One-hander - DIY or buy used?

ericw · #1 05-20-2010, 02:24 PM

Sometimes I play small, low-volume, background music-type gigs with an acoustic guitarist/vocalist and a sensible electric guitarist. I'd like to build (or buy used, if that is the better option) a small, stand-alone cab that can be carried in one hand.

It will be used with a p-bass through a little mark II and I will be playing light rock/motown/jazzy type stuff.

As for building, I have fairly extensive woodworking experience and many tools at my disposal and my soldering is manageable.

Please suggest speaker configurations/design ideas/thoughts. I was thinking 112 with a tweeter but am open to other options. I have been messing around with WinISD but it is hard for me to translate that to real world sound characteristics. If you think I would be better off buying something share those thoughts as well.

JimmyM · #2 05-20-2010, 02:29 PM

hard to beat what's out there on the market like the shuttle and the markbass 112's. but if you want to build, i'd copy the shuttle and throw a 3012 ho into it

that's if you want the absolute smallest cab. personally, i like bigger boxes and don't mind a little extra weight, but if you're going dirt small, i'd probably just buy something that's already out there.

rpsands · #3 05-20-2010, 02:35 PM

fEarful 12/6/1. Plenty for that situation and full enough to use as a vocal PA if needed in small situations.

I've used my Jack 112 for similar stuff (running both electric and acoustic guitar and my bass) with a Markbass F1 and had pretty good success so far. Sounds good for vocals too.

**IvanMike** · #4 05-20-2010, 02:37 PM

a lot of it depends on how far you need to carry it and how strong you are. A weight cutoff might help with the suggestions.

oh, and if you have a gig bag with a back strap and that wee amp then you can carry a cab with two hands.

Jim Nazium · #5 05-20-2010, 02:37 PM

I think it depends how much you enjoy building stuff yourself, vs. how much you value having a reliable, durable, good-sounding cab. For me, while I enjoy building stuff , I'm not much of a carpenter, so I think if I tried to build my own cab I'd waste a couple of weekends and a couple hundred bucks on materials, and then still end up buying a commercial cab because the thing I built was a POS.

But that's just me.

For commercially available options, check out the Acme Low B-1. It's easy to carry with one hand, has plenty of volume for the gigs you're describing, and has a great, clean, neutral sound. Used ones usually sell for around $300 US.

rpsands · #6 05-20-2010, 02:43 PM

One thing I'll note for interest:

Flite cabs will make you an empty cab tuned for a 3012HO for 265.00 (that weighs around 20lbs complete)

ericw · #7 05-21-2010, 05:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IvanMike

a lot of it depends on how far you need to carry it and how strong you are. A weight cutoff might help with the suggestions.

oh, and if you have a gig bag with a back strap and that wee amp then you can carry a cab with two hands.

Good point. I thnk I'd like to use 35 lb as an upper limit with a target closer to 30 lb. I would also use this for practices which means doors, staircases, etc.

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimmyM

hard to beat what's out there on the market like the shuttle and the markbass 112's. but if you want to build, i'd copy the shuttle and throw a 3012 ho into it

that's if you want the absolute smallest cab. personally, i like bigger boxes and don't mind a little extra weight, but if you're going dirt small, i'd probably just buy something that's already out there.

I would like to go dirt small if it's not going to sound terrible - I could probably go slightly larger than dirt small. The markbass NY 121, CLUB 121, and TC Electronis RS112 size cabs would be great, but I worry about the sound. I also like the Markbass Traveler 121H but it is slightly heavier. Your 3012 ho idea would have no tweeter or did you take that for granted?

Quote:

Originally Posted by rpsands

fEarful 12/6/1. Plenty for that situation and full enough to use as a vocal PA if needed in small situations.

I've used my Jack 112 for similar stuff (running both electric and acoustic guitar and my bass) with a Markbass F1 and had pretty good success so far. Sounds good for vocals too.

I was looking at the 12/6/1 but I'm fairly sure that can't be made a one-hander. What are the dimensions and weight of your jack 112?

ericw · #8 05-21-2010, 05:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rpsands

One thing I'll note for interest:

Flite cabs will make you an empty cab tuned for a 3012HO for 265.00 (that weighs around 20lbs complete)

This sounds interesting. I expect I could build a box cheaper though. Is that a good assumption?

Southpaw5 · #9 05-21-2010, 06:02 AM

[quote= personally, i like bigger boxes and don't mind a little extra weight, [/QUOTE]

Couldn't resist!

nukes_da_bass · #10 05-21-2010, 06:28 AM

I had a custom built cabinet like this made for me in the Philippines last year-because buying "off the rack" stuff already made in China was prohibitively expensive. Furniture grade plywood, an 8 ohm Acoustic 12 rated at 300 watts as I recall...crappy tweeter that I couldnt talk them out of shoving into the cab, and a questionable Tolex job they attached with some toxic smelling adhesive that smelled up our house for days.

Whole thing sounds like a flashback to the 60's- the crappy tweeter even gives a drone like resonation which makes one think of bass sitar. Its even ported twice but for low volumes I would have skipped the tweeter entirely. Its gig worthy but they did not include a handle. If I ever find myself jamming with dudes over there I'll add a handle. Whole thing cost $60.00 USD and was a steal-prolly weighs 35 lbs. As I said the plywood looked high end which is what I attribute the decent tone to.
I actually watched them built it! Of course by then it was a pre glued and the port holes were cut but installing the components and Tolex only took about an hour- it was funny and distressing watching 7 filipinos try and stretch and apply the tolex. It taught me a lot about DIY cab design and made me question all those articles ive ever read about proper port placement etc etc...

Sten · #11 05-21-2010, 06:44 AM

Cabs too small will sound too small. I'd get a slightly larger one, but with lighter materials. As for a size and format example, something like this:
http://www.epifani.com/products/UL2_112.php

ericw · #12 05-21-2010, 08:33 AM

What I've worked up for a 3012 ho: approx 15" x 18.25" x 12.9" - 2875 in³ (1/2" ply) tuned to 64 Hz. The automatic result for a 3012 ho is 2301.1 in.³ tuned to 65.27 Hz, but going that small didn't leave me any room for a tweeter on the baffle (I want a tweeter right? I usually run my tweeter about 75% on the avatar 212 so I figured I would miss it big time). Vent is a 6" x 7" x 4.5" triangle. I think weight would be about 25-30 lb. The mounting for the tweeter is setup for a B&C DE35 but I don't really know what tweeter I should use. Comments, suggestions? I realize the plot is too small to view but the response is about the same as the auto results.

ericw · #13 05-21-2010, 08:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim Nazium

For commercially available options, check out the Acme Low B-1. It's easy to carry with one hand, has plenty of volume for the gigs you're describing, and has a great, clean, neutral sound. Used ones usually sell for around $300 US.

That really looks like the ticket... I'm concerned about the power handling though, as I'll be using the little mark II. What would the difference in volume be compared to a 112?

JimmyM · #14 05-21-2010, 02:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ericw

I would like to go dirt small if it's not going to sound terrible - I could probably go slightly larger than dirt small. The markbass NY 121, CLUB 121, and TC Electronis RS112 size cabs would be great, but I worry about the sound. I also like the Markbass Traveler 121H but it is slightly heavier. Your 3012 ho idea would have no tweeter or did you take that for granted?

no tweeters! i would take a mid driver, but i'd use a 3012lf instead of the ho. the ho is more "full range" whereas the lf is for lows and mids up to about 1.5k. used to own the markbass combo the ny 121 is built on, and it sounded good except a little light on the bottom 3-4 notes (to be expected) and what i think is a frequency hole between the woofer and the tweeter. once disconnected my tweeter and crossover and discovered the woofer had little or no high end past about 2k by my estimation. sounds fine in a mix, though. used the vle knob on the lmii to tame down the tweeter.

ericw · #15 05-21-2010, 10:10 PM

Wow, without a tweeter or mid-range and just a 3012ho I could go really small... Would it be cool to have a sloped design so it points up at me or would I be better off getting it off the floor?

rpsands · #16 05-21-2010, 10:15 PM

I would just put a tilt back stand on it from SpeakerHardware. Those things are awesome.

My Jack is 39lbs on my bathroom scale, and is a one hand lift for me but not for very far

The 12/6/1 is a bit lighter. With light wood like ACX it comes out to 33-35lbs depending on your choice of stuff and liner etc.

JimmyM · #17 05-22-2010, 03:28 PM

+1 tilt back stand.

will33 · #18 05-22-2010, 04:22 PM

The 3012ho goes high enough on axis to do without the tweeter. Build becomes cheaper, simpler and small. Put in a 2 cu.ft. box it'll go deep enough to make good sounding bass guitar and built from braced 1/2" ply will be really light, a definate one-hand grab. The advantage to going with a Jack12 or a 12/6/1 would be the ability to use a small mixer head and run vocal, acoustic, bass, basically everything through a single cab for little restaraunt/background gigs. Good sound with a minimum of gear.

Edit: A basslite s2012 is another option. ho is high SPL, meant to be loud. Basslite would be plenty loud enough, is cheaper. Thermal limit is only 150 watts but you won't be sending it anywhere near that much in a restaraunt anyway. Can play deep in a small box, won't be running out of gas on the low notes in exchange for being small.

**IvanMike** · #19 05-22-2010, 04:33 PM

yeah tilt back stand, folding hand cart, anything. I need to get one as my cabs are light, but i am old.....

will33 · #20 05-22-2010, 04:33 PM

This might be one case where you can build cheaper than buy. An Avatar 112 is around $300. It's basically a DeltaliteII in a box the size of a typical 210 and weighs about 40lbs. You could do your own smaller, lighter with better ergonomics, and a speaker better suited to your needs if you choose and probably still come in under that price as long as you don't go crazy with exotic grillcloth, vintage hardware, etc.