Do Bass Players ever use an open back cabinet?

[Jens Telemark]

I dislike open back cabs even when guitar players use them. If the back is facing me especially when guitar players use them.

 

[walterw]

if i have this right, when people reference the old fender bassman open-back combo as being "for bass", at the time it was meant to be coupled with a bass strung with flats, plucked with the thumb (hence the tug-bar) and used as an upright bass replacement, meaning at volumes not much louder than said upright

 

[Jens Telemark]

if i have this right, when people reference the old fender bassman open-back combo as being "for bass", at the time it was meant to be coupled with a bass strung with flats, plucked with the thumb (hence the tug-bar) and used as an upright bass replacement, meaning at volumes not much louder than said upright

That sounds exactly right. The bass guitar didn’t start to become more widely seen as a legitimate instrument until the early 60’s at which time, coincidentally, open back bass cabs disappeared. This historical footnote may offer some clues as to the joys of playing bass through one today.

 

[Bassdirty]

No.

(Not if they can help it).

 

[Bassdirty]

... open back cabs aren’t made for bass.

That being said, folks use butter knives for screwdrivers, adjustable wrenches for hammers, screwdrivers for chisels, and the list goes on.

Guilty of all those and much, much more. But never used an Open back cab for Bass.

 

[Bassdirty]

if i have this right, when people reference the old fender bassman open-back combo as being "for bass", at the time it was meant to be coupled with a bass strung with flats, plucked with the thumb (hence the tug-bar) and used as an upright bass replacement, meaning at volumes not much louder than said upright

That and they really didn't 100% understand what they were doing back then.

Kinda just using what they did for guitar, throwing stuff against the wall to see what sticks. (and Open back Cabs DO NOT stick to the wall very well).