Mixed B-15N Bizness

JimmyM · #1 04-03-2008, 02:19 AM

Thanks to your high praise, I just bought this '77 B-15N from Bass Central after some hemming and hawing over the price (2nd one down):

http://www.basscentral.com/2003/ampeg.shtml

It's totally original except for one 6L6 (all the other tubes are original Magnavox-stamped tubes), a broken fliptop latch, and a missing dolly. But I got it for a pretty good deal, so I can't complain about that.

I wanted to know what your B-15N cabs are loaded with. Mine is loaded with the original '77 CTS, and it's voiced very deep compared to the '66 CTS speaker in my '64 B-15N. I tried the '66 CTS and a new Eminence Delta 15A in it, and it brightened up considerably, and the differences between the two cabs became a lot less apparent with the other speakers. It still has a deeper low end, but the brightness I thought was more a function of the different cab designs seems to be more related to the type of speaker. I hate to replace the original speaker, but I'm really tempted to get another Delta 15A and load it in there. But since your recorded clean tones are very similar to the tones I like for myself, I thought I'd get your input and see what you thought about the 70's CTS.

TaySte_2000 · #2 04-03-2008, 03:13 AM

Just so we are clear I hate you

JimmyM · #3 04-03-2008, 03:31 AM

HAH! So do you hate me more because I have two B-15's now or because I live half an hour away from BC? I really need to know, because if you hate me because of the B-15's, then you'd have to hate Justin twice as much because he's got like 4 of them, and I can't stand to see all this hate directed at such a nice guy

TaySte_2000 · #4 04-03-2008, 05:16 AM

B-15's and justin should recieve another 20 hate letters today from me

Closest I've got to a B-15 was the Ampeg plug in and it sounded awesome

jmjbassplayer · #5 04-03-2008, 11:48 AM

Congrats on the purchase! Sorry TaySte.

My two B-15's have the 70's CTS in there, with the square magnets. They sound good to me. I don't really have any reason to change anything, my guy goes over these with a fine-tooth comb and he's an Ampeg purist (Bob Dixon, Amphole in Burbank). My silver and black fronted one stays at my home studio for recording and practicing, and the blue line and the B-15R are at cartage available for sessions.

JMJ

TaySte_2000 · #6 04-03-2008, 11:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jmjbassplayer

Congrats on the purchase! Sorry TaySte.

My two B-15's have the 70's CTS in there, with the square magnets. They sound good to me. I don't really have any reason to change anything, my guy goes over these with a fine-tooth comb and he's an Ampeg purist (Bob Dixon, Amphole in Burbank). My silver and black fronted one stays at my home studio for recording and practicing, and the blue line and the B-15R are at cartage available for sessions.

JMJ

Sadly your words mean nothing to me

Man I need an english equivelent of a B-15

WEM Super Bass 30 might do it

jmjbassplayer · #7 04-03-2008, 11:58 AM

Dude those WEM's are SICK sounding. Hook it up!

JimmyM · #8 04-03-2008, 12:16 PM

I just looked up that WEM Super Bass 30. Pretty wild looking. I'd love to hear what that cab sounds like, but I don't think I've seen a single WEM product in America. Maybe when I was a kid, but certainly not since then.

Anyway, on your recommendation, I will keep the CTS in it for now. It does sound very warm, which is not a bad thing at all. I think I may tilt it back, though, just so the mids and highs don't blow past me.

TaySte_2000 · #9 04-03-2008, 12:59 PM

Well I do have these

I can get a WEM 2x15 and I've found an ER15 with 1x15 which would be alright for recording but its only 15w

Open to opinions since B-15's are like fleas on hens teeth building houses out of rocking horse poo in the UK

JimmyM · #10 04-03-2008, 01:22 PM

Never heard of Simms Watts but those PA heads look pretty serious! And don't worry...having a B-15 won't make or break you as a bassist. They're just fun amps to have that sound magnificent when you record them. I don't do a lot of recording, but I play in a couple bands where I can easily use them onstage.

TaySte_2000 · #11 04-03-2008, 01:55 PM

Oh I know but they look and sound seriously awesome so you know how it goes........ WANT!

JimmyM · #12 04-03-2008, 03:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TaySte_2000

Oh I know but they look and sound seriously awesome so you know how it goes........ WANT!

Dude, I'll be totally honest...I was just saying that to keep you from feeling too bad about yourself. You need one, bro! They're the most magical amps I've ever owned!

EDIT: Was that too mean?!?

JimmyM · #13 04-10-2008, 02:57 AM

http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showth...70#post5574170

Thought some of you might enjoy this...I recorded both the double baffle and Thiele cabs earlier tonight, and posted the clips. After doing this, I've come to the conclusion that I like both cabs a lot, but I think in general I prefer the double baffle, though I like the Thiele a lot with a brighter speaker than the stock CTS. It's got a very heavy bassy sound with the CTS, and if I did more of what Justin does, I'd definitely be using it a lot, but my bands cover a lot of sonic ground and it's nice to have a little more full-range freq response. I'm going to put a brighter Emineince speaker I have in it and try it out on a gig. I haven't got to gig with it yet. Still working the bugs out...spent $75 on tubes today.

BTW, let me apologize to Justin and his fans for slapping in my clips. I only did it so you all could get an idea what slap sounds like on it. Really. I never slap on a gig. Never. OK, maybe a little when we play 70's funk, or during soundchecks when it's the most annoying

JimmyM · #14 04-10-2008, 03:26 AM

BTW, as a side note, I totally missed an opportunity for a little bass player's humor. I should have entitled this thread, "Mixed B15ness." Get it? I replaced the "Biz" in "Bizness" with "B15." HAHAHAHAHAHAHOHOHOHOHOHOHEHEHEHEHEHEHE!!!

Justin, be sure to tell Beck that one. He'll probably change it for all the new copies of Midnite Vultures. That one is for free, my brutha!

TaySte_2000 · #15 04-10-2008, 03:56 AM

Can't wait to get home and listen to these clips I just bought a DeArmond Starfire so really needing some B-15 goodness to complete the JMJ ripoff setup.

JimmyM · #16 04-10-2008, 05:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TaySte_2000

Can't wait to get home and listen to these clips I just bought a DeArmond Starfire so really needing some B-15 goodness to complete the JMJ ripoff setup.

Excellent! I love the hollowbodies and I need to get another one soon. Be sure to post your comments. But you may be disappointed since I used a PJ with rounds.

dubmon · #17 04-13-2008, 01:15 PM

Hey Justin, I do recall reading somewhere that you have a B100R too in your amp collection--do you still use that ever? With the B15s on hand I don't suppose you'd need to whip out the solid state version, but perhaps you use it for some things--just curious.

jmjbassplayer · #18 04-13-2008, 06:43 PM

I have a B100R, and it's certainly very good. Bought one to have over at Beck's house too. But now, mine is sitting in my garage, because I put a '71 B-15N in the home studio (that I had inexplicably been storing in the garage).

Those US made B100R's are surprisingly good, actually.

JMJ

JimmyM · #19 04-25-2008, 04:40 AM

Hey, just wanted to tell you that the 70's CTS is the shizzy in the Thiele cab. I did 4 gigs with it so far, one with the brighter Eminence, and even though there wasn't the high end like the Eminence, the CTS is THE sound. I used the CTS on the last two gigs I did this week, and it sounded like all those recordings from the late 60's and 70's that I grew up with, whereas the Eminence was brighter but didn't have the magic of that CTS.

Having said that, I bought an old Altec 418B on Ebay earlier this week, which was the upgrade speaker Ampeg offered, so that should be a lot of fun to try out. But after last night's gig, I'm sold on the CTS. Best sound I ever had in over 30 years of playing. Took me a while to warm up to it because I'm used to brighter cabs like SVT's and the double baffle, but that Thiele cab is the greatest thing since sliced bread. Probably wouldn't have thought twice about it if you hadn't recommended it. Thanks for that

jmjbassplayer · #20 04-25-2008, 10:30 AM

That's rad.

I'm recording with my '70 Thiele right now with Dixie Chicks/Rick Rubin, sounds sweet. Found my new favorite bass cab mic that's cheap: Heil PR-40. A big ass dynamic that sounds a bit like a condenser. Great for those (like me) who can't afford the ultimate, a Fet 47.

JMJ