Help me choose a cabinet...

[dbsfgyd1]

So, I need to get a cabinet. I would like it to sound good with my P-Bass, my Streamliner 900 and my GK 1001RB. I may also use my VT Bass rackmount with the GK as a power amp. I currently own an Avatar SB-112, and I'm not opposed to grabbing another 1x12 to pair it with. It really depends on what sounds good. I play punk/powerpop with a pick. Think Jawbreaker/Cheap Trick/The Cars. The guitar player I'll be playing with has a Les Paul, 100 watt Marshall JCM 900 and a 4x12. We will probably be playing shows, at least some of which will not have great PA support. My last rig was a GK800RB and a Mesa 1516, and I was pretty happy with the tone, but I'm a lot older and I'd prefer something lighter.

I have roughly $300. I understand that these are three very different cabinets, which is why I tried to list as many of the variables as I could. All of these cabinets are currently available used in the area I live in(except the 1x12 but that will pop up eventually). I scour Craigslist, Reverb, and all the local music store websites daily, so if something pops up, I'll probably see it. I'm also open to suggestions as to other ideas, and I don't mind driving a bit to pick something up if it's the right thing.

I appreciate any suggestions you have. Thanks for reading.

You are under gunned compared to your guitarist when it comes to producing dBs. I’m assuming you have a drummer that is also trying to find a presence level with the aforementioned Guitarist. It’s doubtful a one of anything cab is going to do you much good.

Wattage wise your amp is adequate A second cab may help as long as your AGGI cab isn’t a 4 ohm cab (per manual). You can only use one 4 ohm cab or two 8ohm cabs.

Cab efficiency is an important onside consideration when assembling a rig. The more efficient, the more dBs. Secondly when using a second cab the a cabs need to play well together so adding a second cab like what you have would work. It will be a noticeable improvement, but it will not be twice as loud. The engineers here can explain this to you.

Ok, now that that is out of the way. My thought on your situation is your budget might be a little light to resolve your problem unless one of two things is working in your favor. One, the guitarist plays at a very reasonable volume level, the other is you have FOH PA support.

If I was going to play in this situation I would want a 410 highly efficient 4 ohm cab rated at 800+ Watts with trying to stay within your budget, I’d looking at used gear, something with the specs of an Eden D-410-XST, or a DNA 410. Neither company is in business so if a driver goes, finding an OEM driver, or a shop with recone kits is very difficult. You can get replacements from Eminence although they might not be the exact specs of the OEM speakers.

Best wishes.

 

[Liam Wald]

Back in the 90's I had a Mesa 1516 and man that was a really great cab, although extremely heavy. I also owned a Henry 8x8 for a couple of years and although it is not a lot lighter than the Mesa 1516 it is also a great cab. Loved them both.
But like you, I am just a tad too old to be schlepping big heavy cabs. These days I use a pair of Schroeder 1x15's that sound fantastic and weigh about 30 lbs each.

 

[ravlin]

If you are legit playing against a 412 and a 100-W Marshall, you need something like an 810. If you're really just volume matching your drummer then you should be fine with another 12. 410 is a happy compromise, like many have said you want to find a very efficient one. Gk and Eden are deals used, you might also consider selling your 112 to be able to afford a better 410

 

[Auspuff]

So, I need to get a cabinet. I would like it to sound good with my P-Bass, my Streamliner 900 and my GK 1001RB. I may also use my VT Bass rackmount with the GK as a power amp. I currently own an Avatar SB-112, and I'm not opposed to grabbing another 1x12 to pair it with. It really depends on what sounds good. I play punk/powerpop with a pick. Think Jawbreaker/Cheap Trick/The Cars. The guitar player I'll be playing with has a Les Paul, 100 watt Marshall JCM 900 and a 4x12. We will probably be playing shows, at least some of which will not have great PA support. My last rig was a GK800RB and a Mesa 1516, and I was pretty happy with the tone, but I'm a lot older and I'd prefer something lighter.

I have roughly $300. I understand that these are three very different cabinets, which is why I tried to list as many of the variables as I could. All of these cabinets are currently available used in the area I live in(except the 1x12 but that will pop up eventually). I scour Craigslist, Reverb, and all the local music store websites daily, so if something pops up, I'll probably see it. I'm also open to suggestions as to other ideas, and I don't mind driving a bit to pick something up if it's the right thing.

I appreciate any suggestions you have. Thanks for reading.

SVT810. Spend the coin, be happy the rest of your life.

 

[PhatBottomBass1]

Sometimes starting at ground zero and reevaluating the current situation and your drop dead requirements, can be beneficial in meeting your needs, budget and reasonably comfy limitations.

 

[lbbc]

Genz Benz all day long

 

[Zooberwerx]

I'd prefer something lighter.

I have roughly $300. All of these cabinets are currently available used in the area I live in(except the 1x12 but that will pop up eventually).

Well, you answered my "what's available locally" question. I voted Focus provided it meets your weight restrictions and budget constraints.

Riis

 

[60bass]

One thing I would consider is. Are you happy with your current Avatar single 12? If so just get another one of those. With PA's nowadays being as efficient as they are, 2-12's with a decent head is more than enough to gig even an outdoor gig. Another nice thing about having two separate cabinets is you don't need to schlep around 2 cabinets if the gig doesn't need it. I have a TC RH450 head with two TCRS 112 single 12 cabinets. Even with just one cabinet it's more than loud enough for a gig with PA support. I also loved the focus cabinet when I owned one. Mine was a single 15 and I ran it along with the contour 500 single 15 combo on top and it sounded great. The Focus cabs are getting harder to find As I believe not very many were sold before Fender took Genz Benz and basically flushed it down the toilet. I really with the Jeff Genzler would add a lower priced line like the focus series to his current Genzler lineup. I'd be all over that.

 

[agedhorse]

There were quite a few Focus and Contour products shipped, what we have seen is that those who bought them have tended to use them and keep them rather than flip. This certainly affects the availability on the used market.

 

[swrbass5]

As a long time SWR / Eden user (since 1994), I can say my favorite cabs are AccuGroove. By far the cleanest sounding cabs I’ve ever used.

 

[J-Bass RMR]

Genz would be my clear choice.
(Former SWR user)

 

[burgerdj]

+1 on the Genz Benz, especially if you’ve got a line on one for $300.

 

[G-Lol]

Update: NCD

I'll spare you all the details of all the horse trading that went into this, but the TLDR is that I managed to find two GK BLX II 4x10s stupid cheap around here, well within my $300 budget for both, and I was going to stop there, but I plugged it in and didn't love it. Plus, they're about 80 lbs each.

So then I flipped those plus a few bucks I made from a side gig over the weekend into a pair of Gallien Krueger Neo 115 IIIs. They weigh 40 lbs each, handle 400 watts each, and sound pretty great, at least by themselves. I think I'm set at this point.

Thank you all for the suggestions, I really appreciate it. Here's a picture of the new rig.

 

[6thplanet]

Nice! I bet that sounds killer!

 

[Saetia]

Just going to throw this out there but I toured a Henry the 8x8 for years with a 700rb ii atop. Talk about quick punchy tone.

 

[Saetia]

I did last week...
View attachment 5417066
It's no feather weight yet manageable nor near $299...

This with my rb series amps is a flipping monster