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Barefaced Handles rant


Kevin Dean
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[quote name='Ghost_Bass' timestamp='1413453653' post='2578328']
Don't know... i like BF because of the flat response. From what i've been reading TKS seems to have a small amount of "colour" (read mid-scoop/bass boost) on it's sound. Maybe i'm wrong.

I do love their looks with the silver cloth and that big wood frame around, SEXY!!! ;)
[/quote]

Yep - the 12"s I use have no tweeters, and couldn't be described as flat. Mid-scoop? Nope. Nada. The mids on these are glorious, which is why I love 'em. I detest mid scoop. They're just excellent quality traditional-sounding bass cabs, with a lovely roll-off at the top, but lightweight.

The Neo 1126 I had a loan of was much more 'full range studio monitor'-sounding. Not my bag at all, but loaded with a tweeter, the flat-response lovers would probably be right into it.

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[quote name='wateroftyne' timestamp='1413453959' post='2578330']
Yep - the 12"s I use have no tweeters, and couldn't be described as flat. Mid-scoop? Nope. Nada. The mids on these are glorious, which is why I love 'em. I detest mid scoop. They're just excellent quality traditional-sounding bass cabs, with a lovely roll-off at the top, but lightweight.

The Neo 1126 I had a loan of was much more 'full range studio monitor'-sounding. Not my bag at all, but loaded with a tweeter, the flat-response lovers would probably be right into it.
[/quote]

I see what you mean. Just checked the 2126 and seems that the sound may be spot on my needs and likes but at 25kg (before adding the tweeter and cloth frame) i think i'll stick with my S12T's 19kg and wheels for a bit longer ;)

Cheers

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[quote name='Ghost_Bass' timestamp='1413455004' post='2578352']
I see what you mean. Just checked the 2126 and seems that the sound may be spot on my needs and likes but at 25kg (before adding the tweeter and cloth frame) i think i'll stick with my S12T's 19kg and wheels for a bit longer ;)

Cheers
[/quote]

Of course - there's room for all!

My point was just that you don't have to trade in looks and price for sound and weight..

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[quote name='machinehead' timestamp='1413326645' post='2577293']
An even higher priority than proper and high quality mechanical and electrical engineering and acoustics?

You know though, part of me agrees with you because it's quite likely that most players buy with their eyes. There's nothing at all wrong with subjective good looks but I suspect that for years now, most (note: not ALL) cab manufacturers have been selling their products based on looks, image and profit margins, usually at the expense of good engineering. Which would be acceptable if the products were also cheap and we all know that isn't always the case.

.............
[/quote]

I think you are assuming it has all those things ... but it isn't apparent from what you can see in the engineering of the build.
So..my point would be that I would have taken that away from the equation and had a good cab maker in as soon as I started trading
Ideally, you'd have a talent for doing it yourself, but if not, it would have to be a cost.
I agree the units are rated but they are brought in components...which anyone could get. If you get bespoke at some later date,
in what sense are they bespoke..? They might just have custom labels on them. I wouldn't put it past some in the industry ( and elsewhere ) to
try and muddy the waters here and make the users beholden to return business to the maker and THEIR costs. Car servicing is a case in point here of how THAT works. And finally, what makes anyone an expert in a field..? 20 years learning the craft elsewhere..? A high level course AND penchant
to the field. Or, an innate talent that you have discovered. All may or may not achieve that.

Finally, I think a lot of bass cabs are over specc'd in that they don't really need a top end driver, they just need a whole balance.
Do I think Aguilar and Berg use the best components out there, no, but their all round package, to my eyes and ears, is the best on the mainstream
market, IMO.
Having said that, I do want to see and hear TKS as I like what I see and I want to know more about Ceramics and light boxes.
I am looking to trade my Berg Ae cabs for the small S112's. The Bergs match up very well to my class D amp so that will be a tough act to beat
but since we now have a TKS presense in the U.K then a road trip will confirm if that is the way to go.

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[quote name='Billy Apple' timestamp='1412936098' post='2573413']
Because they have made the commitment to sell them. I'm wondering if the MBL would knowingly sell something that it as flawed as everyone tries to make out?
[/quote]

Drew at The Great British Bass Lounge was very complimentary about the Barefaced cabs when I was there the other week, as was I when I tried one out. Not enough to buy one though.

[url="http://greatbritishbasslounge.com/"]http://greatbritishbasslounge.com/[/url]

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[quote name='stevie' timestamp='1412929003' post='2573309']
The only way Alex is going to improve his product and stay in business is if he receives and accepts valid criticism.
[/quote]

From what I can see from my own experience, he has. The Gen 3 stuff is fantastic. I wasn't a fan of the earlier gear mainly down to build and as a result didn't buy one but with the Gen 3 I'm converted and I'm stupidly fussy about the function, quality and value of stuff.

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[quote name='Sean' timestamp='1413544881' post='2579322']
From what I can see from my own experience, he has. The Gen 3 stuff is fantastic. I wasn't a fan of the earlier gear mainly down to build and as a result didn't buy one but with the Gen 3 I'm converted and I'm stupidly fussy about the function, quality and value of stuff.
[/quote] out of interest... does the walkabout have enough power for it?

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[quote name='LukeFRC' timestamp='1413556816' post='2579551']
out of interest... does the walkabout have enough power for it?
[/quote]

Sounds fabulous with the Walkabout and loud enough for any stage/venue/room etc. easily. I was astonished but then again those Boogies have loads of balls.

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Guest monsterthompson

[quote name='LukeFRC' timestamp='1413556816' post='2579551']
out of interest... does the walkabout have enough power for it?
[/quote]
I had a Walkabout for a short while with my G3 Compact. It was very limited in volume output. Not a gig worthy rig. I bought the WA used and then sold it recently; the buyer picked it up as a backup for a WA he already owned, and we each suspect the original owner did a tube-roll causing the output to be lower than average for the WA head.

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[quote name='monsterthompson' timestamp='1413560436' post='2579614']
I had a Walkabout for a short while with my G3 Compact. It was very limited in volume output. Not a gig worthy rig. I bought the WA used and then sold it recently; the buyer picked it up as a backup for a WA he already owned, and we each suspect the original owner did a tube-roll causing the output to be lower than average for the WA head.
[/quote]

Sounds like a fault to me. Even with the 12" WA Scout I've played good sized venues without PA support.

Edited by Sean
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Had a WA wich i used with a BF Midget T (8 ohm operation ~ 180W), never experienced lack of volume, only sold it because i couldn't get enough clean volume without the valve starting to break... if it was today i should have tried replacing that valve for a 5157 that saturates much further up the volume knob...

Great tone from that little thing, due to that experience my GAS has been pointing to a Carbine M6, that plus the S12T should sound immense!!!

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Guest monsterthompson

[quote name='Sean' timestamp='1413561119' post='2579626']
Sounds like a fault to me. Even with the 12" WA Scout I've played good sized venues without PA support.
[/quote]
It sure seems that way based on what others have indicated. The risks of buying used gear. Regardless, I'm on to a Genz Shuttle 9.0 and a Buster 200w head. I was running the Buster through a G3 Midget and Compact stack last night and the tone was wonderful. In fact it was so good, I could hardly tell that the handles were an issue ;)

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[quote name='wateroftyne' timestamp='1413213058' post='2575881']
I imagine Alex takes a lot of it on board as viable feedback - he'll want to remove any barrier to someone buying one of his cabs.
[/quote]

Surely with the Gen 3 cabs, with new handles, he has done precisely that? :)

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[quote name='wateroftyne' timestamp='1413561217' post='2579627']
Pair a Walkabout (assuming it hasn't been tinkered with!) with fairly sensitive cabs, and it'll cope with anything but ridiculous volumes, IME.
[/quote]

Agree completely. I gig with a Mesa Walkabout and G1 Compact (which I bought new in 2009) and it's easily loud enough for all my gigs.

I also use my G1 Midget (again, bought new in 2010) with the Walkabout in smaller pubs and it's loud and sounds glorious.

And both cabs have the original handles fully intact. <_< (Just to stay on-topic)

Frank.

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[quote name='monsterthompson' timestamp='1413563332' post='2579679']
It sure seems that way based on what others have indicated. The risks of buying used gear. Regardless, I'm on to a Genz Shuttle 9.0 and a Buster 200w head. I was running the Buster through a G3 Midget and Compact stack last night and the tone was wonderful. In fact it was so good, I could hardly tell that the handles were an issue ;)
[/quote] sshhh you lets not let great tone get in the way of our community picking holes in something: I mean apart from the tone, the volume, the portability, the low end response, and so on... what have barefaced ever done for us?

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[quote name='LukeFRC' timestamp='1413581420' post='2579945']
sshhh you lets not let great tone get in the way of our community picking holes in something: I mean apart from the tone, the volume, the portability, the low end response, and so on... what have barefaced ever done for us?
[/quote]

The roads?

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[size=1]I quite like the way they look. [/size]

There, I said it quietly.[size=1].[/size]

[size=1][size=4]I have one, and only one, beef about my Barefaced cabs. When I stick my Midget on top of my Compact, the Barefaced logos don't match up. Ideally i'd like the Midget one to be along the side so, when placed on top of the Compact, it read crossways. One day I may investigate unsticking then resticking it.[/size][/size]

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I think this thread was started by one of Alex Claber's aliases. They say there is no such thing as bad publicity and when you think how much Aquilar, TKS et al pay for their ads maybe that is right.

It is a free country, If you want a Barefaced buy it, if not, don't.

I would buy a Barefaced if I had the money. Flat is good as sound shaping, voicing, equalisation, or whatever the current name for it is, should be done in the preamp not the cabinet.

As for the Handles, it is a compliment to Barefaced that the only criticism is the placement of the handle. Maybe Barefaced can put a User Manual saying:

WARNING The Top Handle is intended to be used to assist wheeling the cabinet, not for lifting. Barefaced take no responsibility for injury caused buy misuse of the cabinet.

Of course now someone will say "It is my Cabinet , I will do what I want with it"

Edited by Chienmortbb
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As others have said though that isnt the only criticism is it? Some dont like the middy sound others feel that the build quality of the cabs isnt great, some just dont like the look of the cabs.

Anyone who points this out is just a troll trying to ruin a small company and anyone that glosses over them is a fan boi, rinse and repeat.

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See, the problem is that 'these days' we're spoilt rotten.....
I remember, back in the day, Selmer gave me a Stereomaster amp and two speakers that they wanted some feedback on.
Said cabs were about four foot high, two foot wide, 18" deep, and chipboard.....with NO handles/grips/holes of any sort.
These days I have a couple of Dubsters and everything is good.........thanks Alex!
:)

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