DIY Conversion

[Andii Syckz]

I've been browsing the forum in search for how to's on converting a combo into a cab. So far i've read mixed things and it's not computing well with my brain.

Along with my small marshall combo (MB15), i have this carlsbro hornet 45 bass combo which i borrowed from a friend (he's a guitarist), It's pretty old and according to him, it's been sitting in a closet before he acquired it. I used it a couple times, and the volume knob popped while boosting the volume (Only when you started at zero and gradually boosted) and the mid eq knob grinches dialling it. I was going to get it fixed but i figure i might as well use it as a cab.

I have a pretty basic knowledge with electronics in amps, but what must i do to completely eliminate the combo aspect and just use the speaker along with the housing as a 1x15 cab?

Thanks.

[Bass_Pounder]

Not sure I would ever bother trying to convert the "housing" into just a cab because most combo's compromise on proper enclosure size for the speakers used.

[BassmanPaul]

Agreed!

[Andii Syckz]

Originally Posted by Bass_Pounder

Not sure I would ever bother trying to convert the "housing" into just a cab because most combo's compromise on proper enclosure size for the speakers used.

By housing, i meant the part that holds the speaker. I don't care about the "head" part since it's pretty much shot. But the speaker works. I just want to know what to use to use the speaker as a cab

[Bass_Pounder]

Originally Posted by Andii Syckz

By housing, i meant the part that holds the speaker. I don't care about the "head" part since it's pretty much shot. But the speaker works. I just want to know what to use to use the speaker as a cab

Again, read what I wrote.

The "cab" part of a combo is usually too small and not properly tuned/ported to be used with anything but the head it came with. For example - look at a normal standalone 1X15 cab compared to a combo with a 15"

If you are dead set on doing it, remove the head and install a 1/4 input jack wired directly to the internal speaker - done.

[Cougmeister]

I did the same thing with an old practice amp. Been thinking about building a new cab for the speaker, but the speaker is not labelled in any way, therefore I can only guess on proper cab dimensions.

[Woodstockz]

Originally Posted by Bass_Pounder

Again, read what I wrote.

The "cab" part of a combo is usually too small and not properly tuned/ported to be used with anything but the head it came with. For example - look at a normal standalone 1X15 cab compared to a combo with a 15"

If you are dead set on doing it, remove the head and install a 1/4 input jack wired directly to the internal speaker - done.

Also, if you are dead set on doing it, after you remove the head, you can rework the box to reclaim some of the volume taken up by the electronics.

[Andii Syckz]

Originally Posted by Woodstockz

Also, if you are dead set on doing it, after you remove the head, you can rework the box to reclaim some of the volume taken up by the electronics.

how do i do that?

[Woodstockz]

Originally Posted by Andii Syckz

how do i do that?

A little woodworking.

The electronics is housed in a box and that takes up some space. After you take out the electronics, you enclose the electronics area and remove the divider from the electronics area to the speaker area. This increases the volume that Bass_Pounder said was too small, the speaker volume area. This won't make it perfect, but every little bit helps.

[Pilgrim]

I was typing at the same time. Remove any partition between interior of the speaker cavity and the former amp area. You'll also need to seal off the front and back of the amp area.

I have a different opinion of the value of this operation - I think it's a LOT more work then it's worth, as it will involve essentially rebuilding the top half of the enclosure...and you have no way of knowing what the effect on the sound will be.

[Woodstockz]

Originally Posted by Pilgrim

I was typing at the same time. Remove any partition between interior of the speaker cavity and the former amp area. You'll also need to seal off the front and back of the amp area.

I have a different opinion of the value of this operation - I think it's a LOT more work then it's worth, as it will involve essentially rebuilding the top half of the enclosure...and you have no way of knowing what the effect on the sound will be.

Yeah, I'd rather build a new cab. It's about the same amount of work. Depending on your wood working skills, aesthetically, it may be the way to go.

I once made a cab out of an old stereo speaker with a blown driver. I used a roundover bit in a router for the edges, and then painted them black with truckbed paint. Then put corners on them. Turned out pretty good. It was as almost much work as starting from scratch, but the sides were square.