Replacement Drivers - 4x10 Bass Cabinet

[lovekraft]

This probably won't interest anybody whose scale length is under 30", but the bass players might be interested. I just got through reworking my tired old generic 4X10 bass cab (single vent, heavy cast-frame generic drivers, no tweeter, chipboard and carpet - cheap, but it's served me well), replacing all four drivers with Jensen Mod 10-70s. I wasn't sure, but my partner the amp builder has been raving about Jensens for about the last year or so, and he finally wore me down. I wasn't expecting a lot, but at about $30 each, I figured it was worth giving it a shot.

Wow, what a pleasant surprise! They really shine in this cab with my old Hartke 3500 pushing 'em - I play an active Ibanez 6 string, and the "band" I'm playing with tunes down, so I was concerned about the low end, but it took everything I threw at it without flinching, and we "rehearse" at stupid loud levels (ear protection required - middle aged guy with Laney half-stack at work ). There's some slight loss of definition below that low Db (err..., C, in the real world), but it's still tight, and no flubby attack or blatting out, and they're efficient enough for me to drop the preamp volume from 3:00 to 12:00, and drop the graphic EQ about 3 dB in each band! Nice warm mids and all the grind and bite I'll ever need! As a bonus, the cab dropped about 8 or 9 lbs in the process!

As always, YMMV, but after thrashing them for 4-1/2 hours, I'm pretty pleased, especially since I ended up paying about 1/3 of what the drivers I was lusting after would have cost! AES has the T/S parameters on their website, if you're interested.

[thedoctor]

I just had to replace the "speakers" in my old Ampeg cab and tried the factory replacements. The company that actually sells/handles Ampeg now is St. Louis Music which is about 1 1/2 hrs away so I thought, COOL! Go get some factory stuff and save on frieght. I shall now beg for the place you bought Jensen 10s from. These things suck large!

[erikbojerik]

Thanks LK...being that I'm building a bass, I might just as well think about building a bass cab.

How do you like the Hartke?

[lovekraft]

AES was the only place I found that stocked 'em, doc, but at 31.95 (I think that's right) I didn't look around much for a better deal, so they may be available cheaper.

Erik, I've had that Hartke for..., well, let's just say a really long time. It's the only amp I haven't replaced, so there must be something I like about it - seriously, it's solid, reliable and bullet-proof, and while it doesn't have a distinct signature sound like a Marshall or an Ampeg, it's got a lot of tonal variety available and no charming quirks that have to be worked around. I've used it in a rockabilly/alt.country setting, several classic rock units, and a swing band with an actual horn section, and I've always managed to get the appropriate sound out of it without any trouble. It's a keeper!

[lovekraft]

Double post... Edited April 20, 2005 by lovekraft

[thedoctor]

LK, thanks for the headsup on OEM stuff. Got 12 coming. Saved about $96.00 AND no frieght so I owe you! You are SO right about Hartke! I run an Ampeg head on three Hartke cabs cause all Hartke didn't have any character. I still haven't found any effects or processors that impress me but, believe it or not, I changed the trussrod in my gig axe to a single-acting/dual-rod and found the sound I was looking for since 1965! Now if the fretboard just stays on!