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Barefaced Cabs - Steel Grille v Silver Cloth


lou24d53

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I'm thinking about ordering a BF Super Twin in the near future.

Just wondering, what's the thoughts on the steel grille v silver cloth finish?

Personally I think the silver cloth is cool as feck, and as I play in a covers band to The Who, gives a nod to JE's classic Hiwatt Cabs...however...

I do have concerns of the cloth's long term durability...I mean, you know exactly where you are with a steel grille...!

There also appears to be more BF cabs on here for sale I've seen with steel grilles rather than cloth.

 

 

*I reserve the right to completely disregard the consensus...😂

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I much prefer the steel ones TBH. Not just cosmetically, but feel they protect a bit better and somehow go with the ethos of the brand. Slight downside of being a bit heavier than the cloth ones, but with Barefaced stuff being lighter than a light thing then it's not a problem (for me anyway). YMMV of course.

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I’m similar in thinking that the steel grille is harder wearing, but saying that there are loads of Marshall 412s around without any tears in the cloth. If you look after gear it shouldn’t be a problem, especially if the only band playing.

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There has been much discussion concerning this on Talkbass. Alex Claber chipped in and said that as far as he was concerned the cloth as they use it is as durable as the steel grille and to just go with whichever you find the most aesthetically pleasing. Me, I prefer the black steel grille for both looks and durability,. It also means that when I lift my Four 10 from the front it does not matter if it leans into my body.

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i went for the silver cloth when i ordered my Gen 2 Midgets, i've had the grille off and there is actually quite a bit of space behind them before you get to the speaker cone so i'm happy, mine live in Roqsolid covers with the optional speaker protection panel (it's an optional pocket that i've put some stiff foamboard in) and mine look and perform exactly as they did when they were first delivered.

i wanted the classic look and am very happy with all aspects of them (i haven't looked at another cab since)

IMG_141922261811963.jpeg

 

EDIT - i have swapped the head for a Markbass F1 but was never really happy with the SWR Headlite)

 

Matt

Edited by Matt P
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All my Barefaced cabs are cloth fronted. They are lighter and I think they look better. 

I carry and look after my gear so the strength of cloth versus steel doesn't come into it.

There are probably more steel grill cabs for sale because they are less expensive so there will be more around.

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3 hours ago, chris_b said:

 

I carry and look after my gear so the strength of cloth versus steel doesn't come into it.

 

This pretty much sums it up - look at your main bass (or basses) was it once all shiny and new but now either you or your band mates have added all sorts of chips, dings, dongs and scratches to it?

If the answer is yes then you'd be safer going for the steel grill, if it still looks relatively new then go for whatever you find the most attractive

I am careful with my gear and my band mates are the same so I went for the , IMHO, cooler looking cloth grill

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I own two Super Compacts and a One10 with steel grille. I did a great deal of research before purchasing my first SC and IMHO the steel grille adds to the stiffness of the cab as the steel grille adds an extra brace across the front of the cab. One of the design concepts of Barefaced cabs is to create a stiff, rigid enclosure using thin walls and multiple internal bracing to achieve a light weight cab which is colour neutral. If you do the "knuckle " test on each face of the cab you will discover how "dead" each side sounds. So having the steel grille, which is equally as "dead", stretched across the front of the cab linking the top, bottom and sides adds to the stiffness and "deadness" of the cab and making it less coloured. I don't feel the silver front is as rigid or stiff as the steel grille. But I maybe completely wrong but at least I sleep well at night not worrying that I made the right decision. 

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39 minutes ago, lownote12 said:

Surely it's totally personal preference.  I love the steel and loathe the cloth front but other than a slight nod to protectivity I can't justify that except by saying that's what I like. 

Absolutely. For me the silver cloth fronts don’t look like they fit or suit the cabs so much as the black metal ones. Maybe a black cloth would be good? Of course when I got my original Compact there were no such diversions to consider....🤤

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2 hours ago, JohnDaBass said:

. . . .  IMHO the steel grille adds to the stiffness of the cab as the steel grille adds an extra brace across the front of the cab. . . . .

I don't see how it could do that. The bracing is inside the cab, connected to and supporting all 6 surfaces and the strength of the front of the cab is in the baffle. The grill is only held on by screws. I really doubt there's any bracing there.

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15 minutes ago, chris_b said:

I don't see how it could do that. The bracing is inside the cab, connected to and supporting all 6 surfaces and the strength of the front of the cab is in the baffle. The grill is only held on by screws. I really doubt there's any bracing there.

As the steel grille has a substantial gauge and is fixed with screws & a double sided rubber gasket IMHO the grille adds to the stiffness of the overall cab. I'm sure @stevie, @Phil Starr, and @Chienmortbb will be along shortly to chime in with their more expert knowledge. I am not a sound/audio engineer but from my mechanical engineering background IMHO it contributes to the rigidity. 

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15 minutes ago, chris_b said:

If you really want to know email Barefaced.

I've done just that - emailed yesterday to get advice on what cab to look at and Alex confirmed the Super Twin would best suit what I am after.

Should have asked this whilst I was on. I'll let everyone know what the reply is. 

Dougie.

Edited by lou24d53
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if there is a rubber gasket between the grille and the cab then i'd expect the grille to have very little effect on the overall stiffness of the cab, especially as the cab itself is designed to be incredibly stiff (as far as i can make out the cab is optimised to the absolute limit of what can be achieved with the materials used)

 

The rubber gasket is most likely there to damp out any vibrations that may be induced in the grille during high volume use.

 

Matt

 

P.s My day job is Mechanical design engineer, designing machines that vibrate (but ideally wouldn't)

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32 minutes ago, JohnDaBass said:

As the steel grille has a substantial gauge and is fixed with screws & a double sided rubber gasket IMHO the grille adds to the stiffness of the overall cab. I'm sure @stevie, @Phil Starr, and @Chienmortbb will be along shortly to chime in with their more expert knowledge. I am not a sound/audio engineer but from my mechanical engineering background IMHO it contributes to the rigidity. 

John the way we design our cabs and prototype them is all done without a grille. @Alex Claber can speak for himself but I wouldn't be surprised if he doesn't do the same. 

Obviously you are right to question how much a metal grille adds to the rigidity and I have to admit I've never calculated it. I don't know how the Barefaced grille is fixed. The options are: on a frame and velcroid/plastic pinned to the baffle, frame fixed to the side and/or the baffle or formed into a shallow tray and fixed directly to the baffle. It would only be effective on the panels it is mechanically fixed to and if it is the baffle it wouldn't contribute much at all as the fixings are all around the edge which is fixed to the side panels anyway, so intrinsically rigid. If it is a batten fixed to baffle and walls then that batten will damp panel resonances itself, unless the grille was tensioned in some way I think anything mechanical it added would be minimal.

The main job is cosmetic and protecting the speaker of course and as you can't always control what happens in a gig anything sitting next to the drummist.....

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Emailed Barefaced and got a reply within 10 minutes...

 

Hi Dougie,
 
There’s nothing structural about the grills - they’re just there to protect the speaker cones from damage whilst impeding the sound as little as possible. Choose the one you like the look of - both are more than strong enough to do their job.
 
Best regards,
 
Alex
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1 hour ago, lou24d53 said:

Emailed Barefaced and got a reply within 10 minutes...

 

Hi Dougie,
 
There’s nothing structural about the grills - they’re just there to protect the speaker cones from damage whilst impeding the sound as little as possible. Choose the one you like the look of - both are more than strong enough to do their job.
 
Best regards,
 
Alex

The main job is cosmetic and protecting the speaker of course and as you can't always control what happens in a gig anything sitting next to the drummist.....

 

I stand corrected. 

Apologies for any of my misleading opinions! 

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