. Your new BX1500 deserves at least that.

Paul

+1
It's a guitar combo amp. Sell it and build a bass cabinet.

mulchor · #11 08-26-2010, 10:44 AM

Messing around with speakers is great fun.

If you're hoping to make something that sounds great, there's oodles of info about it.

If you're wanting to have a DIY mess-around with stuff you already have on hand, hey what the heck. The Carvin head has built-in bi-amp ability, so you could have a proper sub for the subs and try the Black Widows for mid-uppers. If it sounds poopy, try something else.

It's very hip to re-purpose.

guitarjam6 · #12 08-26-2010, 01:36 PM

Thanks for all the insight. I'm looking to see if I have resources available to do something in the fearful style. I wasn't really thinking about cab dimensions as much as open/closed style. Thanks for the ideas. Luckily I have a Carvin BR510 cabinet with the two 10'' neo speakers, and I'm buying a 4-10 BRX or Goliath Sr. cab soon, just wanna get creative with whats around. I dig the approach mulchor. I'm actually building sound absorption panels now, so I'll post up that build with actual costs involved in another thread.

It's totally hip to re-purpose. I need a T-shirt that says that.

John Webb · #13 09-07-2010, 03:14 PM

Try it.
Then send us pix!!!!
Or better yet link us to a recording of how it sounds!