What cab to mate a 30w tube head to?

[christw]

My first instincts say to go for a small or medium closed box with a low power, high sensitivity driver. Basically, look for, say, a 15" AlNiCo speaker in a moderately sized box. I'll be running this with my Bronco (loaded with a hot guitar humbucker) for thumpin' some low mid spiced tones. I know that I'll be limited by both power and driver excursion but I'm not looking to compete in my metal band.

The first cabs I thought of were Bag End 115s because IIRC they have high sensitivity are compact enough to toss in whatever vehicle I take (or maybe on the back of my motorcycle if well secured?)

For the curious, I'll be using my Elk Miyuki Custom 30 guitar head. It's an obscure one from Japan from the late '60's. It sounded killer with my P Bass with flats last year and I've been looking for a small rig. I realized I have half of it right here and might as well just find the right cab!

OH! One caveat, it needs to be an 8 ohm cab.

[T-Bird]

Hi.

Horn loaded.

BFM is probably the most economical solution.

Regards
Sam

[christw]

I was actually at GC last night checking out their house brand Acoustic 260 and mini horn 10" cab. It farted out way too early for me so I ruled out that specific one as an option.

[bongomania]

Almost any 1x10 will fart out way too early. You need something much more efficient, which is why T-Bird recommended BFM. If you're on a super tight budget, just get the biggest cab, with the most speakers, that you can afford.

[christw]

My game plan was making a small "not so big, not so loud" rig out of this. I'd like to keep costs down (at least under $300) so I hesitate when looking at BFM design because I don't have the tools to build one here and I'm sure it isn't super cheap to have someone make one for me. I already have an 810 and 610 and I want something that's more mobile than those suckers although I did consider finding a 2x15 that'll slip into my car's back seat..

[bongomania]

The problem is that cabs that are both small and very efficient tend to be expensive. You'll certainly have to compromise on at least one of those (small, efficient, cheap).

[christw]

Touché. How about if I open it up to moderate sized and efficient (edit: and used! I always buy used.) I might as well look for a used 410 then, eh? I guess I'm looking for a nudge towards something that's low/low mid present and perhaps even boomy to compensate for the low power on tap. Then again, I think I'd lose a lot of efficiency if I picked up a cab like that? Argh! I might as well harass all of the used gear stores here with my Bronco and head until I find something. (If only it wasn't snowing today!)

[Jeremy Allen]

I kind of have exactly the thing you're describing: it's half of an old Sunn 2x15 cab, cut down for use as a 1x15. I put a vintage JBL K140 in it for use with my 40 watt Sunn Sonaro head. It sounds GREAT, but its versatility is limited--in any kind of live situation except for a coffee house type thing or a small rehearsal space, it needs PA support (regardless of whether or not you want it clean or crunchy--it doesn't get much louder when it's overdriven).

I seriously doubt that the cab dimensions are appropriate for that speaker/frequency range, but it does sound pretty amazing.

You could also consider getting a VT22 2x12 extension cab from Fliptops.net and having them put the Eminence Legend 1258 drivers in it. That would be just over $500, but it would be quite portable and would maximize the low power.

[christw]

I've just done some test runs of the head and Bronco into a guitar cab (open back with a Marshall/Celestion G12T-75) to make sure that it can do the job. Lots of high mids probably courtesy of the combination. It'd cut through well, especially with a pick, although as noted the volume is obviously limited. I might just want to give in and find a 2x15 that'll fit in my accord and have a 3rd, albeit quieter, big rig.

Then again, the appeal of a portable tone monster for a lot of the jam sessions around here really gets me. Maybe I'll just get a Bag End cab (S15D?) like I've been thinking I should... Then I could probably use it for URB too.

[edbass]

Originally Posted by Jeremy Allen

I kind of have exactly the thing you're describing: it's half of an old Sunn 2x15 cab, cut down for use as a 1x15. I put a vintage JBL K140 in it for use with my 40 watt Sunn Sonaro head. It sounds GREAT, but its versatility is limited--in any kind of live situation except for a coffee house type thing or a small rehearsal space, it needs PA support (regardless of whether or not you want it clean or crunchy--it doesn't get much louder when it's overdriven).

Sunn actually made such an animal. It was called the Sonic I40, it's half of a Sunn 200S cab.



It came loaded with a D140, mine currently has a K140 because I sometimes use it with bigger amps and the K's are stouter than the D's. It holds up pretty well, I've used it without PA support in a 150-175 person venue but I was pushing it pretty hard in a pretty sedate band.
As you posted it sounds terrific, I usually use it under a 40 watt split chassis Sunn head; sort of a "Portaflexesque" Sunn rig for practice or recording.

[cruzois]

Beautiful rig....I built one of those cabs myself(cutdown 200s)with a k140..kickin' myself for gettin' rid of it....used w/a Sunn concert head

[christw]

So, I think I'll settle and hunt for an S15D but I'm certainly not going to yell at you guys for posting pretty pictures in this thread.

[Jeremy Allen]

Originally Posted by edbass

Sunn actually made such an animal. It was called the Sonic I40, it's half of a Sunn 200S cab.

I had heard of this but had never seen one (I know that my Sonaro head was originally paired with a 1x15); but when I went I went on ebay today I saw listings for not one but two of these I40 cabs. They look like they might be a bit deeper than my bastardized thing, which would be cool!

OP, if you get the Bag End, that's cool, but consider that the type of driver is going to have a huge effect on whether you milk the most out of that small amp. That's why, when I was doing the same search, I just ended up going for period-appropriate equipment. Want to emasculate an Ampeg V4? Play it through a fEarful 15/6...

[edbass]

Originally Posted by Jeremy Allen

I had heard of this but had never seen one (I know that my Sonaro head was originally paired with a 1x15); but when I went I went on ebay today I saw listings for not one but two of these I40 cabs. They look like they might be a bit deeper than my bastardized thing, which would be cool!

The majority of vintage Sunn cabs are 15" deep.
The Sonaro was sold as a 38x24x11.5 1x15 combo, also as a head with a taller shallower 29x24x11.5 1x15 cab, and didn't come with the JBL. The I40 is actually a little larger than half of a 200S; 24x24x15, and the 200S is 40x24x15.

[christw]

But clean mates with clean no matter what era it's from. My SVT-II is quite close to an original SVT and it runs through a deep, clean Genz Benz 610 XB2. Sounds amazing. It's all in the tone of the bass. So why would an old, clean guitar head not be clean through a clean cab? And why wouldn't it sound goooood?

[JimmyM]

you know, for a 30w amp, maybe a bag end would be cool. or an orphaned b-15 cab. really, you could use just about anything. i've run my b-15n head into an 810 and 410 before and it was sweet and plenty loud. i'd go at least a 15", though. i think anything smaller would stand the chance of pooping out on you unless you're doing very small stuff.

[christw]

I found an old ported "Fender" cab with a D140 at Music Go Round and man, it sounds so nice with the Bronco and especially with a pick. The Carvin J with neo pickups sounds thin and treble harsh, but the little sucker delivers. A bright amp, a dark bass, and a sensitive middy cab come together for mid heavy perfection. I now see how 30 watts can gig. This'd hold up with some small tube amps like a Blues Jr in a bar band no problem. It's output tubes are near shot too so I can't wait to hear what a new set brings in a few days. Oh yeah, $96 out the door.

Pic, therefore cab!

[Jeremy Allen]

Nice! Try to find a D140 on eBay for anywhere near $96...

[christw]

Exactly what I told my brother when he said $90 for a cab was a good deal.

[koobie]

OP, cool little rig! Your sense of thrift is to be admired too!

And sorry for being off-topic, but edbass's pic of the Sunn head sans cabinet is too cool. I've always thought many of the old Sunn heads were unnecessarily wide.