help me my cab is too heavy

pogisnake

pogisnake

New member
hey guys....

i was thinking of removing two of my speakers from my B-52 4X12 to make it lighter,

then just use the stereo switch to use only one side....

is it ok to do this?

i imagine that it isnt as simple to just diconnect the speakers...
id have to reconnect the wires somehow in a special way...but i dont know anything about amps

can anyone help me?

thanks
AJ
 
Re: help me my cab is too heavy

or just shop around for a smaller cab.... many guys hauling 4x12's everywhere get sick of the weight.... i know i did.... i went all the way back to 1x12 combos!
 
Re: help me my cab is too heavy

dude i weigh 130 pounds and i carry mine around fine. Up & down stairs, up on stages, ontop of another 4x12, whatever

you'll be fine
 
Re: help me my cab is too heavy

pogisnake said:
hey guys....

i was thinking of removing two of my speakers from my B-52 4X12 to make it lighter,

then just use the stereo switch to use only one side....

is it ok to do this?

i imagine that it isnt as simple to just diconnect the speakers...
id have to reconnect the wires somehow in a special way...but i dont know anything about amps

can anyone help me?

thanks
AJ
Click to expand...

Till you have a 4x12 peavey vintage Cabinet Loaded with EV12L's, don't talk to me about a heavey Cabinet! hahaha.
Get a dolly. Or get Marshall cabinet with some greenbacks or something.
 
Re: help me my cab is too heavy

I had an old homemade cab once made from solid oak with 4 of those huge EVM speakers with the huge magnets, I can't remember the model of the speakers, but each one weighed twice or probablly more than any Celestion. That thing tipped out around 160 pounds. I hated luggin' that thing around. My Marshall 4x12 isn't too bad, I'm guessing around 80 to 100 pounds.
 
Re: help me my cab is too heavy

pogisnake said:
hey guys....

i was thinking of removing two of my speakers from my B-52 4X12 to make it lighter,
Click to expand...

After reading this I got this mental image
b5210ob9.jpg


Seriously how kick ass is a huge plane with four 12" speakers?!
 
Re: help me my cab is too heavy

When he's 40, he'll get a Deluxe.

'Til then, ROCK ON!!!!

Seriously though, you might consider going with a 2x12 cab. Mic'ed up, you can make them sound just as big as a stack.
 
Re: help me my cab is too heavy

pogisnake said:
hey guys....

i was thinking of removing two of my speakers from my B-52 4X12 to make it lighter,

then just use the stereo switch to use only one side....

is it ok to do this?

i imagine that it isnt as simple to just diconnect the speakers...
id have to reconnect the wires somehow in a special way...but i dont know anything about amps

can anyone help me?

thanks
AJ
Click to expand...

Yes you can remove 2 speakers, but most likely they are 16 ohm speakers so you'll have to run them in parallel for an 8 ohm load, so I'm assuming you have an 8 ohm tap on your amp. If you want to stay with the 412 look, I would run the speakers in a diagonal so the weight/sound would still balance out pretty well. If you decide to open the back up, just go ahead and take two out and then post again and we'll tell you how to wire it.
 
Re: help me my cab is too heavy

What Buckeye said.
I would add, it may not be necessary to rewire the two remaining speakers. As you said, you'd use the cab in stereo mode and just connect your amp to the side that still has speakers. So find out how many ohms each side is in stereo mode. Many amps have an impedance selector switch on the back. Just set it to the same ohm rating.

As for the "special way" you'd have to connect the wires from the two speakers you took out, I would expect if the switch on the cab is set to stereo, those wires are out of the circuit anyway. Let them hang, or wrap them up and tie wrap them if you're a neat freak, and don't plug the output of your amp into the wrong speaker jack on your cab!
 
Re: help me my cab is too heavy

You're also going to be changing the character of the cab- you're going to have 2 big open ports in the front. If you plug those holes, you've still got a different character to it as the whole thing is going to resonate differently, internal volume and all that... If you like what you're getting, fine- if not, you're probably better off in finding a 2x12 that fits what you want to do.

Whining about the weight of a 4x12.

My lightest bass cab is like 87 pounds.

Wusses.
 
Re: help me my cab is too heavy

It's hard to put yer back into liftin' with sand in yer 'giner.
 
Re: help me my cab is too heavy

hey thanks for the responses guys...

yeah i never had a problem with my heavy cab until i hurt my back...

i workout everyday so im strong, but a lower back injury will make anything heavy for even the strongest person

ill experiment with all your suggestions....

good points on the cab's sound character after removing two speakers... i imagine some feedback will be produced and it will sound thinner but we'll see what happens

aj
 
Re: help me my cab is too heavy

pogisnake said:
yeah i never had a problem with my heavy cab until i hurt my back...

i workout everyday so im strong, but a lower back injury will make anything heavy for even the strongest person
Click to expand...

It's not just about the weight of the cab- it's also the ergonomics of lifting and moving the cab. My back has been ripped up since 1995, I know of what you speak.

With the 4x12- it's easier to push the cab because of the height and casters (if you've got casters). The handles on the side make it easier to pick the cab up and get it to a height that it's centered on your center of balance. Keep your back straight and lift with your legs.
 
Re: help me my cab is too heavy

Smaller cabs ... as many as you need ... is a great idea. When I was 17 and 130 pounds I had two 4x12 with Altec Lansing 417 with an Ampeg V4 head. Went I got done with my stuff, I'd help with the Hammond B3 and the Ampeg V6 bass cab.

But at about 20, I figured out that I could split up the speakers ... I used two 1x12 with those Altecs and a Marshall head. Better sound and I could get them to and from the gig easy. Later an original Boogie head with a 1x12 EVM-12L ... smaller but all still heavy. Also had 2x10 JBL cabinet for a while ... a bit bright but loud as hell.

Now I have an Eminence 2x10 and a Celestion G-1265 1x12 ... both are light and sound great. My D'lite 22/33 is much lighter than my Boogie head in the anvil case too. I think the lighter gear is great ... carry a good mic with you (they are light, as well) and run through today's PA systems.

Funny story ... I bought an open back 1x12 D'Lite cab from Brown Note ... put the Celestion G-1265 in it. I was thrilled. I ask my wife to pick it up and she said "How heavy will it be with the speaker in it?" I said "It has the speaker in it!"

I love it! The amp set up I have sounds as good as anything I've ever had and my 52 year old back loves it too. I think one of my biggest arguments here was that two 2x12s could not sound as good as one 4x12 ... don't get started ... I won't argue with you. But this is the way to go ... no question.

My rig now ...

DLiteFinal.jpg


:)
 
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