Count Bassie

I'll just jump into the alligator pit here and say that 120 watts or thereabouts will be plenty for small band rehearsals and gigs. I found a Hartke Kickback 12 used, and have been bringing it to a few open mics with full band capability and PA. It throws nicely into the room and has plenty of stage sound. The Hartke is 120 watts and doesn't take an extension cab. If you have PA, it's got an xlr out. There are good eq/shaping tools and the kickback design is nice for small stage monitoring. You don't need big wattage for rehearsals or small rooms, even with 2 guitar players. You just need some efficiency. Unless you're wheeling in a Marshall 50-watt head and a slant 4x12, and are in a Blue Cheer tribute band, you should be ok.

I use a separate HPF made by Broughton. It's the first thing my signal hits from the bass, and it's set generally between 50-60Hz. I still get disturbing, belly-rolling lows and I know I'm doing something to protect my speakers, and help keep mud out of the stage mix.

I've got one, bought on enthusiastic recommendation from my electronics engineer friend, in severe disrepair for $80 US (I'm a Yankee), and had him refurbish it... it needed new power caps, some re-soldering, a lot of stuff I'm not knowledgeable about. When it was finished, I discovered what a beast it is. The Automix feature, which combines the two channels, is a beautiful piece of engineering. To get that happening I got one channel sounding good, then the other, and then combined them with the Automix toggle... then, between setting the channel volumes and tweaking each channel's settings, I found the sweet balance between the belly of a 9-ton beast and the tapping of a butterfly's wings on glass (of COURSE I exaggerate! XD). It was the tone I'd been seeking my whole life. Do enough reading and you'll hear a lot of good things about the preamp- and it's all true. I've got it running into an SWR Goliath-II (8 ohms) and it's deadly. I haven't hooked the big Ben up to it yet, but I imagine I may pass out when I do. The power section's architecture is very similar to the Acoustic Control Corp 370 head, and the power ratings are similar. Running this at 4 ohms, with a reasonably efficient speaker system, well, even if it isn't your java, I'm sure you're going to be impressed. The Mk III is one of the better kept secrets out there. I'd take yours in for a check-up, and if you need parts they're relatively easy to get. Go on and bring you some noise...

Sorry to be so slow... I'm ok, busy as a bee in a window! Seeing a kid off to college this fall, hoping her studies in biomechanical engineering can get me a couple new joints! Lol. It's very nice to catch up with you, and your work looks as stellar as ever! Very nice. I'll be checking in, if that's ok... (Carlo told us you were here, posting build threads! And right, you already knew that...)

So good to see you're at something outstanding Christine! And right, what else would you be at, of course. Always a treat to see your work.

Hey this looks great! I'll be very interested to hear some clips! I'm toying with the idea of using something along the lines of pressure treated fir, maybe some southern yellow pine. Got my ear to this...

I got a nice offer from someone here for a 1518, thing is I'm over in Rhode Island, USA, and could buy a used vehicle for the price of shipping, I think! But thanks for the offer. I will be keeping my eyes open though, thanks. I'll also look at the sites of those manufacturers, can call up US Speaker over here too. I think Fane is popular your way though, no? Also Trace being English, figured I might get some local knowledge from the old neighborhood here. Thanks for the replies, all.

Greetings, I got a Series 6 1518 cab, had some Peavey spkr in it. Does anyone know the original Fane model# that came with it? Thanks for your time...

Love the giant speaker and can there, Markstuk- perfect for this summer's festival circuit...

Love the giant speaker/ enclosure there, Markstuk! That would do it for the festival circuit...

Thanks for the replies, very helpful! I've been looking at a Peavey Pro 810 or a flatback Ampeg 810. Trading a GK Neo 212-II for it. I'll be playing outside this summer, so the big-box will earn it's keep, I figure.

Looking at a Peavey Pro 810 cab, which is a sealed box. I hear, and have ecperienced that a ported cab brings out more lows than a sealed type. Any thoughts here on it? I wonder if the larger bank of 10s would bring more of an impression of depth, even in a sealed enclosure?

This is about the same line of replies I got over at the Talkbass site. Actually these were slightly more interesting to read! Thanks for the chime-ins, everybody. I went and got a GK head for my GK cab after all. But I appreciate your time!

Greetings, been awhile. Had a question if you'll suffer it... I just came a cross a Wharfdale WHB300H and a matching 212 combo. It looks very fancy in its red suit, and I wonder if any of you folks have experience with or knowledge of it? I'm in the market for a new head, and am curious. Thanks for your time. And don't forget those safety goggles.

Picked up an old, not so rare Sunn 215S cab, and it's loaded with some well-used Celestion PA 15s- it had been run with an old SVT in fact. But I wonder if there any advice on what one would put in it for a nicer, heftier low end and good throw into a room? Also something NEO might be fun... Thanks for your time.

Hey thought I'd bring this old topic back since I've pretty well finished my 210 cab project this thread was originally about. I loaded it with some old Eminence drivers I had laying around, neos from an Avatar 210. Had them reconed, and I've been playing out with it. Did a reggae gig last night, and it did a nice job. Full, big and deep, good snap up top. She's being a good little tank. Now if I can figure how to post a photo here from my little phone I'll put it up here...

The heavy is definitely an issue- moving gear becomes a logistical problem to solve, and requires some muscle. But last night it was worth it- reggae through the 301 folded-horn 1x18 was massive. Won't get that out of a small box, though that's mostly because of the design of the cab... the old folded horns did their own folded-horn thing, and the Acoustic is particularly colorful in its way. Not ready to give up my fridge just yet!

[quote name='brensabre79' timestamp='1433520725' post='2791848'] I still remember my old 301 with great fondness, unfortunately I didn't have the 370 to go with mine. My 'heavy rig' is the Peavey Alphabass All-valve head - which I have modified. Love the sound. My Carvin BX500 comes pretty close in awesomeness but lacks the big bouncy push you get from all-valve. [/quote] That Alphabass is a neat amp, a friend of mine has one and won't sell it. Do dig my 301 though- what a sound that beast has. Playing a reggae gig tonight, running my little Trace AH250SMX into it. First outing with this one, the boys're in for a fun surprise... Dig that 215 cab, Daddy-O.

[quote name='spacey' timestamp='1433321217' post='2789990'] ...Or have you flogged the new stuff you bought and hunted down what you had before. Pics welcome, who has the boldest and oldest "it just bloody works" bass rig that despite its weight, its worth lumping. [/quote] I had an [b]Acoustic 370[/b]- head only- when I was a new player, I'd been at it for about 3 or so years by then. Since then I've had the whole rig (called the [b]371[/b] when accompanied by its mate folded-horn 1x18 cab, the [b]301 Transducer[/b]), but sold it because of our basement being up a short-ish flight of old stone/mortar steps I didn't want to ruin. Anyway I've come back upon one (damn the mortar), and I am looking forward to that sound wrapping around my head once again! Best and most character-embued bass head I've ever owned I think, and as soon as I get it back from repairs at the shop, it's off to rock-land... Can't seem to get my attachment to attach... I'll try again later I guess.

I am, still, all lack of evidence pointing to the contrary aside, on a path to completion of this project. Updates pending, probably after recovery from this bottle of inexpensive red wine, and after the order has been placed for the speakers from the US Fane sales representative...

Well I've gotten derailed for a minute... (lol) I have an old Polytone 212-300 "Custom Bass Amp" combo amp; 180 watts, 2x12. The 12s are CTS speakers from 1974- the vintage of the amp- and they're a tad fragile I think to be bass speakers. So I'm going to try a pair of Fanes in there, and see how she rolls. The amp's controls are dead-simple: Bass/treble/Volume, 2 channels of each, each channel with a choice of 2 input jacks with a difference in sensitivity (I think that's the difference- they do sound different anyway). The sound out of this old thing is sweet and plump, not powerful so much as fat and tone-ful... great for R&B vibe, it's low-impact and well-spoken. My Squier Franken-P-Bass sounds very nice with the Thomastik flats on it... mo' as this and other stories develop...

Lesson learned. Now you can save up for something nice and not kill it! Always look on the bright side of life...

[quote name='Phil Starr' timestamp='1352413647' post='1862882'] I'd forgotten this thread. First of all yes i would definitely port the cab.[/quote] There's the original plan; I've got inserts cut to plug two of the baffle holes and will turn them into ports... [quote name='Phil Starr' timestamp='1352413647' post='1862882']Your amp will overload the 125's but this is more due to over excursion than the thermal load. Having said that they suit your cab a little better. In practice it depends upon how you use them. I've used two with a 600W amp but I tend to leave the bass flat or even cut a little and I don't play in a very loud band. I can drown out the drummer and so it is plenty loud enough for me. If you use a lot of bass boost or are heavy on the volume there is a small risk. How easy would it be to get replacements?[/quote] Replacements are pretty easy, and the Fanes are [i]quite cheap[/i] over here. Don't want to say that too loud... I'll probably run at the 10-125s and see what they're like. For what I'll be using it for I don't think I'll need to worry much. Also I had a bad groove on blowing speakers a few years back, and have since learned (after 30 years of playing, heh) that bass guitar isn't really a "bass instrument" per se anyway- it's more mids-friendly, and fools the ear into hearing "bass"- so I don't have to be King Tubby to get it on in the rhythm section! But you knew that. [quote name='Phil Starr' timestamp='1352413647' post='1862882']If you wnt to be idiot proof the 300's take you well beyond the thermal limits and with the extra air in your cab the speakers are less likely to go beyond the excursion limits. They are going to have an extended bass with a slow roll off in this cab so they might be a bit 'polite' sounding though the bass will be clean and deep. If it helps I've been gigging a lot with the 300's in a 2x10 but I'm swapping them out for the 125's to get a little more character. The 300's are cleaner and will be going into a pair of wedges. [/quote] Thanks for looking back in Phil! I will post pix and some notes when I have it set up and making some noise.

Hey one more question, if I can tax you guys again: My amp is now an SWR SM-400s, and it runs around 400w @ 8 ohms, more at 4 ohms... I'm afraid of slamming too hard into a pair of 10-125s. Now maybe this is a bit of an obvious question, but would you rather go for the 10-300s?...

[quote name='jaydentaku' timestamp='1350569888' post='1840645'] I have a hand made cab i pick up from a fellow on here. It has an 18" Fane Classic 200watts at 8ohms. Its from the 80's. Forget the figures, it is LOUD and has an excellent sound. [/quote] That's encouraging! Also I've just heard from a Fane rep after contacting them, and the prices are pretty encouraging as well... so I shall return...