Need some help/info regarding the build of a 15" old skool speaker cabinet

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ohm-men
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Need some help/info regarding the build of a 15" old skool speaker cabinet

Post by ohm-men » Sun Sep 05, 2021 2:43 am

Well, here's the deal. I while back I bought a '75 London City amp that after I had it repared, sounds amazing with my Bass VI.
A friend of mine gave me a 15" speaker cab he found in a dumpster (some old 90's Crate/SLM bass amp)

Coupled with the London City amp, this cab sounds quiet good. But it's one of those "carpet covered pressed wood style of cab's.
(with the iron grille :-X ) it's a square cabinet and the amp is wider then the cab.
I really would like to build an old school 15" cabinet in pine. I'm thinking early/mid 60's Fender Showman or Bassman.
They would suit the style of music I play (and could double as a guitar cab too)

So, what would be best to house a single 15" speaker in?

The old early 60's Showman/bassman cab (used for 2x12 or 1x12/15 tone ring cabs) - 53.3cm x 81.3 cm x 29.2
or the larger mid 60's Showman cab (the 2 x15") 62.2cm x 91.4cm x 29.2cm

The Crate cab has 2 bass ports that are in the back, should I keep these?
I would like to keep "buzzing" of the cab to a minimum, so how should I aproach that?

Suggestions, thoughts, etc,... more then welcome!

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andy_tchp
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Re: Need some help/info regarding the build of a 15" old skool speaker cabinet

Post by andy_tchp » Sun Sep 05, 2021 7:53 pm

ohm-men wrote:
Sun Sep 05, 2021 2:43 am
The old early 60's Showman/bassman cab (used for 2x12 or 1x12/15 tone ring cabs) - 53.3cm x 81.3 cm x 29.2
I have one in these dimensions, custom made open back. No 'tone ring' though.

Sounds amazing with an Electro-Voice EVM15L driver and a blackface Showman.

Even though this is the 'smaller' of those cabs, it's still a BIG cabinet.
"I don't know why we asked him to join the band 'cause the rest of us don't like country music all that much; we just like Graham Lee."
David McComb, 1987.

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Re: Need some help/info regarding the build of a 15" old skool speaker cabinet

Post by ohm-men » Mon Sep 06, 2021 11:21 am

andy_tchp wrote:
Sun Sep 05, 2021 7:53 pm
ohm-men wrote:
Sun Sep 05, 2021 2:43 am
The old early 60's Showman/bassman cab (used for 2x12 or 1x12/15 tone ring cabs) - 53.3cm x 81.3 cm x 29.2
I have one in these dimensions, custom made open back. No 'tone ring' though.

Sounds amazing with an Electro-Voice EVM15L driver and a blackface Showman.

Even though this is the 'smaller' of those cabs, it's still a BIG cabinet.
Thanks for the input. I'm kind of leaning to that size of cabinet. I have one in a 2x12 config and it's been my favorite cab for years.
Good to know that a 15" sounds good as well with it... And the dimensions are still handable (if that's even a word...)
The LC has about the same power as a showman, with a quiet simelar sound, even though it runs EL 34 instead of 6L6.

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Re: Need some help/info regarding the build of a 15" old skool speaker cabinet

Post by Igorilla » Mon Sep 06, 2021 11:38 pm

If you are looking for a old-school cab for 15" speaker my recommendation would be to look for
Echolette ET4 or Echolette ET40 cab. These are exactly the same as Showman 15'' tone ring cabs and come with blond/oxblood or black/tan & brown
cosmetics.
They are really fantastic cabs!

You can find them pretty often on Ebay Kleinanzeigen in Germany (german CL version) for a reasonable price.

I have two ET4 cabs that I run with JBL speakers and love them.

EDIT: Just to give you an idea on the price range: I bought the first ET4 2-3 years ago without speaker for 150€. I've paid 270€ for the second ET4 loaded with a healthy and all-original JBL D130-F.

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