Marshall 1992 Super Bass 100W - Tips, tricks, experiences and anecdotes

[MBlom]

I own one and haven't been using it to its full potential at all. I also realise I know far too little about how it works, what cabs to use for what purpose, mods, where it can be heard on record, seen on video. So I thought, why not make a thread where we could share and spill our guts.

I'll start with an embarrasing confession. For years I didn't realise, hear or read that the upper two inputs was different from the lower two. I always wondered why there were four inputs on a two channel amp but never asked or searched info about it. Now I know why it sounded different from time to time...

My Super Bass is at the moment waiting for me after having been serviced (soldering checked and new tubes) and this weekend I'll take it and the Rickenbacker on a small trip to try a 7412 cab which I'll probably buy. At the moment I haven't got a proper bass cab. Have been using two Marshall PA 2x12. Looks good and worked fine at lower volumes but now I need more air to be moved and on lower frequencies. I'm really excited about hearing what the serviced Super Bass will sound like in a proper cab.

And about the title, I know the Super Bass is always 100W but everyone might not know that so I thought I'd be as informative as possible in the title.

[Downunderwonder]

I'd give the 4x12 a miss in favour of two 2x12 stacked up. To carry rooms without PA you need the sensitivity but you don't need a beam of highs in front and wool to the sides.

[Seans]

Never heard a cab better with my SB than the period 100w Marshall 4x12, the 4 25w Greenbacks are certainly to be treated carefully, but what a sound and hooked up with a 4001 with a Horseshoe, it's a grind heaven.

Scroll down near the bottom to find Mr Squire's settings..... http://www.gitarrebass.musikmachen.d...Over-the-World

[MBlom]

This is my Marshall stack (or does it have to be two cabs on top of each other to be called that? ) at the moment. Two PA 2x12". In the left cab there´s a 12" Deltalite and in the right two V30s. Both cabs with a sealed back (not originally but modified by me) and the left one is ported. All work done with great help from dhsierra1.

These ones delivers just fine att moderate volumes but now I´ve got two Super Leads and a hard hitting drummer to tame, so that´s why I´ll get me a 4x12. This one.



Thinking about using one or two of the PA-cabs along with the 7412. And I might just try to connect the two together so I can use all three. That wouldn´t be such a bad idea would it? The Deltalite is 250W and the V30s 60W each. Could you say that if treated and connected as one cab it would be 370W?

[oerk]

The DBS series cabs are fine. Heavy though. I don't think you'll be disappointed with the 7412.

Originally Posted by MBlom

The Deltalite is 250W and the V30s 60W each. Could you say that if treated and connected as one cab it would be 370W?

No, the power will be distributed evenly through all cabs (provided all of them have the same impedance).

I would the Deltalite loaded one only with the 7412, if at all.

The 7412 has an impedance of 4 ohms. Your Deltalite cab probably has an impedance of 8 ohms (there's only one speaker in it, right?). You'll get a weird impedance value connecting them, if you connect them in parallel or in series. And your amp doesn't have a tap for that.

In short, I wouldn't do it. The 7412 should be sufficient.

[Downunderwonder]

That's a stadium cab, meant for a 400W tube amp. You would need to series parallel four of them to get into the ballpark of dual 100W guitard stacks.

[MBlom]

Originally Posted by oerk

The 7412 has an impedance of 4 ohms. Your Deltalite cab probably has an impedance of 8 ohms (there's only one speaker in it, right?). You'll get a weird impedance value connecting them, if you connect them in parallel or in series. And your amp doesn't have a tap for that.

Yeah, I won´t mess with impedance mismatch. The two PA-cabs in parallell would be 4 ohms, that´s why I was pondering...

[godofthunder59]

I'd run a JCM 800 2x15 cab and a 4x12. JCM 800 are loaded with Celestion Sidewinders, these are pretty harsh sounding speakers I would swap them out for some Eminence Deltas.

[oerk]

Originally Posted by MBlom

Yeah, I won´t mess with impedance mismatch. The two PA-cabs in parallell would be 4 ohms, that´s why I was pondering...

You would have to wire the PA cabs parallel, and this in series to the 7412 to arrive at an overall impedance of 8 ohm. The SuperBass has an 8 ohm speaker out, right?

I personally wouldn't do it, because you'd be mixing three very different types of 12s.

Also suspect the SuperBass won't be enough against two loud guitarists, unless you want a very grindy, Lemmy-like sound.

[Clammy]

Originally Posted by godofthunder59

I'd run a JCM 800 2x15 cab and a 4x12. JCM 800 are loaded with Celestion Sidewinders, these are pretty harsh sounding speakers I would swap them out for some Eminence Deltas.

If you own those cabs and ever want to sell them (or just the Sidewinders), please let me know. I use the same IBS cabs, and love them, but my 1520 (4x12) came to me empty and currently sports Eminence Basslites, which sound awesome. The 1552 cab (2x15) with the stock Sidewinders is LOUD, and I LOVE the sound I get out of it!

To the OP. I have 3 early-70s Super Basses, and I was running them through the above mentioned cabs (until I got a couple of VBA 400s). Plenty loud, and moved a lot of air. But, as I'm sure you've discovered by now, the louder you crank them, the more they distort (nicely), so if you're looking for a loud and clean sound, you won't get it from a Super Bass.

Here's a short clip from when we were recording our last CD. I'm actually running 2 Super Bass heads, daisy chained. Each one running a single cab. I was going for a more distorted sound, and had the bass' on-board booster engaged and maxed.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qIhER...tTGmEBleVGyiYA

Cheers!

[MrBEAR]

If I was going to rock out on a Marshall 100 Watt Super Bass and wanted to maintain aesthetics and period correct tone I would give a pair of these a long hard look:

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/2061CX/

The matching Marshall head for these is the 2061X. 20 watts of handwired tube tone that would work well with the (rated) 60 Watt 2061CX cabs. A pair of these would present a 4 ohm load from sealed cabs.

The caveat being that just like the late 60's cabs, that Did Not differentiate between Bass and Guitar use, you would have to be judicious with your EQ. One overzealous spank or chord and you could be staring at Fried Greenback Celestions (G12H reissues). Part of the adventure and spirit of discovery one experienced back in that day.

Only reason I even know abouty these is from the guitarist from a "flashback" project band I am presently working with. He has a Marshall collection that can stop hearts in a single beat. Presently he's collecting the Anniversary 1 Watt amp/combo series.

[Clammy]

Originally Posted by MrBEAR

If I was going to rock out on a Marshall 100 Watt Super Bass and wanted to maintain aesthetics and period correct tone I would give a pair of these a long hard look:

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/2061CX/

The matching Marshall head for these is the 2061X. 20 watts of handwired tube tone that would work well with the (rated) 60 Watt 2061CX cabs. A pair of these would present a 4 ohm load from sealed cabs.

The caveat being that just like the late 60's cabs, that Did Not differentiate between Bass and Guitar use, you would have to be judicious with your EQ. One overzealous spank or chord and you could be staring at Fried Greenback Celestions (G12H reissues). Part of the adventure and spirit of discovery one experienced back in that day.

Only reason I even know abouty these is from the guitarist from a "flashback" project band I am presently working with. He has a Marshall collection that can stop hearts in a single beat. Presently he's collecting the Anniversary 1 Watt amp/combo series.

Even running a pair of those would be dangerous with a Super Bass at the volume he will likely be playing at.

Cheers!

[MBlom]

I realise a clean tone won't be had with a Super Bass at that volume and it's not what I'm after. I love the sound of it, it just lacks some low frequencies that I hope, and think I will, achieve by getting a DBS 7412.

[Clammy]

Originally Posted by MBlom

I realise a clean tone won't be had with a Super Bass at that volume and it's not what I'm after. I love the sound of it, it just lacks some low frequencies that I hope, and think I will, achieve by getting a DBS 7412.

It will probably help, but Super Basses aren't voiced to give that gut shaking low end. Very prominent in the low mids.

Cheers!

[GreaserMatt]

Dude, you need to get yourself a pair of JCM800 4x15 cabs from the 80's; BOOM!!!! LOL

[MBlom]

Just picked up my SP. Tried it out with my Hagström guitar on their 4x12 and really pushed it. God damm, it sounded good! It has Seymor Duncan rail humbuckers and together with the SP it was evil! No pedals. Meaty, gritty distortion. Can't really judge the bass since they only had guitar cabs. But on sunday I'll get a chance to do that.

What a kick ass amp!

[Clammy]

Originally Posted by MBlom

Just picked up my SP. Tried it out with my Hagström guitar on their 4x12 and really pushed it. God damm, it sounded good! It has Seymor Duncan rail humbuckers and together with the SP it was evil! No pedals. Meaty, gritty distortion. Can't really judge the bass since they only had guitar cabs. But on sunday I'll get a chance to do that.

What a kick ass amp!

Super Basses make AMAZING guitar amps, hehehe... Thicker than a Super Lead, but just as articulate, and have that magic Marshall "plexi" tone.

Cheers!

[Cadfael]

Originally Posted by GreaserMatt

Dude, you need to get yourself a pair of JCM800 4x15 cabs from the 80's; BOOM!!!! LOL

Our bass player had a 1992 with a marshall 415 cab in the 1980s!
I can NOT recommend this ...

That's why he changed to H|H 250 with a 410 cab ...

I bought his 1992 (being a guitar player) and played it 5 years.
Man, what a killing sound with my guitar and a BOSS SD1 ...

The best cab I ever tested for "a Marshall stack sound" was the EBS classic 212. It was placed on an EBS 410 when I tested it and I asked it both cabs were on - such a gigantic sound! No, it was only the EBS 212 ...

If I still had my 1992, I would buy an EBS 212 (and remove the EBS logo). The cab has 4 Ohms. If I wanted two cabs, I would rewire the EBS cab to 16 Ohms and get two of them (for 8 Ohms total).

The EBS is punchy with lots of power (to get as much loudness as possible out of the 100 watts), but it is not so "indirect" as / more straight than a 412 cab.

Just my experience ...

[MBlom]

So. Bought the DBS7412 the other day and yesterday I got to try it with the band at rehearsal. And I really don't understand why I would need a more powerful amp. The SB and 7412 really delivered! I didn't have to push the amp at all, quite the opposite, I lacked distortion. It was great to really feel that low end giving the music a solid foundation, but I also missed the distorted Lemmy sound. It was too clean! Can't wait to get a chance to experiment on settings. And those sweatinducing sounds of vibrations that I heard at the beginning of the session and thought there was something wrong with the amp or the cab. It turned out that the cabs front metal grill was loose at one corner. One screw will fix that! So. I am more than content!

[oerk]

Nice!

That's a great cab, period. Edit: No, that's a great rig, period.

Last time I tried a 100W tube head through a 1x15 (admittedly, that's nothing compared to a 4x12), it was loud, but lacked clean headroom.

I see a distortion pedal in your future