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But for guitars it makes more sense. Strings are less likely to go out of tune due to string bends, when the length after the nut is as short as possible (or the longer it is, the bigger the chance that the string will get out of tune). Since you are mostly bending your GBE strings on a guitar, a reversed headstock is better in that respect.

Also tried several brands: -Fender: worst I've tried. Maybe my set was a dud, but it felt like I had strung my bass with the brake-cables from my bicycle. -Daddario: played nice, but sounded a bit dull -Thomastik/Infeld: best sounding to my ears. The lower tension means you have to adjust your set-up, but the play like a dream By the way, the TI strings are only slightly more expensive (or comparable) than those form the other brands mentioned here... Some time ago I replaced the strings on a newly bought Maruszczyk bass, which had been strung with their house brand flatwounds (which felt and sounded a bit like the Daddario's, to me at least). By accident I cut the G string too short, so I ended up with a bass that had the EAD strings from Thomastik, and the G form Maruszyzyk. Man, what a difference in sound (playability not that much). So much more definition, overtones and complexity with the Thomastiks. Luckily you can order separate strings, not just a whole set.

You could always experiment by creating an additional back-panel first (just get a nice piece of multiplex), so if you screw up, you just scrapped a cheap piece of wood. The port does not care on which side of the cab it is located. Than download [url="http://www.linearteam.dk/default.aspx?pageid=winisd"]WinISD[/url] and look up the specifics of the speakers in your cab (and measure the cab). This will give you some graphs to experiment with. You can even compare the cabs current state with any possible 'improvement' you'd like to try....

So.... that's what they mean with 'double bass'.

[url="http://public-peace.de/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=43&Itemid=49"]Maruszczyk[/url] makes a lighter Jazz bass.which can be built to look like a regular one (just mention it, 'cause on their site the look more 'bare'). On their site they only show actives ones, but I'm sure they'll built a passive one as well if you ask them (with any type of pickups, hardware etc.) It is a chambered bass, but sounds exactly the same as their regular Jazz model (with the same strings, pickups and preamp of course).

When you toy around with that WinISD programm (for calculating cab sizes etc.) you discover that you can get a good bass response from 10", 12" 15" or 18" speakers (didn't try it with 8" ones). Where cabs with smaller drivers usually mess up is cab size. For a good bass extension you usually need some volume (depending on the speaker type/brand what is the optimal volume), but people usually don't want a 10" cab to be the size of a 15" one... So many cabs with small drivers simply are too small for a good bass response. For 15" and 18" ones less so. In the image the green is the 10" the blue the 12" and the pink the 15" driver... So this is the reverse from what you'd expect, but... Look at the cab volume needed for the 10" and 12" ones. No one is going to build a 2x10" that big (anymore). That is also the reason why, on most of these home cinema systems (with these tiny speakers), everyone sounds like a chipmunk.

It really depends what kind of bass sound you are looking for (could you post any reference?). Within your budget there really are a lot of possible contenders: -MarkBass -Ampeg PF350 or PF500 -TC Elcetronics BH500 -Ibanez Promethean -etc. Recently I went to the same process as you, and ended up buying the Ampeg PF500. Best sound to my ears, and one of the most versatile within that budget (headphones, compressor, effect loop). Personally, I've owned the MarkBass (because so many people wrote good things about it) but it never really rocked my boat. The basic sound was a bit too hifi for me (dare I say boring) and the knob that is meant to tame that (the VLF) just clinically removed top end, making it even more boring. The sound just never got 'warm' (if that makes any sence at all). But.... I don't like hifi bass sounds. In the end (as everybody already told) try out and judge for yourself.

[url="http://www.hotamps.com/eng/bass-cabinets/bass-heads/"]Hot Amps[/url] Apart from the fact that they exist and that they are full tube amps, I really do not know anything about them.

[url="http://www.amplates.com/grillecloth.html"]Custom grille cloth[/url] First hit on Google.

I know. According to the article, it won't stop working. It will just demagnetize a tiny little bit over time. So the whole discussion isn't about significant (nor probably even hearable) demagnetization, but about the fact that it does happen.

[quote]as to your other claim, source?[/quote] Sure... [url="http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/eej.4390930502/abstract"]A study of irreversible demagnetization at low temperatures[/url] By the way, I agree with you. Leaving your gear in a car for a few days will not do any harm (provided your car isn't at the bottom of a lake). I just really would advice against using your car as a gear depot for years on end. And would leave a bass guitar in a car for a single hot afternoon.

The one I used to own was terrible for bass. Engaging it completely removed all bottom end. Don't know which version it was, though.

[quote name='escholl' post='1280393' date='Jun 24 2011, 01:19 AM']Whilst the strength of magnetic flux varies with temperature, permanent changes only occur when the magnet itself surpasses its Curie temperature, which even for Neodymium (which has the lowest Curie temp of all common magnet structures) is still around 300-350 degrees C. Other magnet structures are higher, generally between about 600-800 degrees C. I believe this is what Protium was referring to. In extended use, loudspeaker drivers (and their associated magnets) will often be heated to temperatures much higher than even the hottest car would ever get.[/quote] That's what I always assumed as well. But apparently prolonged exposure to changing temperatures might induce permanent change/damage as well (so leaving it in your car for a few days wouldn't be a problem, but several years would). But I think it might be more damaging to the plywood and tolex than the magnets... [quote name='escholl' post='1280393' date='Jun 24 2011, 01:19 AM']If a GPS, phone, ipod, stereo, laptop or whatever else might be left in a car can survive, I'm sure a bass cab will be fine. Provided it doesn't get nicked, mind.[/quote] True, but most of these things don't even last a few years if you treat hem properly

[quote name='molan' post='1280653' date='Jun 24 2011, 11:39 AM']Are they both with or without a tweeter? BE cabs don't usually have any tweeter level controls. I went for a 10 with tweeter & 15 without.[/quote] As far as I know Beg End 12's never have a tweeter (which saves me the trouble of switching it off )

Yeah, But I can only get the pair in a single deal (used), and there's no Bag End distributor in the Netherlands... So it's either the 2 x112 or nothing at all.