DIY Bass Cabinet

[fdeck]

Here's a general question to DIY'ers out there. I honestly don't know the typical usage of any bass speaker, much less a DIY cab, since I am just a weekend warrior playing freelance jazz gigs. I transport my gear myself over relatively short distances in my car. A few coats of urethane varnish have always been ample protection for my cabs. Likewise, a jack plate made from 1/8" masonite, cheap strap handle or handles cut into the sides of the box. Bug screen for the grille (though I am going to try pet screen on my next build). Etc.

Do you guys really subject your cabs to such heavy use that a rugged covering like carpet is necessary? What about all of the other hardware? Granted, everybody probably has a different answer. I am just curious, without trying to be too much of a troll.

 

[SBassman]

... however, with fava beans and a nice chianti...

Ding. Double winners!

 

[Petebass]

Do you guys really subject your cabs to such heavy use that a rugged covering like carpet is necessary?

I doubt it's done intentionally, but the answer is YES! For the sorts of gigs I do, the protection of carpet and a metal grill is indeed necessary if I expect the cab to last. I see too many cabs with chunks of timber missing and with minus a few plys. I've seen my own cabs falling out the back of vans, down stairs, and in one case rolling away down a very steep sidewalk and tumbling over at speed when a wheel caught a grass patch. And that's the gear I handle myself. I won't even start on the gear I keep in the band truck for the roadies to handle...........

Mind you these incidents are spread over 17+ years of gigging and aren't everyday occurances, but they do happen.

Oh and the cat piss comment is mute. Be a responsible pet owner and teach your kittens to use litter and a scratch post. It's not hard. I have a cat AND a puppy and neither have any attraction at all to my cabs because they've been taught!

 

[SBassman]

I have chunks of wood bit out of my cabs. Nobody intentionally beats their equipment, but stuff happens.
Plus, I don't Always haul my stuff. It's usually me, but sometimes it's a band member, and sometimes it's my teenage sons.

Personally, while I have carpet on my cabs - not my choice - I prefer Tolex-type covers. Bare wood doesn't work for me, and carpet - for me - sucks.

 

[AlembicPlayer]

The next cab I build will probably be an 18" box, because the number of commercially available 1x18 bass cabs is limited and they're expensive; there aren't any "budget" 18's.
So building it will cost me ~$250 + labor, which is still about a $250 savings over buying a comparable commercial cab, and if I decide I don't like the sound for bass, it can be used quite nicely as a PA sub.
C7

ditto..
I'm doing just that. I work with a sound company and we just designed and built a dozen 2x18 subs for the new sound system..while in the shop, we built two 1x18 cabs as well. I will use one for my bass rig.

here's a pic in the shop....it will be sprayed with truck bed liner.
btw- that's 1 inch baltic birch


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