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Cab recommendation

Dec 29, 2015
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So, I was looking to build a rig for recording...however, my Rumble 200 "practice amp" that I've only had for about a year and don't run over 1/2...and has never left my house...is taking a dump.

I'm tired of playing a cheap rig and think I'd like something with killer tone. (I can put a mic in front of anything)

I'd like a single cab that I can have on casters and will handle a 500w amp (which I'll also be looking to get) with no worries. I don't want it to be too tall...as I'm in a wheelchair) I'm mostly going to rock the house and record with it...but I may do some jams and maybe a few small gigs in the future. For my needs (as a guitarist primarily), I'd really like to invest in a nice rig that can handle anything I might need and most importantly...will last! I'm pretty pissed that the amp I bought a year ago is already poopin' out on me. That's $500 just wasted!

Here's a couple that have got my attention...
Avatar 2x12 (rated at 1,000w...so I'm guessing around 500 continuous?)
BBC Tank 1015 (more than I probably should spend...but looks fitting)

I don't know how much a cab can affect/deter one's sound vs amp EQ...I am looking for a really smooth sound without being murky.

Rob's sound here (really 3:15 on) is a pretty good rep of a tone I could dig...



Any thoughts would be most appreciated...
 
Budget? You mention a cab on castors, should weight be a consideration?

I'd rather not go over $1,000 (but not in stone). If on casters, I don't think weight would be too much of a concern...within reason. As long as I can roll it around. I wouldn't be lifting it anyway. I think that "height" will matter more...don't think I'd want to go much over 40" tall. I could match it with something anywhere from 300w-600w depending on the head I end up with. The Peavey Minimax V2 600 and the Ashdown ABM 600 (or 300) are on my radar...just from features and reviews. I believe Rob's using one of the ABMs in that video I posted.

I wish I knew more about what = what tone...I've just not really explored bass much until now. I just know I like a big, fat, warm, round tone...with enough clarity to keep it articulate and non-murky. I know that's probably pretty vague.

Admittedly, I could be going about this all wrong. Maybe a 300w amp might be enough. All I have to base things on is this Rumble 200. I don't even know what ohms it's running at...since it's a combo. Probably 8 ohm...with one 15"? Maybe 300w at 4 ohms might be a big jump and plenty for my needs? All I know is that...messing with gear can be a real pain for me...so, I'd like something that sounds killer and can take whatever I'm running into...effortlessly. I'd like to not have to worry about blowing anything;)
 
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You should also take a look a the Phil Jones amps. Sounds like a great solution for your needs. Something small that could be amp'ed up via DI at a gig but work great around the house, & easy to move around. You'd be looking at a combo unit but it would meet your needs very well.
 
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Mesa Subway 115. Hands down the best single cab I've ever owned (and I've owned dozens of nice cabs).

Does it get beefy? Well, of course it does. But is never gets muddy. That's the most impressive part. It's a superb cab. The weight and size blow my mind. All of that punchy goodness coming from such a light and tiny box? I don't get it.

The wattage of your amp almost doesn't matter. This cab will get louder than you will reasonably need for house jams and regular bar gigs.
 
So, I was looking to build a rig for recording...however, my Rumble 200 "practice amp" that I've only had for about a year and don't run over 1/2...and has never left my house...is taking a dump.

I'm tired of playing a cheap rig and think I'd like something with killer tone. (I can put a mic in front of anything)

I'd like a single cab that I can have on casters and will handle a 500w amp (which I'll also be looking to get) with no worries. I don't want it to be too tall...as I'm in a wheelchair) I'm mostly going to rock the house and record with it...but I may do some jams and maybe a few small gigs in the future. For my needs (as a guitarist primarily), I'd really like to invest in a nice rig that can handle anything I might need and most importantly...will last! I'm pretty pissed that the amp I bought a year ago is already poopin' out on me. That's $500 just wasted!

Here's a couple that have got my attention...
Avatar 2x12 (rated at 1,000w...so I'm guessing around 500 continuous?)
BBC Tank 1015 (more than I probably should spend...but looks fitting)

I don't know how much a cab can affect/deter one's sound vs amp EQ...I am looking for a really smooth sound without being murky.

Rob's sound here (really 3:15 on) is a pretty good rep of a tone I could dig...



Any thoughts would be most appreciated...

You can install casters on any cab. Or buy a caster board from Harbor Freight.
This is a negligible concern.
 
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Ha! Take another look at that Tank. I love mine. I have some Mesa 12" cabs too but for a single, compact, very loud cab that BBC is worth looking at. He builds them very well for a small shop and there are some cool innovations. The tilted baffle projects really well. The downward facing speaker with front and side ports fills a space nicely. This one is the Tank 1212. It's louder than the 412 it replaced. Drue is great to work with. I had mine done in one of his custom colors. He'll use anything Mojotone has for Tolex.
IMG_2207 (1).JPG
 
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