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Hello from tks Engineering!


tks.se
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Hello everyone!

Welcome to the tks Engineering sub-forum here on Basschat. In many ways thanks to WoT here on the forum (who last year even registered on a Swedish bass forum to ask his questions there and got all the Swedes writing in English, before deciding on ordering two cabinets), there has been an increased interest in our products, so we're trying this approach and hope it's a good way of answering the questions you might have.

This account (tks.se) will probably only be used by me, Tommy, who started the whole thing 2008. I've done all the technical work behind the designs, and I still take care of most of the manufacturing, so I'll be able to answer any questions you might have. English is however my third language, and sometimes it's hard to answer technical questions when you don't know the English translation for all the words, but I think we'll manage!

We're a small company in Sweden manufacturing speaker cabinets for bass guitar. Some brief history of how it all started:
It was in the beginning of 2008, I was studying mechanical engineering (MSc in mechanical design) at the Linköping Institute of Technology, and music took up a large amount of my spare time. I joined a band that presented a new set of challenges compared to the bands I've played in before:
1) They were unusually loud
2) Low B tuning was used (guitar players as well)
3) The rehearsal room was at the top floor in a large building: 8x flights of stairs, no lift.

I discovered that much of the gear I used earlier wasn't up to the task of being loud and low at the same time. The equipment that did a good enough job was most of the time too heavy to carry up/down the stairs. I also had some other gripes, mid range clarity to mention one thing. When learning more about how speaker cabinets actually worked (which had never crossed my mind earlier), I was amazed by how much could be improved over certain designs.

I decided to develop my own speaker cabinets, and much of the engineering education helped. Proper engineering was used in the design process, to get better technical qualities as well as lower weight. The initial plan was to only make a set of cabinets for myself, but after using the finished cabinets at a couple of gigs, local bass players took an interest, which led to a very small production run. This led to even more interest, so in 2009, a web site was put together, and bass players all over Sweden started ordering their cabinets.

The product line up has changed a bit over the years, but the first cabinet design from 2008 (the one that filled all my needs): the 2128, still lives on today, slightly updated, now as the S2126.

Up until last year, we mainly sold our cabinets within Sweden, and the website was only in Swedish, so it's only for the last year or so we've been "international", mainly thanks to the interest here on Basschat!

Hope that background information was interesting. If you have any questions, just post them here in the forum and you'll get a reply as soon as possible.

Edited by tks.se
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Since you are here, maybe post a price list of your models, including covering options, PLUS shipping to the U.K.
I know you publish in SEK on your site,

I've been looking at your s112 cabs x2 with horns in a custom covering option. I could e-mail you directly on your site,
of course, if you'd prefer.

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Thanks everyone!

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1412161444' post='2566237']
Since you are here, maybe post a price list of your models, including covering options, PLUS shipping to the U.K.
I know you publish in SEK on your site,

I've been looking at your s112 cabs x2 with horns in a custom covering option. I could e-mail you directly on your site,
of course, if you'd prefer.
[/quote]

The SEK/GBP rate is changing every day (currently to your favour - things priced in SEK are getting cheaper), not long ago it was approximately 10 SEK = £1, that's a good start when looking at the website, the total would be less, which would be a pleasant surprise if you calculate say 1x S112 for 2900 SEK = £290 and it turns out to be slightly less.

We actually have something interesting on its way for all you UK bass players, a UK store will soon receive a few cabinets, and if things work out well, they will probably stock the entire product range. That would mean that they carry the whole shipping cost Sweden-UK, and only add a small premium for their service, so you would be able to (if you live close by) go over there, try the cabinets out, and take them home, for a price that would only be a few percent higher than ordering directly. Shipping within the UK (if you don't live close by) would probably also be cheaper than sending from Sweden.

For this reason, let's wait with publishing prices in GBP, hope that's ok. We'll probably know more next week.

When it comes to custom covering, except for the standard black, we keep a few colours in stock, while others must be ordered separately, and the shipping cost for these orders is what drives the price up. Currently for the S112, the custom colours we keep in stock is 200 SEK (£20 or slightly less) extra per cabinet, and other colours 500 SEK (£50 or slightly less).

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It's probably worth repeating how I ended up with as TKS for the benefit of anyone casually interested in the cabs.

I spent a long time with using Bergantinos, which are probably up there near the top of the 'greatest boutique cabs ever' pile.

After a couple of years, I realised they just weren't doing it for me anymore. I needed more clarity in the mids, less weight, and comparable build quality. My preference is ceramic drivers, but none of them that I tried rang all those bells. I was about to give up, but then I spotted a post from a Scandanavian BC'er referring to TKS. I Googled 'em, had a look through the range, and got loads of advice (in PERFECT English) from Tommy.

Of course it's always good to get opinions from people who use 'em, so I fumbled my way thorough signing up for Pratabas, Sweden's answer to Basschat. From there, I got lots of great, honest info (in PERFECT English) from Swedish players, who all rated them highly. So I took the plunge on a pair of S112s, which I think are just incredible for the money.

Fast-forward to now, I've since let one of the S112s go to a very happy buyer (the other is staying put), and replaced it with an S212, which is just glorious. Tommy really cares about what he's building, and IMO, the're the best cabs I've used by a long chalk.

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[quote name='Leslie77s' timestamp='1412417412' post='2568715']
Wateroftyne what finish is that on your S212 mate it looks great, is that just the grill cloth? Fancy one of these or the S2126. What made you decide on the S212?
They really do look like excellent cabs for the sound I'm after.
Thanks for joining us Tommy!
[/quote]

It looks even nicer in the flesh :-)

Tommy can confirm exactly, but I think it's just standard black vinyl with Fender cloth. There's a grille behind it, so the drivers are protected.

I went for the S212 because I wanted to replicate what my current pair of S112s give me (i.e. my favourite ever sound), in a single cabinet. I get plenty of natural high-mids and definition from the single 12s. I don't miss the additional clarity the 6" would give me, but I imagine others would love it.

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[quote name='Leslie77s' timestamp='1412417412' post='2568715']
Wateroftyne what finish is that on your S212 mate it looks great, is that just the grill cloth? Fancy one of these or the S2126. What made you decide on the S212?
They really do look like excellent cabs for the sound I'm after.
Thanks for joining us Tommy!
[/quote]

Exactly, the only extra on WoT:s cabinet is the grille cloth option, he chose to have a black grille cloth frame, and the grille cloth isn't a standard stock item, it uses a white thread where the standard one has a beige one. You can see the difference in this picture, compare the grille cloth of the S212 with the S112:s in tweed.


If you were to order, and prefer the look of WoT:s cabinet, there's some of that grille cloth left, so no extra waiting time, just the standard 2-3 weeks manufacturing time.

Edited by tks.se
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[quote name='essexbasscat' timestamp='1412441898' post='2569005']
I'm looking to get some better cabs later this year / early next year and would really like to hear these. Any plans to come down London way ?
[/quote]
[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1412442994' post='2569012']

Bassgear, ..??? ;)
[/quote]

Just about to write something a little more cryptic, but guess the information is already out ;)

Yes, Bass Gear will get a batch of cabinets sent to them, probably during next week. You can contact them if you're interested in going over and test a few cabinets.

More information about this is coming next week.

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[quote name='tks.se' timestamp='1412443655' post='2569019']



Just about to write something a little more cryptic, but guess the information is already out ;)

Yes, Bass Gear will get a batch of cabinets sent to them, probably during next week. You can contact them if you're interested in going over and test a few cabinets.

More information about this is coming next week.
[/quote]

Here we go, I can see a trip out West on the cards ....

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  • 2 weeks later...

[quote name='allighatt0r' timestamp='1413277448' post='2576519']
Why is this TKS specific forum under Amps and Cabs instead of Affiliates? Seems a little odd?
[/quote]

The moderators who set the forum up thought it would be best placed under "Amps and Cabs". It's the same thing as with Innovation Double Bass Strings being located under the EUB and Double Basses forum.

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  • 2 weeks later...

[quote name='allighatt0r' timestamp='1413277448' post='2576519']
Why is this TKS specific forum under Amps and Cabs instead of Affiliates? Seems a little odd?
[/quote]

Should be in Affiliates, not on the front page as a subsection of Amps and Cabs.

RK

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[quote name='allighatt0r' timestamp='1413277448' post='2576519']
Why is this TKS specific forum under Amps and Cabs instead of Affiliates? Seems a little odd?
[/quote]

Because a deal was worked out for TKS to be a sponsor rather than an affiliate :)

BC offers a range of ways for companies to advertise within the forum dependent on what the company wants etc

We can do similar for other companies ofcourse, any that are interested just need to drop ped a message to discuss the terms :)

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