Show your Bill Fitzmaurice cab

[pedro]

[[Well, my opinion of the Acoustic folded horns matches Bill's: it's not that they don't do midrange and treble, they just do it poorly in comparison to other cabs.

I'm curious which ones you think do it better.

[[And while I haven't heard Bill's cabinets I respect his expertise as much as anyone's.

Really, you've not heard Bill's cabinets?

Anyway, I have no doubts about Bill's expertise - he's obviously very knowledgeable. But since I don't understand acoustical science, nor can I make heads or tails of charts, I need points of reference. Therefore, I'm trying to get an idea of what his cabs sound like by comparisons.

 

[pedro]

[[Here is a comparison between a 12 element piezo array and two JBL compression drivers.

WHOOOOOOOOOOOSHHHHHHHH! (Right over my head.)

 

[A9X]

Here is a comparison between a 12 element piezo array and two JBL compression drivers.

Invalid Link Removed

Big deal; a couple of people's opinion posted secondhand on the net isn't going to make much of a difference to me when my measurements and ears tell me something different. If you want to use piezo's, go ahead. I'm just glad I don't have to listen to them.

 

[fast slapper]

OK.

 

[greenboy]

Link Removed

 

[Fuzzbass]

Well, my opinion of the Acoustic folded horns matches Bill's: it's not that they don't do midrange and treble, they just do it poorly in comparison to other cabs.

I'm curious which ones you think do it better.

Pretty much any modern bass cab produces better mids than an Acoustic 301 or 361! Those folded cabs were all about the lows. Midrange was weak, and treble nearly non-existent.

I suspect Jaco liked the 360 system for the following reason: a soloed bridge pickup is a great way to produce harmonics and mwah, but the resulting burpy sound is extremely thin on lows. The 360 rig would attenuate the burp and give depth and roundness to the overall tone.

P.S. Pedro, greenboy's post above is a hint to use the "quote" button when replying to a specific post. I'll assume that a certain Fender-centric forum hasn't yet implemented such a feature.

 

[pedro]

[[I suspect Jaco liked the 360 system for the following reason: a soloed bridge pickup is a great way to produce harmonics and mwah, but the resulting burpy sound is extremely thin on lows. The 360 rig would attenuate the burp and give depth and roundness to the overall tone.

That makes sense thanks.

[[P.S. Pedro, greenboy's post above is a hint to use the "quote" button when replying to a specific post. I'll assume that a certain Fender-centric forum hasn't yet implemented such a feature.

Actually quotes are no mandatory at Fender-centric forums but I much prefer the brackets to avoid confusion w/ quotes of quotes. If using quotes is a hard and fast rule here I will of course comply but I’d rather not if not required.

 

[Petebass]

.... a soloed bridge pickup is a great way to produce harmonics and mwah, but the resulting burpy sound is extremely thin on lows.

Not only that, look at how Jaco uses his hands. Notice how his right hand moves closer to the bridge when he's accentuating notes, which again contributes to the mids. He also seems to pluck a little bit harder than you'd expect which again stiffles the lows and accentuates the mids.

 

[pedro]

It would seem that Jaco’s unique and beautiful sound is in part due to technique and equipment being at odds – the roundness of the Acoustic and the plucking technique and bridge pickup.

Going back to Fuzzbass statement about any modern bass cabinet reproducing midrange better I certainly don’t doubt and it jives with other comments made to me by techs that the Acoustics had a mid scoop. Never the less, I got to say I never thought of them as mid scooped and never had any problem hearing distinctly every note. (Not withstanding the better equipment, etc., I can’t say that my experience has been as good during recent years.) Perhaps it’s a matter of aging ears.

I am curious whether those who use either the Omni or DR as stand alone bass cabinet, whether you use an amp stand or some other device to point the speaker up so as to better hear yourself.

 

[Giraffe]

I am curious whether those who use either the Omni or DR as stand alone bass cabinet, whether you use an amp stand or some other device to point the speaker up so as to better hear yourself.

I use the Omni 12 as a stand alone bass cabinet. (I built two but one is all I have ever needed for the gigs I do.) The solid mids seem to disperse very well, and it has never been a problem hearing it when it sits flat on the floor.

I play at one saloon that is very deep and narrow. The sound guy there likes to turn it around and tip it back, so it points at the junction of the rear wall and the ceiling. It takes up a little more space, but it covers the room beautifully. That sound guy does that room several times a week, so he has his little proprietary tricks.

I wouldn't worry about a stand for most uses, but that's me!

 

[pedro]

Thanks Tom. I can't wait to try these babies out.

 

[Lia_G]

Actually quotes are no mandatory at Fender-centric forums but I much prefer the brackets to avoid confusion w/ quotes of quotes. If using quotes is a hard and fast rule here I will of course comply but I’d rather not if not required.

So far as I know, it's not a rule. I suspect that everyone besides yourself considers the quotes to be much clearer than your brackets, though!

But ... it is your choice.

Good luck with the cabinet trials, by the way! Hope you find what you're looking for. I bought the Omni 10 plans, and am considering getting the Omni 12 plans as well and then choose which one to build. I think it will be a fun project, and I'm interested to compare either of those cabinets to my commercial cabs, which I happen to like very much.

All the best,
Liam

 

[pedro]

[[So far as I know, it's not a rule.

Good to know.

[[Good luck with the cabinet trials, by the way! Hope you find what you're looking for.

Thanks.

[[I bought the Omni 10 plans, and am considering getting the Omni 12 plans as well and then choose which one to build. I think it will be a fun project, and I'm interested to compare either of those cabinets to my commercial cabs, which I happen to like very much.

I wish I was handy enough to take on the project but more than changing a lightbulb I'm useless. Hope you'll post once you're done and let us know how it came out.

 

[CrackBass]

for anyone considering buying plans from bill. go ahead and get the cd with all the plans on it. it is not that much, and it will allow for easy comparison between different models. i bought about 4 of his plans before i deciced to get the cd. bill was nice enough to refund some of the money i spent on individual plans towards the cd. also the forum on his website is a great source of info.

 

[Maurice Carr]

Big deal; a couple of people's opinion posted secondhand on the net isn't going to make much of a difference to me when my measurements .....

What measurements?

Also, if you spend a few minutes over on that forum you will find that there's not just "a couple of people's opinions posted secondhand on the net" there's more people who were originally skeptics about piezo arrays, saying how impressed they are when utilsed how BFD advises than "just a couple"

What do you actually mean by second hand anyhow?

Most of the posts there are by people who have built and regularly use those cabs for professional purposes.

Have you actually heard a BFD cab with the designated drivers and the designated piezo array installed anyway?

Mo

 

[Maurice Carr]

I am curious whether those who use either the Omni or DR as stand alone bass cabinet, whether you use an amp stand or some other device to point the speaker up so as to better hear yourself.

I have all the Omni and DR cabs as demos and use whichever one takes my mood at the time - used as stand-alones

Nine times out of ten, I just plonk the cab the floor and that's it. The sound you get is so clear ( especially the DR's which have a slight rake upwards anyhow ) that it cuts through all the other noise on stage - so it's not necessary to have it on a stand.

The only times they have been more useful for me on a stand is a pit-gig and there the noise level is so low anyhow - they just sound so sweet and having the piezo arrays switchable is a bonus for those "quieter" occasions

Mo

 

[Michael Vee]

I have all the Omni and DR cabs.

The only times they have been more useful for me on a stand is a pit-gig and there the noise level is so low anyhow - they just sound so sweet and having the piezo arrays switchable is a bonus for those "quieter" occasions

Mo- pit gigs? As in musical theatre? If so, which of the BFM cabs do you use most often for that genre?

 

[A9X]

What measurements?

Mine.

Also, if you spend a few minutes over on that forum you will find that there's not just "a couple of people's opinions posted secondhand on the net" there's more people who were originally skeptics about piezo arrays, saying how impressed they are when utilsed how BFD advises than "just a couple"

So? I form my own opinions based upon my own experience.

I have used and heard plenty of piezos. Bill does nothing magical in his applications, so I stand by my opinions. FWIW, I have purchased a number of plans and I have also been designing and building high quality horn based systems for a number of years.

 

[bryanjnkns]

I wish I was handy enough to take on the project but more than changing a lightbulb I'm useless. Hope you'll post once you're done and let us know how it came out.

His designs, especially the omni's, are very easy to understand and build. They're very forgiving as well. I built an omni 10.5 with no experience of any kind and it turned out great (not perfect, but great)

for anyone considering buying plans from bill. go ahead and get the cd with all the plans on it. it is not that much, and it will allow for easy comparison between different models. the forum on his website is a great source of info.

+1

 

[pedro]

[[His designs, especially the omni's, are very easy to understand and build. They're very forgiving as well. I built an omni 10.5 with no experience of any kind and it turned out great (not perfect, but great)

I'll think about it but honestly, I doubt I have the tools or space or time. I'd probably be lost just getting the supplies needed.