How to choose speakers for a custom cabinet

[greekorican]

I currently own a Hartke Kickback 12. I don't gig yet, and it is probably more than adequate for practice. I want this amp handle a gig, I'm getting a little tired of just playing in my room or a friends basement. I think 300-400 watts should be more than enough, what do you think? Not to mention tone. My low E sounds kinda weak IMO. While I just came up with several reasons to justify doing this, I have to admit that GAS is responsible.

I have a MIM Jazz Bass, Seymour Duncan Quarter Pound Pickups, strung with D'adario Chromes. I play clean 99% of the time, if it makes a difference. I'm looking for a nice, fat, tone. Right now I'm into playing P-Funk, RHCP, Motown, Led Zeppelin, thats kinda the sound I'm going for. My main complaint with my amp is that it sounds too bright. I've played lots of amps, and can't make up my mind for speaker size. I do like the sound of 15's, but I think a 4x10 or 4x12 is a more practical choice. I could always get a 1x15 later, right?

I have no doubt in my mind that I could build a better constructed cab than you get from a factory. My dads a carpenter, and I have a garage full of tools, including specialized cabinet making tools. I'm a little worried about how the cab will sound. What kind of wood do you make them out of, will plywood work? Sealed or ported? I also need to learn a thing or two about cab tuning.

Thanks alot

 

[lbwdog]

I have no doubt in my mind that I could build a better constructed cab than you get from a factory.

Maybe, but most pro-line cabs are well constructed

My dads a carpenter, and I have a garage full of tools, including specialized cabinet making tools. I'm a little worried about how the cab will sound. What kind of wood do you make them out of, will plywood work? Sealed or ported? I also need to learn a thing or two about cab tuning.

Your questions tell us you're not ready to design your own cabinet. You need to learn more than "a thing or two", and you can learn a lot by reading a lot on here.

If you're determined to build your own, I'd suggest going with a proven design such as greenboy's fEarful plans. The heavy research has already been done, from driver/crossover selection to cab material, tuning, and size. If you desire clean and strong, try the fEarful 15/6. Pair it with a good quality, high output head and you'll have a rig that'll make your little Hartke sound like a practice amp (which it kinda already is!)

Try; http://www.talkbass.com/wiki/index.php/Fearful

Plus, search for fEarful and read parts I,II,III,IV, and V.
Plenty of reading there (over 4000 posts), but a wealth of knowledge!

 

[MNAirHead]

Iv'e built several.. it's nto a way to save money or time...

you may really be discussing a different rig.

 

[fdeck]

I'm happily playing through a DIY cab, and have no intention of ever buying a commercial speaker unless something changes dramatically on the technology side. My thoughts about cost and the time commitment:

Cost: Depends on what you want to build. You can't win a price war against Guitar Center (or craigs list for that matter), but you can achieve high quality (e.g., lightweight) construction for less than a high quality commercial cab. You also have to decide how many of the "pro" trimmings you need. I realized that for my work -- mostly local gigs in tame venues -- I can use relatively light duty gear, so I dispensed with casters, corners, pre-made jack plate, tolex, and so forth.

Time: For the project to make sense time-wise, I have to be honest and count the time I spent as a form of recreation, i.e., I enjoyed learning about how speakers work. Once I knew what I wanted, building a simple box didn't really take more than three or four hours, and I have fairly minimal tools -- an old table saw, hand tools, and some furniture clamps.

On the other hand, driving all over he11's half acre to try out commercial cabs would have taken even more time and money. There's not a big selection to try in the village where I live, so I might have ended up making multiple day trips.

From your profile, I don't know where you're at in life, but if the "great college downsize" is in your future, you could get a jump on the game by building something that is genuinely compact and portable.

 

[4Mal]

A lot of the heavy lifting is already done for you in the fEarful designs. Particularly as you are into the full range sound (P-Funk, RHCP...) the 12/6 is a reasonably sized cab that really perfoms - it want some power behind it - 300 to 500 watts is realistic - but it gives back a lot! The 15/6 is a spectacular cab - it smokes the 12/6 in terms of efficiency - a little large for me though... DIY takes some time, thought, energy but it can be very cost effective - the real cost isn't so much in the raw materials that are used in the final cab but in all the prototypes and goof ups that get wasted... at least that's my take. The fEarful designs minimize that aspect of things ...

 

[fdeck]

Also worth considering some of Bill F's designs.