Recommend some "fridge" width cabs

funkytoe · #1 03-17-2011, 12:36 PM

My old Ampeg fridge 8x10 is 26 inches wide, and that suits me fine. I have some old tube heads that are 25 and 26 inches wide respectively that fit great up there.

But, I have been thinking about getting a smaller cab - 15/6 or a 2x12 / 6. Maybe even a 4x10 again. I would like to use these same heads, but every cabinet I come across these days is 24 inches wide or less. I know its picky, but I never like the look of a rig when the head is wider than the cab. Disliked the old Vox AC100 rig for the same reason. And I am not a big fan of laying the cab on its side.

So, my question is, who makes a good wide (25 or 26 inch) bass cab? Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

Jim Campbell · #2 03-17-2011, 01:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by funkytoe

My old Ampeg fridge 8x10 is 26 inches wide, and that suits me fine. I have some old tube heads that are 25 and 26 inches wide respectively that fit great up there.

But, I have been thinking about getting a smaller cab - 15/6 or a 2x12 / 6. Maybe even a 4x10 again. I would like to use these same heads, but every cabinet I come across these days is 24 inches wide or less. I know its picky, but I never like the look of a rig when the head is wider than the cab. Disliked the old Vox AC100 rig for the same reason. And I am not a big fan of laying the cab on its side.

So, my question is, who makes a good wide (25 or 26 inch) bass cab? Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

i don't think you will find many.....even the 4x12-2x12 stuff seem to be offset to fit in a 24" or narrower cab....cabs for the v4b's are wide enough but hard to find.....

funkytoe · #3 03-17-2011, 01:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim Campbell

i don't think you will find many.....even the 4x12-2x12 stuff seem to be offset to fit in a 24" or narrower cab

Yep. That has certainly been my experience. I would rather not go the 4x12 route, although those seem to be the easiest to find. I am not opposed to vintage cabs if they have reasonably good performance. I was even thinking about trying find an old ElectroVoice EVM cab like Stanley Clarke used to endorse. On the other hand, I have thought about building a BFM Omni 15 or contacting Don at LDS about a custom order 15/6. But I thought, with all of the experience on this board, someone would have a line on a good wide cab that is already in production and readily available. So come on people, what's short and wide and makes a great bass cab?

Jim Campbell · #4 03-17-2011, 03:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by funkytoe

Yep. That has certainly been my experience. I would rather not go the 4x12 route, although those seem to be the easiest to find. I am not opposed to vintage cabs if they have reasonably good performance. I was even thinking about trying find an old ElectroVoice EVM cab like Stanley Clarke used to endorse. On the other hand, I have thought about building a BFM Omni 15 or contacting Don at LDS about a custom order 15/6. But I thought, with all of the experience on this board, someone would have a line on a good wide cab that is already in production and readily available. So come on people, what's short and wide and makes a great bass cab?

one that comes to mid is those gk's with the ports/vents at either end.....i don't know if they are 4 or 8 ohm.....

Jimmy Riot · #5 03-17-2011, 03:34 PM

A lot of wide-head users are ga-ga for Ampeg V4 4 x12 cabs, myself included. There seem to be two main speakers folks are putting in, both Eminence: Deltalite 2512's and Basslite s2012's. Some say its best to just use two, as the V4 cabs have a shelf per two spkrs like an 8x10.

Search TB for "v4 4x12 cab for bass" for more info.

funkytoe · #6 03-17-2011, 05:14 PM

Thanks Jimmy. I already have some 4x12 cabs at my disposal, and I have used them in the past. But, I am really focusing on less speakers/more efficiency. That's why the 15/6 is so appealing. Anyone have a wide 15 they can recommend?

Sartori · #7 03-17-2011, 07:38 PM

The Peavey VB series cabs are pretty much fridge-width.

The Ampeg 2x15 from a few years ago was the same box as the 8x10.

Mesa 8x10, 6x10, 4x12, and 2x15 I think are about that width.

39-Bassist · #8 03-17-2011, 07:46 PM

Line6 makes the Lowdown 410 cab which is Dimensions: 29"L x 28"H x 19"D
it handles 600watts @8ohms and 68 lbs.
you can try to look at that.

Bass FreeLee · #9 03-17-2011, 08:20 PM

Gk 2x12 cab -- is 24.5 wide-- and super light and sounds amazing-- you can get it in 4 ohm

my neo 412 is 26 wide, only 99 lbs and easily competes with an ampeg 810

I can pick it up like a big box and go up a flight of stairs!

funkytoe · #10 03-18-2011, 01:42 AM

Nice. Thanks for the suggestions. I appreciate it.

D.M.N. · #11 03-18-2011, 01:14 PM

My cab is 30" wide, which some people consider to be too much, but I personally like it, as you'll be hard pressed to find anything that hangs over the sides, plus it doesn't look small compared to guitar 4x12s. It's a Sunn 2000s 2x15. Excellent cabs IMO, if you are willing to deal with the "burden" that they are. They're a bit burly at 30(w)x48(h)x15(d), but with some JBLs in them, I still don't believe they can be beat. Plus you make all other cabs look puny.

ChasBass · #12 03-18-2011, 01:23 PM

My old Musicman 115 RH is 27" wide/ 27H/ 13D

jj4001 · #13 03-18-2011, 01:44 PM

I'd recommend an old Acoustic 402 cab if you come across one. I love the one I picked up recently.

It's got 2x15's, 26 1/2" wide, the casters on the side make it easy to move around, and it fits in the back seat of a small 4-door car. It's really too bad no one (that I know of) makes anything like this anymore.

BassCabinet402 < Acoustic < Wiki

greenboy · #14 03-23-2011, 01:42 PM

The fEARful 15/6tube is designed especially for both 24" wide and 26"-wide tube heads. Just set the cab on the side that is right for your head. Surprised nobody noticed after all the talk about it when I was getting ready to finish the design.

funkytoe · #15 03-23-2011, 02:00 PM

Thank you greenboy!!!!!

This is great. Are there any drawbacks to laying the cab on its side. I know that it will not be as close to my ears, but I mean "drawbacks" in terms of coupling/dispersion, etc.

greenboy · #16 03-23-2011, 02:07 PM

It's 2" diff in height, but pretty much identical otherwise. You can always put the works on say a couple of MILK CRATES* if it matters to you ; }

* click heels three times and say "Jimmy"

funkytoe · #17 03-23-2011, 02:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by greenboy

You can always put the works on say a couple of MILK CRATES* if it matters to you ; }
[/i]

Funny you would say that. We ALWAYS did that back when I was starting out. Here's a photo I have circa 1978. Notice the MusicMan half-stack on a milk crate!

http://www.talkbass.com/forum/attach...7&d=1274542976

greenboy · #18 03-23-2011, 02:56 PM

Heh - that's 20 years before I started playing bass. have you learned SLIDE or SMOKE ON THE LEVEE yet?</joke>

My first inclination was to load the photo into imageproc and do a little fixin', but so good to get a sense of history here.

funkytoe · #19 03-23-2011, 03:41 PM

Do what you must. I have thick skin and a pretty good sense of humor.

But please don't erase that old Mockingbird Bass. That was my first custom-order bass and I wish I would have kept it. In fact, I kind of wish I'd kept that MusicMan half stack too!

greenboy · #20 03-23-2011, 03:44 PM

Ah I wan't gonna photochop ya, honest - I was just gonna fix contrast and take out fade, and see if the content could take sharpening/focus.

I like the bass. I mentioned Music Man amps in another thread today. What were you guys playin' back then anyway?

As good as I can do in 2 minutes with so little resolution: