I Miss The 2x15!

[steve_rolfeca]

Just because he knows how to play bass well does not necessarily mean that he knows a ton about the use of speakers.

No offense, but I just finished watching a video of Vic Wooten live in Budapest. As I was picking my chin up off the floor, I had a mental image of some tech wank like me standing in the crowd, saying "that would have been so good, if he'd only had properly matched drivers". Talk about missing the point...

 

[ErnieD]

If that CL ad was in my area that cab would be MINE by now!

Some of the early '80s Sunn cabs had that gray grill cloth sorta like what Traynor used. Late in the '80s they switched to solid black grill cloth.
Early '70s Sunns had a grill cloth almost identical to '60s blackface Fenders.

Personally I believe those 215 Sunns were some of the best sounding cabs ever built. They seemed to have a nice smooth frequency response. Even the lowest notes sounded clear and distinct.
If you look at vintage photos of Creedence Clearwater Revival you'll notice they all used Kustom heads. But while John and Tom also used Kustom cabs Stu used three Sunn 215 cabs.

But be careful. Those cabs were not built to handle a lot of wattage like todays cabs. But if you power them reasonably they will sound great.

Another great Sunn cab from that era was the identical sized 312 cab. Three hornloaded 12s in a vertical array. Back in the 'early 90s, I used one with a 1966 Bassman head for small gigs. Also sounded great with a Fender Rhodes Stage 73.

My issue/concern is that I get no PA support in my Tx blues-rock band(s), so I kinda gotta bring the heat. I mostly use a Epi UL-410 or two GB Neox 212T cabs to gig. And I just bought a new GB Streamliner 900, prolly run my two Epi UL410's for large outdoor gigs this coming summer.

I only play a couple shows a year that offer FOH and they have backline for me. I just saw the ad and pic and recalled when I used a Kustom 215 back in the day w/Kustom 150 or Bassman 135 heads. I was just being nostalgic of my 215 days, just don't think one would cut it for me these days. Heck last year or so I returned a Berg NV215 cause it did not work for me, so I should know better. Thanks again, peace, ernie

 

[Calaverasgrande]

No offense, but I just finished watching a video of Vic Wooten live in Budapest. As I was picking my chin up off the floor, I had a mental image of some tech wank like me standing in the crowd, saying "that would have been so good, if he'd only had properly matched drivers". Talk about missing the point...

I've always found Wootens playing to be kind of annoying. He has flawless technique, sure. But his tone isn't much to write home about, and there is quite a lot to be said for giving the notes some room to breathe.
Yeah I know I am guilty of overplaying too sometimes. But I have learned to love the sound of laying down the root 8th notes all the way through a whole song. Well maybe for part of a song.
though yeah, the whole mismatched drivers thing is kind of overstated. I too have seen some jaw dropping guys play thru a 15 and 4 x10, or 2x10 and 2x12.

 

[Korladis]

Pretty much agree with Calaveras on that.

 

[funkyjudge]

I'll take a 215 over a 410 any day..
that said, I've gone to a 212 neo (lighter, oh my aching back) " )

Me, too! I had non-NEO 212s for a long time, switched briefly to a 310UL (sold it), and now use an ORIGINAL Epifani T212-UL with the B&C drivers .... LOVE IT!!!

 

[Korladis]

I, too, prefer 2x15"s over 4x10"s. I guess partly because 2x15"s get the speaker closer to ear level. 'Course, my 2x15 is quite a bit larger than most 4x10"s, too.

 

[BluesBear]

Mine "someday-soon" rig will be two Fender Showman ring-tone 1x15s! I am getting the first cab in a few weeks!

Oh Man! Those also were great cabs.

Back in high school (1971) I had a 1965 Fender Bassman with the horizontal little 212 cab. I had a buddy who had bought a matching 1965 Fender Showman amp back in 1965. A year or so later he upgraded to a horizontal Dual Showman Cabinet but hehad kept the original cab backup but hadn't used it in years. When I found out about it and told him I'd love to find one, he said it was just taking up space in his garage so he sold it to me for $50. It was near mint! He even had the cover for it.

When I got it home I removed the back so I could better understand that ring-porting concept. And lo and behold it had the D140 bass speaker in it instead of the D130F guitar soeaker. JACKPOT!!! Adding that to the Bassman 212 was like the difference between night and day!
I'd stack the 212 on top of the 115 and it just looked like a little cool bass pyramid.
Then sometimes I'd bolt the Bassman head to its 212 cab, then place the Showman cab right next to it in a shallow V formation. Then I'd tilt them both back on those cool chrome tilt-back legs they both had. Let me tell you, that was a cool looking rig in a small club. And it was a lot easier to fit in the back of my little Datsun 510 wagon than my big Traynor stack.

I had that rig for 25 years then like an idiot I sold it to Jimmy Brown at Guitar Emporium (Louisville) back in 1998, right before I moved to Seattle.
Dang I really wish I still had it.

 

[C-60 Bass]

Anyone use 2 x SVT15E's?

I'm thinking of getting a second and driving them with my 700RBII.

 

[BassGreaser]

Oh Man! Those also were great cabs.

Back in high school (1971) I had a 1965 Fender Bassman with the horizontal little 212 cab. I had a buddy who had bought a matching 1965 Fender Showman amp back in 1965. A year or so later he upgraded to a horizontal Dual Showman Cabinet but hehad kept the original cab backup but hadn't used it in years. When I found out about it and told him I'd love to find one, he said it was just taking up space in his garage so he sold it to me for $50. It was near mint! He even had the cover for it.

When I got it home I removed the back so I could better understand that ring-porting concept. And lo and behold it had the D140 bass speaker in it instead of the D130F guitar soeaker. JACKPOT!!! Adding that to the Bassman 212 was like the difference between night and day!
I'd stack the 212 on top of the 115 and it just looked like a little cool bass pyramid.
Then sometimes I'd bolt the Bassman head to its 212 cab, then place the Showman cab right next to it in a shallow V formation. Then I'd tilt them both back on those cool chrome tilt-back legs they both had. Let me tell you, that was a cool looking rig in a small club. And it was a lot easier to fit in the back of my little Datsun 510 wagon than my big Traynor stack.

I had that rig for 25 years then like an idiot I sold it to Jimmy Brown at Guitar Emporium (Louisville) back in 1998, right before I moved to Seattle.
Dang I really wish I still had it.

How did you like the tone of the ring-tone cab compared to the 212? I had a Bassman 70 2x15 for a while that I loved but sold..

 

[JoeVictim]

And all the better reason to love is is all the awesome music of the 70's. That stuff was heavy, man.

 

[BruceBass3901]

Ashdown posted the new Lenny Kravitz vid on their Facebook page yesterday, in which you can see a pair of ABM1000s each with a new ABM 215 cab sat underneath

Heres the vid:

YouTube - Lenny Kravitz - NBA on TNT spot feat. 'Come On Get It' (new song)

Look out either side of the drums at 0:29

Apparantly, these are now available... but I'm not sure who through. I have asked on their Facebook page and will be sure to post here if and when I get a reply

 

[Electricblue]

What do you guys think of the Hartke 215? Im not a fan of alum cones, but i'd like some opinions

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

 

[SanDiegoHarry]

Any bassist hovering around his or her 40s (like me) will remember that the 2x15 cabinet was pretty much the standard until it was supplanted by the 4x10. Yes, the SVT existed, but that was substantially higher-priced than most of what was commercially available and largely thought of as a 'pros-only' rig.

To my (possibly biased) ears, the 2x15 defined the sound of 'good' bass, and good cab examples handled a full range of frequencies well; I remember well a side-ported Yamaha cab I used 1979-1994 that would always have soundmen smiling.

The ergonomic benefits of using smaller cabs are clear, but is there a real sonic basis for the wholesale move to 10s?

I too am in my 40s... very nearly 50... and I remember how 2x15"s were everywhere...

Oddly, the closest I came was having two SWR triads ... I never really cared for the 2x15" thing. My first "real" cab was a 4x12 (which was huge and heavy and, if memory serves, sounded great). 15"s never did it for me. I find them muddy sounding.

 

[JoeVictim]

I like them so much I made 2 of them.

Based off of the Matamp/Electric 2x15 cabs. Loaded with Eminence Legend 15's. They get the pants a flappin'

I never get tired of this setup. SO sexy!

 

[svtb15]

I am heading to getting my 15 together once again. I have an Genz Uber115 on the way... then another on soon... Will post pics when it gets here

 

[IvanMike]

I admit to missing my peavey 2x15 cab. Sure, I often use two fifteens today, but the vibe of that one big cab was really cool at times. I don't miss having to borrow my dad's pickup to go to a gig though!

 

[Bogfish]

Gassin bad for a Shuttle 9.0 with 2 Uber 115s. I think this setup will be "the one" for me.

 

[Tom Howland]

2x15 joy.
New custom Schroeder 2x15 cab.
No tweeder, 45 lbs, 800 watts. 4 ohms.
Everything I want in a old school type cab.
Add P or J bass, Genz Benz "Streamliner" head.
Phat, definded, smooth tone.

 

[chicago_mike]

I remember trying out the hartke when GC was a hartke dealer in the early 90's. They had one with the 405 bright box. At the time, I thought it was the sickest tone ever. DEEP and CLEAR. I figure that hartke 215 has got to be pretty bad ass on gigs.

 

[BluesBear]

How did you like the tone of the ring-tone cab compared to the 212? I had a Bassman 70 2x15 for a while that I loved but sold..

Well, they were very different critters.
The Bassman cab had two gray frame Jensens.
It sounded clear and full at low volumebut when you turned up to gig levels the low end got really weak but the mids and highs stayed nice and clear. The later 40" tall 212 Bassman cabs had much better low end.

The Showman cab had a surprisingly big tone for a cab of its size. Smooth lows and low mids with no apparent frequency bumps or dips.

I'd gladly use that rig today if I still had it. Although I'll admit that I'd rather have a quad 6L6GC Fender or Traynor head pushing it.