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Official Barefaced Bass Cab Club
- Thread starter Stumbo
- Start date
It was a nightmare for me. On my original silver grill, I saw a pull tab, and like every other cab I have EVER seen, pulled it. Did not budge, so I pried it out. Held with Velcro but also sticky back weather stripping. Wrecked the grill. Wrote to BF so THEN they sent instructions... and eventually a replacement grill and a free t-shirt.... Great cab design but totally klugey manufacturing technique.
Would you be kind enough to share those instructions with us, please?
Save the nice people at Barefaced from sending out numerous grills and T shirts. (Here we call them grilles.)
I recall reading something like that before. I'd certainly email BF before trying anything.
... and if something doesn't budge, get information first, don't just use brute force. It's made me break many things in my life. I still don't learn, but maybe others will 
...and FYI, Alex told me that I cannot swap out a cloth grillE for a steel because they a built slightly different. I assumed this means the steel grille units have threaded inserts.
Thanks for the info, fingers crossed it might still be possible go the othe way??
Basically, remove the two chrome corners as they overhang and block the grillle frame. Then gently and slowly pry from different locations. Despite having having a pull tab, these are not designed to be taken apart. The grille frames have Velcro but they also have weatherstripping around the outside edge which wedges the grille very tightly against the cabinet. Great for isolating vibration. Thing is, they also peel off the tape exposing the adhesive on the weatherstripping. So now the frame is almost glued in. Add that to the grip from the Velcro and the grille is impossible to remove without destroying something. At the very least destroying the weatherstripping is a certainty. In my case, with one face of the weatherstripping stuck to the cab and the other face stuck to the piping, it pulled out the staples which hold the piping in place. It is then necessary to scrape the remains of the weatherstripping from the cabinet.
Sonically the cabs are amazing. No doubt. Design for manufacture? Amateur hour. Standards are higher than this for a product at this price point.
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A little bit harsh perhaps? After all they do not sell the cabs with the idea that the purchaser is going to pull them apart. Buyer selects cloth or steel grille and receives exactly what he/she purchased.
On an unrelated matter, here is an example of the quality of service that Barefaced provides: three years ago I purchased one of the very first Four 10 cabs at the special introductory discounted price that Barefaced normally does with a first run. I ordered a cloth grille. I live in New Zealand. Sadly when it arrived I received a steel grille. I expressed my disappointment to Alex who was mortified, extremely apologetic and immediately suggested that I just keep the cab since I am at the other end of the world and he would send out another with a cloth grille, no charge. I decided just to keep the steel grille, but the quality of customer support and no questions asked backup has given me total confidence in any Barefaced product. (On reflection this is probably when I found that you cannot replace a steel grille with a cloth one).
Sounds like it's made to never come apart from the standpoint that it should never have to.
A rattling grill is a warranty issue in a new cab with worldwide service from England. No local agents at all. I can see why no rattles trumps having to destroy a grill to change a woofer once in a blue moon.
Presumably it's only 2nd hand buyers whinging about the situation. Maybe a few original buyers who can't decide which side of the fence is greener.
I've posted in a bunch of threads on TB about how I merely "messed around" in my basement for a long time before finally getting serious about playing. Along the way I managed to work my way up to some pretty nice gear, especially for gear that was only being played in the basement. Now that my family and job situation finally allows me the free time to start getting serious, I took lessons for a while, started playing in some basement jams, and just recently joined a gigging band. At age 55, I now have a whopping two gigs under my belt. 
I'm enjoying not only playing in front of people, but also finally getting to see what this gear can do. Last night, we played a winery. We're a 5-piece (singer, guitar, guitar/keys, drums, and me) and, even with both guitars going through 2x12s and a drummer who has pretty good control of his dynamics but can hit hard when we get loud, I still only had to plug in one cabinet (good to know, we're playing there next month so I only need to schlep one of them for that gig). We did a one-song sound check before the room started to fill up so I took the opportunity to walk around and hear how we (well, I) sounded. First of all, I had to turn down the volume on my bass to about halfway. Second, the bass sounded full and deep and, no matter where I stood in the room, the notes were clear and distinct.
I loved how it sounded, but we also got a lot of compliments when we were done from people who thought we sounded great and also loved our song choices. Two guys even came up to me and said they liked my playing and thought I sounded good (one said "you really kept that bass pumping!").
I might not have had the experience of starting out with "lesser" gear or schleping large heavy cabinets like most musicians my age, but I still appreciate not only the sound of these cabinets but the design as well. I'm looking forward to having opportunities to see how these cabinets handle our playing situations, especially the larger ones where I can get loud.
Pre-sound check gear shot:
I'm enjoying not only playing in front of people, but also finally getting to see what this gear can do. Last night, we played a winery. We're a 5-piece (singer, guitar, guitar/keys, drums, and me) and, even with both guitars going through 2x12s and a drummer who has pretty good control of his dynamics but can hit hard when we get loud, I still only had to plug in one cabinet (good to know, we're playing there next month so I only need to schlep one of them for that gig). We did a one-song sound check before the room started to fill up so I took the opportunity to walk around and hear how we (well, I
) sounded. First of all, I had to turn down the volume on my bass to about halfway. Second, the bass sounded full and deep and, no matter where I stood in the room, the notes were clear and distinct.I loved how it sounded, but we also got a lot of compliments when we were done from people who thought we sounded great and also loved our song choices. Two guys even came up to me and said they liked my playing and thought I sounded good (one said "you really kept that bass pumping!"
).I might not have had the experience of starting out with "lesser" gear or schleping large heavy cabinets like most musicians my age, but I still appreciate not only the sound of these cabinets but the design as well. I'm looking forward to having opportunities to see how these cabinets handle our playing situations, especially the larger ones where I can get loud.
Pre-sound check gear shot:
dieselman
Supporting Member
As for the changing a Steel Grill to a Cloth Grill, see official response below.
"unfortunately once a cabinet has been made to house a steel grill, there's no way to switch to a cloth grill"
All the best,
"unfortunately once a cabinet has been made to house a steel grill, there's no way to switch to a cloth grill"
All the best,
OK, thoughts everyone....One10 or supertwin for a small gig?
I have a small pub gig this friday night. Probably 20-40 people max, maybe less in an L shaped pub room (not the most ideal shape for a band). Playing with an acoustic drummer, who is fairly heavy handed, plus acoustic guitar (amplified) and some other acoustic intruments such as mandolin (amplified). Will the one10 cut it? Will there be enough dispersion for the room? Or should i take the Supertwin which i know will be more than ample but maybe possibly too loud? The cab will be powered with an Ashdown ABM 500 head, so more than enough power for most club gigs.
Other gigs in larger rooms i've been asked to turn the ST down even when my amp volume is on about #3.
I have a small pub gig this friday night. Probably 20-40 people max, maybe less in an L shaped pub room (not the most ideal shape for a band). Playing with an acoustic drummer, who is fairly heavy handed, plus acoustic guitar (amplified) and some other acoustic intruments such as mandolin (amplified). Will the one10 cut it? Will there be enough dispersion for the room? Or should i take the Supertwin which i know will be more than ample but maybe possibly too loud? The cab will be powered with an Ashdown ABM 500 head, so more than enough power for most club gigs.
Other gigs in larger rooms i've been asked to turn the ST down even when my amp volume is on about #3.
Put the super one up on a stand so you can hear it properly with the drummer banging away and you won't get told you need to turn down.
