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Anyone using cabinets without tweeters?

G

growlngrind

Mar 9, 2004
195
2
The Hills-not Beverly that is
#1
Hello all. I have just ordered two Bergantino EX 112 cabinets, after recommendation from Jim Bergantino, to run with my Ashdown ABM EVO II 500 and I was wondering if anyone has used this setup. I frequently alternate between clean slap and fingerstyle overdrive sounds. My Aguilar GS 112 just does not seem to cut it without the tweeter, and sounds nasty with it on. I use a pretty bright sounding bass (Dingwall Afterburner 5 w/ maple body and stainless strings).

Any input would be appreciated.
 
#2
Greetings,
Way....way back in the 70's (74-80) I was getting great old school slap sounds out of my angled/ported Fender 4X12 cabs and a SVT head. I was a big fan of the Johnson Brother's and Stanley C. back then. I never did like the sound of tweeters cause I thought they took the richness out of your tone. But alot of people like that sterile sound of "modern times." If you are not already acquainted with the richness of old school pre-tweeter slap, check it out. You might just like it.
Now I stick with thick thump and a little punch (Pump!):). And I still got those old Fenders but I'm gonna put together a killer mini rig with 12"s again, of course.
Happy Times,
Rezdog
 
#6
Thanks for the replies you guys. I have considered exchanging one EX cabinet for an HT with tweeter, but I don't want to if its not necessary. I believe that the older Mesa Boogie powerhouse cabinets used by players like Flea and Claypool did not have tweeters in them, and they had good slap sound for my taste. Does anyone know this for sure?
 
#8
I've found the things useless on my stuff and I like it on the trebly side so I wished they were of use. And doesn't it seem a bit ironic that they'd appear of least use for something like slap.

Bass tweeter's an oxymoron in my experience. And yes, you can switch them off - so apparently the manufacturers actually listened to them.
 
#10
Eric Moesle said:
Aguilar 4x10 user here, and I prefer mine with thetweeter dialed at about 10 o'clock. I recently "blew" a tweeter in one of my cabs, and it sounds flat without it, IMO. I like a snappy tone on top of my grunt.
Click to expand...


In my GS 112 it's brittle if not flat out scratchy. I've thought about
posting a thread on recommendations for a replacment tweeter but things like this are better left alone in my experience. Let's face it, apparently it's the best the manufacturer could do. But I really prefer for things to work out as intended.

I've got a Polytone V - same deal. Looks like the same tweeter too. Hmm?

=================

"I now sentence you to cut off your tweeter. Uh, huh huh, huh huh huh." (Butthead)
 
#12
luknfur said:
In my GS 112 it's brittle if not flat out scratchy.

I've got a Polytone V - same deal. Looks like the same tweeter too. Hmm?
Click to expand...


Aguilar uses P Audio tweeters in their cabs, FWIW.

I think they areharsh if turned up, but if they're barely on, they add nice high end without the harshness. The key is to just dial in a "flavor" of it, not to turn the darned thing up, which makes me wonder why Aguilar has so much range in the L-Pad control. Hmmmm.
 
#14
I am seriously anti-tweeter/horn. I turn them off in all my cabs. I feel that if you can't design a cab that sounds good without a horn, then you've got problems (no offense to treble-a-holics out there).

I recently took my BassTriaxis/Strategy 400 rig over to a fellow TBers house, and ran it through his SWR Goliath I 4x10. He had his horn at 50%, and it was WAY too bright, yet with it turned off, it was not just too dark, it was muffled sounding.

Overall I think horns weaken the overall tone - it just makes the entire tone sound thin, no matter what the EQ is doing. Besides, horns don't project beyond the first 5-10 feet anyway.
 
#15
I don't mind tweeters (Bergantino tweeters are especially sweet), but lately I'm using a tweeterless cabinet because I think treble sounds better (richer, warmer) coming from the speakers. I should mention that I don't slap much... for that clean slap "ping", a tweeter works best IMO.
 
#16
Thanks for all the replies you guys. Im glad to see that there is so much variety of opinion on this subject, because if we all liked the same sound, bass playing would be pretty boring :o

I just recieved my to Bergantino EX 112s today. Man, I am impressed at the amazing sound blossoming out of these small boxes! Tight, punchy, and very flat, which is what I wanted. Even without tweeters, these babies have a nice smooth top end. I use a Dingwall 5 string and these cabinets are a perfect complement to the definition of the 37'' low B string. I will be playing out with them the next two weekends, so the jury will remain out on whether or not to exchange one of them for an HT with a tweeter. I will follow up once I have more experience with them.
 
#18
no tweeters here!

I've used a few cabs with tweeters(horns, whatever... buzzing clicking nastey sorta things) and not liked any!

I much prefer the way a speaker cone compresses the highs.

Much respect ti Jim Bergantino for designing and building killer cabinets WITHOUT horns!

I've got an EX112 and NV215 in my near future!!!!
 
#19
I have a Bag End Q10B that has no tweeter, and I don't miss it. THEN I got another BE, a 2x10 with the coaxial driver, and boy, it is smooth. The difference is subtle. I haven't decided whether I like it enough to add it to the Q10.
 

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