I've heard of using a bass amp for a g**tar, but a bass through g**tar speakers?

Rumblefisher · #1 10-20-2009, 04:46 PM

Hey everyone. I have a friend who says that he has been gigging through 2x15 cabs for many years. In and of itself, not strange. However, the speakers he plays through are JBL K130. This is strange to me...I mean, these are full range guitar speakers. That being said, they sound amazing.

Extrapolating from this, do you think I could buy some Eminence Commonwealth 15's (225W rated full range speakers, but I would run something like 150W through each speaker at max) and be ok? Or would they shred?

Thanks in advance for your help.

Sartori · #2 10-20-2009, 04:58 PM

You'd have to be careful and not boost the lows at all. In fact, probably better to cut them.

Still, just seems like a better idea to use bass speakers, to me. They're less picky.

rpsands · #3 10-20-2009, 05:09 PM

Guitar speakers were what was used on bass for a long time but with low wattage heads. I would advise going with a lower wattage tube head (50-100w) if you're going to go this route, they seem to be quite friendly to guitarrish speakers.

That said: I think you'll get more mileage out of using eq/effects to color sound than speakers to color sound. It's just more consistent.

Rumblefisher · #4 10-20-2009, 05:25 PM

Thanks for the response guys. Eminence makes some killer bass stuff, I'll look more into Eminence Kappa 15's. Thanks again!

Grooveman1961 · #5 10-20-2009, 05:59 PM

Are the JBL's really guitar speakers, or are they pro audio sound reinforcement speakers?

**john turner** · #6 10-20-2009, 06:01 PM

i use 4x12 guitar cabs, and just biamp with a pa sub at about 110 hz. sounds better to me than any 4x10s i've ever tried.

rpsands · #7 10-20-2009, 06:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by john turner

i use 4x12 guitar cabs, and just biamp with a pa sub at about 110 hz. sounds better to me than any 4x10s i've ever tried.

Awesome idea

I believe something akin to this has been suggested too - using a trio of 10" guitar drivers and a 3015LF, to cop the SVT guitar driver tone and still have serious bootay.

sonic assassin · #8 10-20-2009, 06:15 PM

i record with guitar amps all the time.

clean bass is a bassman 100, dirty amp is a peavey valveking combo.

gnarly as ****.

http://soundclick.com/share?songid=8238095

mccartneyman · #9 10-20-2009, 06:46 PM

For years I used an Acoustic 450 series head with a406 2x15 cab -- one EV 15 guitar speaker, one EV bass speaker. never had a problem.

username1 · #10 10-21-2009, 07:12 AM

I cant see any problem using them for bass. They are rated at 150 watts rms each so your cab should handle 300 watts rms with 2 of them. I used to use JBL D130 speakers when i was young with no problems and they were only 100 watt speakers at the time. The suspension is a bit stiffer than the k140's and wont produce as much bottom end but should still be ok to use. I used to like the punch and better top end of those speakers. If it is putting a strain on them you will hear it. I wouldnt use a high powered bass amp through them though but a 200 watt head should be ok. If your head has more power than this just go easy on them. If the emenince speakers you are thinking about are 225 watts each i wouldnt worry about running 150 through each one.

Hoover · #11 10-21-2009, 08:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CFclef

the speakers he plays through are JBL K130. This is strange to me...I mean, these are full range guitar speakers. That being said, they sound amazing.

Way back in the day I played bass through a Fender Dual Showman cabinet loaded with JBL D130 speakers (precursor to the K130, presumably) and it sounded farking fantastic. I drove it with a Fender Bassman 50 head. Super clean, super clear, super deep...a really palpable tone that you just wanted to reach out and touch. With your tongue. Pure sex.

Side note: for the past 20+ years Stanley Clarke has used guitar amps/speakers as part of his rig. Not exclusively, but in addition to his more conventional (sic) bass amps/speakers.

throbgod13 · #12 10-21-2009, 09:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by john turner

i use 4x12 guitar cabs, and just biamp with a pa sub at about 110 hz. sounds better to me than any 4x10s i've ever tried.

i'm using guitar cabs.. they are loaded with Eminence "Modeling" speakers, which have a wider frequency than guitar speakers..

i'm using a GK 400RB-II for the top cab, and i'm going to use a GK 400RB-III for the bottom cab.. both at 4 ohms.. the top cab will be eq'd for mids/highs and the bottom for low-mids/lows..

each amp has it's own tone character, and i want to use them both in a blended way where i get the best from both of them..

Clark Dark · #13 10-21-2009, 09:39 AM

I recently replaced the speakers in my Peavey 4X10 with these : http://www.parts-express.com/pe/show...number=290-290 I was looking at the Eminence BP102 which has similar freq response but costlier.
I figured since I use my main rig in church that I never need an overdriven tone and with the Mo'Bass (even bridged 900 W's @ 4ohms) using these particular speakers (300W rms, 600W peak), I get LOUD quality tone. Is the rationale towards speakers with lower rms/peak ratings that they are easier overdriven ?

OtterOnBass · #14 10-21-2009, 10:29 AM

Speakers designed to make low sounds have a greater range of movement in and out (xmax) than guitar speakers. I've heard that one of the two most common ways to blow speakers is pushing the speaker farther than it wants to go (the other - overheating). In other words, playing a guitar amp with a bass will likely blow the speakers.

I was short-amped once and severely cut the lows to avoid blowing the speakers while using a 2x10 crate to monitor myself. It was terrible, no volume in a useable frequency at all. I just played by memory and PA bounceback.

rpsands · #15 10-21-2009, 10:34 AM

If you cross it over above 100-ish hz, your speakers should be pretty safe. 200hz is a bit safer and what I would use

That said you'll want something to put out the lows still, like the poster above using a PA sub.

thisSNsucks · #16 10-21-2009, 12:02 PM

I once split my signal from my bass into my GK rig (when I had it) and into a Marshal 4x12 guitar half stack.

Had clean bass coming out of the GK, and distorted high end coming out of the Marshall. Killer sound, but I had to use next to no low end on the guitar side.

Get a bass cab. lol

**Kelly Lee** · #17 10-21-2009, 08:24 PM

Another thread added to the FAQ's.

RLS · #18 10-22-2009, 11:01 AM

Overexcursion can result from operating a speaker below its usable frequecy range, especially in an open back cab, which can damage your speakers. As noted above, a high pass filter should be used to avoid damage when playing bass through a typical speaker designed for guitar. I believe a low "B" is around 40 hz.

Sartori · #19 10-22-2009, 01:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RLS

Overexcursion can result from operating a speaker below its usable frequecy range, especially in an open back cab, which can damage your speakers. As noted above, a high pass filter should be used to avoid damage when playing bass through a typical speaker designed for guitar. I believe a low "B" is around 40 hz.

Incorrect. Low "E" is around 40-41 hz. Low "B" is about 30.

RLS · #20 10-22-2009, 02:23 PM

^ Thanks for the correction. I meant to type low "E".