Problems w/ Acoustic Neo 210 & 115 cabs

[Jeff Zak]

I picked up a pair of Acoustic cabinets about 3 weeks ago. I bought the new NEO 210 and the NEO 115. They sounded great, practiced on them in the house for about a week, used them at a gig a week later and they sounded great. I just used them this past weekend (3 weeks after I bought them) and they sounded HORRIBLE.

They were rattling everywhere! I checked to see if the speakers were lose. I tried three different heads (Marshall, GK, Behringer) and even plugged a guitar head into them and I had the same problem. Does anyone have a any idea what could be wrong?

My next question is simple, do I take them back to GC and try a pair of new ones or should I cut my losses and go for something better? Any suggestions on a reliable cabinet that is road worthy. I don't have a single weekend off from gigging from October 1st till the end of the year. Help me please.

[MIJ-VI]

Isn't today's Acoustic a budget brand?

[swspiers]

I have the B200 combo and the 115 cab. They are gredat for the money, and work well in practice. I'm pleased with the price/performance ratio.

That being said, if I had steady gigs ahead of me for the next 2-3 months, I'd definitely get something 'road-worthy'. I fully intend to upgrade to more reliable gear. Not knocking the Acoustic stuff at all. I'm just not counting on it for anything more intense than practice and the occassional gig.

[rpsands]

Take'em back like a boss.

[Jeff Zak]

Yeah, I plan on taking them back to GC today. I will pick up an Ampeg SVT-410HLF. That's what I was looking at originally but I used to use Acoustic when I first started playing in the mid 80's. Sadly, the brand is not what it used to be.

I have heard nothing but good things about the Ampeg SVT-410HLF. I play P-basses with flat wounds, use a pick and my bass sound can best be described as early Chicago (Peter Cetera) sound. Nice and percussive, lots of low end. No slapping or nothing flashy. So I want a cab that can deliver a nice thumpy, clear, low end. Anyone have any other recomendations?

[rpsands]

Check out the new Ampeg neo if you can - the PN-HLF or something like that.

[SurferJoe46]

If yours is like mine - the only trouble I had was the spade connectors at the speakers were loose.

I soldered pigtails on them and they are golden again.

I would get some horrible rattles and bad sounds when they rattled the connectors.

If you want you can just pinch the spring parts a little tighter - but I went all the way and soldered pigtails on them with automotive style spades from that point and the problem's solved.

Also make sure to staple any excess wires out of the way from getting into the cones too if you add any more wire.

I didn't want to send them back or trade them for new as I figured I was field testing my units and anything that happened with a trade would re-introduce the same weakness again.