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View Full Version : Empty combo OK for cabinet?


sfletch
01-10-2010, 12:57 AM
I have a former combo amp (1x12) where the "amp" died and was removed, so I now just have a 1x12 cabinet with a big gap above the grillcloth where the controls were. It's open-back, and I sometimes use it as an additional cabinet with a little Mesa Subway Rocket. In that situation, it's not that bad...it's basically just extra volume - but any time I try to use it alone - it sounds awful. It is shrill, has no bottom end, and breaks up really early. It WAS a Bedrock 30 watt 600 series - not a great-sounding amp, and bright...but it had SOME bottom end before.

Here's my stupid question: is the lack of bass, etc. the result of the cabinet being open in the front now? Is it from the loss of mass/weight from removing the amp portion's weight? Is it the speaker? It's some Bedrock-branded Chinese thing, I've been told, rated at 60w, but it broke up badly at about noon using my Fuchs Lucky 7 head. I plugged that head into a good 2x10 cab and it had amazing clean headroom and volume.

I'm wondering if you can use a cabinet like this effectively at all, or do I need to seal the front? Will another, better speaker fix it? Should I bother? It's really the kind of thing I'm willing to just get rid of, it's worth nothing basically...but if a decent speaker would sound fine - well then, it's a cheap ugly 1x12 - why not keep it?

I really have no idea. Thanks for any input.

Norjef
01-10-2010, 08:34 AM
You gotta block out/seal where the chassis was, as this would have enuff phase cancellation to drain your bass tones.

Just cut a chunck of wood and secure it in there and try it. Paint/tolex it later if the sound works for you. You can even try to block the open back part too. Make sure your speakers are in phase w/each other.

sfletch
01-10-2010, 07:57 PM
I'll give that a shot. Thanks a lot for the tip!

billm408
01-10-2010, 08:38 PM
I had an old Peavey combo that I turned into a 2x12 cab. A band saw, some glue, a few screws and a new baffle and it's pretty good undersized cab. It was my main cab for the Bassman.

http://i452.photobucket.com/albums/qq242/bminnery/FenderBF.jpg