Why are bass cabinets so expensive?

[Reno Guy]

As the title asks, why are bass cabinets so expensive? I have a TC Electronics mini bass head that I keep as a backup. I'm taking it to the cabin with my backup bass for the summer and I was hoping to find an inexpensive bass cab to use it with.

There's nothing under $500 (CDN) except for a tiny 20 watt Orange for $150, yet I can buy 20 different combo amps for less than $400. For example, I can buy a Fender Rumble 25 for $180 or an Orange Crush 25 for $300 but can't find a basic bass cab for $200 or less.

Am I missing something?

 

[Zooberwerx]

As the title asks, why are bass cabinets so expensive? I have a TC Electronics mini bass head that I keep as a backup. I'm taking it to the cabin with my backup bass for the summer and I was hoping to find an inexpensive bass cab to use it with.

There's nothing under $500 (CDN) except for a tiny 20 watt Orange for $150, yet I can buy 20 different combo amps for less than $400. For example, I can buy a Fender Rumble 25 for $180 or an Orange Crush 25 for $300 but can't find a basic bass cab for $200 or less.

Am I missing something?

Ted Kaczynski had the same complaint.

I'm not seeing the bargains on used enclosures as I did in years gone by, either. The new gear is expensive + the economy bites = people are holding on to what they have.

Riis

 

[C Stone]

Up your search skills? Maybe it’s your location, seems there are tons out there
What size cabs are you interested in?

 

[C Stone]

Up your search skills? Maybe it’s your location but seems there are tons out there What size cab are you looking for?

 

[gln1955]

You can't compare the speaker in a Rumble 25 to cabs which are mostly going to be 250W or more. Low wattage cabs are rare beasts and for legit reasons.

 

[agedhorse]

Part of it is that there are not many entry level bass cabinets on the market because the average player looking for entry level cabinet is also looking for an entry level combo.

 

[bobyoung53]

As the title asks, why are bass cabinets so expensive? I have a TC Electronics mini bass head that I keep as a backup. I'm taking it to the cabin with my backup bass for the summer and I was hoping to find an inexpensive bass cab to use it with.

There's nothing under $500 (CDN) except for a tiny 20 watt Orange for $150, yet I can buy 20 different combo amps for less than $400. For example, I can buy a Fender Rumble 25 for $180 or an Orange Crush 25 for $300 but can't find a basic bass cab for $200 or less.

Am I missing something?

You should be able to find a cheap used bass cab on ebay, CL, Reverb something like that, if I am looking for something heavy on ebay for example, I will set it to closest distance first, I found a few very good but very heavy cabs cheap that way.

 

[ihixulu]

You had to ask this 5 times?

 

[Hot Rats]

You had to ask this 5 times?

I've been experiencing some glitches with posting the last day and today. I edited a post and wound up posting it 3 times. Patience helps.

 

[mikeswals]

Used. I always search used first.

 

[mikeswals]

Used. I always search used first.

 

[DJ Bebop]

As the title asks, why are bass cabinets so expensive? I have a TC Electronics mini bass head that I keep as a backup. I'm taking it to the cabin with my backup bass for the summer and I was hoping to find an inexpensive bass cab to use it with.

There's nothing under $500 (CDN) except for a tiny 20 watt Orange for $150, yet I can buy 20 different combo amps for less than $400. For example, I can buy a Fender Rumble 25 for $180 or an Orange Crush 25 for $300 but can't find a basic bass cab for $200 or less.

Am I missing something?

Most old heavy cabs are cheaper now but most newer cabs are better engineered, built, and are lighter. The price of admission to those newer cabinets are higher because of the work that went inside.

Seek out the old heavy cabs for a price break.

 

[Redbrangus]

A TCE BC-208 is only a bit over 200 American frogskins -- I'm not sure what that is in loonies.

 

[InkCow]

For your budget, your options are "old, used, and heavy".
The cheapest (new) bass cabinets are either Seismic Audio or TC Electronic's BC208. Both would be over your budget, though.

 

[jmattbassplaya]

Seek out the old heavy cabs for a price break.

Back break included free of charge with the old ones, too

 

[guitarflinger]

This would be a good place to start
Ampeg SVT-210AV 2 x 10-inch 200-watt Classic Bass Cabinet - Black | Sweetwater

Easy to carry, sounds very nice. I use one (actually 2) in my practice room

 

[jmattbassplaya]

I just bought a new Markbass Pure 104 cab on sale for about $800. No, that’s not cheap, but for a 4x10 that weighs only 35lbs and can put out the volume it does it’s, IMO, a very good value.

 

[MtManiac]

As the title asks, why are bass cabinets so expensive? I have a TC Electronics mini bass head that I keep as a backup. I'm taking it to the cabin with my backup bass for the summer and I was hoping to find an inexpensive bass cab to use it with.

There's nothing under $500 (CDN) except for a tiny 20 watt Orange for $150, yet I can buy 20 different combo amps for less than $400. For example, I can buy a Fender Rumble 25 for $180 or an Orange Crush 25 for $300 but can't find a basic bass cab for $200 or less.

Am I missing something?

Where are you looking?

Kijiji usually has a ton of cabinets available. I bought an Aguilar GS212 for $400, an Avatar 212 for $200, and two Aguilar DB210’s for $800 total, all on Kijiji, all CAD, not to mention innumerable Traynor/Yorkville or Peavey cabs over the years.

 

[dbsfgyd1]

As the title asks, why are bass cabinets so expensive? I have a TC Electronics mini bass head that I keep as a backup. I'm taking it to the cabin with my backup bass for the summer and I was hoping to find an inexpensive bass cab to use it with.

There's nothing under $500 (CDN) except for a tiny 20 watt Orange for $150, yet I can buy 20 different combo amps for less than $400. For example, I can buy a Fender Rumble 25 for $180 or an Orange Crush 25 for $300 but can't find a basic bass cab for $200 or less.

Am I missing something?

Are we talking new or used? I’m pretty sure you can find something used in reasonably good shape with in your budget. New, if your amp has an effects send I’d just take an Xvive IEM system that runs about $200 American.

 

[singlemalt]

I sold my last Peavey 2-15, with EV drivers for $100. I probably would have gone for $50, but you have to get it up the stairs.

Older, heavy and cheap is not hard to find.