fEarful 12/6 kit : a total noob build diary

[mambo4]

I promised a final update a year ago, which I never posted. But since folks are digging this up, and I' being asked about it:

@Pep The Color was a quart of white Duratex from speaker hardware, applied with a roller.

the final result, with a functional tweeter, was not noticeably different than without the tweeter. Could be my aging ears or flat wounds, idk. I would say the tweeter can be skipped, especially for a noob build. The midrange speaker is fully capable. The kit does not come with a hole drilled for the tweeter knob.

sound wise, It easily outclasses any speaker I have. Warm, full and punchy like you want.
I'm not giggin these days so I have no report on the stage experience.

The claim is you can put it together with "just a screw driver" but that's a lie.
You'll also need clamps, a square of some kind, a drill with a countersink (forester) bit
and of course soldering gear.

Things I would have done different:

• skipped the tweeter. Not worth the added complexity for a noob
• get a jig or device for accurate 90 clamping
• sprung for the crossover kit from speaker hardware. (especially if you are an electronics noob)
• measured the damn baffle inset on all sides before gluing

My final bit of advice to a noob trying this out:
If you buy the kit, mark all the lines on the pieces your self, using the plans.
clearly mark out where all the pieces touch on every panel. D
Dry fit it all together and verify that very piece lines up
And double check the alignment as you clue (preferably with a good 90 corner jig clamp!)

 

[Pep]

Thanks mambo4. That helps a lot!

 

[Foz]

Ya guy playing flats wouldn't miss the tweet.

Correction on names - a "Forstner" bit is a round bit used to bore flat-bottomed holes.

The bit you want for countersinking screws would be something like this

 

[mambo4]

I have to wonder if the range of the tweeter spec'd for a Fearful 12/6 differs from that of a Berg AE 112...the tweeter certainly makes a bigger audible difference on the Berg

 

[sclift]

IIRC, the tweeter comes in around 6 or 7 kHz with the standard CBG crossover. With the T3W crossover it is 3 kHz, which makes the effect of the level control more noticeable.

 

[singlemalt]

I ran the tweeters in my 15/6/1 builds off the high frequency section of my GK 1001 rb2. That put the control for the tweeters on the front of my amp. I just needed a four wire speaker cable. The high frequency section started at 5k. There’s just not that much bass sound way up there.

That saved me the tweeter adjustment and building the more complex crossover. The horns looked awesome, and it was fun building in all the bells and whistles....but...

When I built the 12/6 cubes, I just skipped the tweeters and went with the cheaper alpha 6 mid and the simple CBG crossover. The 12/6 instantly became my favorite cab. Smaller, lighter, and just as great sounding.

I think you’d see more impact from the tweeter if it was starting at a lower frequency. I never missed the tweets with the 12/6.

Everything else is spot on. You can never have too many clamps. Or too many tools.

You made it to the end! Nice work.

 

[mambo4]

Update , almost 5 years later...
Someone posted a few likes and this this thread popped up in my feed again. I re-read the whole thing over Sunday morning coffee.

The fEarless 12/6 is still going strong. I have found co workers to jam with and used it in a live setting, it naturally holds it own. It's definitely a "doesn't matter where you stand" cab! I used to like popping the Berg onto a stool or chair, closer to my ears but with the fEarful it seems unnecessary. it is much like my Streamliner and my Lull: once I had it, I lost interest in other options, and if I wanted /needed a new cab/amp/bass it'd be another one of those.

DIY Building your own cab is doubly rewarding when the cab is so darn good!

The other thing that strikes me is the vast amount of expertise, experience, and straight up humanity that showed up to help. 14 pages of folks of all stripes helping a stranger try something new. Given the frightening state of the world/my country these days, and the usually divisive nature of most online discourse, it's challenging to keep the faith in fellow humans. This thread has been a nice reminder that , if you dig a little deeper and find common ground, people will just show up and help. So thanks TB for restoring some faith in mankind.