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Ampeg BA-108 Coffeeshop Micro Rig

#461
In an attempt to keep this fun little thread alive... This past weekend I got sick of my tolex peeling off in every corner and seam and decided to just remove it. With zero planning, no money, a little half-assed sanding and one coat of leftover dark walnut stain, it actually turned out pretty cool looking. I don't expect this to please everyone's eye, but I'm into ratty and weathered looking so I can't be happier right now :)

1.jpg


I only got to snap one photo, but if anyone's interested I can get more in the upcoming days. And I know, I desperately need to get a new set of strings :dead:
 
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#462
Has anyone experimented with similar mods to their BA108 v2? I was just gifted one of those amps with a buzzing issue, so I figure that if I'm gonna be in there fixing stuff anyways, I might as well make some real changes.
 
#465
Timmah said:
Has anyone experimented with similar mods to their BA108 v2? I was just gifted one of those amps with a buzzing issue, so I figure that if I'm gonna be in there fixing stuff anyways, I might as well make some real changes.
Click to expand...
I ended up blowing the stock speaker by turning it up too loud and cranking my MXR Bass Distortion set on fuzz so I replaced it with an Alpha 8a. Sounds about the same to me but there's no way in hell I'll ever blow it now!
 
#469
Timmah said:
That was the V2? Didn’t realize emi made a 4-ohm version.
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V1.

Ben B said:
They don't make a 4 ohm version. The Alpha-8a is 8 ohm. But the Alpha-8a is more efficient than the stock speaker, so, amp gets louder even though the speaker is getting a few less volts/watts.
Click to expand...
Don't know if I agree with that. Of course, I have no basis of direct comparison since my stocker blew and I threw it out. But mine doesn't seem like I can get any louder than before. I can turn it up louder and it won't blow, but to my ears it sounds like it puts out approx the same volume as before.
 
#470
JimmyM said:
Don't know if I agree with that. Of course, I have no basis of direct comparison since my stocker blew and I threw it out. But mine doesn't seem like I can get any louder than before. I can turn it up louder and it won't blow, but to my ears it sounds like it puts out approx the same volume as before.
Click to expand...
I swapped the speakers back and forth a couple times. Leaving the volume knob in the same position, there was no decrease in volume after installing the Alpha 8a in spite of it being 8 ohm versus the 4 ohm stock speaker. And the sound was a bit clearer. As you mentioned, the amp can be turned up higher without hearing breakup from the speaker. Additionally, I ported mine so, I got a bit more volume and much better bottom end. I think porting was just as important as the speaker swap for sound improvement.

The bottom line is that the installing the Alpha-8a in a V2 is an improvement over stock just like it's an improvement installing the Alpha-8a in a V1. If the context here were large stage amps, 4 versus 8 ohm speakers would be a significant issue--not so much for cheap practice amps.
 
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#471
In case a future me type or yesterday you ever decides on this.

Eminence can and will custom shop you a 4 ohm Eminence Alpha 8A and it’s the same price give or take a dollar from the 8 ohm version.

Only thing is it can take 1-2 weeks where the 8 ohm can be at your door tomorrow.

I wanted same for same and would have paid more but thankfully all you have to do is ask Eminence and they’ll say, “Yeah. We can do that.” in less time than I spent asking anyone about 4 ohm speakers.

Sure maybe not retail but it does exist if you care BUT truth is the impact is rather scant since you surely can use the 8 ohm one and notice nothing out of sorts.

Anyhow, thanks to that and help from Ben, I’m on my way to port this V2 BA108 and have some fun and likely will get a V1 and do the Basslite S2010 Woodstockz mod as well as toss a Basslite S2010 into a Rumble 40.

Now do I need to do anything to any of these budget combos?

Nope.

But add a Fleshlight port in the back and maybe it’ll save someone on a few dinners and flowers so they can blow that on more gear!
 
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#472
Barbaric.Eric said:
In an attempt to keep this fun little thread alive... This past weekend I got sick of my tolex peeling off in every corner and seam and decided to just remove it. With zero planning, no money, a little half-assed sanding and one coat of leftover dark walnut stain, it actually turned out pretty cool looking. I don't expect this to please everyone's eye, but I'm into ratty and weathered looking so I can't be happier right now :)

View attachment 1241099

I only got to snap one photo, but if anyone's interested I can get more in the upcoming days. And I know, I desperately need to get a new set of strings :dead:
Click to expand...


Now that's cool.
 
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#473
Well... Just pulled the trigger on a BA108v1. I ordered the Alpha-8a. The only thing that remains a mystery (or unclear to me, at least) is porting. Since many people have already modded this little monster, what size port have you chosen for the 8a speaker? Did you add a port? if so, what size/length for each?
I might add, I have no idea what the "tuning frequency" of a cab is, so I cannot feed that value to the many modeling apps.

Thanks!

Diego
 
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#474
diegom said:
Well... Just pulled the trigger on a BA108v1. I ordered the Alpha-8a. The only thing that remains a mystery (or unclear to me, at least) is porting. Since many people have already modded this little monster, what size port have you chosen for the 8a speaker? Did you add a port? if so, what size/length for each?
I might add, I have no idea what the "tuning frequency" of a cab is, so I cannot feed that value to the many modeling apps.

Thanks!

Diego
Click to expand...
Ben B said:
I put in an Alpha-8a. I added two 2 inch diameter x 2.25 deep ports to the baffle.
Click to expand...
 
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#475
Question #2!!!
Has anyone attached strap buttons to this amp, so as to attach a shoulder-strap? I took it to a friends house over the weekend and apparently it was too heavy for my hand! I had to wait 15-20 minutes for my hand to stop shaking... (The delights of getting old... Still, better than the alternative!).
If not, can you suggest any other shoulder-carrying attachment?

Thanks!

Diego
 
#476
diegom said:
Question #2!!!
Has anyone attached strap buttons to this amp, so as to attach a shoulder-strap? I took it to a friends house over the weekend and apparently it was too heavy for my hand! I had to wait 15-20 minutes for my hand to stop shaking... (The delights of getting old... Still, better than the alternative!).
If not, can you suggest any other shoulder-carrying attachment?

Thanks!

Diego
Click to expand...
Maybe a guitar strap or a luggage strap.
https://www.amazon.com/Qishare-Univ...d=1526498884&sr=8-9&keywords=adjustable+strap
 
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#477
I received a v1 tilt-back version last week. The power-input module was cracked and hanging on by a thread, obviously from the amp falling backwards with the power cord in. I got a replacement today and put that in.

I am getting a buzz from the amp portion of the combo, speculated by some to be crossover distortion. Connecting the amp to an external speaker does not eliminate the buzz, but it does not come through the headphone jack. It sounds like a mild overdrive, and only disappears when a note has decayed to near silence. It is more or less obvious with different volume, tone settings, etc, but it is always there.

This guy here thinks there is a trim pot in this amp to adjust the power transistor bias. Can anyone confirm or deny this? Does anyone have any other ideas to eliminate the buzz?
 
#479
rzero said:
Opened the amp and no trim pot found. The distortion/buzz probably won't be heard with an amplified acoustic guitar and vocals, but it is still annoying.
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There is a tiny bit of harmonic distortion in that amp at all times. You can't hear it in a mix, really, but you can hear it at times by yourself when you play longer notes.
 
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