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Post by newey on Mar 23, 2012 22:05:24 GMT -5
Back in the dim mists of the past, wa-a-a-a-y back in about 1971 or so, I found a 15" speaker cab, a Univox, sitting out for the garbage to take- so I picked it. Good Tolex, looked nice, but no speaker. So, I bought an old 15" organ speaker off a guy I knew, et voila! I had a 1 X 15" cab, which I wired up to my Harmony practice amp- and it sounded fantastic! I loved the thing, played through it for years, all through high school. After being in college for a few years, my mom wanted it out of the house, I had no where to put it in a dorm room- so out it went, to a garage sale as I recall. Ever since, I've wanted a 15" guitar speaker. Admit it, so do you. . . But they're not as common as they once were, I never seemed to find one in decent condition, so I went looking to DIY one. But, living in a condo, I can't build one from boards, at best I can assemble pieces, given the constraints on workspace, tools, etc. So, I bought a 15" Eminence Legend from US Speakers: It came with a metal grille as well. Then, I bought a pre-made, but unfinished 15" cabinet off of Ebay for about $130. It's birch plywood, came with handle, metal corners, jack and wiring, rubber feet. It just needed to be finished and assembled with the speaker. I got this back in January, but I couldn't do the finishing indoors. But we've recently had a spate of 70 degree days, rare for March here. So I dove into the project. The cabinet is really better suited to being Tolexed, and I may end up doing that down the road. The birch plywood didn't take the stain real evenly. I used a Minwax product called "Polyshades", a stain and poly gloss coat all in one application. I've had good results with this in the past on kitchen cabinets, but those seemed to take the stain more evenly. Here it is after one coat, out on my deck. And, here it is all finished, with the metal corners installed. Not real happy with the way the finish went, again, I may end up covering it eventually. But in the dim light of the basement, it doesn't look too terrible. I cranked this up with my EH .22 Caliber "Head-in-a-pedal", and it sounds sweet! There is truly nothing like the smoothness of a 15" speaker, I'm in love all over again . . . Here, you can see the unevenness of the finish. But nonetheless, I'm very happy with the sound. I'm into this for about $220, brand new cab and speaker.
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Post by yakkmeister on Mar 25, 2012 0:10:50 GMT -5
I would second the tolex'in idea ... I have never used a 15" for guitar though - I prefer gangs of little cones, personally ... but I may have to give a big huffer a shot ...
Thanks for the share ^_^
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Post by sumgai on Mar 25, 2012 2:08:29 GMT -5
Seems kinda lonesome, not sitting next to The Pumpkin..... Ain't sayin' nuttin' here, ya know, jus' sayin', tha's all.
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Post by JohnH on Mar 25, 2012 2:37:42 GMT -5
Its great, and I like the multi-tone finish - it makes it look lived in. Now you need a funky little tube-driven head to drive it. J
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Post by reTrEaD on Mar 25, 2012 5:18:52 GMT -5
I'm into this for about $220, brand new cab and speaker. Gotta love the price. I've played through Eminence speakers before. Very nice. There are speakers I like better, but they cost a ton more.
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Post by newey on Mar 25, 2012 7:32:43 GMT -5
Thanks, guys.
That's the game plan, just have to scout my options there.
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Post by jmartyg on Mar 25, 2012 17:03:36 GMT -5
Thanks, guys. That's the game plan, just have to scout my options there. www.buildyourownclone.com/ampkitindex.htmlActually, I saw a little Peavey(I think) tube head at a pawn shop the other day. It was around $100 and had basic controls. I'll have to find the model number, it might be right up your alley for a "TV watching amp"
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Post by cynical1 on Mar 25, 2012 18:29:41 GMT -5
That's the game plan, just have to scout my options there. Why not try a Valve Junior...try a few of the mods...let me know how it works...before I buy one... All seriousness, I love a 15" cabinet for bass or guitar...I have two...but I don't have too many places to play them anymore... However, if you take that 15"cabinet and a 2 x 10" cabinet you'll have a very respectable rig for your bass...and an eviction notice shortly thereafter... Very nice. And the industrial grade metal grill...gotta +1 you just for meanness... Happy Trails Cynical One
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Post by newey on Mar 25, 2012 19:37:58 GMT -5
While there is a Legend bass speaker, this one is specifically a guitar speaker. Not sure how it would fare with a bass rig. Eminence Legend 151I was surprised that it came with the grille, the product info didn't list it.
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Post by 4real on Mar 25, 2012 20:23:32 GMT -5
Very Nice... My brother used to make these 15" bass boxes called 'woodley boxes' after the designer (can't say if the design is available and I dont I have details, probably came from a magazine decades ago) and I've used one either as an extension cab to a combo or as a 'side table' since my teens. It is very heavy (vinyl covered chipboard with an expanded metal grill, big rubber feet and aluminium edges and corners) but the exact size of most combos like my roland GA-60 or my fender hot rod and make a mini stack as shown below... I don't know the speaker, it is nothing 'special' being 60 watts and paper cone. It complements well with the 12 in the combo and with the roland which has an aluminium dome speaker, a nice 'cross over' effect. Moves a lot more air and makes the sound a little less 'directional' and puts the controls up high where you can reach them. It is an interesting design, sealed back but with PVC pipe ports and internal damping on some sides and not others inside as per the design. I've often used it with a combo for bass and sounds great at moderate level for rehearsals and such, likely at band practice volumes without harm. A lot of combo and smaller amps don't handle the bottom end so well and this is a great solution to have about...and yes, 15" is a ground sound I completely agree! My brother had a small business making them and I know there are a few floating around. At one stage he sold a pair to John Ree's of men at work that was using them with a head as his bass rig in that band as they began to hit it big time.
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Post by yakkmeister on Mar 25, 2012 21:06:52 GMT -5
Man ... the state of amplifier kits here in Aus is horrible ... We need more!
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Post by jmartyg on Mar 28, 2012 11:49:38 GMT -5
I was wrong. it's a vox Lil Night train. they want $160 for it
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