GlamBass74

Naked shots 😁

This is all I have at present

I've recently completed a pair of Basschat 12" MK3 cabs. I took them out for their first try last night complete with the sweatshirt covers I posted about recently I play in a moderately loud glam rock band. We had a "charidee" gig in a hall around 80 x 40 feet with a high ceiling last night. I used the cabs in "landscape mode" with my trusty old TC BH800 perched on top looking a bit lost. The temporary stage was a bit lively, otherwise I would've opted for portrait mode. I was afraid they'd topple over - especially whilst watching the support band's singer leap around like he had a bum full of mustard. When I built the cabs, I mirrored the baffles, so that the HF horns could be kept in alignment The amp was barely breaking a sweat and the bass control of the 4 band eq was reduced by maybe a third. Bottom end was plentiful My setup was Yamaha BB734A, lead, amp. Tone print compressor used in the amp. That's it. I'm very simple.... The tone was everything I want from a cab. Clear, defined without mush or muddiness that I normal get from my older home brew cabs in large halls. Felt good knowing I had oodles of power on tap if required. Bass filled the room without overpowering. Mids were strong and the wonderful HF section barks a great deal of clarity towards my moulded ear plugged lugholes. I could "feel" as well as hear my playing whilst stood in front of my cabs. Rather nice. Yep - the parts involved aren't cheap, (and all the little bits do add up when you begin building) but my oh my the performance is worth it. I own a couple of well respected manufacturer's cabs and these are making me wonder why I bothered!!! One is for sale as I type. If you're a liability with power tools, then you can buy a mildly supercharged version of the mk3 in the form of the LFSys Silverstone. If you can measure, use a few tools and enjoy a challenge, then you can still obtain the mk3 plans on this 'ere forum. I really would recommend it if you're thinking of having a go. Pub gigs will be easily taken care of with one of the pair. Outdoor or BIG rooms will be dealt with by the pair running together for sure. Any more required would be a PA job.... I've built them with top hats in the bottom, so we have a get out of jail PA system should ours cr*p out on us (its a pretty shonky setup that I hate with a passion, but my band mates are too tight to invest in upgrades) I look forward to trying the cabs in a PA role soon. I also recessed the handle on the top. I promised myself i'd take a few pictures, but as usual forgot. If you're near Norwich and interested, then i'm more than happy to let you come and try one/them Again... Big thanks to Stevie, Phil Starr and the crew for making this great resource available for us all. Cheers all Jon

That's the website shot sorted 😂

In a moment of madness, I wondered what would make a cheap cover for my bass chat 112 mk3 cabinet Taa daa! An old work uniform Russell athletic 262M sweatshirt in 3XL is just the job Stitch up the arm holes and jobs a good'un. Jeez I'm so professional Thank you Pearson Hydraulics! 🤣🤣🤣

If only more manufacturers stood by their kit like this!

have you considered making 2 off 1 x 10 cabs to make it a bit more of a modular rig? 1 x 10 for home practice/noodling and the more tame gigs both stacked for the more lively events.... I'm pretty confident you'd get 2 enclosures out of a sheet of ply. I'm sure the clever crew on the forum could guide you with regards to volumes and tuning etc. Just a thought.....

@JohnDaBass replied to you via message.

I recently bought a Yamaha BB734A and absolutely love it. However... The battery life seems pretty poor! I've taken to using it in passive mode these days instead of active (which was the reason I bought it!) I unplug when not in use - even breaks @ gigs. It doesn't seem to last very long at all Anyone else with one give me an idea of how long a decent battery lasts in their BB734A please? Thank you.

It wasn't It was a cab that actually uses the same driver as the monaco, but to my ears nowhere near as well Made me see red......

A few weeks ago, I received a message from another member of this fine parish asking me a rather exciting question. Would I be interested in road testing the latest offering from new company LFSys? It took me all of two seconds to reply. Fast forward a few days a rather exciting parcel arrives at my work. It’s the flagship of LFSys 12” bass cabinet range – THE MONACO What’s it all about? Well dear reader, LFSys is a new company formed by super brainy and all round good egg Stevie of the Basschat forum. Stevie, along with a few other kind souls have been generous in sharing designs on this forum that we can print out and build / attempt to build / look at longingly. I have had a go at the easy build 10” design and both the MK2 and MK3 12” design and I can say that the end results have been ace. The guidance available on the forum is superb and I’ve ended up with some pretty useful cabinets that I’ve gigged with great results. LFSys currently has a product line-up of The Silverstone – 300W 8 Ohm The Monaco – 600W 8 Ohm Along with a 10” design that will be available early 2023 (Can’t wait to see this!) So… To the Monaco! Those of you who have made sawdust and constructed a MK3 bass chat cab will recognise the Monaco’s physical dimensions, but that’s where the similarities end. Different neo driver, neo horn, quality horn flare and in-house crossover add up to create a “supercharged” version of the cab…. and the Basschat cab was already very capable! Fit and finish is great. This cabinet is no thin ply featherweight being constructed from top quality 15mm Poplar ply, but the dimensions of the cabinet make it easy to transport via the large, comfortable handle. Even my shovel like hands fit in the recessed dish of the handle comfortably. It’s balanced nicely and the cabinet isn’t deep, which makes it a cinch to move around. It’s tough, but easily manageable – ideal for a life on the road. I have a strict “no scales” policy in my house, but the website lists the Monaco @ 15kg. A strong, but light gauge steel grille keeps the expensive parts protected and quality stackable corners (if you’d ever need more than one of these!) resist the knocks and bangs of gigging and touring. A twin Speakon connector is neatly recess into the back of the cabinet. There is no HF horn control present – more on that later. I used the Monaco with a TC Electronics BH800 head. It’s a good pairing as the BH is capable of approx. 400 ish watts @ 8 ohms. I also tried a Genz Benz Shuttle 3.0 and a Crown Drivecore power amp with various preamp pedals. LFSys have designed the Monaco to be FRFR (Full Range, Flat Response) The Monaco doesn’t “colour” the sound of your bass. You’re hearing your bass and your style, rather than a “baked in” tone that some designs possess. I played a few frequency sweeps through the cabinet. The progression between driver and horn was smooth with no prominent volume gains or dips. I also played some pre-recorded music through the Monaco and found myself adding bass to an otherwise flat EQ. It was only once I moved away from the cabinet a little that I realised that the bass is most definitely there, but nowhere near as muddy or boomy as most cabinets I’ve used. It’s a really tight, punchy bass. Groovy! I mentioned earlier there was no HF horn control. It doesn’t need it. The superbly designed crossover is taking care of everything rather nicely and a quick tweak of the EQ on your amp will give you what you need. You get out what you’re putting into this design. I used the Monaco at two local gigs with a rather loud 70’s Rock / Glam Rock band and it took both gigs in its stride. Positive comments from both band members and audience. Even my partner said she really noticed the “better sounding box” (praise indeed) The first of the two gigs was in a large pub with a very small stage. We’re a five piece band, so a small stage generally means that my cabinet is making my flares flap around and my ears struggle to pick out the mid and upper end of my tone, but I could hear the mids and highs much better than the other “quality” cabs I’ve used in the same venue. I’ve gotten around this issue in the past by raising the other cabinets off the stage a little or tilting the cabinet back. The Monaco remained on the floor right behind me and my amp was not really breaking a sweat. I think a large part of the success of this design is the use of a good quality horn and flare which is crossed over at an ideal frequency, rather than a “token” (read cheap maybe?) horn like some manufacturers fit, that seems to squirt a little bit of high end fizz forwards and leaves a big hole right where we need to be hearing things. I’m no expert, but this is how it feels to me. Summary A good looking, well-built speaker cabinet that sonically equals or betters anything I’ve played through. Clear, punchy and LOUD with the mush and boom that so many cabinets seem to produce. Great dispersion means the Monaco is ideal for small, cramped pub type gigs, but has the volume and punch to meet all but the biggest pub/club type gigs needs. FRFR means that you can decide what you really want to hear. The addition of pedals/multi FX and tweaking of EQ can give you a really broad spectrum of tones. You really can “dial in” the tone or style you wish to hear. My VT Bass DI really came to life through the Monaco. Would I change anything? The only thing I would like to see is the handle recessed slightly to allow amps with small feet to sit on top of the cabinet. Possibly a few colour options for an extra (and no doubt sensible) charge? Us low frequency lovers seem to buy with our eyes as much as our ears. Something to consider maybe? Would you need more than one of these? Unless you’re intending to rip the crowd’s faces off, then I doubt it. It’d be fun to try though…. Price! The Monaco currently retails for £795. It seems that most “well regarded” cabinets of a similar spec are now in four figures. The Monaco is a whole lot of speaker cabinet, made from quality components by someone who knows his stuff for a very sensible price. A tough cover is also available to keep your new investment in great condition. Amazing warranty period of 3 years. I also have no doubt that Stevie will stand by his product and offer assistance as and when required. Buy with confidence! If you’re in the market for a new “do it all” bass speaker cabinet, I’d recommend that you take a look at the new kid in town, I’m pretty sure you won’t be disappointed. Thanks for the opportunity LFSys - I appreciate you trusting me with your product. For more info and full specs, visit www.lfsys.co.uk (Pics - The Monaco in all its glory, the Monaco being put through it's paces by an idiot in deepest darkest Norfolk and a shot of the internals - strong!)

It's the socks that are intriguing me..... I quite often seem to manage to capture my partner's undercrackers drying on the radiator in my build photos much to her annoyance. Especially when it's the thousand wash grey ones

Silicon sealant is your friend. I'm sure the holes won't be an issue. Someone with more knowledge will be along soon 😁

Not great, but whether that's down to the glue or not is unknown. appreciate your input on this Stevie I think my mum could do a better job..... Bit of a commute though

good stuff - you've got the bug!

Hello fellow basschatters Has anyone every come across a driver that is finished as per the picture below? I'm assuming it's a manufacturing error? I won't say what it is or where it's from as I don't wish to start a slanging match Any thoughts appreciated. Maybe a Friday afternoon build or the apprentice was let loose? 😁 Could this affect my tone?

Just a quick update for those interested. No rehearsals or big enough gigs for the thunderbox to be wheeled out yet.... But I've been playing around at home. I use a crown XLS2002 rack mount power amp and TC Spectradrive. Or a TC BH550/800 It's hard to explain, but the bass is really "there", but without being as in your face as other cabs i've tried. Its like the engine room. It's all going on very nicely, but nobody's shouting about it. I'd expect an enclosure of this size to be quite boomy if driven hard, but it isn't. The 2 SM212's just punt out a really nice foundation for the mid and high to work with. The real star of the show for me is that midrange horn (hardest part to make and install - the rest is pretty straightforward) and Alpha 6 CBMR. Turning the low or high mids on the preamp pedal really does sculpt your sound nicely. Increased, it really punches its way through. Cut back gives a really smooth, full, dubby tone. I can't wait to hear this in a decent venue. The bar handles I fitted are a bit poo. Looks like the component parts are possibly lazer cut and folded and there are some gaps. When driving the cab a bit more, I heard air and sure enough there are a few leaks from those darn handles. I plan to remove them and coat the holey areas with some silicon. Not pretty, but you won't see it. I'm glad I fitted bar handles and wheels however. Moving this cab without and alone would be a bit of a chore. Am I glad I built it? Yes. Am I looking forward to transporting it? No (I used to haul a Hammond and Leslie around East Anglia in my 20's, so i'm sure i'll cope) Would I recommend it? Yes - If you are playing the type of gigs that demand a cab of this size and power and you have an understanding/brilliant partner and room to store it 😁 This cab is currently living in our lounge next to my 4 x 10 trace combo..... Yep, Mrs Glambass74 is very tolerant. I'll shut up for now. Will write more once the thunderbox has been unleashed on an unsuspecting band/crowd Jon

It is when they work 😁 Recently completed a shelf ported cab that looked the business but sounded like a wet fart through a tea towel. Most disappointing The carcass of the beast is now residing in a skip at my local recycling centre.

Here you go @JohnDaBass I wasn't particularly proud of my build. It was a bit messy, but I managed to correct and salvage as I went along. Driver is an old delta 12lf in the pic

Decoupage isn't that hard to do. Quite theraputic actually. It's VERY time consuming, but I just sat watching tripe on TV whilst cutting out the individual bits. I used MOD PODGE glue. Not cheap, but works very well. Paste it onto the back of the snippet liberally and then stick on. Then cover the "good" face of the snipped with plenty of glue. Don't paste an area and then whack them on - I did this and it ended up "lumpy" with air bubbles. The glue darkens the paper to begin with, but lightens as it dries. Once covered, I then applied a couple of coats of the glue to really seal it well. It's easily repairable, individual and you get to peel the glue bogeys off your fingers when you've finished 😁 I did a pair of jack 10's a few years ago along with a rack mount sleeve. I think that's where I got the bug

I bought the plans for the Omni 15 TB ages ago. I then cut the wood at the beginning of this year and promptly moved onto another project. (basschat mk3) I finally pulled my finger out and finished the "wheelie bin" this weekend. I loaded it with 2 x Beyma SM212 drivers, an Alpha 6CBMR and an APT80 I couldn't decide on a finish, so ended up with good old decoupage. I've done a few cabs like this now. I knew I kept all my Beano comics for a reason. Fitted wheels and handles on the side to ease transportation along with sprung handles on the side. The crossovers were the hardest part for me, but I eventually cracked it (thanks Stevie for supplying me with the necessary parts) So - How does it sound? Good - very good. I started with some pre-recorded tunes and was really impressed with the balance of the 3 "sections" of the cab. The bass is deep and full without sounding boomy, honky or muddy. The mids cut through really nicely. The closed back alpha sounds great. The APT80 adds plenty of sizzle if required. Great for slappers or if using as a PA cab. I tried it with my TC Electronics BH550 and with the EQ flat the cab sounded really "equal" - nothing seemed too harsh, too loud or too quiet. It doesn't seem to need many watts at all to reach respectable levels. I would imagine a 30-50 watt all valve amp would thunder through this. The build was fairly straightforward. The mid range horn construction is probably the most challenging part of the woodwork. I found that building the cab in 1-2 hour sessions was beneficial. Reading the plans plenty of times before getting started really helped too. I'm yet to use it in a rehearsal or gigging situation, but I will report back once I have. Positives Self built - Great sense of achievement and finish can be customised Can be built with different user options / drivers. Info listed in the plans. Big, full sound Negatives Heavy - but.....you can't have everything can you? Not sure of total cost - I got the parts together over a long period of time, so it doesn't seem as painful on the old wallet. I had the Beymas already, so that helped. Fairly easy to load into vehicles thanks to the wheels. Stairs are the only issue i've found so far It's probably overkill for most of the gigs I play, but I imagine that larger events or outdoor bookings without PA support would be right up this cab's street I've tried it with a P Bass and a Jazz and it really does sound very good indeed. Every nuance of your playing is there for all to hear! (is that a good thing?) My fab missus made me a retro denim patch cover for it too. Groovy! I will update this post once the cab has a few gigs under it's belt. Cheers Jon