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Cabs and Carpet

jrex

jrex

Jun 17, 2005
50
14
SouthEastern Wi.
#1
Just curious, does anyone know when and why bass cabinets were covered with carpet?
Does it do something for the sound? Or was it just the trend.
You find most, if not all, guitar amps are tolex covered. I see some bass cabinets are returning to the tolex.
Just curious.:eyebrow:
 
#4
My theory on this is, back in the day when everything was in tolex, it tended to rip or tear with constant loading in and out so, somebody came up with the idea that the industrial in and out carpeting would wear better and not tear up as much. It's my theory and I'm sticking to it ! :smug:
 
#9
Blake Bass said:
I hate carpet on cabs..My Epifani is a dog hair magnet.

I'm interested in the EA cabs because they aren't carpeted.
Click to expand...
I, too, dislike the ubiquitous, black industrial rat fur. I've spoken to a few speaker cab manufacturers about this and the most common responses have been: 1) it's cheaper, more durable and easier to patch than tolex; 2) the truck bedliner-type products (such as EA ands Dr. Bass use) require more expensive, spray-on installation facilities and are hard to repair if they chip.

I own one EA cab (M-Line Wizzy) with the bedliner-type finish and its great! If EA ever delivers the M-Line Wizzy covers they promised months ago, I can't imagine how chipping could ever be a real problem. And if they do ever chip, I don't buy the hard to repair response. I know bedliner-finish fix-it goo in a jar or can with a brush built in to the lid has to be do-able.

Any insights Mark Serio (Dr. Bass)?

Bluesy Soul :cool:
 
#10
Hate Carpet... but it is definately more durable when slid in and out of vans,trucks,club floors. That will take a toll on any covering though and beat up carpet looks the worst. Like a stray cat.

Spray on finish should be repairable with touch up brush in bottle. Though it will be somewhat visible.

If two brands cabs sound good to me I'd take the Tolex one any day especially since I don't lump/beat up my equipment like I use to. Tolex wipes clean with wet rag and cleaner.

Seems more companies are slowly offering cab lines with something other than carpet again...finally. Ampegs tolex seems very delicate these days.
 
#12
jnewmark said:
My theory on this is, back in the day when everything was in tolex, it tended to rip or tear with constant loading in and out so, somebody came up with the idea that the industrial in and out carpeting would wear better and not tear up as much. It's my theory and I'm sticking to it ! :smug:
Click to expand...

I agree, back in the days of flat black paint and tolex,
i went to a Toronto based sound company looking
for cabs to use with my new Ampeg v4b,they had
two empty 15's that were carpet covered,i'd never
seen this before, they told me it offered better wear
so they stuck two E-140's in and away i went,i believe
this was around 1976..

EB/
 
#13
I have a Sonic 2x15 cab that I bought in 1989 that is rat fur covered and it is now just showing some rips and tears. The carpet itself is worn smooth from loading in and out, and is looking kind of, well, ratty, but I can't help but think what tolex would have looked like at this point.
 
#14
Carpet also is also optically flatter, it doesn't reflect very much and blends well. Alot of theater and soundstage floors are also flat black.
I have and old EA cab with carpet and it still looks brand new.....cuz I got a case for it. Padded soft cases work very well for smaller cabs, well worth to investment, IMO. I wouldn't gig on a $900 bass without a bag or case, why do the same with a cab? That's just how I look at it.
 

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