There is one of these cabs for sale near me for a good price. And even though I've known these cabs existed I can't find much info beyond the specs. A search here & You Tube yielded very little. So I was wondering what you current & former users/owners of this cabinet could tell me. Thanks.
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Thoughts on Genz Benz 1288T-UQ
- Thread starter mwbassace
- Start date
IIRC those are a bit of a unicorn in that few make it to the used market. Owners dont let them go. I want to say I remember a praise thread about them being the bees knees, and "the Horse" himself adding to the thread that cab having a place in his heart as being a design he is super proud of. Surprised no replies so far, I really do remember that cab getting some real love here. Maybe it's not a thread but buried in the Genz club thread.
Either way, I say jump. A pair makes a 2x12+4x8 rig. Massive midrange and big lows.
Edit; a quick search turned up a couple results, but yeah, nothing like I'm remembering.... So consider my memory may suck, lol.
I still think if you're in the market and the cab is performing as designed, it is a winner.
Either way, I say jump. A pair makes a 2x12+4x8 rig. Massive midrange and big lows.
Edit; a quick search turned up a couple results, but yeah, nothing like I'm remembering.... So consider my memory may suck, lol.
I still think if you're in the market and the cab is performing as designed, it is a winner.
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I've got one that I stack on top of an UBER 115. It's a very nice cab with a smooth midrange and is quite a bit louder than a standard 112 cab as you could probably imagine. Here is a link to the original Mega Thread when it first came out.
Genz Benz: Uber Quad - Uber 115 Mega Thread
Genz Benz: Uber Quad - Uber 115 Mega Thread
I have four of them that I bought to satisfy my curiosity about line array bass; inspired decades ago by the Greatful Dead's Wall of Sound. It was all just for fun as I have never gigged with even one of them.
It's a good sounding cab if you are into more of a full range response thing. They are not flat or, to my surprise, particularly transparent. They tend to somewhat impose their own unique voice on whatever amp or bass you play through them. The low mids are a bit warm and slightly wide instead of super focused. The response of the 8s goes pretty high and the sound is fairly bright even if the tweeter is turn off.
I run the tweeter at about 25%, and it is barely noticeable. I think players who prefer more traditional speakers would describe the top end as somewhat sterile sounding, if not brittle. IMHO, it's easy enough to eliminate this with most amps by turning down the treble control; then these cabs have sort of a warm sound. Some say the mid range has sort of a vocal quality to it.
These cabs pair well with solid state and tube heads.
The only significant criticism I have is they are very heavy and bulky by today's standards. 58lbs and the placement of the handles is not what I would call ergonomic.
I paid $478-$525 shipped for each of mine in 2018. Their condition ranges from Good to Near Mint.
Supposedly the 1288T-UQ and 115T-UB where specifically designed to work together. A pair of 1288Ts is a potent rig that sounds fabulous, but the 115T is typically significantly cheaper on the used market and it's also 4lbs lighter. It also has a 2.5dB higher sensitivity rating; so watt for watt, it will pay louder.
I have a little bit of experience with the series II. I can't give a lot of details, but I do remember thinking it was a fabulous sounding cab. My memory is it was even and articulate with plenty of highs and lows. The EA should be a bit lighter than the 1288T.
I suggest trying both cabs out, lifting them, and then making your own decision. As long as they are in good working order, either would be great; so make the decision on your preference.
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DESCRIPTION
"The UBER QUAD"- named after it's unique, four speaker design. This compact, "multi-driver" cabinet features 4 separate drivers of varying sizes, which produce an incredible 3 dimensional tone. This multi-driver cabinet is excellent for bassists using "extended range" 6 and 7 string instruments. It has a signature tone however, that is ideal for any bassist looking to add a new element of depth, warmth and clarity to their tone. The all important mid range is handled by the dual 8" Neodymium speakers in separate, sealed internal enclosures providing thick, tight, warm mids without "honk" or harshness. These separate chambers are extremely compact which enhances the response and tight suspension of the driver's mechanical performance. This 600 watt 8 ohm cabinet sounds great on its own but can be an impressive stack when using 2 UBER QUADS or when stacked with our new GB 115T-UB.
As part of the UBER BASS series the cabinet features our distinctive "nubby" vinyl along with our classic grille and silver piping, Edge-Lift handles, Speakon® and 1/4" inputs, 100 Watt Tweeter Level control and crossover design based on a combination of electronic and electro-acoustic principals. This yields a combination of crossover slopes that result in smooth multi- dimensional composite acoustic response.
Invalid Link Removed
DESCRIPTION
"The UBER QUAD"- named after it's unique, four speaker design. This compact, "multi-driver" cabinet features 4 separate drivers of varying sizes, which produce an incredible 3 dimensional tone. This multi-driver cabinet is excellent for bassists using "extended range" 6 and 7 string instruments. It has a signature tone however, that is ideal for any bassist looking to add a new element of depth, warmth and clarity to their tone. The all important mid range is handled by the dual 8" Neodymium speakers in separate, sealed internal enclosures providing thick, tight, warm mids without "honk" or harshness. These separate chambers are extremely compact which enhances the response and tight suspension of the driver's mechanical performance. This 600 watt 8 ohm cabinet sounds great on its own but can be an impressive stack when using 2 UBER QUADS or when stacked with our new GB 115T-UB.
As part of the UBER BASS series the cabinet features our distinctive "nubby" vinyl along with our classic grille and silver piping, Edge-Lift handles, Speakon® and 1/4" inputs, 100 Watt Tweeter Level control and crossover design based on a combination of electronic and electro-acoustic principals. This yields a combination of crossover slopes that result in smooth multi- dimensional composite acoustic response.
I wonder how the GB would pair up with my BFM Jack 12?
I picked up a pair in really nice condition about a year ago, including padded covers for a pretty decent price. I had been interested in them for a while and found ONE on reverb LOCALLY (very lucky) and it turned out when I contacted the guy to check it out, he had the pair PLUS an NX2 2x12. So I figured I would probably end up within SOMETHING.
Anyway, I thought the one cab by itself (with my ShuttleMax 9.2) was really nice, but then convinced him to setup the other one as well. I felt like this would be a rig that I could use for basically any gig (and a single for smaller/medium gigs).
I will concur with Wasnex about the low mids. Warm and wide is a pretty accurate assessment I think. But I wouldn't say they're particularly "sterile" or bright in the highs. I run the tweeters at noon (ie halfway down). If I want to do something really fuzzy sometimes I'll back them off to more like 25% or less. For reference, I'm primarily using them with my SM 9.2 and a "modern" active 6 string. The bass can be a bit tricky to get dialed in in general, but I am able to get some really nice sounds with this setup, that I'm not sure would be possible with just any amp/cab setup. Since I have a pair, I haven't really pushed them that much, since I've mostly been able to use them for home practice. I did one LOUD metal gig with the pair, and they worked great for that. I also used a single one to rehearse with that band, and it was loud enough although I would have liked to have more space to get out in front of it, or raise it up (typical tiny practice room where everyone is kind of on top of each other).
I will agree on the ergonomics as well. It's a pretty deep and kind of square-ish cabinet. I'm a little under 6 feet and have reasonably long arms and I can kind of just about hold the cabs in front of me like a box of books. With the handles by yourself, they would be kind of in front of your legs. BUT, with one person on each handle with the cab between them, no problem. 58 pounds is not light for one person, but also not unmanageable. Two people helps with the bulk and makes the weight negligible. Most sane people probably only need or want one. I have some little furniture dollies that I got from harbor freight for cheap, so I use those to roll the cabs around at home, or venues, etc...
Like most things that may be a little more tricked out (think old sports cars), there may be some compromises and trade-offs. But these are very high quality cabs. The build quality, materials, attention to detail, etc... is very high as with all the Genz stuff. And these were one of the more high end products they made too.
So assuming these cabs are local, I say go try out the GB and EA, and see what you like. Take your BFM cab too and see how they pair (that's not unreasonable if you're serious about making a purchase if you like what you hear).
Anyway, I thought the one cab by itself (with my ShuttleMax 9.2) was really nice, but then convinced him to setup the other one as well. I felt like this would be a rig that I could use for basically any gig (and a single for smaller/medium gigs).
I will concur with Wasnex about the low mids. Warm and wide is a pretty accurate assessment I think. But I wouldn't say they're particularly "sterile" or bright in the highs. I run the tweeters at noon (ie halfway down). If I want to do something really fuzzy sometimes I'll back them off to more like 25% or less. For reference, I'm primarily using them with my SM 9.2 and a "modern" active 6 string. The bass can be a bit tricky to get dialed in in general, but I am able to get some really nice sounds with this setup, that I'm not sure would be possible with just any amp/cab setup. Since I have a pair, I haven't really pushed them that much, since I've mostly been able to use them for home practice. I did one LOUD metal gig with the pair, and they worked great for that. I also used a single one to rehearse with that band, and it was loud enough although I would have liked to have more space to get out in front of it, or raise it up (typical tiny practice room where everyone is kind of on top of each other).
I will agree on the ergonomics as well. It's a pretty deep and kind of square-ish cabinet. I'm a little under 6 feet and have reasonably long arms and I can kind of just about hold the cabs in front of me like a box of books. With the handles by yourself, they would be kind of in front of your legs. BUT, with one person on each handle with the cab between them, no problem. 58 pounds is not light for one person, but also not unmanageable. Two people helps with the bulk and makes the weight negligible. Most sane people probably only need or want one. I have some little furniture dollies that I got from harbor freight for cheap, so I use those to roll the cabs around at home, or venues, etc...
Like most things that may be a little more tricked out (think old sports cars), there may be some compromises and trade-offs. But these are very high quality cabs. The build quality, materials, attention to detail, etc... is very high as with all the Genz stuff. And these were one of the more high end products they made too.
So assuming these cabs are local, I say go try out the GB and EA, and see what you like. Take your BFM cab too and see how they pair (that's not unreasonable if you're serious about making a purchase if you like what you hear).
hasbeen
Commercial User
- Sep 23, 2004
- 4,806
- 2,668
- Disclosures
- Executive Vice President, The Adam Hall Group
No disrespect to my good friend Andy, but he didn't design the UC. That was my "concept" and I voiced it. Jeff G. did the designing and build. I was looking for a cabinet that would be outstanding for 6 string basses. I wanted something that was akin to being full-range, but not hi-fi sounding. FWIW it's worth, it was "voiced" with a USA Lakland 5 string, Mike Lull 4 string J bass, Ken Smith 6 string, MTD 6 string and Zon 6 string fretless.
It is my favorite cabinet out of the line and the last one we brought to market.
I stand corrected!
Could maybe have been I read a post you had made along those lines, or misread a post Mr.Field made. Either way thanks for the clarification.
I have always wanted to hear one for myself and have a chance to hear myself through one with time to experiment through different variations of eq. Beautiful design and layout.
I'm still playing with some of your gear, and am happy to have had the opportunity that Mr. Field gave me. Looking forward to making sawdust soon
hasbeen
Commercial User
- Sep 23, 2004
- 4,806
- 2,668
- Disclosures
- Executive Vice President, The Adam Hall Group
no worries. I hope you get chance to hear one.I stand corrected!
Could maybe have been I read a post you had made along those lines, or misread a post Mr.Field made. Either way thanks for the clarification.
I have always wanted to hear one for myself and have a chance to hear myself through one with time to experiment through different variations of eq. Beautiful design and layout.
I'm still playing with some of your gear, and am happy to have had the opportunity that Mr. Field gave me. Looking forward to making sawdust soon
These are indeed fantastic and a unicorn that does not pop up in the used market often. I love mine. I am glad to read the response from @hasbeen as it seems perfectly designed for a Ken Smith 6 string tone type thing. I love the sound with the tweeter attenuator turned down to about 15% - 25% and a little grit dailed in from an Ampeg tube preamp. It's never harsh sounding but it can do anything really imo. I wish I had two of them. It's taken years to arrive at the sound in my head and this cabinet is a large part of that tone.
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