Thinkin of building out my cab

[xjeremiahx]

Here's the setup currently:
Sunn 300t
SWR Goliath Sr.(6x10)

Here's the problem:
The damn head is so large, it hangs off the back of the cab(where the handle sits). Maybe I'm just being super picky about it & wanting it to sit flush on top of the cab? Or I'm more concerned about my head falling off my cab & getting messed up. I'm going with the latter.

So, I'm thinking of building out the top of my cab so that it rests flat on the cabinet? Any suggestions on doing this w/o screwing up the sound or anything? I'm assuming I can just build on top of the back of it right now & screw/glue in the wood to make it flush?

Here's a pic of the cab to see what I'm talkin about


Any advice?

[anderbass]

Are you thinking just a flat shelf on top or boxing in the whole angled section?

Hey, Is the bottom of that cab a little larger than the top? If so, I was kinda thinking maybe you could simply reverse your grill and play it upside down...

[fu22ba55]

Does that cab have a towel bar or recessed handles?

If there's a towel bar, could you build a little shelf that sits on the back and grabs on to the towel bar somehow? You might even be able to engineer it in such a way that the weight of the head holds the shelf tight against the towel bar.

You might even be able to rig something up the same way with recessed handles.

If you're concern is "not screwing up the cab" I'd try to work up a solution that doesn't screw or glue the cab.

(I have a similar problem and have been knocking ideas around in my head.)

[funkinbottom]

Lay your cab on it's side

[JimmyM]

Originally Posted by funkinbottom

Lay your cab on it's side

ewwww! the whole point of having a tall cab is to get speakers closer to ear level. if you lay it on its side, you end up pointing all your sound at your knees. plus the dispersion gets even worse.

[Jim Campbell]

Originally Posted by xjeremiahx

Here's the setup currently:
Sunn 300t
SWR Goliath Sr.(6x10)

Here's the problem:
The damn head is so large, it hangs off the back of the cab(where the handle sits). Maybe I'm just being super picky about it & wanting it to sit flush on top of the cab? Or I'm more concerned about my head falling off my cab & getting messed up. I'm going with the latter.

So, I'm thinking of building out the top of my cab so that it rests flat on the cabinet? Any suggestions on doing this w/o screwing up the sound or anything? I'm assuming I can just build on top of the back of it right now & screw/glue in the wood to make it flush?

Here's a pic of the cab to see what I'm talkin about


Any advice?

cut your ply to size,and 2 ratchet straps plus the weight of whatever you place up there should
hold....most of the load will be sitting on a solid cab.....if you cut holes for feet or cups even better....if you still want more brace the overhang

[BillyB_from_LZ]

How about just adding a couple extra feet on the bottom of the amp so that at least four of them sit on top of the cabinet?

[xjeremiahx]

Originally Posted by fu22ba55

Does that cab have a towel bar or recessed handles?

If there's a towel bar, could you build a little shelf that sits on the back and grabs on to the towel bar somehow? You might even be able to engineer it in such a way that the weight of the head holds the shelf tight against the towel bar.

You might even be able to rig something up the same way with recessed handles.

If you're concern is "not screwing up the cab" I'd try to work up a solution that doesn't screw or glue the cab.

(I have a similar problem and have been knocking ideas around in my head.)

its a recessed handle.

adding some feet to the bottom of the amp would probably work too...although the amp would still hang off of the cab by about 4-6 inches

I'm wondering what would be better ander...should I build out just a shelf? or build out the entire top and put a new handle, etc?

[Calaverasgrande]

put your amp on the floor. How often do you really mess with your amp?

[xjeremiahx]

Originally Posted by Calaverasgrande

put your amp on the floor. How often do you really mess with your amp?

i'm not really playing venues with huge amounts of space on stage...so it's not like i can have my giant ass head sitting in another spot to make things a little more convenient.
thanks for the helpful response though...oh wait..

[BillyB_from_LZ]

Originally Posted by xjeremiahx

...adding some feet to the bottom of the amp would probably work too...although the amp would still hang off of the cab by about 4-6 inches

...

Can you post a photo of the amp sitting on top of the cabinet (taken from the side) so I (we) can get an idea of the weight distribution?

[thombo]

Originally Posted by Jim Campbell

cut your ply to size,and 2 ratchet straps plus the weight of whatever you place up there should
hold....most of the load will be sitting on a solid cab.....if you cut holes for feet or cups even better....if you still want more brace the overhang

you may not even need the ply, just throw a ratchet strap from one side handle, over the top of the head, around to the other handle and tighten it, ala lee ranaldo of sonic youth.

http://www.effettidiclara.com/img/pe...%20amp%201.jpg

one other thing to consider- if you do need more surface area under the head, you may not need a platform the size of the entire head. you may be able to use two small strips extending from the back feet to the front feet (back left=> front left, back right => front right), or an X-brace of material (back left => front right, back right=> front left). i'd still rock the ratchet straps regardless... they'd also keep your cab handles from vibrating.

[xjeremiahx]

Originally Posted by BillyB_from_LZ

Can you post a photo of the amp sitting on top of the cabinet (taken from the side) so I (we) can get an idea of the weight distribution?

yeah, I'll take a picture tomorrow and post it.

[Mo'Phat]

If it was me, I'd just cut a piece of 3/4" ply as big as you need, paint it black and screw it to the top of the cabinet. You can leave a cutout in the back so you can still use your recessed handle.

Putting about four 1 1/4" counter-sunk wood screws won't go all the way through the SWR cab, and will be plenty solid.

[Pilgrim]

Originally Posted by Calaverasgrande

put your amp on the floor.

This is still the best answer. Sit the head right in front of the amp and minimize the combined footprint. No possible way it can fall off if it's already on the floor - and you don't need to modify the cab or the head.

[Calaverasgrande]

I honestly wasnt being snarky about the head on the floor comment.
I have done that for years!
My old GK 4x12/2x10 cabinet always had a problem with rattling my Bass 400 off onto the floor. So I figured its better down there anyway. Then there is the theory (notice my choice of words!) that tube bass heads might do better NOT on top of the cabinet. The filaments vibrating in sympathy with the cab may add some kind of mud.
Plus, and i think this is crucial, it's not a bad idea to stay the hell away from your amp's controls while playing. It's way too easy to get all anal about your tone or get in a volume war with the guitarist. Just play your bass!
OTOH I used to do the ratchet strap thing when I was running a stack of 3 cabs with the head on top. It looks kind of cool in a Mythbusters way.

[joshwilkesbooth]

Originally Posted by Calaverasgrande

put your amp on the floor.

This.

If it was good enough for Dee Dee, it is good enough for you!

[Metal Matt]

I'd say if at least something around 3/4ths of the head is sitting on the cab, I wouldn't worry about it falling off. An amp that heavy isn't going anywhere.

[interstatejoe]

Just hook a tie down strap on one handle, throw it over the top of the amp and secure the other end to the handle on the other side. No need for a shelf extending out the back.

[xjeremiahx]

Originally Posted by Calaverasgrande

I honestly wasnt being snarky about the head on the floor comment.
I have done that for years!
My old GK 4x12/2x10 cabinet always had a problem with rattling my Bass 400 off onto the floor. So I figured its better down there anyway. Then there is the theory (notice my choice of words!) that tube bass heads might do better NOT on top of the cabinet. The filaments vibrating in sympathy with the cab may add some kind of mud.
Plus, and i think this is crucial, it's not a bad idea to stay the hell away from your amp's controls while playing. It's way too easy to get all anal about your tone or get in a volume war with the guitarist. Just play your bass!
OTOH I used to do the ratchet strap thing when I was running a stack of 3 cabs with the head on top. It looks kind of cool in a Mythbusters way.

haha, all good. didn't mean to snap back.
know what's funny? i turned UP at practice the other day and my guitarist said "is your **** super loud or something?" i calmly replied "well, i turned it up a touch, should i turn it down?"
and his response made my day....
"nah f$$$ that, that **** sounds killer!"
I'll see what I can do as far as putting my head on the floor goes. If that doesn't work, I'll probably try the ratchet strap thing...THEN build a little platform for it.

thanks for the help dudes

bill, i'll snap that picture when I head to our practice spot. we have a gig tonight @ the empty bottle if anybody's in town & bored