NCD Gigmaster Soundworks: fEARful 1515/66/1

**CL400Peavey** · #1 03-06-2012, 06:45 AM

Hey all, Julian here. I have been lurking around for a bit now, posting here and there. Today I have big news! I picked up my fEARful from builder Dave Homer of Gigmaster Soundworks. Dave was great through the whole process. Every detail was discussed in length with him, the email train is 57 responses back and forth. Going with an authorized builder was an easy choice for me. I have no doubt that I could build from the plans Greenboy has mad available, but with limited space and tools (small apartment) out sourcing to a local was a great option. Best thing yet? The time from my deposit to pick up was three weeks. Even better? I am astounded at the quality of product in such a short amount of time.

Now for some picture spam...

The finished product!

And a crappy cell phone pic of my heads and bass with the new cab.

I cant say enough good things about my experience with Dave and the rest of the fEARful community in getting the details worked out. Everyone is helpful and more than willing to discuss any concerns I had.

Now the important part: Sound.

Ho-Lee $***!

I plugged my Classic 400 in first, set all the tone knobs to noon and left the volume at 7 o'clock (barely on). After about 40 seconds of playing Dave's neighbors were over telling us to turn it down. Yes its loud, very loud, stupid loud in an amazing "every hair on your body is tingling" kind of way. This is also the first cab that I haven't had to dime the mid knob to get the sound I want, its also the first cab that handles the low end of my CL400 with out complaint. The mids are present, the highs are crisp, and the low end with burn your village defile your women and slaughter your animals with out a hint of mud or loss of definition.

I then switched over to my Mark VIII. Different story, same great results. My EQ sliders matter in a way that they are now usable for changing my tone in a big way. Bump one slider a little bit and you notice, no more of cranking three or four to hear a change. The shelving knobs don't need to move from noon. With the tweeter on and turned to 2.5 I have all the zing I need.

Load up in my jeep was no problem either, with the seats laid down it fit easily. At a hair over 100lbs this cab is lighter than some 410's. I'm not a huge guy but when I got it home I tossed it on one shoulder and schlepped it up two flights of stairs no problem. It is also narrower and more easily managed than a 410 so narrow door ways aren't a problem. Tilt back casters and handle make it a dream to move. All in all I couldn't be happier.

If any of you are in MI and want to hear this thing I have no problem letting anyone try it out. Also if anyone has any questions about going with a builder, ask them straight up. I have nothing but good things to say about my interactions with any of them.

barryaudio · #2 03-06-2012, 07:07 AM

Great review! One question: does the amp weight more than the cab?? That might be a first!

**JdoubleH** · #3 03-06-2012, 07:20 AM

It'll keep the cab from blowing away in a stiff breeze, like a paperweight.

Nice score and nice writeup, CL.

4-string · #4 03-06-2012, 07:28 AM

Nice!

**CL400Peavey** · #5 03-06-2012, 08:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by barryaudio

Great review! One question: does the amp weight more than the cab?? That might be a first!

The cab is 5 pounds heavier. Its one of the things that cemented my choice in cab. I didnt feel comfortable resting a 100lb head on a cab with any smaller of a foot print.

**Freddels** · #6 03-06-2012, 10:08 AM

57 emails!!!! You're going to drive up the cost single handedly.

**CL400Peavey** · #7 03-06-2012, 10:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Freddels

57 emails!!!! You're going to drive up the cost single handedly.

The best thing about the fEARful community is that while so much is set in stone, there are some important choices that are cab specific. A lot of them have to do with the HF options, and padding in the crossover. Questions on these are addressed very helpfully by a lot of people including Greenboy. The community doesnt just want you to have a great cab, they want you to have the best cab for your application.

JimWasHere · #8 03-06-2012, 10:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CL400Peavey

The mids are present, the highs are crisp, and the low end with burn your village defile your women and slaughter your animals with out a hint of mud or loss of definition.

Downright poetic... Do you compose verse, good sir?

**CL400Peavey** · #9 03-06-2012, 10:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimWasHere

Downright poetic... Do you compose verse, good sir?

Not nearly as much as I should...

makohund · #10 03-06-2012, 11:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Freddels

57 emails!!!! You're going to drive up the cost single handedly.

Nah, 57 is nothing. That's not even 3 digits!

Well over double that were sent in the course of my cab build.

I'm a motormouth with a keyboard. Ron is a saint.

And that is one big, beautiful cab!

rpsands · #11 03-06-2012, 11:49 AM

Man, I want a Classic 400 now

**CL400Peavey** · #12 03-06-2012, 11:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rpsands

Man, I want a Classic 400 now

This rig will send those SVT girlie men packing...

rpsands · #13 03-06-2012, 11:56 AM

The low and high resonance controls are what get me so interested. I bet those rock for changing the character with the fEarful

**CL400Peavey** · #14 03-06-2012, 12:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rpsands

The low and high resonance controls are what get me so interested. I bet those rock for changing the character with the fEarful

I have had them both at about 9 o'clock (almost off) for weeks. I didnt even think about playing with them last night. The Classic has way more tonal options than may appear at first glance. The fact that the two channels can be mixed give so much variation. I like to let the clean channel handle the lows, and low mids. Then use the dirty channel to handle the upper mids and highs. It lets me get a good grind sound at an almost reasonable volume.

dhomer · #15 03-06-2012, 03:02 PM

I am humbled... building these guys are truly a labor of love, and it was my pleasure working with Julian. The 1515/66/1 is definitely the most powerful cab I have ever experienced. during my testing, I was moving pop bottles across the floor.. Can't wait until this thing graces stages in GR...

**CL400Peavey** · #16 03-06-2012, 03:31 PM

First post work experience was with my p bass. It has a set of very very dead flatwound strings on it. all I can say is wow!

**CL400Peavey** · #17 03-06-2012, 06:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CL400Peavey

First post work experience was with my p bass. It has a set of very very dead flatwound strings on it. all I can say is wow!

Spent some rime with my jazz bass. Even with the tweeter turned off you get a bit of fret house if you dig in. These mid drivers fully cover all the highs I need with my tube head.

mbelue · #18 03-06-2012, 06:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CL400Peavey

Spent some rime with my jazz bass. Even with the sweeter turned off you get a bit of fret house if you dig in. These mid drivers fully cover all the highs I need with my tube head.

Tweeters do make 'em sweeter!

**CL400Peavey** · #19 03-09-2012, 07:51 AM

So I took this cab to practice last night for the first time. Brought my Mark VIII and my 5 string. Started out with the EQ flat and the shelving pots at noon, pre-gain at noon and post for volume, compressor off, horn on at about 3.5. The first remark from my guitard was "Your volume is so low, but I can hear you over everything else..." I just smiled and nodded. During a short break I played with the EQ a bit. Put the EQ sliders to a gentle frown, dialed the low shelving to about 10 o'clock, turned the horn off, compressor on, pre gain up to 3 o'clock, post to balance volume. Kept all the cut through in the mids, but the low end was a bit more growly and defined. My drummer asked if I got a new pedal or something, because with my old 810 cab a lot of the EQ options did little to change my sound. Then the keys player says "so it sounds good but it only has 4 speakers, does it get as loud as your 810?" I while I was playing with the drummer and keybord player my guitarist raised the post gain to about noon. Dave at Gigmaster Soundworks put it best, its "war volume" but it just had everyone smiling. After real practice was done we started messing around with different effects, chorus, octaver, over drive, phaser, flanger... All sounded great through the cab, every control matters more when it goes through this cab. A little goes a long way.

Now I'm trying to talk the Keys player into getting two 12/6/1's for his rig!

pablomigraine · #20 03-22-2012, 09:28 AM

In your picture of the Xover, it looks like there is some additional bracing not called for in the plans..... A builder I know locally (who was not familiar with fearful previously) took a look at the plans and said that, in his opinion, the bracing called for in the plans would be "inadequate" and said he would place 1" dowels front to back in several spots.... it looks like that's exactly what's going on here.....