Picked up a new cab on a whim

rojo412 · #1 06-09-2010, 10:37 PM

Lately, my amp luck has been in the toilet...

SWR Goliath III: All speakers toasted (after 10 years or so)
Genz Benz 2x10: Also toasted, also old
Acme Low B2: JUST GOT IT! And 3 weeks later, both drivers kaput...

My GK 800RB got wasted as well, is in the shop though.

Not the same heads or basses or even the players. Just old stuff, bad luck, and the wrong note at the wrong time.

Picked up a bass that I wanted that included a couple rigs. The package deal was nice, had a GK head (sold it!), an SWR Triad cab (not my taste in cab, but works), and a Behringer Half stack.

The half stack was nothing but a gigantic load in my kitchen. I robbed the speakers to fix the Genz, but it didn't work so well. Rattled a lot. The head sounded great, but I couldn't give it away. So I put it all together, loaded it up in the car and went to GC. I needed a working, good cab and not this gigantic, questionable load, that was for sure.

GC had 2 used cabs that caught my eye: Ampeg Pro 2x10 and Avatar 2x12. Plugged the Ampeg in first, using a GK 1001RB-II. Sound was... bleh, to put it nicely. It worked, but shot a lot of mids and highs right into my face, but no booty. I remembered the 4x10 had insane booty, but no dice on this one. Had to try the Avatar...

These go for $440 shipped to your house NEW, so the $299 price tag wasn't really calling my name and I always associate Avatar Cabs with cheap, even though I'd never plugged one in before.
Plugged in, turned on... WOW! That's got a darn nice sound to it. Crisp, clean, booty for days. Then I picked it up... weighed about half as much as my old 4x10. It was a deal!

Traded the Behringer stack (140 lbs or so of bleh) in on this lightweight, fire-breathing cab of "how is this so cheap?" Since the other parts of the deal have paid off, I didn't care about the GC hit and once I lugged it into the store, I knew it wasn't coming back with me! They could have offered me a piece of GUM and I'd have taken it for that thing.

Either way, I was happy with the purchase. I can't wait to try the cab at practice. Hopefully, I don't blow this one, too!

fivestringgecko · #2 06-09-2010, 10:53 PM

Welcome to Avatar cabs.

When I overhauled my rig (read: out with the old, in with the new), I had seen Avatar mentioned around Talkbass, but like you, I thought "cheap." A little more research and I found out they use genuine Eminence custom drivers and no marketing helps keep costs down. So, I figured I'd give Avatar a shot and ordered a 2x10, based solely on buzz around TB.

I was VERY impressed. My Shuttle 6.0/B210 neo kept up at practice with two electric guitars, an acoustic guitar/vocalist, keys and drums. I ordered Av's 2x12 about a month later and the stack is pretty incredible. Both cabs are tight and punchy, loud and have great low end. The 2x12 can get absolutely thunderous!

Personally, I think Avatar cabs are way underrated. Great cabs, great price. I don't need a boutique name, I need a rig that sounds good, and I've never gotten one negative comment about my Avatars.

5sg.

Double E · #3 06-11-2010, 01:11 AM

I consider Avatar a boutique name...they just happen to have reasonable prices.

rojo412 · #4 06-11-2010, 06:05 AM

Well, I'm bringing it to the Summit tonight, want to try it with different heads.

jarrhead · #5 06-11-2010, 06:09 AM

Avatar is a great cab at a great price. Only I wanted the look, weight, and sound of a GK Neo 212.

I have no problem using an Avatar though!

fdask · #6 06-11-2010, 06:58 AM

Congrats on the new purchase! I seriously love my Avatar cabs.

Picked up a 210 and a 212 based solely on all the positive reviews I read here. Definitely wasn't disappointed! Also a major bonus is the light weight of the things!

whitedk57 · #7 06-11-2010, 07:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rojo412

Lately, my amp luck has been in the toilet...

SWR Goliath III: All speakers toasted (after 10 years or so)
Genz Benz 2x10: Also toasted, also old
Acme Low B2: JUST GOT IT! And 3 weeks later, both drivers kaput...

My GK 800RB got wasted as well, is in the shop though.

Not the same heads or basses or even the players. Just old stuff, bad luck, and the wrong note at the wrong time.

Picked up a bass that I wanted that included a couple rigs. The package deal was nice, had a GK head (sold it!), an SWR Triad cab (not my taste in cab, but works), and a Behringer Half stack.

The half stack was nothing but a gigantic load in my kitchen. I robbed the speakers to fix the Genz, but it didn't work so well. Rattled a lot. The head sounded great, but I couldn't give it away. So I put it all together, loaded it up in the car and went to GC. I needed a working, good cab and not this gigantic, questionable load, that was for sure.

GC had 2 used cabs that caught my eye: Ampeg Pro 2x10 and Avatar 2x12. Plugged the Ampeg in first, using a GK 1001RB-II. Sound was... bleh, to put it nicely. It worked, but shot a lot of mids and highs right into my face, but no booty. I remembered the 4x10 had insane booty, but no dice on this one. Had to try the Avatar...

These go for $440 shipped to your house NEW, so the $299 price tag wasn't really calling my name and I always associate Avatar Cabs with cheap, even though I'd never plugged one in before.
Plugged in, turned on... WOW! That's got a darn nice sound to it. Crisp, clean, booty for days. Then I picked it up... weighed about half as much as my old 4x10. It was a deal!

Traded the Behringer stack (140 lbs or so of bleh) in on this lightweight, fire-breathing cab of "how is this so cheap?" Since the other parts of the deal have paid off, I didn't care about the GC hit and once I lugged it into the store, I knew it wasn't coming back with me! They could have offered me a piece of GUM and I'd have taken it for that thing.

Either way, I was happy with the purchase. I can't wait to try the cab at practice. Hopefully, I don't blow this one, too!

Dude! You blew an ACME Low B2? What's your amp?

fivestringgecko · #8 06-11-2010, 08:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Double E

I consider Avatar a boutique name...they just happen to have reasonable prices.

A point I can't/wouldn't argue at all! Eminence drivers, customizable look/finish... just without the boutique price.

Quote:

Originally Posted by fdask

Picked up a 210 and a 212 based solely on all the positive reviews I read here.

Same here, and I have that same setup. LOVE it!

5sg.

rojo412 · #9 06-11-2010, 11:08 AM

It was a QSC GX3 running all 500 watts...

By the way, played the 2x12 at practice. It sounded good, though I'm pretty sure the amp/preamp is my problem. The cab did its job well, but I still didn't get the tone I wanted. When I tried it at GC with a GK head, though, tone was spot on.

Trying it at my company's Bass Summit II this evening with multiple head choices.

So long, BBE and GX3... Going going back back to Gallien Krueger! Or Genz... Or Eden... Who knows?!?

fivestringgecko · #10 06-11-2010, 11:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rojo412

So long, BBE and GX3... Going going back back to Gallien Krueger! Or Genz... Or Eden... Who knows?!?

If you're thinking Genz Benz, make sure to give a Shuttle a try. Just like with the Avatar cabs, I bought my Shuttle 6.0 based solely on buzz around Talkbass. Ordered it through Musician's Friend thinking I'd take advantage of their liberal return policy if I didn't like it.

It didn't go back.

5sg.