interested in building a bass cab

[chrispunx]

Originally Posted by two fingers

So lighten up and come back to us with MORE INFORMATION. It's that simple. Just tell us what kind of music you play, at what kind of venues, what makeup of the band (how many guitars.... loud drummer etc.), what kind of head you intend to run, what kind of bass, and what kind of tone you hope to get out of it.

distorted hardcore punk(see links)
rooms, garages, small halls and clubs
vocals, guitar, bass and drums
for the moment i'm looking at a randall rba 500 es
fender areodyne jazz bass(it has the pj pup configuration)
dirt, grit, grime(see links)

[chrispunx]

Originally Posted by ::::BASSIST::::

I think some sort of 2-15 cab with some midrange drivers would work exceedingly well. I have a particular cab in mind, but I'd rather let you know thru PM if you are interested.

If you are more concerned with your rig looking "menacing" I dont have much to say that would be helpful.

i'm not concerned with it looking menacing, i like that it looks menacing.

also i have an ampeg 8x10, just looking for something different and new.

[will33]

What don't you like about the 810?

If you want more topend and grit, load 32ohm Jensen MOD50 guitar speakers in the top 2, or 4 positions.

[two fingers]

Originally Posted by chrispunx

distorted hardcore punk(see links)
rooms, garages, small halls and clubs
vocals, guitar, bass and drums
for the moment i'm looking at a randall rba 500 es
fender areodyne jazz bass(it has the pj pup configuration)
dirt, grit, grime(see links)

Awesome. Let me make another suggestion. You may want to start a new thread. Most guys who click on this one will read the first few posts and get turned off (probably the same way you did). Put all this info in your first post and give that a try. I am no expert at getting the tone you are looking for so I wouldn't be much help. (I prefer more clean tone..... not knocking what you like but just pointing out the difference and why I wouldn't be much help.) But there are plenty of guys here who are experts at making it dirty (in a good way).

Thanks for giving us another shot.

[singlemalt]

Why do you want to build these cabs? Is it a DIY itch that needs scratching? Are you looking to save some dough over buying commercial offerings, new or used? New houses being built down the street and it seems like plywood is plentiful? Got access to a shop and some tools, so it seems like a cool idea?

Any of the above reasons is fine, so lets get cracking.

EVERYBODY starts on the cab building thing somewhere, so welcome to the journey.

You asked for advice, a lot of the guys up above me in this thread have built very cool cabs, and had fun doing it. Good news is that there are new products and designs that have come out in the last few years that mean you don't have to haul 300 pounds of gear stacked six feet high to be devastating. (If stacking stuff six feet high is important, we can certainly help)

Folks are asking questions to get a better idea of just what you are shooting for, and how you might plan on going about getting it done. A list of your goals for the project will certainly help.

Keep in mind the production of those recordings, the studio work, (which I found wildly entertaining) and what you are playing through live have very little to do with cabs. more important is how you want to sound and feel when you play.

A lot of guys will jump right on telling you to build TL-606's or a couple of fEarfuls. There's a reason for this. The TL-606 is a very simple, easy to build, and inexpensive project. A pair with a my middle of the road GK 1001 was massive. Comes pretty close to being a 2-15, but because you built two 1-15 TL 606's you don't have to schlep a big cab every damn time. You can leave one at home and one at practice.

fEarfuls, check out the threads. These are the next generation of bass because they make use of LF drivers that are driving lows not available with more pedestrian speaks.

So, take a minute and tell us what you have in mind, what's the three most important things you want from the cabs you build?

We're here to help, and we can play nice most of the time.

[fdeck]

As an avid DIY'er myself, I suggest soaking up as much wisdom as possible. There are some great links in the stickies. The information might nudge you towards an existing mainstream solution, give you ideas for how to adapt an established design, or the confidence to strike out on your own.

Doing the research might also save you money, especially if it guides you towards a choice of drivers that gets you into the ballpark of where you want to be, on the first try.

All the best!

[chrispunx]

Originally Posted by singlemalt

Why do you want to build these cabs? Is it a DIY itch that needs scratching? Are you looking to save some dough over buying commercial offerings, new or used? New houses being built down the street and it seems like plywood is plentiful? Got access to a shop and some tools, so it seems like a cool idea?

Any of the above reasons is fine, so lets get cracking.

EVERYBODY starts on the cab building thing somewhere, so welcome to the journey.

You asked for advice, a lot of the guys up above me in this thread have built very cool cabs, and had fun doing it. Good news is that there are new products and designs that have come out in the last few years that mean you don't have to haul 300 pounds of gear stacked six feet high to be devastating. (If stacking stuff six feet high is important, we can certainly help)

Folks are asking questions to get a better idea of just what you are shooting for, and how you might plan on going about getting it done. A list of your goals for the project will certainly help.

Keep in mind the production of those recordings, the studio work, (which I found wildly entertaining) and what you are playing through live have very little to do with cabs. more important is how you want to sound and feel when you play.

A lot of guys will jump right on telling you to build TL-606's or a couple of fEarfuls. There's a reason for this. The TL-606 is a very simple, easy to build, and inexpensive project. A pair with a my middle of the road GK 1001 was massive. Comes pretty close to being a 2-15, but because you built two 1-15 TL 606's you don't have to schlep a big cab every damn time. You can leave one at home and one at practice.

fEarfuls, check out the threads. These are the next generation of bass because they make use of LF drivers that are driving lows not available with more pedestrian speaks.

So, take a minute and tell us what you have in mind, what's the three most important things you want from the cabs you build?

We're here to help, and we can play nice most of the time.

I don't want to say its a DIY scratch I need to itch, as much as it is I'd rather build something that I can get some use out of. I've bought alot of cabs(both guitar and bass), guitars, basses and effects...I just want my own model haha, if that makes any sense. For the band I'm playing in, dirt, distortion and loud is a way of life and I want to be able to not only create that musically, but physically. Like I've stated, the 4x12 2x15 combo is most appealing to me and I want to create that. If I wanted nice crisp cleans I'd stick with the ampeg. I want to create cabs specifically for the dirt and grime that I love playing.

[T-Bird]

Hi.

First of all, how many of You naysayers have actually played through the cabs the OP's wishing to build?

Granted, most of the people here seems to praise the 10"s and thus every other size is "un-necessary" because 10"s will deliver everything anyone would ever wish for.
Fortunately there's also people who can see why someone would like to swim onto the other drection almost everyone else does.

In my late teens I did play through those exact cabs with a JMP1959 on top and at that time that tone was to die for. For me anyway.
I'd guess it would still be, and if I ever again play in larger venues, that's probably what I want.
I definitely DON'T need it, WANT.


That one out of the way, OP, what's Your budget?

The 4 G12H100's are around $400 the last time I checked, comparable pair of 15"s about the same.
The hardware about $100 for both, grille cloths another $100, tolex $100/cab, plywood $100/cab, ..., do I need to go further?

If You want or NEED to go the DIY route, I can understand that probably better than an average guy, I got bitten by DIYholism when I was really young and it has shown no signs of winding down. Quite the opposite really .

But if You want to do it to save money, forget it with conventional, easily available cabs.

BTW, absolutely nothing prevents You from building "Marshall-size" cabs and loading 'em with more modern drivers and/or designs. Or only 212 on top and 115 on bottom.
Menacing look is also something I can relate to, two TL505's with a 300W tube amp on top kinda fits the bill as well .

Regards
Sam

[chrispunx]

Originally Posted by T-Bird

Hi.

First of all, how many of You naysayers have actually played through the cabs the OP's wishing to build?

Granted, most of the people here seems to praise the 10"s and thus every other size is "un-necessary" because 10"s will deliver everything anyone would ever wish for.
Fortunately there's also people who can see why someone would like to swim onto the other drection almost everyone else does.

In my late teens I did play through those exact cabs with a JMP1959 on top and at that time that tone was to die for. For me anyway.
I'd guess it would still be, and if I ever again play in larger venues, that's probably what I want.
I definitely DON'T need it, WANT.


That one out of the way, OP, what's Your budget?

The 4 G12H100's are around $400 the last time I checked, comparable pair of 15"s about the same.
The hardware about $100 for both, grille cloths another $100, tolex $100/cab, plywood $100/cab, ..., do I need to go further?

If You want or NEED to go the DIY route, I can understand that probably better than an average guy, I got bitten by DIYholism when I was really young and it has shown no signs of winding down. Quite the opposite really .

But if You want to do it to save money, forget it with conventional, easily available cabs.

BTW, absolutely nothing prevents You from building "Marshall-size" cabs and loading 'em with more modern drivers and/or designs. Or only 212 on top and 115 on bottom.
Menacing look is also something I can relate to, two TL505's with a 300W tube amp on top kinda fits the bill as well .

Regards
Sam

Sam I'm not worried about the money. I have a decent paying job where I can fund any of my projects as needed. I fully understand, money wise, what it will take to make the cabs. And thanks to you and the few others who have decided to at least lend some positive advise my way. I sincerely appreciate it.

[T-Bird]

Hi.

Originally Posted by chrispunx

Sam I'm not worried about the money. I have a decent paying job where I can fund any of my projects as needed. I fully understand, money wise, what it will take to make the cabs. And thanks to you and the few others who have decided to at least lend some positive advise my way. I sincerely appreciate it.

You're welcome Chris.

It's just that 99% of the people (seems that way to me anyway) who want to build commercially available cabs, want to do it to save money. Glad to see that You're not one of those delusional ones .
Those building fEarfuls or BFM designs are saving money, but that's another topic.

If the money isn't the limiting factor, I'd look at some more advanced drivers than the "originals" though. And I'd probably make the top as 212 and the bottom either 115 or 118 for better projection. You'd get more for less IMHO.

While the tone of the original stack is the vintage brit-hardrock heaven, that's all it'll be. IMHO anyway.
And the G12H100 driver is also pretty finicky IME. Drive it too softly and the tone isn't all that great, drive it just a hair too hard and You'll end up with creased cones or burnt voice coils. Or both.

Good luck in any case, and do post follow-ups on Your project.

Regards
Sam

[NKBassman]

One thing here I think that needs to be said again, is that the physical size of the speaker alone has absolutely NOTHING to do with the end result of how the cab will sound. Rather, it's the interaction of all the physical paramaters of the particular speaker you choose and the box you put them in, including several electrical/magnetical components I don't profess to know much about, that influence the sound.

I don't want to say your plans won't work, or that they will work, or that it'll sound good, or balls, or whatever. I'm just saying that the fact that the drivers are 12" and/or 15" has nothing to do with it. So don't go making decisions just based on that alone.

There's lots of very knowlegable people around here that will be glad to help if you're willing to listen.

[::::BASSIST::::]

if you're willing to listen

Exactly.