Need some advice on a trade, please help

[xkmattx]

Hi friends and fellow lovers of the low end

Let me start of with telling you why i want to trade my current bass cab. I currently own the Gallien Krueger Neo 412 cab. This cab sounds great and has a great look to it, but it doesnt have any side handles only a towel bar. This makes it extremely hard to move up and down stairs solo.


I currently do session work and pick up random paying fill in gigs. I play anything from pop, rock, punk, and even country. I need a set up that allows me to cover these genres adequately, but also need to have the convnience of a smaller rig for practice and a big rig for live shows etc.

now onto my question....

I found a local guy through craigslist that is willing to trade my GK neo 412 cab for 1 of 2 options,either:

His SWR son of bertha 1x15 at 8ohms and 350w AND
His markbass little mark3 bass head

OR
His swr son of bertha AND his mesa/boogie Diesel 2x15 800 watt 4ohm cab.

I am on the fence becuase if i traded for the 2 cabs, i could have a practice/small gig setup as well as a big gig set up. OR i could get the sob cab and markbass head and later on buy a 410 to go with the swr sob 1x15.

my brain is going crazy on what to do and im meeting with the guy to trade tomorrow. Please i would love any advice /criticism that you can offer me on making this decision.

thanks!

[cheezewiz]

I personally wouldn't do either. If you think the GK is hard to move, wait until you try to move that Diesel! You'd be better off saving up for a small 210 or similar for smaller stuff, and keeping the 412.

[RickenBoogie]

just one thing, you do NOT want to mix a 410 with a 115. otherwise, it's all up to you. I think your GK 412 is worth more than either of the 2 trades. Ever thought of adding handles?

[xkmattx]

Well its not the weight thats the problem, the boogie has side handles and i can carry it a bit a better. No, i didnt think of adding side handles to my gk, im not skilled enough to do it myself, will that ruin the integrity of the cab?

[pablomigraine]

Originally Posted by cheezewiz

I personally wouldn't do either. If you think the GK is hard to move, wait until you try to move that Diesel! You'd be better off saving up for a small 210 or similar for smaller stuff, and keeping the 412.

+1. The mesa cabs are a bear....

I would SELL your 412... no sense in taking such a huge loss, and a single 15", IMHO will not provide you with adequate range and versatility to cover all those different genres. Sell your 412 and go buy one of the new GK neo 410's... MBE or whatever the series is called. They're easy to schlep...

[LiamPodmore]

Try and trade your 412 for 2 neo 212's, or sell the 412 and buy 2 212's used? That would be the first thing i would attempt to do in that situation.

Liam

[xkmattx]

I have tried to sell the 412, but no one has responded for over a month. And to sell it to GC or sam ash id only get 300 . I do wish i would have bought 2 212 cabs instead, but live and learn. IS the mesa 2x15 not a medium gig worthy cab?

[RickenBoogie]

The Mesa 215 Deisel is an awesome cab, and plenty loud enough for almost anything. Thing is, it's worth 3 or 400 bucks at most. It's not a bad cab, just a bad trade.

[Crabby]

The Mesa cab would be killer assuming it has the original EV drivers buts its a super heavy beast that will not be easy to move around. The SWR 115 would not likely satisfy you on its own and I also do not recommend mixing speakers cabs of different sizes and brands as you can end up with a "worse of both worlds" scenario.

The GK cab you have is a very good cab save for the lack of handles. I owned one myself and not much else sounds like it. Its a very modern and bright cab whereas the Mesa would be much more old school sounding. All depends on what you want tone wise.

Its hard satisfy volume, tone, weight and portability issues all in one cab.

[Rockmusician]

I have tried SWR and wasn't impressed. I know others that feel differently. Personally, I like GK, Eden and EBS.

[xkmattx]

Yea i really love the gk cab. But theres no way i can lug it up and down stairs 4-5 times a week. I know the trade as far as value dollar wise isnt even, but i am willing to take a hit in the pocket book if it means saving my back and allows me the convienience of a small setup that i can take most places. If i get the 2 cabs, i wouldnt need to add anything to the sob cab since id just use the mesa cab when i need to get loud. i was planning to set the sob cab on an amp riser for more self monitoring. gosh im soo confused. i appreciate the responses, please keep them coming.

[TheBIsForBass]

Ampeg is all I have to say.

[xkmattx]

bump in hopes to wake up with more advice

[cheezewiz]

I don't understand how you'd be saving your back by trading for a MUCH HEAVIER cab. Towel bars and skid rails are about the easiest way to move cabs up stairs.

I really would not trade, and then save up for a small cabinet for when you don't need much volume. It seems wiser to me to take the money and use it this way rather than just taking a hit on trade value. The SOB weighs 60 lbs. Not exactly a light weight for a smaller cab.

I think you're going to end up trading a cab you say you like for one cab that'll be way too heavy to haul, and another small cab that won't cover your needs, and will weigh a lot more than most modern small cabs.

It really sounds like you are just trying to rationalize getting some different stuff. That is fine if that is what you want to do, but the trade doesn't make sense otherwise.

[rad bassman]

install side handles to your 4x12, not too hard, take the back off (if you can, if not, remove a driver and look inside), when installing handles try to avoid cutting any bracing if possible, altho a metal handle mounted well will add strength

[BassNeo]

Originally Posted by xkmattx

Well its not the weight thats the problem, the boogie has side handles and i can carry it a bit a better. No, i didnt think of adding side handles to my gk, im not skilled enough to do it myself, will that ruin the integrity of the cab?

Adding external handles is not a difficult task and when done properly will not affect the integrity of the cab. I would stay away from inset handles as you will then have to cut a recess into the cab. Rather, check your local hardware store or even music shop and see what they have. It's not hard to measure a level line, drill a small pilot hole and install them. If you're still uncomfortable there has to be someone close to you who can do it.

[bolophonic]

Put handles on your cab.