SWR Basic Black

sorry, no experience with your proposition.

what is it that you dont like about the swr speaker? i always thought it sounded pretty good for what it was.

i blew up my basic black back in the 90's. i took out the amp and enclosed the space where it lived with 3/4" ply. to account for the change in volume, i decided to estimate the original tuning of the cab, with the idea that i would retune it to "correct". IIRC (it has been a long time), the stock tuning is way up there--- like 200Hz or something in that ballpark. ive since installed a 1505 black widow, and retuned the cab to around 55Hz. i also disconnected, removed, and sealed the hole that the piezo tweeter lived in using a 4" disk of 3/4" inch ply left from another project.

apples to oranges, yes; but truly a night and day difference. i feel like the cab is much much flatter now (tweeter range notwithstanding), and it feels better too (how is that for subjective?). but the BW is hardly a lightweight with its alleged "superstructure" magnet assembly.

if youd like to fool around with the cabs tuning, you can experiment with the "top" of a cdr spindle--- it fits the 5" hole snugly enough, and it cuts easily.

 

I bought one used years ago and it was the best amp I had ever owned up to that time. I liked it so much I convinced my best friend, also a bassist, to buy one. He had a lot of problems with it cutting out and always had to bring a backup amp to gigs. It wound up in the shop more than on the stage and it has sat in his garage unused for years.

Then mine started to go. The volume would go from inaudible to earsplitting without notice. I wound up giving it away. Too bad, because I really loved the amp - the size, the tone, the look. I hope your experience is way better than ours.

 

I have one of those for sale, and it exhibits none of the problems you have mentioned. Cheap!!! PM me in interested...

 

I've been using the Basic 2-way cab with a Mark Bass head for five years. It's great. No complaints.

Keep in mind that this combo won Bass Player magazine's Best Combo award for combo's under $1,000 back int he 90's. The Basic Black and the Basic 2-way were matched as a full rig. They were part of the original SWR and part of the Professional Line of gear. It's good stuff if it's in good shape.

The cap was built from 92-98. I bought mine new in 2004 from a store that priced in the ionisphere and later dumped it for peanuts. A cheap way to get into a Goliath.