Bill Fitzmaurice (BFM) Jack 110

Ben Esparza · #1 12-17-2009, 01:41 PM

Has anyone entertained the idea, tried out, or is going to jump in on building a Bill Fitzmaurice Jack 110 cab for your URB amplification needs? The thought is very intriguing and the Jack is supposed to be a step up from the Omni 10 design. It would seem as if the 1x12 would be overkill for URB and using the 1x10 without any tweeters would be the way to go. Apparently, no tweeters means no crossover so you would get true bass tone with the recommended speaker.

Feral Feline · #2 12-19-2009, 03:14 PM

+1 Would like to hear more from anybody with BFM/upright experience.

A slab-playing friend of mine and I are entertaining the notion of building some of these.

I'd like to stick a Jack 10 or 12 on the floor with a Wedgehorn 10 on top (the former for the audience, the latter for me). Was thinking of having a horn instead of a tweeter to pump out the clicks for slap style, so it's interesting you're saying no to the tweety bird.

pjwalsh · #3 11-10-2011, 08:21 PM

Post probably ancient history at this point but... I use a pair of BFM omni 10.5's (predecessor to the jack 10, similar) for my URB. I drive them with a K&K Bassmax through K&K Pure Preamp to a GK 700RB. Use the horns/piezo's - worth it to hear string-board interaction especially if you slap sometimes.

Great cabs for URB because they have unbelievable midrange response and they are not very large or heavy.

GrowlerBox · #4 11-11-2011, 07:57 PM

Bit of a blast from the past, but thanks for dredging it up from the archives!

I use a Jack 12 (based on the Kappalite 3012HO driver) for amplifying DB, EUB and BG. Very efficient cabs, and can make good use of lower-powered amplifiers to get very loud. I tried a Jack 10 (NZ has an extremely accommodating builder in Harley Dear) and was impressed, but really wanted the Kappalite-based cab. The 12 doesn't "peak" quite so abruptly as the 10 in the 200-880 Hz range (although it's clearly there), and the Kappalite is a bit smoother in the upper mids than the Deltalite speakers. With the piezo array, this response continues right up to where only your dog cares.

They're a very different animal than the range of "Super-12s" (as they've been dubbed) that are currently receiving much well-deserved attention; these latter cabs can soak up huge amounts of power and produce a pretty flat, hi-fi response throughout their range.

Feral Feline · #5 11-17-2011, 11:46 AM

Thanks for posting PJWalsh and Growlerbox.

My friend and I never went ahead with the project, but your experiences have rekindled my interest. Perhaps composite materials to keep the weight down?

Cheers,
FF

GrowlerBox · #6 11-17-2011, 12:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Feral Feline

Thanks for posting PJWalsh and Growlerbox.

My friend and I never went ahead with the project, but your experiences have rekindled my interest. Perhaps composite materials to keep the weight down?

Cheers,
FF

Not sure it would be worth the extra cost and complications -- my Italian poplar cabinet is only 14 kg. The only thing that makes Jack 12s slightly awkward to carry is their external dimensions, which would only be worse with a composite build, as these normally require thicker panels. That said, the 10s are smaller, and I think come in at about 12 kg.

pjwalsh · #7 11-20-2011, 05:44 PM

My O10.5's are very light at ~30 lb even with the ceramic magnet Beta 10 driver and Arauco plywood. Form factor is nearly perfect with the omni 10.5 or jack 10. I built them so I'd have a loud, gigworthy rig that would fit in a hatchback along with my bass. Wouldn't bother with composite construction either.

Skribble · #8 11-23-2011, 07:01 AM

I use a BFM Omni 10.5 with a Plat pro and a Markbass LMII. It's a great sound and plenty loud enough for small pub/club gigs.
I mostly tend to use it with the speaker down firing a la the Acoustic Image combos to help reduce feedback on small stages where I'm forced to stand right in front of the cab. I've fitted some door stops on the front corners to act as feet so the front of the cab isn't flat on the floor.

pjwalsh · #9 12-15-2011, 05:21 PM

I've experimented a lot with placement of my BFM omni 10.5's to reduce feedback and optimize bass frequencies in the FOH - I play in a bluegrass/americana group.

We have the a flattop guit., and dobro direct into the pa, and omnidirectional mic flanked by two SM58 mics for the fiddle banjo, mandolin and vox. I usually place my omni 10.5's in the rear corner of the stage less than 2' from the wall and well behind the mics. Gives good bass response on stage and excellent full range in the FOH with minumum feed back.

tombowlus · #10 12-16-2011, 09:01 AM

I had an Omni 10.5 for a while, but while I hate to be too contrary, it just did not work well for me. Most of my other 1x10's seemed to have a more natural and balanced response, and I really did not care for the high end from those piezo's (very brittle and not very musical to my ear). I will that the attenuated low end from the Omni's would probably help to reduce rumble-based feedback, and the mids did have a decent amount of detail, but ultimately, I had much better results using other cabs, so I sold mine.

IME/IMHO, of course, and YMMV.