Speaker help with an Ampeg B25 or V4 head

[eb3]

Hello guys-

I need some dirt with my clean sound and have both a V4 and B25 head.

I also have a B25 cab.

Can you suggest replacement speakers that will break up earlier and give me Jack Bruce distortion.

Also, the B25 is a lower wattage head so would you suggest I use that one, as it will distort at a lower volume and I can mic the cab.

I have a pair of 15" Fenders from a bass cab. Would they work with the Ampeg?

Suggestions please. Thanks.

[guroove]

I wouldn't recommend any cab for the B25 head other than the B25 cab. It very specifically wants to see a 16 Ohm load. A smaller load will make the unit get very hot, and put out more than its specified output. The B25 should have full on distortion by 1 o'clock with a p-bass into it. And your thinking as far as the lower wattage seems right on.

[guroove]

Another thing I forgot, is to use the lower jacks, as the bright ones actually perform some kind of low frequency cut. Don't use the ultra-low switch, as that performs a mid-range cut. I believe the left channel should be hotter than the right channel.

[coreyfyfe]

I would say just use the B25 and crank the heck out of it. If you want to use the V4 for a little more stage volume, the B25 cab may be about at it's limits with the stock speakers but it would probably stand up fairly well. The V4 can get some awesome distortion, and you have the B25 if the V4 is too loud. Otherwise, if you want newer speakers, fliptops recommends either eminence Beta 15 as replacements. I have delta 15s in my B25 cab and they're pretty good as well. They have a fairly even response in this cab, good mid-range punch, not too much bottom. But honestly, I think the stock CTS speakers and the B25 head would be a better bet. You could get the overdriven amp sound plus those speakers don't have the handling of modern speakers so they'd be more likely to get into speaker breakup land before a replacement would. You just run the risk of blowing them.

[Alex1984]

I don't think speakers will necessarily give you the effect you want. Have you tried sticking pedals in front?

[hennessybass]

Originally Posted by eb3

Hello guys-
Can you suggest replacement speakers that will break up earlier and give me Jack Bruce distortion.

I don't think you want "speaker distortion." Speaker distortion is bad, and means that you speakers and amp are mismatched,, and something is about to break.

If you are going for a jack bruce thing, use the B25 head, the b25 cab, and turn the amp up as loud as you can, and really dig in to the bass.

If that's too loud for you, look into a pedal of some kind.

[eb3]

Thank you kindly guys.

Amazing...ask and someone in the world has an answer.

I should mention the B25 cab is empty so that's why I need speaker recommendations.

I assume you would suggest different speakers to be used with the two heads as they need different ohmage.

Again, the goal here is break up.

And...any pedals that will do the "Jack" thing? Not looking for fuzz.

[anderbass]

Originally Posted by eb3

I have a pair of 15" Fenders from a bass cab. Would they work with the Ampeg?

Whats the ohm rating on those speakers?

[eb3]

Originally Posted by anderbass

Whats the ohm rating on those speakers?

Not sure as I'm at the office, but they are probably 8 ohm each as they are in an old tall Bassman cab.

An old Bassman head would want to see a 4 ohm load correct? That's how I'm assuming they are 8 ohm each.

[coreyfyfe]

If the cab is empty that changes things. Does it still have the 4/16 ohm switch? I'd say if it does just get two eminence beta 15s, wire them up and you can use it with both heads at either 16 or 4 ohms. If not, then you kind of have to make a decision on which head you want to use and how you want to wire the speakers. I'd say the V4 would give you more headroom and still get some nice distortion but it will be loud. The B25 won't be as loud (whether that's a good or bad thing depends on your needs), and you wouldn't really be able to use the cab with any other head if you set it for 16 ohms, so that's a drawback.

[hennessybass]

Originally Posted by coreyfyfe

If the cab is empty that changes things. Does it still have the 4/16 ohm switch? I'd say if it does just get two eminence beta 15s, wire them up and you can use it with both heads at either 16 or 4 ohms. If not, then you kind of have to make a decision on which head you want to use and how you want to wire the speakers. I'd say the V4 would give you more headroom and still get some nice distortion but it will be loud. The B25 won't be as loud (whether that's a good or bad thing depends on your needs), and you wouldn't really be able to use the cab with any other head if you set it for 16 ohms, so that's a drawback.

+1

[anderbass]

Originally Posted by eb3

Not sure as I'm at the office, but they are probably 8 ohm each as they are in an old tall Bassman cab.

An old Bassman head would want to see a 4 ohm load correct? That's how I'm assuming they are 8 ohm each.

Yeah but maybe someone swapped-em out for a pair of 4-ohm. Never know, might be worth checking anyway...

I was just thinking If they were 4-ohm you could wire-em in series and use the 8-ohm cab with either head. I might be mistaken but I think you'd just need a bare 1/4" plug in the B25 speaker jack to convert its extension speaker jack to safely drive an 8-ohm cab.

[Alex1984]

I remember hearing people say Fender cabs back then are undesirable. Old JBLs like the D140 would be a good ticket, or maybe Altecs.