SWR Workingman 12 Combo - THANK YOU !

[Tom Henrich]

Thanks for everyone's input from my initial post regarding this wonderful, wonderful amp. It definitely helped my decision. I pulled the trigger on buying the WM 12 (Version 2) this morning. $200 and it's practically brand new. I noodled around with it for about 15 minutes after I got her home. I love it. This weekend I'll throw my effects at her and have some fun. This will more than likely be my ride or die amp.

Another question that I have. For an extension cab, what are your thoughts ? If I can ever find or form a band reasonably close to where I live, I know that I'm going to add a cab. Oh who the hell am I kidding ? I want one because the option is there. LOL.

It'll be a classic rock / classic metal thing. Man, how and when did Maiden, WASP and Priest fall into the "classic" category? I remember buying their debut albums when they were first released. smh. I'm real far away from being 15 years old. The days of having my ears ringing after band practice are long gone.

I'm thinking a 2x10 or 4x10 cab. I love the tight, punchy tones that cut through. Opinions ?

 

[Standalone]

Rock on, my friend. Congratulations.

I actually recommend a single 15” cab. It will be lighter than a 210 while also having more speaker surface area. And at some point when/if you outgrow the WM12, get another matching 15” and a head.

There are also lightweight Neo 12’s around.

410’s are heavy unwieldy beasts to lug around; and tens aren’t the only way to get the tight punchy tone you seek.

 

[Jeff Scott]

It'll be a classic rock / classic metal thing. Man, how and when did Maiden, WASP and Priest fall into the "classic" category?

When we got old.

 

[ImTheOnlyOne]

Love the WM 12? Try its big brother, the California Blonde

While the WM is dependable, the CB is joyous.

 

[Jeff Scott]

Love the WM 12? Try its big brother, the California Blonde

While the WM is dependable, the CB is joyous.

I always though the WM15 was its big brother? As seen here, behind Percy.

 

[ImTheOnlyOne]

I always though the WM15 was its big brother? As seen here, behind Percy.

View attachment 5315081

Rich Uncle, perhaps ?

The original WM really deliver(ed).

 

[David McIntire]

Thanks for everyone's input from my initial post regarding this wonderful, wonderful amp. It definitely helped my decision. I pulled the trigger on buying the WM 12 (Version 2) this morning. $200 and it's practically brand new. I noodled around with it for about 15 minutes after I got her home. I love it. This weekend I'll throw my effects at her and have some fun. This will more than likely be my ride or die amp.

Another question that I have. For an extension cab, what are your thoughts ? If I can ever find or form a band reasonably close to where I live, I know that I'm going to add a cab. Oh who the hell am I kidding ? I want one because the option is there. LOL.

It'll be a classic rock / classic metal thing. Man, how and when did Maiden, WASP and Priest fall into the "classic" category? I remember buying their debut albums when they were first released. smh. I'm real far away from being 15 years old. The days of having my ears ringing after band practice are long gone.

I'm thinking a 2x10 or 4x10 cab. I love the tight, punchy tones that cut through. Opinions ?

I bought all those on first release, too. And, along with a lotta other metal discs, they taught me how to play. First song I ever played live in front of a big audience was I Wanna be Somebody. Man, what a great time for music!

As far as an extension for that amp, I would also recommend a 112 or 115 cab. 120 watts is not a lot of power, and pushing too much speaker can tax that amp. I use SWR nearly exclusively, and have since 1990 or so. They never made a bad amp. And that 112 combo is excellent. But limited. In my experience.

SWR made a great extension cab called a Basic Black. It would perform well, but it wouldn't stack neatly. The WM 112 is an odd shape.

My main rig today consists of an SWR Interstellar Overdrive and Stewart power amp, or an SWR Bass 350 thru one, or sometimes two, Workingman's 212t cabs. I have used every kind of speaker cab made, this 212t is my favorite. I got two of em for 250 dollars, as temporary cabs til I could afford better. Except? I can't find anything better. Under 50 lbs, wheels, extremely efficient, and 8ohms. One is older and has Celestion drivers. Vintage, mid soaked tone perfect for metal. The other is newer, and has Eminence drivers. It's more modern sounding. Both are very detailed, and handle a lot of low end effortlessly. I use my Low B with reckless abandon, and in the 6 years I've owned em, they have excelled in any gigging or recording session. I've used the older one on countless dates, with no failures or problems. I'd think their efficiency would be great as an extension for your amp. If you can find one.

 

[40Hz]

I'm thinking a 2x10 or 4x10 cab. I love the tight, punchy tones that cut through. Opinions ?

If you can find an SWR Goliath II Junior 2x10 it’d pair nicely. Huge low end and as much punch as you could ask for. I use one with my SM-400.

 

[sylvanbass]

While this was long ago when I had mine, I used a Bag End 112 as an ext cab and it was very very nice, but only used that setup a few times. I support the keeping the family together suggestions and trying to find an older SWR cab to pair it with. As mentioned above, the Goliath II Junior 2X10 would probably be pretty slick. Wish I had tried that way back when. I loved SWR stuff and used it primarily in the late 90's and early 00's.

 

[bigdaddybass12]

I had the version 2 WM12. Great sound. I added a SWR pro 12 8 ohm cab to mine at a gig. The heat sink on the back was so hot I could not touch it. That was concerning.

 

[basscooker]

Workingman's 1x15T Bass Cabinet: [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]


Workingman's 2x10T Bass Cabinet: [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

 

[DRBP]

Thanks for everyone's input from my initial post regarding this wonderful, wonderful amp. It definitely helped my decision. I pulled the trigger on buying the WM 12 (Version 2) this morning. $200 and it's practically brand new. I noodled around with it for about 15 minutes after I got her home. I love it. This weekend I'll throw my effects at her and have some fun. This will more than likely be my ride or die amp.

Another question that I have. For an extension cab, what are your thoughts ? If I can ever find or form a band reasonably close to where I live, I know that I'm going to add a cab. Oh who the hell am I kidding ? I want one because the option is there. LOL.

It'll be a classic rock / classic metal thing. Man, how and when did Maiden, WASP and Priest fall into the "classic" category? I remember buying their debut albums when they were first released. smh. I'm real far away from being 15 years old. The days of having my ears ringing after band practice are long gone.

I'm thinking a 2x10 or 4x10 cab. I love the tight, punchy tones that cut through. Opinions ?

i replied to your original post. i have a workingmans 1x10 and a workingpro 1x12. find a workingman 1x15 cabinet and rock the heck out of it. that is what i use with my workingman 1x10 combo and it works and sounds great. this is really good gear. i have Ampeg, GK, and SWR gear and like it all. the SWR stuff is really good, don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. a workingman 1x15 cab is reasonably light and puts out great sound. they can be had pretty cheap if you keep your eyes open. nobody wants SWR gear anymore so prices are reasonable. you have to keep that in mind because repair might not be possible so remember it could be disposable gear. with that in mind, my oldest SWR is the 1x10 combo at 26 years and the youngest is the workingpro 1`x12 combo at about 8 years and it all works great. rock it and have fun!!!!

 

[Ben Esparza]

If you can find an SWR Goliath II Junior 2x10 it’d pair nicely. Huge low end and as much punch as you could ask for. I use one with my SM-400.

Problem is the SWR Goliath Jr. II is a 4 ohm cab. He would have to disconnect the in-house speaker and run the WM12 as a head only. The WM12 head only goes down to 4 ohms. Hope this helps. Great find.

 

[Jeff Scott]

Rich Uncle, perhaps ?

The original WM really deliver(ed).

Percy? Older brother, maybe!

Here's a better shot of Percy's WM15 (the Baby Blue II was mine, and Percy very much took notice of it).

Sorry about the guy blocking part of it.

SWR made a great extension cab called a Basic Black. It would perform well, but it wouldn't stack neatly. The WM 112 is an odd shape.

So is the Bass Monitor 12 that I had, but from the front, it matches the older WM12 perfectly.

I had the version 2 WM12. Great sound. I added a SWR pro 12 8 ohm cab to mine at a gig. The heat sink on the back was so hot I could not touch it. That was concerning.

...repair might not be possible so remember it could be disposable gear..

These are a very good reasons to have a fan running across the heatsink to help cool it down.

 

[Tom Henrich]

Thanks for everyone's input from my initial post regarding this wonderful, wonderful amp. It definitely helped my decision. I pulled the trigger on buying the WM 12 (Version 2) this morning. $200 and it's practically brand new. I noodled around with it for about 15 minutes after I got her home. I love it. This weekend I'll throw my effects at her and have some fun. This will more than likely be my ride or die amp.

Another question that I have. For an extension cab, what are your thoughts ? If I can ever find or form a band reasonably close to where I live, I know that I'm going to add a cab. Oh who the hell am I kidding ? I want one because the option is there. LOL.

It'll be a classic rock / classic metal thing. Man, how and when did Maiden, WASP and Priest fall into the "classic" category? I remember buying their debut albums when they were first released. smh. I'm real far away from being 15 years old. The days of having my ears ringing after band practice are long gone.

I'm thinking a 2x10 or 4x10 cab. I love the tight, punchy tones that cut through. Opinions ?

Rock on, my friend. Congratulations.

I actually recommend a single 15” cab. It will be lighter than a 210 while also having more speaker surface area. And at some point when/if you outgrow the WM12, get another matching 15” and a head.

There are also lightweight Neo 12’s around.

410’s are heavy unwieldy beasts to lug around; and tens aren’t the only way to get the tight punchy tone you seek.

Thanks !!! And thanks for the tip on the 15". From what I read the 15" don't give you all of the highs easily which I think is wrong. I used to have a Kustom head into a 2x18 cab many many moons ago. This was back in the mid to late 80s.

I bought all those on first release, too. And, along with a lotta other metal discs, they taught me how to play. First song I ever played live in front of a big audience was I Wanna be Somebody. Man, what a great time for music!

As far as an extension for that amp, I would also recommend a 112 or 115 cab. 120 watts is not a lot of power, and pushing too much speaker can tax that amp. I use SWR nearly exclusively, and have since 1990 or so. They never made a bad amp. And that 112 combo is excellent. But limited. In my experience.

SWR made a great extension cab called a Basic Black. It would perform well, but it wouldn't stack neatly. The WM 112 is an odd shape.

My main rig today consists of an SWR Interstellar Overdrive and Stewart power amp, or an SWR Bass 350 thru one, or sometimes two, Workingman's 212t cabs. I have used every kind of speaker cab made, this 212t is my favorite. I got two of em for 250 dollars, as temporary cabs til I could afford better. Except? I can't find anything better. Under 50 lbs, wheels, extremely efficient, and 8ohms. One is older and has Celestion drivers. Vintage, mid soaked tone perfect for metal. The other is newer, and has Eminence drivers. It's more modern sounding. Both are very detailed, and handle a lot of low end effortlessly. I use my Low B with reckless abandon, and in the 6 years I've owned em, they have excelled in any gigging or recording session. I've used the older one on countless dates, with no failures or problems. I'd think their efficiency would be great as an extension for your amp. If you can find one.

I bought all those on first release, too. And, along with a lotta other metal discs, they taught me how to play. First song I ever played live in front of a big audience was I Wanna be Somebody. Man, what a great time for music!

As far as an extension for that amp, I would also recommend a 112 or 115 cab. 120 watts is not a lot of power, and pushing too much speaker can tax that amp. I use SWR nearly exclusively, and have since 1990 or so. They never made a bad amp. And that 112 combo is excellent. But limited. In my experience.

SWR made a great extension cab called a Basic Black. It would perform well, but it wouldn't stack neatly. The WM 112 is an odd shape.

My main rig today consists of an SWR Interstellar Overdrive and Stewart power amp, or an SWR Bass 350 thru one, or sometimes two, Workingman's 212t cabs. I have used every kind of speaker cab made, this 212t is my favorite. I got two of em for 250 dollars, as temporary cabs til I could afford better. Except? I can't find anything better. Under 50 lbs, wheels, extremely efficient, and 8ohms. One is older and has Celestion drivers. Vintage, mid soaked tone perfect for metal. The other is newer, and has Eminence drivers. It's more modern sounding. Both are very detailed, and handle a lot of low end effortlessly. I use my Low B with reckless abandon, and in the 6 years I've owned em, they have excelled in any gigging or recording session. I've used the older one on countless dates, with no failures or problems. I'd think their efficiency would be great as an extension for your amp. If you can find one.

i replied to your original post. i have a workingmans 1x10 and a workingpro 1x12. find a workingman 1x15 cabinet and rock the heck out of it. that is what i use with my workingman 1x10 combo and it works and sounds great. this is really good gear. i have Ampeg, GK, and SWR gear and like it all. the SWR stuff is really good, don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. a workingman 1x15 cab is reasonably light and puts out great sound. they can be had pretty cheap if you keep your eyes open. nobody wants SWR gear anymore so prices are reasonable. you have to keep that in mind because repair might not be possible so remember it could be disposable gear. with that in mind, my oldest SWR is the 1x10 combo at 26 years and the youngest is the workingpro 1`x12 combo at about 8 years and it all works great. rock it and have fun!!!!

Rock on, my friend. Congratulations.

I actually recommend a single 15” cab. It will be lighter than a 210 while also having more speaker surface area. And at some point when/if you outgrow the WM12, get another matching 15” and a head.

There are also lightweight Neo 12’s around.

410’s are heavy unwieldy beasts to lug around; and tens aren’t the only way to get the tight punchy tone you seek.

Thanks for everyone's input from my initial post regarding this wonderful, wonderful amp. It definitely helped my decision. I pulled the trigger on buying the WM 12 (Version 2) this morning. $200 and it's practically brand new. I noodled around with it for about 15 minutes after I got her home. I love it. This weekend I'll throw my effects at her and have some fun. This will more than likely be my ride or die amp.

Another question that I have. For an extension cab, what are your thoughts ? If I can ever find or form a band reasonably close to where I live, I know that I'm going to add a cab. Oh who the hell am I kidding ? I want one because the option is there. LOL.

It'll be a classic rock / classic metal thing. Man, how and when did Maiden, WASP and Priest fall into the "classic" category? I remember buying their debut albums when they were first released. smh. I'm real far away from being 15 years old. The days of having my ears ringing after band practice are long gone.

I'm thinking a 2x10 or 4x10 cab. I love the tight, punchy tones that cut through. Opinions ?

 

[Tom Henrich]

Sorry guys. Replying is giving me trouble tonight for some reason. I have no idea why a million "quotes" are posting.

 

[Bar Band Bassman]

Love the WM 12? Try its big brother, the California Blonde

While the WM is dependable, the CB is joyous.

Agreed. My CB is the best thing I got this summer.

The Bar Band Bassman

 

[lunarpollen]

There's a resident WM15 combo in the practice space used by one of my bands... It's not in the best shape and doesn't really have a lot of headroom, but it gets loud enough for band practice in that room... What I really love about it is the ability to dial in good sounds with its various controls... like the design team really put thought into the features to make everything actually useful... I love it so much that I'm actually considering getting a used WorkingPro 700 head to be my own next bass head for gigging etc., despite much more compact bass head options out there nowadays, because the control layout is so similar to the WM combo.

 

[dBChad]

I saw Bag End come up earlier in this thread. I use 2 of their dual 18 subs in my front of house PA and they keep up with (and can even overpower) 8 tops! Easily sound like twice the cab they are and play lower than anything else on the market under $10,000. This is with their own signal processor the chain though (sound rather average without it).

They are on the heavy side though, but a 1x12, 2x12, or 1x15 with an ELF/Infra processor would make a powerful bass rig even if you tune to drop G#!

 

[Standalone]

I saw Bag End come up earlier in this thread. I use 2 of their dual 18 subs in my front of house PA and they keep up with (and can even overpower) 8 tops! Easily sound like twice the cab they are and play lower than anything else on the market under $10,000. This is with their own signal processor the chain though (sound rather average without it).

They are on the heavy side though, but a 1x12, 2x12, or 1x15 with an ELF/Infra processor would make a powerful bass rig even if you tune to drop G#!

There are the Bag End infra sub cabs, which you’re talking about. Those are for FOH, not really for bass rigs. Mixing one with a WM12 would be kind of absurd, especially given the OP’s stated tone goals of punch.

And then there are the regular Bag End bass cabs, which I play. They’re not that heavy at 43 pounds. They sound excellent — not super bassy or snappy in the treble, just musical and perfect. A Bag End 112 or 115 would go so nicely under your WM112.

But if you read the post above about running out of headroom — you eventually will with that amp. I let mine go when I was still playing with a bossa nice / jazz standards group. I didn’t have an extension cab, which would have helped.

But getting a cab for now that can be an extension and having the option for getting a second when you want to move up is a really cost effective way to grow.