Thunderchild tc112 or fearless f112?

[KJung]

Back to the two cabs from the OP...I've played both the TC115 and the F112 in a small blues context, and both are great in that, they take what you give them, but I guess I don't understand the concept of genre based cabs.

That sounds WAY snarkier than what I actually mean to say, but my point is... A well designed bass cab, to me should just accurately spit out whatever you feed it. Example, I love Slim Harpo, Howlin' Wolf, Little Walter, etc. Willie Dixon is my all time hero, along with Carol Kaye and Duck Dunn. I pick my favorite basses for the intended sound, but I use the same cabs for dirty blues gigs that I use for punk rock and pop country gigs. Having great cabs allows me to focus on other things when selecting the right tools for the job.

You are correct that any piece of gear can be used for any type of music. However, you are incorrect that any cab 'accurately spits out whatever you feed it'.

ALL cabs have a strong tonality, and no amount of knob twisting can make one cab sound like another. It is not about 'genre specific' at all, it is all about matching a players tone goals and volume needs as easily as possible.

I also use the same cab pretty much for most gigs I do, no matter what the musical genre. However, that cab has a very specific sound that works for me with a minimum of fuss. And I have another cab or two that sounds VERY different from my main cab, and does some things better than my main cab, and sounds better to me at certain volume levels with certain instruments (and yes, with certain styles of playing that seem to benefit for a certain tone).

Put another way, I also have a great cab that allows me to focus on other parts of the input chain and music. But you know what, my great cab sounds WAY different than your great cab. That is the way it works with backline amplification of a 'non programmed' sound source.

 

[rpsands]

No amount of knob twisting will make one sound exactly like another, but approximating is pretty easy, especially with decent EQ. You and I just disagree on this, but I've never had trouble getting a variety of workable sounds out of any number of high end cabinets I've tried.

And once someone starts mashing on a ride cymbal by my ear and running kick drum through the PA, the intricacies of a half db at 8khz become less important.

* That said, I will say that some cab voicings really do lend themselves to different genres and styles, so I can agree with that.

 

[KJung]

No amount of knob twisting will make one sound exactly like another, but approximating is pretty easy, especially with decent EQ. You and I just disagree on this, but I've never had trouble getting a variety of workable sounds out of any number of high end cabinets I've tried.

And once someone starts mashing on a ride cymbal by my ear and running kick drum through the PA, the intricacies of a half db at 8khz become less important.

Given that our tone goals are SO different, and that I use no effects at all, and use a relatively clean signal, I would guess you and I have very different situations.

I guess maybe I use more full range instruments, and the clean full range tone I use, with lots of upper midrange and treble in my tone, makes things a bit different.

Of course, I can play out of anything, but no amount of knob twisting has ever made a cab voiced opposite of my tone goal to all of a sudden be 'great'. I can get most things 'OK', but that is a different criterion.

(and yes, also if you play extremely loudly, with a mess of a mix or whatever, none of this stuff matters much anyway).

 

[tombowlus]

Does the HT112ER fall into this category also ?

Yup. See Ken's post, above, as well.

 

[dukeorock]

Some very fair comments...smug, but fair

The point is for myself (a working pro) I have found a single cab that I can take to any gig and come up with wonderful results. My projects range from old time western swing, string bands, noisy, artsy fartsy post punk, country...this just makes me happy and makes me love my cabs. I enjoy swapping out basses and amps and the odd effects here and there, but my cabs cover everything I do better than anything thing I've ever tried...of course that's just my opinion, and I am an authorized greenboy builder, but I can honestly say I build them because I love them, not the other way around. Heck, if I had a brain in my head I'd just keep using the free endorser cabs I've gotten over the years and save myself the headache, but once you hear what you want, it's tough to put a pricetag on it. Sayin'

 

[jnewmark]

Back to the two cabs from the OP...I've played both the TC115 and the F112 in a small blues context, and both are great in that, they take what you give them, but I guess I don't understand the concept of genre based cabs.

That sounds WAY snarkier than what I actually mean to say, but my point is... A well designed bass cab, to me should just accurately spit out whatever you feed it. Example, I love Slim Harpo, Howlin' Wolf, Little Walter, etc. Willie Dixon is my all time hero, along with Carol Kaye and Duck Dunn. I pick my favorite basses for the intended sound, but I use the same cabs for dirty blues gigs that I use for punk rock and pop country gigs. Having great cabs allows me to focus on other things when selecting the right tools for the job.

What I was trying to get at was a certain tone that I feel is appropriate for a classic Blues band, one lightweight cab solution. I dig all those guys too, and I definitely would'nt show up to the gig with a Ric bass, to play Little Walter tunes. On the other hand, I have heard many different versions of classic Blues tunes, " Back Door Man" by the Doors comes to mind, that I would not call a traditional approach to Howlin Wolf's original version. So no, there is no musical genre specific cab made out there that I know of, but, as Ken states alot better than I, there are cabs that have a certain, baked in sound, or flavor that can get you there with a minimum of knob twisting, that just might suit a certain genre or tone goal.

 

[wcriley]

My understanding is that the Avatar box was tonally in the same general ballpark as the fEARLess 15/6/1, but not implemented quite as well.

Off topic, but something that needs to be pointed out because of the confusion that seems to exist:
There is no such thing as a "fEARless 15/6/1". fEARful cabs and fEARless cabs are different designs.

 

[dukeorock]

What I was trying to get at was a certain tone that I feel is appropriate for a classic Blues band, one lightweight cab solution. I dig all those guys too, and I definitely would'nt show up to the gig with a Ric bass, to play Little Walter tunes. On the other hand, I have heard many different versions of classic Blues tunes, " Back Door Man" by the Doors comes to mind, that I would not call a traditional approach to Howlin Wolf's original version. So no, there is no musical genre specific cab made out there that I know of, but, as Ken states alot better than I, there are cabs that have a certain, baked in sound, or flavor that can get you there with a minimum of knob twisting, that just might suit a certain genre or tone goal.

Absolutely! And for the record, you stated it perfectly

 

[KJung]

Some very fair comments...smug, but fair

The point is for myself (a working pro) I have found a single cab that I can take to any gig and come up with wonderful results. My projects range from old time western swing, string bands, noisy, artsy fartsy post punk, country...this just makes me happy and makes me love my cabs. I enjoy swapping out basses and amps and the odd effects here and there, but my cabs cover everything I do better than anything thing I've ever tried...of course that's just my opinion, and I am an authorized greenboy builder, but I can honestly say I build them because I love them, not the other way around. Heck, if I had a brain in my head I'd just keep using the free endorser cabs I've gotten over the years and save myself the headache, but once you hear what you want, it's tough to put a pricetag on it. Sayin'

+1 I also feel the same way about the cabs I use. This is a good thing, and it is why there are so many cab voicings available. As you know through your building and playing experience, chops, instrument, string choice, the voicing of the amp, etc., etc. can all conspire to make one cab sound 'amazing' and the same cab to sound 'not amazing' in various situations.

However, +1, as you know, when you find one that is perfect (i.e., a voicing that starts you out in the right direction toward the tone you are trying to achieve, achieves the maximum volume you need in the most efficient and smallest/lightest way possible, and matches up well with your amp's power, EQ and inhernet voicing like hi passing, and yin yangs perfectly with the idiosyncracies of individual instruments), it is a very, very, very good thing!

I can go for 10 gigs with different groups in different rooms playing totally different styles of music, and literally not touch a knob on my amp other than master volume (assuming it is not a 'hell acoustics' venue)

 

[SeayBass]

so how are the TC112 and the F112 different, again?

 

[DukeLeJeune]

Has the new 8 Ohm Thunderchild 112 been released yet?

As RColie said, coming soon... I recently got to try a sample of a new (actually unreleased) compression driver whose performance I really like, and will be incorporating it in the 8-ohm TC112. I should be receiving a case of them in about a month, from the first production run.

The 8-ohm Thunderchild 112 will use the stock Kappalite 3012LF woofer, in 1.7 cubic feet tuned to 50 Hz, if anyone wants to model it.

 

[JxBass]

so how are the TC112 and the F112 different, again?

I've owned a TC112 and TC115 and F110 (which according to the builders sounds identical to the F112). The TC cabs sound smoother to my ear.

 

[SeayBass]

Hi all. If any of you are still subscribed to this thread, I have a bit of news.
Though I haven't heard an F112 yet, but I got my hands on a Thunderchild TC112 (AF no less) on the talkbass classifieds-> SCORE!

It's real damn good. I haven't even played electric through it yet. I have spent the last 1.5 hours fooling with my upright and gear and can actually achieve 'my bass only louder' with this cab (and the rest of my existing gear, so I don't have to buy anything else). I am very pleased.
I plan to A/B this with the next F112 I see. That may take a several months, but in the meantime I am very pleased with this Thunderchild cab.

Smooth is truly a good word to describe this cab. I don't hear anything jumping out of it frequency-wise, which is a very impressive bit of design work. IT's light it's loud and, although I knew I would, I LOVE the pluggable port feature. It is extremely handy for acoustic stuff.
I did not expect to be so excited by the rear tweeter- I assumed it wouldn't make much difference. I was WRONG. It makes a noticeable spread in the room, increasing the speaker's clarity and audibility, without a drawback (in the one room I have used it to date).

Well, for all yall who said I'd be happy with either, I am sure you are 50% right. One of these days I'll hear an F112 and be able to confirm your accuracy to 100%.

thanks again!

 

[dukeorock]

Congrats! Now you know what all the fuss is about

I did at least 50 shows on a TC115AF and don't really think you can judge a cab until you've played a few different rooms with it. If any upright player did 10 gigs on one of these AK-TC's and told me they didn't like their sound, I'd have to assume it was something other than the cab

 

[Bassist30]

Congrats! Now you know what all the fuss is about

I did at least 50 shows on a TC115AF and don't really think you can judge a cab until you've played a few different rooms with it. If any upright player did 10 gigs on one of these AK-TC's and told me they didn't like their sound, I'd have to assume it was something other than the cab

Wow I am very impressed that you can make a positive judgement on cabinets other than what you represent. That is so cool. You the man.

 

[dukeorock]

Wow I am very impressed that you can make a positive judgement on cabinets other than what you represent. That is so cool. You the man.

That's very kind...thanks There are a lot of great cabs out there...something for everyone

 

[SuperFunkyPete]

Hi all. If any of you are still subscribed to this thread, I have a bit of news.
Though I haven't heard an F112 yet, but I got my hands on a Thunderchild TC112 (AF no less) on the talkbass classifieds-> SCORE!

It's real damn good. I haven't even played electric through it yet. I have spent the last 1.5 hours fooling with my upright and gear and can actually achieve 'my bass only louder' with this cab (and the rest of my existing gear, so I don't have to buy anything else). I am very pleased.
I plan to A/B this with the next F112 I see. That may take a several months, but in the meantime I am very pleased with this Thunderchild cab.

Smooth is truly a good word to describe this cab. I don't hear anything jumping out of it frequency-wise, which is a very impressive bit of design work. IT's light it's loud and, although I knew I would, I LOVE the pluggable port feature. It is extremely handy for acoustic stuff.
I did not expect to be so excited by the rear tweeter- I assumed it wouldn't make much difference. I was WRONG. It makes a noticeable spread in the room, increasing the speaker's clarity and audibility, without a drawback (in the one room I have used it to date).

Well, for all yall who said I'd be happy with either, I am sure you are 50% right. One of these days I'll hear an F112 and be able to confirm your accuracy to 100%.

thanks again!

How is the TC for electric bass?

 

[tombowlus]

How is the TC for electric bass?

Exceptional, IME/IMHO.

 

[SuperFunkyPete]

Exceptional, IME/IMHO.

Thanks Tom. I really enjoyed the review in Bass Gear Magazine of the TC112AF.

I'm trying to decide between the TC112AF and the fEARless f112. This thread got me all excited....but it looks to be a tough call.

Been collecting info from Duke and various of the Greenboy builders....

Similar woofer in both (OEM changes notwithstanding, plus Duke is offering an 8 ohm stock 3012LF option), similar weights (if the f112 is in Okoume - about 33 lbs vs 31 lbs for the TC112AF), similar SPL, not too dissimilar form factor.

f112 likely to have better low end extension (bigger internal volume), has a changeable mid pad and a useful wedge feature. The mids would probably be quite different between the two given the Faital driver in the f112 and the horn in the TC112AF. ?differences in dispersion....we're getting down to some pretty fine detail here....

Cost is an issue - I think the fully tricked out f112 in Okoume is around $1225, the TC112AF is $920 when I last checked. Call it $300 difference.

Any chance of a fEARless review in BGM in the near future?

 

[tombowlus]

Thanks Tom. I really enjoyed the review in Bass Gear Magazine of the TC112AF.

Glad you liked it, thanks!

Any chance of a fEARless review in BGM in the near future?

Yes, I've been talking with several authorized Greenboy builders, and I am hoping to get a fEARless model in for review at some point. Nothing definite, yet.