Here's my theory... ignite yer flamethrowers!

[msb3671]

Lengthy rant; my bad...

Recently gotten back into live playing. Small time; weekend warrior, no intention of making it big, or even making money. It feels great. One practice a week, open mic night gigs, original music.

Point of post: 95% of my 'tone' or 'sound' is in my fingers.

At first, I ran thru a Behringer BXL3000 combo. It sounded fine, and was loud enough to play with my drummer bud. Was a fine amp, to be honest. Suited my needs just fine, and my bandmates had no gripe about my sound or tone. Gave it to my nephew; he's 17, and just starting to rock.

Started using my friends Kustom B200 combo. Another fine amp. Sounded good enough to me that, when the opportunity arose, I bought the head version for $99. Sounds good thru a host of cabs I have tried/borrowed. 4x10", 1x15", 2x10" 1x15". Flat EQ, volume/gain @ high noon, me & my new Squier VM Jag Special.

Needed cabs. Bought the PV Headliner 15" & 2x10" units(yes, I've read the advice/opinions on 'speaker size combining'). From my past, PV was always decent, if average gear. Not so with these cabs. Maybe just a fluke, but the 2x10 became a distorto-box within 2 weeks, and the 15" had the push and response of a young lady's fart. Just bad cabs. Returning them; no hard feelings, and still dig my PV gear for guitar.

Again, I believe my 'tone' or 'sound' in from my fingers. I do however, like a clean, flat tone to start with. If I want distortion or a light dynamic, I'll pluck accordingly.

Yesterday, after a jam, took my Kustom Head to a local used gear emporium. Played a bunch of cabs.

Set your phasers to stun please.

A set of those cheapy Seismic cabs was there. 2x10" & 1x15". Used, so they were silly cheap.

They sounded just fine. Even jammed with local youth on skins @ the shop. This kid was pounding away; I played accordingly. Again, decent delivery of a flat EQ. Good reproduction of my heads 'sound'. Was playing my bass, plucked hard, I plucked soft, I liked the sound.

SILLY CHEAP. Pardon my pocketbook, but I liked that too.

Seen the opinions here @ TB. Taken into consideration; this seems a cool site. But I've seen a lot of opinions on these cabs (and other cheap gear) seemingly based on price, country of origin, and attitude. Not sound. Again, my sound(as long as the gear itself is clean & flat-ish), I believe, comes from my fingers.

Sooooo... anyone have any real experience with the SEISMIC AUDIO cabs? Or with using 'cheap' stuff, and still getting 'your' sound?

Fire at will. Thanks ahead.

[JohnMCA72]

I know plenty of great players (all instruments) who can sound great using any kind of gear.

The inverse is true, too: Someone can sound like crap using even the highest of the high-end gear, if they don't know what they're doing.

[Munjibunga]

I was unable to keep track of what you were saying.

[msb3671]

Originally Posted by JohnMCA72

I know plenty of great players (all instruments) who can sound great using any kind of gear.

The inverse is true, too: Someone can sound like crap using even the highest of the high-end gear, if they don't know what they're doing.

My feelings too, especially as I've aged. Thanks!

[Tanner5382]

Nothing new is being said here. Countless users have said the same thing.

[trowaclown]

Ermm...cool story bro. You might wanna google False Consensus Effect.

[Unrepresented]

You'll definitely see diminishing returns with more and more expensive gear. At some point, you're chasing after a tiny (read: inaudible) percentage of tone, no argument there.

If you're satisfied with your tone, then by all means, save your money.

[msb3671]

Originally Posted by Munjibunga

I was unable to keep track of what you were saying.

Lol...

Here's a nutshell:

Sooooo... anyone have any real experience with the SEISMIC AUDIO cabs? Or with using 'cheap' stuff, and still getting 'your' sound?

[msb3671]

Originally Posted by Tanner5382

Nothing new is being said here. Countless users have said the same thing.

Agreed, except for my question at the end. Thanks!

[Tanner5382]

Originally Posted by Tanner5382

Nothing new is being said here. Countless users have said the same thing.

Looking back, that sounds a bit harsh. That wasn't my intention. Sorry about that. Really. I was just saying that a lot of TB members have the same theory that you do.

[Stumbo]

Originally Posted by msb3671

Again, my sound(as long as the gear itself is clean & flat-ish), I believe, comes from my fingers.

How is it you need a clean/flat-ish rig to get the tone from your fingers?

My grandson believes his gifts come from Santa Claus. And they do as long as my bank account has the mids pumped and doesn't go smiley face on me.

As far as your rig goes, lots of today's lower priced heads/cabs are similar to cabs of decades gone by. With a $99 head and a decent 2x15 cab, you'll probably get good enough tone to play lots of gigs, especially if the bass tone controls are not pushed.

If that satisfies you, great.

Calling people out who spend way more $$ on their rigs, in my book, puts you in the troll community and a baby troll at that. TB'rs have been called out by the best in the business and respond appropriately when their BS meters are flat lined by observations and comments that really don't add anything to more than thermally expulsed and converted oxygen.

You would have done much better to post some sound clips of your rig so we could hear what it really sounds like and comment on that recording rather than commenting on your comments.

Happy gigging with your rig!

[msb3671]

Originally Posted by Unrepresented

You'll definitely see diminishing returns with more and more expensive gear. At some point, you're chasing after a tiny (read: inaudible) percentage of tone, no argument there.

If you're satisfied with your tone, then by all means, save your money.

Ermm...cool story bro. You might wanna google False Consensus Effect.

Thanks! Not really permission to buy, or the 'False Consensus Effect' that I was looking for. Just if anyone else had the same thoughts & experiences with SEISMIC or the like. Perhaps I should have done more research.

[msb3671]

Originally Posted by Tanner5382

Looking back, that sounds a bit harsh. That wasn't my intention. Sorry about that. Really. I was just saying that a lot of TB members have the same theory that you do.

No big. It's all good.

[pacojas]

great post, msb!

[msb3671]

Originally Posted by Stumbo

How is it you need a clean/flat-ish rig to get the tone from your fingers?

My bad. What I 'meant to mean' was I set my EQ mostly flat, and like a clean tone to let my fingers to the talking, changing the dynamics of my plucking. Thanks!

I'm sure my fingers would 'talk' using a 'smiley face' or a 'frown' EQ as well.

[msb3671]

Originally Posted by pacojas

great post, msb!

Thanks!

[msb3671]

Calling people out who spend way more $$ on their rigs, in my book, puts you in the troll community and a baby troll at that. TB'rs have been called out by the best in the business and respond appropriately when their BS meters are flat lined by observations and comments that really don't add anything to more than thermally expulsed and converted oxygen.

Not calling anyone out. I didn't say anyone was wrong for buying what they have. Sorry if it came across that way.

[JimmyM]

No experience with Seismic Audio, but I will say that while a lot of people like to set the controls at noon on their amps to get what they call a "flat sound," it almost never is. Might be a good sound, but there are only a small handful of amps that are flat when knobs are set at noon. And even if it does flat with knobs at noon, the cabs don't ever have flat response because nobody has ever designed a speaker that has dead flat response.

[Barisaxman]

I've gigged lower cost gear....that's the reason I upgraded....but if it works for you, happy gigging!

[shoot-r]

Originally Posted by Unrepresented

You'll definitely see diminishing returns with more and more expensive gear. At some point, you're chasing after a tiny (read: inaudible) percentage of tone, no argument there.

BIG + 1.......