Bass Cabinet question

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Can I play bass through a guitar amp?

oh hee hee j/k yall!

more seriously, I have a 1 - 18" peavey cab right now that i've bored JJ with the details about...anyway, I've had people tell me that they thinkg a 1 - 15" cab could be smaller, louder, and more responsive cuz the speaker moves faster, etc...

any advice on this? i'm thinking of maybe having one made for me with unfinished wood, a lot smaller than this behemouth I have right now....

― M@tt He1g3s0n: oh u mad cuz im stylin on u (Matt Helgeson), Tuesday, 23 January 2007 17:51 (eighteen years ago)

Smaller - yes
Louder - not necessarily. (This involves speaker sensitivity, the most important underutilized spec. for musicians)
More responsive - sort of.

Who's building the cab for you? It's harder than most people think.

― John Justen is fucking sick of his username (johnjusten), Tuesday, 23 January 2007 17:58 (eighteen years ago)

i heard that bill batson makes pretty good cabs...is this something you could do john?

― M@tt He1g3s0n: oh u mad cuz im stylin on u (Matt Helgeson), Tuesday, 23 January 2007 18:10 (eighteen years ago)

You're probably better off with a 15. They project better than 18's, so it might seem a little louder.

― Jamey Lewis (Jameys Burning), Tuesday, 23 January 2007 23:51 (eighteen years ago)

I've had bi-amped 15 w/ 2x10s and an old 2x15 cab, but the setup I like the best is a single 4x10 cab. They get plenty of bass and can handle some wattage, but they seem to cut through better in the mids. They are also a whole lot easier to pack around.

― Earl Nash (earlnash), Wednesday, 24 January 2007 00:57 (eighteen years ago)

If all things were equal (and they never are), an 18" speaker would give you bigger bottom and would require more power for audibility, where a 15" would sacrifice a little bottom for more definition (i.e. you can hear the individual notes better). A matter of taste.

― Colin Meeder (Mert), Wednesday, 24 January 2007 13:17 (eighteen years ago)

yeah i'm thinking the 15 might be better for me...i play w/a pick, usually higher notes (i barely use my e-string), so i'm not taking advantage of the "big bottom"...thx everyone great advice!

― M@tt He1g3s0n: oh u mad cuz im stylin on u (Matt Helgeson), Wednesday, 24 January 2007 16:16 (eighteen years ago)

Hi M@tt,

Bill knows what he's doing, so you're not going wrong by using him. One question though, I'm assuming that you're going to end up paying more for the custom cabinet/speaker purchase than you would buying a factory built 15 outright. What's prompting your decision to go with the custom box?

Also, you might want to look at 410's, which are a great option for what you're talking about. If you haven't played through various cab options, this could be a great opportunity to justify visiting a fine local music establishment in your area (hint hint.)

― John Justen is fucking sick of his username (johnjusten), Wednesday, 24 January 2007 16:30 (eighteen years ago)

Speaking of factory built: I had a Mesa Boogie 15 in an Electrovoice cabinet that sounded great.

Actually I still have it, but something bad happened to it in transit once and now with any real volume on it fatigues after a while and becomes inaudible. Maybe one day I'll try to get it fixed again.

― The Redd And The Blecch (Ken L), Wednesday, 24 January 2007 16:36 (eighteen years ago)

What's prompting your decision to go with the custom box?

mostly for something smaller...

but yeah john i should just stop by and try to figure this out w/yall.

― M@tt He1g3s0n: oh u mad cuz im stylin on u (Matt Helgeson), Wednesday, 24 January 2007 20:03 (eighteen years ago)

Fender makes a small eminence loaded single 15 in their Bassman series that might be a good choice.

― John Justen is fucking sick of his username (johnjusten), Wednesday, 24 January 2007 20:10 (eighteen years ago)

*raises finger and opens mouth*

*reverses actions*

― Lukewarm Watery G. Tornado is Sick of Fucking His User Name (The GZeus), Saturday, 27 January 2007 12:58 (eighteen years ago)

― John Justen is fucking sick of his username (johnjusten), Saturday, 27 January 2007 16:10 (eighteen years ago)

Probably some Chinese product in need of denouncing. Is Bill Batson Chinese?

― A knife to his wife Eve and his credibility. (goodbra), Saturday, 27 January 2007 18:40 (eighteen years ago)

Dude, I didn't say it and it would have stayed that way.
I really dislike you.

― Lukewarm Watery G. Tornado is Sick of Fucking His User Name (The GZeus), Saturday, 27 January 2007 19:26 (eighteen years ago)

haha goodbra...bill batson is the singer of the legendary mpls garage rockers hyptrzs and might mofos...he and his brother ernie speak fluent mandarin!

http://bands.mordac.org/london_swings/thumbnails/060208_230242_0344.jpg

― M@tt He1g3s0n: oh u mad cuz im stylin on u (Matt Helgeson), Monday, 29 January 2007 18:44 (eighteen years ago)

Ok.
Even royalty is still people.
"You are not special you are the all-singing, all-dancing crap of the world" or something more eloquent and OTM.
I really dislike people digging things up when I decided to kind of imply something and then let epeople come to their own conclusions/do their own reasearch OR NOT.
You don't have to care.
But I do think that Peavey cab's great as-is, and perhaps throwing a new cone in there(one of their PA subwoofer cones perhaps) would be a good options.

And I also think 18s are overkill. You'd need biamping and another higher-tuned cab to get things balanced well.

― Lukewarm Watery G. Tornado Still Rules at Doom (The GZeus), Monday, 29 January 2007 18:57 (eighteen years ago)

The plus to the Fender is that it's smaller than the Peavey, which seems to be a main motivation for the shift out, so that's why I'm recommending that. (I have both in stock, so my bias is non-existent.)

― John Justen waitin to get his W2s back so he can file his tax and ball out (john, Monday, 29 January 2007 19:28 (eighteen years ago)

yeah this peavey cab is really beefy and well built.

my biggest problem is that 1) it's big and weighs a TON for only being a single-speaker cab...2) the cover on the cab is this really LAME vinyl fake leather type stuff, I've ripped the hell out of it already.

but yeah maybe a good recone is the key.

the last time i had it reconed was at B-Sharp music cuz it was under warranty and that whole place seemed kinda skeevy to me. i've never heard good things abt them.

― M@tt He1g3s0n: oh u mad cuz im stylin on u (Matt Helgeson), Monday, 29 January 2007 19:31 (eighteen years ago)

The one thing that won't fix either of your main problems, however, is a recone. In fact, a "better" cone is likely to be heavier unless it has a N/DYM magnet, which most won't.

Also, cabinets aren't designed for just any old cone, they are ported and sized according to the expected cone. Throwing a PA 18" in there would be questionable from a cab design standpoint, probably do nothing but distance you from the sound you're trying to achieve, and end up being considerably underpowered as well (I don't recall the wattage of your head at the moment.)

I'd say either learn to love your current cabinet, or replace it. Either way, I wouldn't wander down the road of swapping out cones in an attempt to find tone you like.

― John Justen waitin to get his W2s back so he can file his tax and ball out (john, Monday, 29 January 2007 19:49 (eighteen years ago)

John is right. I am wrong.
And sick.
Not an excuse, just a terrible, terrible fact.

― Lukewarm Watery G. Tornado Still Rules at Doom (The GZeus), Monday, 29 January 2007 22:37 (eighteen years ago)

also think about where you are playing. if you're playing mostly thru big PAs, i'd get a really nice smaller amp and maybe a nice mic to take out with you.

i've never been a fan peavey bass amps, i've never heard one thats been particulary tight sounding.

― george bob (george bob), Tuesday, 30 January 2007 10:18 (eighteen years ago)

He uses an Ampeg head.

― Lukewarm Watery G. Tornado Is Sicker Than You (The GZeus), Tuesday, 30 January 2007 17:09 (eighteen years ago)

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Bass Cabinet question - 15 vs. 18