Extension Cab for Guitar

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Blooze

Extension Cab for Guitar
« on: 4 Oct 2011, 04:56 pm »
Hey Duke!!!!

I've got a little early 70's Fender Vibrochamp that the stock 8" speaker just doesn't do it for me.  It a little 6V6 6W amp if you're not familiar.  Anyway, I could replace the stock speaker with a much better one, but I think going to an extension cabinet with a 10" or 12" would be a better way to go, as the 8" just farts a lot with the volume up.  The stock speakers are 3.2 ohm, so I'm necessarily limited there.  Any ideas?

Shane

Duke

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Re: Extension Cab for Guitar
« Reply #1 on: 5 Oct 2011, 10:17 pm »
Shane, I wish I knew more about guitar speakers, but I just don't.

The 12" Eminence Wizard is really loud, the 12" Jensen Jet Tornado is smooth and lightweight and probably pretty expensive these days, the Eminence Rajun Cajun has a cool name and is a pretty loud 10", and the Eminence Legend 102-8K is a nice little affordable alnico 10".   

If you want to spend some money, it's hard to go wrong with the Celestion Blue or Gold.

Duke


jtwrace

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Re: Extension Cab for Guitar
« Reply #2 on: 5 Oct 2011, 11:37 pm »
Shane, I wish I knew more about guitar speakers, but I just don't.

Duke

Sounds like you got something to do!   :wink:  I'd bet you would do really well with them considering your success with the bass cabinet and now the name recognition in that realm. 

playntheblues

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Re: Extension Cab for Guitar
« Reply #3 on: 6 Oct 2011, 01:05 am »
Guy's here is a link to a great Fender Blues jr modder and his thoughts on speakers.
http://billmaudio.com/wp/?page_id=295
By the way cannabis Rex gets my vote  :thumb:
enjoy,
Guy

Quiet Earth

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Re: Extension Cab for Guitar
« Reply #4 on: 6 Oct 2011, 01:22 am »
The stock speakers are 3.2 ohm

Aren't most (all?) of the after market speakers either 8 or 16 ohms?

Maybe your amp would rather play into an 8 ohm speaker than a 3.2 ohm speaker. If your amp has a 1/4 inch speaker out jack you could take it to a guitar store (with a speaker cable) and try out some different small cabs. Make sure you are not driving the internal speaker while you're driving the extension. Then, take a look at the impedance and brand of driver in the cab that sounds good to you and buy a replacement speaker for your amp that is similar to that.

Just a thought.

Blooze

Re: Extension Cab for Guitar
« Reply #5 on: 6 Oct 2011, 01:47 am »
Guy's here is a link to a great Fender Blues jr modder and his thoughts on speakers.
http://billmaudio.com/wp/?page_id=295
By the way cannabis Rex gets my vote  :thumb:
enjoy,
Guy

The cannibis rex speakers do sound great.  I've debated getting a Blues Jr., but I've already got this Vibrochamp sitting there.  :wink:





Aren't most (all?) of the after market speakers either 8 or 16 ohms?

Maybe your amp would rather play into an 8 ohm speaker than a 3.2 ohm speaker. If your amp has a 1/4 inch speaker out jack you could take it to a guitar store (with a speaker cable) and try out some different small cabs. Make sure you are not driving the internal speaker while you're driving the extension. Then, take a look at the impedance and brand of driver in the cab that sounds good to you and buy a replacement speaker for your amp that is similar to that.

Just a thought.

Maybe, but it is designed around a 3.2 ohm speaker.  Playing thru an 8 ohm probably wouldn't hurt it, but the output is going to be less, which is the opposite direction I'm wanting to go, and I'd hate to ruin the original OPT if for some reason it didn't like it.  If I parallel up a pair of 8ohms though in an extension cabinet then I'm good to go!!!

playntheblues

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Re: Extension Cab for Guitar
« Reply #6 on: 6 Oct 2011, 01:50 am »
Or even one better, and it,s cheaper than buying a new amp. Especially one that's bigger and heavyier.  Check the transformer for other taps, if it doesn't, have any and it probably won,t, just change out the transformer for an Allen.  David Allen has some great transformers at good prices.  Keep the original in case you sell it some day.
Regards,
Guy

Blooze

Re: Extension Cab for Guitar
« Reply #7 on: 6 Oct 2011, 02:07 am »
Or even one better, and it,s cheaper than buying a new amp. Especially one that's bigger and heavyier.  Check the transformer for other taps, if it doesn't, have any and it probably won,t, just change out the transformer for an Allen.  David Allen has some great transformers at good prices.  Keep the original in case you sell it some day.
Regards,
Guy

I have thought about that anyway, as the OPT is definitely the weak link.  Well, that and the stock speaker.  I don't forsee ever selling this amp unless I'm starving.  Picked it up for a whopping $25 from an 80 year old man back in my little hometown about 10 years ago.  He used it for church service.

On the other hand, if I want heavy and skin peeling loud, I'll just plug into my 5150 combo and blow stuff off the walls.  Actually, I want to sell that amp as it really doesn't shine unless it's pumping out some volume, and that's usually too loud for practice by yourself.  That's the impetus for the Vibrochamp cabinet.

James Romeyn

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Re: Extension Cab for Guitar
« Reply #8 on: 8 Oct 2011, 02:28 am »
Blooze,
Ask guitarist Carl Hart at Facebook, lives near me in Logan UT, 25 mins south of Duke.  Take whatever he says as gospel.  For electric guitar and amps he knows more about the best sound for little money than anyone else I can think of (Duke will likely agree).

His mostly stock Danelectro/Sears combo (estimate $275 Ebay) is smaller than my brother in law's stock purchased-new 2009 Fender Blues Jr., and to say it blows away the Fender is a huge understatement.  He has more gear than Carter has pills (I know, I'm dating myself).

Blooze

Re: Extension Cab for Guitar
« Reply #9 on: 8 Oct 2011, 04:50 am »
Blooze,
Ask guitarist Carl Hart at Facebook, lives near me in Logan UT, 25 mins south of Duke.  Take whatever he says as gospel.  For electric guitar and amps he knows more about the best sound for little money than anyone else I can think of (Duke will likely agree).

His mostly stock Danelectro/Sears combo (estimate $275 Ebay) is smaller than my brother in law's stock purchased-new 2009 Fender Blues Jr., and to say it blows away the Fender is a huge understatement.  He has more gear than Carter has pills (I know, I'm dating myself).

Thanks James.  Do you happen to have an email for him you could pm me.  Wouldn't mind picking his brain on mods for the Vibrochamp.

On a side note, I've got a couple of speakers coming soon that I'll need to build a cabinet for.  Thanks Duke   :wink: :wink: :wink: :wink: :wink: