Budget 1x12 stand alone cab chatter

[BillyIVbass]

Which Budget 1x12 cab?

There are a few on the market. Here is my Pros and Cons list. Lemme know your thoughts/comments. About me: I play a 4-string P-bass. I want this to be a stand alone cab for bar gigs and band practice. I love my midrange like an ex-wife loves child support!

1) GK 115 MBE Cab. Wait, I thought he said 1x12? OK I did but this is a very small 1x15.
Pros:
Guitar Center is a big GK dealer so I'm certain I can try one out
It's $299

Cons:
The combo version sounded thin to my ears, but I have never 100% loved the GK's preamp.

2) Hartke Hydrive HX112
Pros: Switchable ohms 4/8 (I don't understand how that works, but hey?), it is a nice Tolex vs. rat fuzz, I liked the Hydrive 1x15

Cons: My local shops are in the stone ages and there'd be no way I'd be able to try before I buy.

3) Aguilar G5 1x12
Pros: $299, Built-in Crossover, built out of mahogany.

Cons: Only one I see is, once again, Flintstones' Music won't get one in for me to try.

4) Mark Bass 121 1x12
Pros: Seems to be the smallest and lightest, but size isn't a huge factor. Handles 400 watts (most of the others guys handle 300) Believe it on not Flintstones' Music does supply Mark Bass.

Cons: It's the most expensive at $499.

5) GK Neo112-II
Pros/Cons: Just came across is like 5 minutes ago. Once again, Guitar Center is cool with GK, so I could test it. Tolex, Price: $349. The blurb swears buy its radical bracing to give it plenty of lows and mids.

6) TC Electronics RS112
Pros: Real small. $349
Cons: Only 200 watts and it looks like it's made out of plastic.

7) Epifani PS 112
Pros: Looks tough and mean. 17-ply birch!
Cons: none that I see except Fred Flintstone has never heard of Epifani, but maybe Guitar Center could get me one to try?

 

[masonsjax]

My guess is that the 4 Ohm/8 Ohm cabinets use dual voice coil woofers and the switch just connects one or both.

 

[RickenBoogie]

Or more likely, the cab is available as either/or. Expecting a single 12 to carry you is asking an awful lot of the cab. Whichever you get, (and you should pick based on how they sound to you), get the 8 ohm version, 'cause for sure you're gonna want/need a 2nd one real soon.

 

[Infidelity]

Or more likely, the cab is available as either/or. Expecting a single 12 to carry you is asking an awful lot of the cab. Whichever you get, (and you should pick based on how they sound to you), get the 8 ohm version, 'cause for sure you're gonna want/need a 2nd one real soon.

I agree! A HT112ER($500-$550) used would be the best stand alone 1x12 in the market! I heard AudioKinesis cab is a great cab too I'm not sure about the price though with the AK cab..

 

[BillyIVbass]

You guys are saying a 1x12 cab will not keep up with a 3-piece rock band? I'm not agreeing or disagreeing with this statement, just asking.

 

[bobcruz]

"Budget" always brings Avatar to mind, but they're direct sales only so you can't try them out first. Still, they're good cabs and maybe you can find a used one locally to try out.

 

[Mystic Michael]

You guys are saying a 1x12 cab will not keep up with a 3-piece rock band? I'm not agreeing or disagreeing with this statement, just asking.

That is correct. IMO, there's not that much you can do with just one 1x12 cab - unless it's strictly in a low-volume context, such as personal practice or recording. Even for rehearsal, it'd be too weak - at least for my taste...

Whenever I see the words "standalone" and "1x12" in the same sentence, I automatically think "double bass jazz rig"...

MM

 

[vbsurfer3001]

I've got the hydrive 12, very versatile, switchable as you said 8/4 & you can turn the horn off completely if you like as well. The paper/aluminum speaker is quick IMO. I use my GB 3.0 shuttle to drive it, but usually with the 8 inch in a mini stack. It keeps up just fine with the drums for my use.

 

[RHCP250]

I use a 1x12 at band practice all the time. Played a bar gig with it and it was plenty, we were told to turn down too.

 

[fish slapper]

I play both in a classic rock bar band and a Jazz combo. IMHO a single 12 is a perfect Jazz cab but I've never had any luck with one at either a practice much less a gig in the Rock sitch. I play a Schroe 1210R in my rock band which is a 12 and a 10 with a horn.

 

[ninepoundjammer]

I've played gigs with both a single Bergantino HT112ER and a Mesa Walkabout Scout 12", they both kept up well enough. They wouldn't carry a huge room, probably, but can be fine in many situations, particularly if you have decent sound support. Current band has a reasonably loud drummer and two guitarists playing through cranked Princetons -- so volume is reasonable. That said I'm usually rocking dual 1x12's these days, it's still an easy schlep and I've got the power if I need it.

Good idea to get an 8ohm cab though, dual 12's is a great modular setup. Whether a single 12" will work for you all depends on how loud you really want/need to be.

 

[tonebrulee]

Invalid Link Removed $430. 3-way cab with long throw woofer. Don't let the 10" driver scare you off - these cabs have monster low end.

 

[Tim1]

I would have to support the HT112ER second hand, if you can find one. Goes deeper than many single fifteens IMO, whether or not it is enough for you as a standalone is really dependent on how loud the rest of your band plays.

 

[BillyIVbass]

Thanks for the feedback, keep it coming.

I'd like to stick to one cab. 2 1x12 cabs wouldn't be much of a downsizing for me. My dad has some EA cabs and well they rock the house, but never show up used.

That Acme looks cool. I've never heard of them before.

 

[tonebrulee]

That Acme looks cool. I've never heard of them before.

Dude! ;-) Search the forums for info on Acme to find folks singing their praises. Acme is a small shop headed by one guy - Andy Lewis - who is a stone cold cab-design genius. Seriously - find somebody with an Acme B-1 before you make your decision, you will be floored. They come up on TB in classifieds occasionally, generally between $225 - $275.

 

[lbwdog]

Dr Bass 1260 slantface (OK, you can stop throwing beer bottles at me! ) is the only 1x12 I've personally played that would come close to the volume and low end for a moderately strong rock or funk band. Even then it's not quite enough for a large room with big volume. I like it's tonal balance with the 6" midrange and tweeter. I've used mine on a quite a few hard pumping gigs.

disclaimer: This is in NO WAY a suggestion to buy one new. Just an opinion if you can find one used.

 

[masonsjax]

If you are up for some mild woodworking you could make a fEarful 12/6 on the cheap. Especially if you already have some plywood and if you biamp, it could be very inexpensive. It would probably be lighter than, and outperform, every cab listed so far. Look at the wiki for plans and loads of other info if you're not familiar.

 

[R. Laevinus]

There's a new Traynor 1x12, the TC112, which is fairly cheap, extremely light, and comes loaded with a Celestion driver.

But I am also skeptical of a 1x12 being used alone in a rock context. IME, the only 1x12 that can handle that kind of punishment is a Mesa Scout cab/combo. My advice would be to keep an eye on the classifieds - people selling the Walkabout Scouts often split them up and sell the head and cab separately. You can probably pick up one of those cabs for around $500, and it is fully worth every penny.

 

[And I]

I'm going to get GK Neo 112-II and probably a second one after bonus-season at work...

 

[4Mal]

I've run a single 12.6 in a fairly large room. Guitards had Hot Rod Deluxe and Hot Rod Deville amps, keys going through a GK 1001 RB II and Avatar 2x12, mic'ed kick drum - my rig wasn't breathing hard to keep up. My side of the stage sounded more or less like a bass solo over drums and key's ... I was biamped that evening with 300/side.

The fEarful 12.6 is just a tad larger than the Avatar SB112.