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Official Barefaced Bass Cab Club

#1,781
Had a great gig last night wherein I used two different rigs that included my BF cabs: One10 run by a GK MB200 (first set), and Big Baby 2, run by a TH350 (third set). We were hosting a jam so 2nd set was all jammers (let them use the TH350 and BB2).

Man, they just sounded great, really great. Mind you, I am usually a guy who is NEVER satisfied with the tone, continually thinking about to the point of not being able to focus on the music, as I'd like, usually. Last night it just sounded good. Convenient that I was able to listen to the TH350/BB2 rig from the back of the room too. I did not let jammers use the One10/MB200. The One10 had been out of commission for about 3 weeks so it was great to have it back in the lineup and re-acquaint with how good it sounds. It was also equal to the task of carrying that room (drums etc but not overly loud).

I am also just coming around to spending a little money on small peripherals, two of which I think were very helpful: Gramma pad under the BB2, and an AmpWedge under the One10 to tilt the speaker up a bit (it was on the floor). I think I will continue to use both items this way in the future.

Dare I say-- the Sire bass sounded awesome through these rigs. Tomorrow may be different but I am liking the Sire better than my previous main player, a Fender Marcus Miller Jazz modified with Bartolini pre and Lane Poor pickups. And I was pretty happy with that before getting this 4-string Sire. I am definitely not getting rid of the MM Jazz, but it's getting a little R&R right now.

Back to BF content: I continue to be really impressed every time I take them out.
 
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#1,782
monsterthompson said:
So my experience has been saying I like the J bass sound and passive Spector with Super Singles going into the 210, and the P bass going into the BB2 with my Demetet VTBP M 800D. Tonight, I decided to try the P with the 210 and dust off my Idiotbox Blower pedal. The result was quite nice. I'm a fan of that combo, and the only reason the pedal had been off my board was because I wasn't a fan of it with the BB2 sound.

Interesting that the scooped 210 curve and the scooped single coil sound work together, and so does the addition of the scooped Blower when I'm running the P bass. Not sure what overlap there is in the frequency dips and bumps of those combos, but those seem to be the arrangements that work best for me so far.
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I got to use my Jazz through the BB2 last night. First time ive used a bass other than my P bass through this cab.
Standing close to the cab it was really punchy. Each note had a kick to it. The low end was great, and sounded thick but with a bite to it. Im not sure im going to use the Jazz much though, as i felt it was more scooped than im used to. Of course this isnt a cab issue, its the nature of Jazz vs P, but i did notice i was turning the master up a bit more and having to re EQ things.

Compared to the same gear but with my old 1212L the BB2 is much easier to control, but i think the P bass wins with the BB2, and the Jazz with the old 1212L, although im going to start using the Jazz on and off again.
 
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#1,783
dave_bass5 said:
I got to use my Jazz through the BB2 last night. First time ive used a bass other than my P bass through this cab.
Standing close to the cab it was really punchy. Each note had a kick to it. The low end was great, and sounded thick but with a bite to it. Im not sure im going to use the Jazz much though, as i felt it was more scooped than im used to. Of course this isnt a cab issue, its the nature of Jazz vs P, but i did notice i was turning the master up a bit more and having to re EQ things.

Compared to the same gear but with my old 1212L the BB2 is much easier to control, but i think the P bass wins with the BB2, and the Jazz with the old 1212L, although im going to start using the Jazz on and off again.
Click to expand...

If you're used to a P-bass, try the Jazz w/neck pickup on full and back off the bridge pickup to taste. Typically I prefer the bridge on about 75% or so. That will eliminate the scooping issue and put the tone back into your comfort zone. That's how I play my Jazz and it's super thick and fat. Hard to make anything sound bad through the BB2!
 
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#1,784
N. Kentucky Bass said:
If you're used to a P-bass, try the Jazz w/neck pickup on full and back off the bridge pickup to taste. Typically I prefer the bridge on about 75% or so. That will eliminate the scooping issue and put the tone back into your comfort zone. That's how I play my Jazz and it's super thick and fat. Hard to make anything sound bad through the BB2!
Click to expand...

Cheers. Im actually used to both, i just haven't used my Jazz for a few months. I do more or less use my Jazz as you do, although a lot of the time its more just the neck pup on its own as i like that tone.
 
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#1,789
Dang. New Gramma Pad Baby arrived today. I wasn't sure what to expect. I tell you what, it seems to have changed my impressions on the 210 sound. Evidently, the 210 was coupling with my raised foundation hardwood floor, which was giving it some boom. I hadn't had that with my 110, which I never played resting on the ground; the 110 was always elevated and resting on another cab. A little EQ tweaking and the Gramma pad, and the cab sounds and feels more like what I remember of the 110. I'm going to need to try it with my other basses and then try the pad under the BB2 and see what it does. I'm expecting I'll dig it. You can bet I'll post an update, since I love posting in this thread :)
 
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#1,793
monsterthompson said:
I wish. Thinking I'm good with the 210 and BB2. I'm good-er with the Gramma.
However, more is always more.
Click to expand...

I paired a BB2 with a Gramma pad Thursday, and thought it sounded much clearer and tighter than the prior time I'd played in that room without the Gramma pad. Glad to hear it enhanced your Two10 and I think you'll like it with the BB2 also.
 
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#1,794
Just wondering what amps people are using with their BB2's.
I use a Markbass F1 and its fine, but I'm wondering if it's worth getting one of the 800watt Class D heads that are available. More for a bit more clean headroom but also for a possible small increase in volume (not that I'm pushing the F1 hard at the moment). My guitarist has just got a 40watt Fender tube combo and while I can keep up with him I'm a bit worried about pushing the amp too hard.
As I use the EQ pretty flat, due to using my VTBass to set the tone, I was thinking of maybe a power amp, but these seem a bit over kill for me. Having a proper bass head also means if my VTBass goes down I still have EQ.
Not really looking to spend too much, but I've had the F1 for a good few years so maybe it's time for a change.
Getting another cab is out of the question, due to restricted space in the car.
 
#1,797
dave_bass5 said:
Just wondering what amps people are using with their BB2's.
I use a Markbass F1 and its fine, but I'm wondering if it's worth getting one of the 800watt Class D heads that are available. More for a bit more clean headroom but also for a possible small increase in volume (not that I'm pushing the F1 hard at the moment). My guitarist has just got a 40watt Fender tube combo and while I can keep up with him I'm a bit worried about pushing the amp too hard.
As I use the EQ pretty flat, due to using my VTBass to set the tone, I was thinking of maybe a power amp, but these seem a bit over kill for me. Having a proper bass head also means if my VTBass goes down I still have EQ.
Not really looking to spend too much, but I've had the F1 for a good few years so maybe it's time for a change.
Getting another cab is out of the question, due to restricted space in the car.
Click to expand...

I have run an Aggie Tonehammer 350 with it with good results. I am in the process of getting a GK MG Fusion 800 so that I can throw 400 solid watts at 8ohms into the single BB2 I have. God forbid if I should ever part with another $1100 for a second BB2, that amp will be able to deliver 800 into the pair, at 4 ohms.
 
#1,798
So much for "nobody notices or cares about the bass".

After the first gig with the D800 through 2 Barefaced Super Compacts with one of my bands, the guitarist came over at the end and said the bass sounded great. Very punchy and full.

I also had good comments from the first gig with the other band and 2 guys from the audience.

I'm thinking this is a great combination, and proves to me if you sound good people do notice.
 
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#1,799
dave_bass5 said:
Just wondering what amps people are using with their BB2's.
I use a Markbass F1 and its fine, but I'm wondering if it's worth getting one of the 800watt Class D heads that are available. More for a bit more clean headroom but also for a possible small increase in volume (not that I'm pushing the F1 hard at the moment). My guitarist has just got a 40watt Fender tube combo and while I can keep up with him I'm a bit worried about pushing the amp too hard.
As I use the EQ pretty flat, due to using my VTBass to set the tone, I was thinking of maybe a power amp, but these seem a bit over kill for me. Having a proper bass head also means if my VTBass goes down I still have EQ.
Not really looking to spend too much, but I've had the F1 for a good few years so maybe it's time for a change.
Getting another cab is out of the question, due to restricted space in the car.
Click to expand...
More watts is almost always going to help the cab sound more dynamic, plus your amp will stay well inside its optimal operating parameters.
The Bf website shows:
RECOMMENDED AMP POWER
150-800W RMS
IMO, 400W would be a minimum for me, with 1000-1200W being more optimal (which since it's an 8 ohm cab, would tend to put you into power amp range)!
There is a danger with too much power, but IMO I like knowing I'm not pushing my amp & having max dynamics while avoiding putting stress on the cab.
Everyone's situation & experience is different.
I do like the convenience of just a head & a cab, but I don't use pedals either.
Something like the Mesa D800, Genzler MG800, GK MB(F)800, TCE BH800, Jule Monique 700, Peavey MiniMega, Glockenklang Blue Rock, or Carvin B2000 should work very well.
 
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#1,800
John D Harris said:
More watts is almost always going to help the cab sound more dynamic, plus your amp will stay well inside its optimal operating parameters.
The Bf website shows:
RECOMMENDED AMP POWER
150-800W RMS
IMO, 400W would be a minimum for me, with 1000-1200W being more optimal
Click to expand...

I'm sorry but I disagree. More power will only sound more dynamic if you're running out of power with your current amp. If your current amp is only very rarely hitting full power or clipping then more power will make no difference.

I don't know how loud you need to be but the reason we recommend 150-800W for the BB2 is because that's the most useful range of amp power. Most BB2 users are running 250-500W. The reason we recommend 800W* as an upper limit is because there is very little to be gained beyond that point but risk of driver damage increases vastly.

* 800 real watts, not 800 marketing watts! ;)
 
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