Bassman 1x15 Combo: Bassy's First Words!

[Stratelejazzuar]

I fell for that same logical fallacy when I got rid of my tops and cabs. Top and cab: godawful weight distributed over two separate things. Combo: godawful weight condensed in one package with a stupid single handle on top. Granted, somewhat less wood to a combo so it's lighter than a separate top and cab combined, but to not have Giant Transformers and Giant Speakers in one single suitcase thing is a really, really good idea for your back, arms, legs, mind.

i hear what you're saying. i know it will be heavier as a combo, but at least i'm looking at doing a 1x15, not a 2x12! My buddy's twin reverb can be a back-breaker if you're not used to moving furniture all week

i'm kinda going through this gear purge phase, and i'm looking to condense this amp rig:



i never take it anywhere cuz it's 3 pieces and takes up so much space. truth be told, i'm even on the fence with the reverb unit...

[Orang Goreng]

i hear what you're saying. i know it will be heavier as a combo, but at least i'm looking at doing a 1x15, not a 2x12!

That's like the difference between a Twin (2x12) and a Vibrosonic (1x15). The 1972 catalog has the Twin weighing 14 pounds less than a Vibrosonic.... (69 vs. 85 Lb).

[Stratelejazzuar]

i hear what you're saying. i know it will be heavier as a combo, but at least i'm looking at doing a 1x15, not a 2x12!

That's like the difference between a Twin (2x12) and a Vibrosonic (1x15). The 1972 catalog has the Twin weighing 14 pounds less than a Vibrosonic.... (69 vs. 85 Lb).

that's odd. looking at ampwares, the speaker brands look different, but i still can't fathom how 1x15 could weigh 14lbs more than 2x12s...

edit: actually, doing some more comparative looking around on ampwares, i found that the 30 watt bantam bass amp is a 1x15 combo, weighing 57lbs. there's some wacky yamaha speaker in those, tho - maybe that makes it lighter? and i'm sure the 30W vs a bassman's 50W would be an extra weight difference...

[kalipigeon]

You can probably go with a neodymium magnet on the 1x15 to cut a lot of weight. Conventional 15s are nearly 20 lbs, and about 7 lbs of that is magnet. The Eminence neodymium series are between 7-10 lbs and they have comparable frequency responses to some of their conventional construction guitar 15s. The kappalite 3015 is surprisingly flat in its response.

[andy_tchp]

i hear what you're saying. i know it will be heavier as a combo, but at least i'm looking at doing a 1x15, not a 2x12!

That's like the difference between a Twin (2x12) and a Vibrosonic (1x15). The 1972 catalog has the Twin weighing 14 pounds less than a Vibrosonic.... (69 vs. 85 Lb).

that's odd. looking at ampwares, the speaker brands look different, but i still can't fathom how 1x15 could weigh 14lbs more than 2x12s...

Well, I can confirm it - I am the proud owner of a Silverface Vibrosonic Reverb, with the original JBL D-130 speaker (the bright orange one). It is ludicrously heavy.

According to my previous amp tech, the speaker contributes almost 1/2 the total weight of the amp.

And yes, the tone is worth it. JUST.

I expect I'll get a Super Reverb clone in head form made by someone like Vintage Sound, coupled with an open-backed 1x15" cab and retire the Vibrosonic at some stage. Firstly because the Vibrosonic is basically impossible to replace here (I've never seen another one in Aus, let alone for sale) and secondly my back is eventually going to say 'ENOUGH!' loading and unloading it into my wagon several times per week.

[Orang Goreng]

Well, I can confirm it - I am the proud owner of a Silverface Vibrosonic Reverb, with the original JBL D-130 speaker (the bright orange one). It is ludicrously heavy.

According to my previous amp tech, the speaker contributes almost 1/2 the total weight of the amp.

That's a bit of an overstatement, but yeah, a D130-F is heavy as sin. I have two of them, and once got a great deal from Brad on two of those speakers. It's probably the heaviest thing I ever had shipped to me from the US...

But yeah, the sound IS worth it, isn't it?

I think you're the first person (other than myself) to mention having one of these in the nearly four-year history of this forum. We should start a club!

[Stratelejazzuar]

Dayum! I hope i don't find a deal on one of those big old awesome speakers... *hint, hint*



I think i might leave the speaker selection til last, tho. just in case i change my mind and go for another configuration or get some tips n hints on a specific brand, etc to go for. haha, just now i'm thinking about 4x10s like the tweed bassman had...



today's a garage/shop clean up day, tho. hopefully we'll get some stuff out of the way and make room for a 'dado blade box joint jig' (say that 5 times fast!)

[Orang Goreng]

A D130-F isn't exactly a bass speaker anyway... something new with a neodymium magnet may be way more appropriate and half the weight.

Of course, a D140-F is a bass speaker, and I'm guessing it weighs just as much.

[panoramic]

i've been using a jensen mod 15 100watter I got off craigslsit for $40 or so, i say if you cannot score a nice old speaker get one of these in the meantime. they break in quick and sound really nice.

[dug]

My 2x15 has a eminence something and a weber thames. Both sound really great and are guitar speakers.

[Orang Goreng]

i've been using a jensen mod 15 100watter I got off craigslsit for $40 or so, i say if you cannot score a nice old speaker get one of these in the meantime. they break in quick and sound really nice.

I've been looking at those. Jensens are currently made in Italy and therefore much cheaper here than anything else non-Chinese. Web clips sound fantastic, and now two my my D130-F seem to have blown (I have four, luckily), it may make sense to invest in one for live use and just use the JBLs for recording.

[Stratelejazzuar]

with the bassman being 4 ohms, too, it makes speaker-scoring a little more difficult. however, i've only been on this mission for about a week, haha

i found one that came from an organ on the 'bay. reportedly an early 1970 Rola 15" 4 ohm (3.2 ohm DCR). it has a 285 code, which is common, apparently (i searched OSG! )

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... K:MEWAX:IT

$50 is cheap enough, but shipping to me in Canada is $40, so it's a $100 speaker in the end.

think i should pull the trigger?


(ps: it won't take more than a few "yes"es to make me buy it, lol )

[panoramic]

my jensen mod 15 is a 4ohm, fyi
$50, you cannot fight that!

[Stratelejazzuar]

my jensen mod 15 is a 4ohm, fyi
$50, you cannot fight that!

so sayeth the king of buy-n-sell



(your vote still counts! )

[panoramic]

well i bought it to use with a bassman head, which I did for a while, now i use with a tremolux head which is vastly superior soundwise to a bassman head and the smoothness that comes forth with my jazzmaster plugged in is hard to beat.