best cab for a 1973 fender bassman 100?

ricky · #1 12-06-2010, 12:29 PM

I picked up an 8 ohm Fender pro 115 cab to couple with a '73 bassman 100 head and the results are: great tone at low volume, distortion at high. Now looking for 4 ohm cab that will be a better match.

Would the bassman head have better results with the 4 ohm Fender Pro 215?

What's the best cab for the old bassman head?

thanks

4Mal · #2 12-06-2010, 12:54 PM

best bet ? strap a good speaker level DI on it and take that to the board, use the on stage speaker as monitor only. 2 efficient 15's would be your best bet as no matter what - there isn't a lot of horsepwer there. Tone there is though - One band in Portland (The Strangetones) uses a Bassman 100 and the old style 2x15. It oks to be loaded with JBL's. The Avalon U5 that sit's next to it sounds awesome through the PA ...

dmrogers · #3 12-06-2010, 12:58 PM

Out of boredom one day, I connected my ~'70's Bassman 100 to a couple of GS112's and got a pretty good tone out of that. Not something you could use to fill a room (without PA support) but a great tube tone.

What 4Mal said, get a good speaker for a monitor and run it through the house (if you have that option).

anderbass · #4 12-06-2010, 01:12 PM

A Berg NV610 should be on your list. (probably at the top)

RickenBoogie · #5 12-06-2010, 01:14 PM

The Bassman Pro 215 should be awesome, lots more of what you already have, (more than double)

ricky · #6 12-06-2010, 01:16 PM

thanks

Fender's new PRO 215 is 4 ohms. I wonder if it will stay clean at good volume.

http://www.guitarcenter.com/Fender-2...12-i1401963.gc

RickenBoogie · #7 12-06-2010, 03:31 PM

I bet it would.

pgk · #8 12-06-2010, 03:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ricky

thanks

Fender's new PRO 215 is 4 ohms. I wonder if it will stay clean at good volume.

http://www.guitarcenter.com/Fender-2...12-i1401963.gc

it certainly will, but it's a big 'un though. depending on how much you wanna spend a pair of mid-sized bag end S15D-L cabs (18x22x18) would rule the universe with that great head, as would a pair of TL-606 style cabs. a deadly combo that'd be...

IanAllison · #9 12-06-2010, 03:47 PM

Bergantino stuff - the NV series would be a great choice - but if you don't mind the aesthetic of carpet covered cabs . . .

The HS410 is WONDERFUL with the Bassman 100. I own both pieces and have used this rig with great results. As long as your band isn't pushing jet engine levels onstage, there's PA support, and you don't mind a bit of breakup, it's all good.

anderbass · #10 12-06-2010, 04:51 PM

Ian, The current line of NV cabs come in black Tolex, It was just the earlier ones that had rat fur.

IanAllison · #11 12-07-2010, 06:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by anderbass

Ian, The current line of NV cabs come in black Tolex, It was just the earlier ones that had rat fur.

Right - I meant that if you don't mind carpet, check out the HS410.

mrnasty · #12 12-07-2010, 07:02 PM

If you can find one, get a Fender 4 x 12 cabinet - that's what the Bassman 100 was originally paired with. Its a big and heavey cabinet, but it will definately make the head should the way it is supposed to. This was my rig back in "the day."

ricky · #13 12-12-2010, 08:12 AM

thanks everyone.

What about a 2-12 cab? I wonder if the Avatar 212 Neo would be a good match?

craig.p · #14 12-12-2010, 08:30 AM

Ricky, you read my mind. I have two of those. But understand that the B212 is a heavy-sounding cab that goes very low, with not much midrange. Since that's the case, it would probably cut back any "tube glare" you might be getting from the Bassman. That may or may not appeal to you.

The distortion you got with the Pro 115 may be the head running out of steam, not the cab failing to handle what the head can send it. With low-power tube heads I've had the best results running lots of cones. I know that sounds counter-intuitive, but it really works. It's less a matter of power handling and more a matter of maximizing cone area. For example, my old V4B sounded its best when running two 2x15 cabs, even though one cab could've handled the V4B's output.

Interceptor · #15 12-12-2010, 09:48 AM

I had good luck with a pair of Electrovoice TL606 cabinets with EV 15" speakers. It was loud enough to keep up with a un mic'd typical drummer. Any more than that and it would have been outgunned.

One of the EV cabs with the Bassman was plenty for jazz work up against a drummer with brushes.

The Bassman has an output transformer wound for 4 Ohms. If you don't try and push it, it'll work into a 8 Ohm load. I doubt there's much more than 50 Watts output there with an 8 Ohm load.

I am not 100% comfortable using the Bassman at 8 Ohms if any significant volume is needed. The concern is with exceeding the voltage limits in the secondary of the output transformer. The consequence is letting the smoke out of the transformer.

If you're going to try and wring full volume out a Bassman, I suggest the use a 4 ohm cabinet.

Jim

ricky · #16 12-13-2010, 07:51 AM

thanks guys-

I must say the best looking match would be the 4 ohm Fender Pro 215. I just wish a local store would stock it because it's a grand!

I guess I need to demo the head w/ a variety of efficient 4 ohm cabs. I don't think I want to go the two cab route. Gonna try a maybe a Berg 410, maybe even a lower wattage 410.

I should also say that I'm not looking for distortion.. Looking for the cab that gives the most power without distortion.

Thanks everyone for commenting on this! The quest continues!!!

4Mal · #17 12-13-2010, 10:11 AM

If you really want to cart a 2x15 around, look for an old Sunn 200S cab - not the side 'horn' monster cab but the narrower cab with the ports in the middle. Even loaded with D140's that wasn't a real heavy cab. You want to pick the drivers based on efficiency. I would be inclined towards loading it with Eminence 3015's - which are about $140 a shot at the moment.

I would stay away from most modern cabs like the Bergantino's mentioned - great cab's no doubt but... you've only got 100 watts and those cab's are built to take the abuse supplied by much more powerful heads - nope - you want something that is designed for 1960's power standards ...

I got awesome tone from a PBass back then using a Showman Amp and the small box sealed Fender 2x12 - I believe it was loaded with wither Altec's or JBL's as I remember the chrome dust caps on the drivers ... the rig was loaned to me for a time and I still lust for it ... there are many clones of that cab out there as guitarists and steel players still worship them.

Nothing you do is going to make that thing gig worthy at high volume though - you still need a great speaker level DI ...

http://www.thewho.net/whotabs/gear/bass/bass6771.html

second row of pic's, on the right is the Sunn cab I'm talking about ...

Another choice would be the monster Peavey 2x15 cab from yesteryear. I saw a lot of those wher ethe BW's were ripped out and replaced with EV's. Leads me to think that 3015's would work in there real well with some extra stuffing ... Those are heavey bastids - so they show up on Craigslist as us geezers age to the point where we won't move 'em anymore. Presents some fine economic opportunities for those with stronger, younger backs

Is the MojoSonic guy still in biz ? Kenny Allen ? Seems like he was doing for light, efficient 15 based cab's at one point...

and finally - this looks interesting - the Celstion he uses is available in 4 ohm so it could be a 1 cab solution too ... http://www.mojotone.com/amp-parts/ca...s-Cabinet-1x15

ricky · #18 12-13-2010, 11:06 AM

thanks Mal-

thart's a fine looking cab...and price- is that right? If so, a very good deal.

ninepoundjammer · #19 12-13-2010, 11:23 AM

I was thinking about building up a set of tl-606's to run with my 130 watt Musicman HD-130, but I have been very pleased with the tone and volume through my bergantino HT112ER/EX stack. My current band is pretty average volume and I've carried some good sized rooms with no PA support. Hence, I tend to believe you can do pretty well at reasonable volumes with modern cabs like Berg, Aguilar, etc. That said, I don't think 100 watts can keep up with the Berg NV series cabs -- 6x10 or 4x12 is a lot of cab. I've never been impressed by the Fender cabs.

Ben Clarke · #20 12-13-2010, 11:35 AM

I got really nice results with plenty of headroom using a 5 string and running Bill Fitzmaurice DR250a and Tuba24, but with a Bassman 135. Different amp, I know... but would still sound great IMO.

Gigged w/ vox only PA in a band with a heavy handed drummer, and 2 guitars using a SF Super Reverb and a SF Twin.