Gee whiz. Thanks, Vince!!!!!1 Thanks fdor the instant slipped discs in my back, just by lookin' at those!
But, still. I don't think those are as bad as the Peavey SP1' Cabs. Jesus, those things were behemoths!
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Blast From The Past : Sunn Folded Horns
- Thread starter Vince Klortho
- Start date
Gee whiz. Thanks, Vince!!!!!1 Thanks fdor the instant slipped discs in my back, just by lookin' at those!
But, still. I don't think those are as bad as the Peavey SP1' Cabs. Jesus, those things were behemoths!
BFM can be a wealth of useful information, but his abrasive manner can alienate a lot of folks in a short amount of time. Working at a major university research facility, I've seen several highly educated people like BFM. Absolutely brilliant at their chosen profession, but severely lacking in social skills. But when push came to shove, I built a couple of fEarfuls.
I've started a thread requesting info on this GMT/GK horn, loaded with an 18 CV.
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f15/vintage-gmt-gk-folded-horn-cab-1046223/
I must say to the OP...I have found this thread most interesting. Compare my Gallien Krueger to the OP's Sunn in the very first photo, I wonder if perhaps the big names, ie: Sunn, GK and possibly others were offering the same cab with their own label? If so, then who manufactured them? Perhaps Cerwin Vega?
Edit: I'm sure Sunn was a giant in the late '60's early '70's compared with GMT/GK, and so far I've seen no evidence that CV ever offered this model cab. Maybe GK bought or copied the Sunn cab?
My cab presently needs to have the speaker baffle re-secured to the rear panel, through an existing internal brace that has lost it's glue joint integrity. The result is excess buzz and vibration. Once the repair is made I hope to be able to use the cab for large outdoor event's. An 800rb and 115 could possibly round out the system. I agree with what has been said with respect to low cost, vintage gear...It's paid for!
I've re-coned a couple of these CV 18"s and will do it again if needed. BTW, this box was originally covered in tolex, but is now painted..(there is still a bit left under the tag)
I built a pair of those Carvin cabs along with a pair of mid cabs built the same but without the the port. We piled a pair of HF horns on top and ran it with a rack full of CS-800's. When we were outside or in a big auditorium where we could really open it up they sounded great.
Used a CV 'W' cab with an Acoustic 370 a few times back in the day, taught my young self about the properties of a long throw cab the hard way!
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Used a CV 'W' cab with an Acoustic 370 a few times back in the day, taught my young self about the properties of a long throw cab the hard way!
I had the Sunn 118 folded horn the OP pictured on the left - and yes, they were designed to be run as two cabs flip-flopped, one upside down on top of the other to make a huge horn.
In '71 The Who's equipment truck rolled on I-5 coming to Seattle from San Francisco. The band had to scramble to find gear for the Seattle show. The Sunn Co out of Portland loaned them some gear. Entwistle played thru one Sunn Coliseum head with the 2 x 18 upside down/right side up configuration and that rig filled the Seattle Center Coliseum! Sounded GREAT!
In 72 I bought one of the cabs and Evan Sheeley, of Bass NW, had the other half. Later sold mine to Joe Preston. Too bulky and heavy to move around. Was hard to hear onstage because it only came up to crotch height and the sound just blew right past you. Had a Cerwin-Vega 18".
I have several vintage folded horn cabinets (Ampeg V4-B and Sunn 115RH) that I use as back-line cabinets for live bass guitar and do not experience the attenuated high frequency many have stated... at least no noticeable attenuation that has presented a problem... and I do not find them dull or "thuddy" by any means. Although I initially expected this type of 'poor' performance (from reading similar critiques in several other forums), I was quite surprised when I finally decided to use one (after an extensive restoration).
To the contrary, I have found them to be very good sounding cabinets for live bass guitar, especially classic rock stuff. They tend to 'even out' the volume of the notes making for a balanced and smooth overall volume/tone the entire length of fretboard. I measured my cabs with a spectrum anaylizer and things do seem to roll-off below 80 Hz and above 300 Hz. However, pick attack, fret noise, etc were all present and I had no problem getting a 'good electric bass guitar tone'.
Up close volume is noticeably lower (as many users testified to), but 'feeling' the notes makes up for that. And of course, it's true that the sound does seem to get to the back of the venue much better than direct radiator sealed/ported type cabinets (despite all those that say they don't 'throw' the sound).
Of course, no arguing that the large size of the folded horn makes it a beast to move in this day and age. But they are very impressive looking and far from bad sounding as many claim them to be. Maybe not my everyday gig rig, but certainly for special occasions!
In the 70's I ran a huge Carvin 2X15 folded horn cabinet, with an SVT head. It was fantastic, with better highs than I would have thought possible. The stock speakers were CTS. I replaced them with EV SRO's for a short time, but the CTS sounded better.
It did fill a room and did not need PA support for outdoor gigs, and we were loud. It also sounded fine onstage. I didn't hear the "louder several feet" from the cabinet. I used a 50 foot cord and went into the audience a lot. Our guitar players used 100 watt tube heads and 6X10 speaker cabinets. I had no trouble keeping up with them.
With the handles and casters, it was simple to move, except when we played on the 3rd floor of one high school. Dragging it up 3 flights of stairs was a problem.
It did fill a room and did not need PA support for outdoor gigs, and we were loud. It also sounded fine onstage. I didn't hear the "louder several feet" from the cabinet. I used a 50 foot cord and went into the audience a lot. Our guitar players used 100 watt tube heads and 6X10 speaker cabinets. I had no trouble keeping up with them.
With the handles and casters, it was simple to move, except when we played on the 3rd floor of one high school. Dragging it up 3 flights of stairs was a problem.
you misuse the''folded horn'' in the quote. BGavin is quite correct about a true folded horn which is a badarse sub and all it is good for. It's a different animal to a smooth horn and different again to your vintage folded things which people call horns but aren't.
for a stint i used a Peavey black widow loaded FH1 sub with a 412 as a biamp bass rig.
had one of those (Sunn cab in OP) in late 70's, really never liked it much but it came as pair with another cab I bought, used a Ampeg V4-B , it was just sort of OK, not great by any means but it was big on stage and that of course is what really mattered back then, what idiots we were.
Has any body seen or know anything about these Cerwin Vega's. I got them in a musical lot I purchased. Any Idea what they are worth if any thing. Very heavy but also very Hi-Fi sounding for P.A. speakers.
During the early 70's I had a 200 watt Marshall Major head and two Sunn 2000S cabs loaded with 2 15" JBL D-140's each. The were front loaded horns (I think) and moved all kinds of air, one of the places we used to play regularly used to call us "The Big Wind" haha! They were not overwhelming right in front of them but if you walked out in front at around 20 ft, they would shake your clothes, beers, tables etc.
My first amp was a 70's Kustom w/ 18" folded horn. It weighed a ton. My bandmates named it the "Sarcophagus" I too was often told to turn down and I allways declined because I could barely hear it.
Every now and then someone would record the gig with a single mic and on playback there was always a huge throb. The driver was mounted in a sealed triangle shaped box. A piece of plywood with a hole in the shape of a 50's era tube TV was mounted over the face of the driver covering part of the outer edges of the cone. This of coarse was mounted facing backwards. On its side with the rolled and tuck covering it makes a nice bench.
Every now and then someone would record the gig with a single mic and on playback there was always a huge throb. The driver was mounted in a sealed triangle shaped box. A piece of plywood with a hole in the shape of a 50's era tube TV was mounted over the face of the driver covering part of the outer edges of the cone. This of coarse was mounted facing backwards. On its side with the rolled and tuck covering it makes a nice bench.
Oh yeah! I had one I bought in '84 from a friend who had just come off a tour with "The Village People". I used the rig with a hard rock band that rehearsed in a motorcycle clubhouse. Sounded like crap at low volume, but when you gave it some power to pump air it was Heaven & Hell!
I had a Sunn 20118H in the 90's. I loved it, but the only catch was it had to be played LOUD in order to put out a good sound, & then it was AWESOME!! My band rehearsed in a motorcycle (1%-er) clubhouse, so volume wasn't a problem. I hadda let it go since it was too loud for the small venues (it rocked at an outdoor motocycle meet!). I nicknamed it "Baby Huey"!
