Bassman Rich

I had to change the output jack, thought I'd share these pictures of how it's aging. I think it's a 1983/4, s/n is an E31****

Thanks for that Phil, sadly, I don't have any focusrite type interface, but after retiring from being an electronic engineer for nearly 40 years, and having my kit provided, I have bought myself a Fluke 75, the Fender USA P bass of test meters.

Quick update. Thanks to the brilliant guys at Ashdown, I had a long chat about this with their chief designer, Dave Green. He has been trying to do this for quite some time too. Got some experiments to do with a bit of cardboard tube, so it just might work. BTW the speakers are not the Sica/Jensen ones we thought they were, and the parameters are not accurately known.

This pickup looks great. I have a Pink Paisley jap reissue tele bass, and the neck is as good as any of my 3 USA P basses. However, the stock pickup, plus the Seymore Duncan 1/4 pounder is not great, the pole pieces are such that the highest one ( one in from the left on your photo) is under the A string, so the D string is unusually quiet compared to the other 3. Think I need to get in touch with bare knuckle.

I cannot emphasise enough how much I appreciate all this effort you guys, Phil and Bill especially, have put into this quest of mine, but thanks again. As I have 3 other gigable cabs, I think I'm going to do the 'tuba tube port' experiment, will order a port today (blue aran do them cheap as chips) , try it out, and post the results. Can I post a video with sound on here, just so you can all giggle at my playing, and the tuba sounds ?? !! When all said and done, if I blow the speakers, I can then hunt for some new ones that will match my big deep bass trouser flappy desires in a shallow box that fits the boot of the car dreams !!

Oh yes, I love this too, I am the new Herbie Flowers, two instruments for the price of one session guy, available for rent, cheap prices, easy action baby....

But, just in case I get the fiddle about itch, what length single tube at 75 mm would I use, to possibly get sonic booms?? It sounded OK ish, but uneven, when trying it with no port attached, just the hole, but could just be my ears playing tricks, hearing what they want to hear...

Ps all, I did enjoy watching this guy, tuning his cab with rice, sounds like fun !!

My other half often complains about my rear port velocity, and sonic booms, better not upset the apple cart any more 😉

Great stuff Bill, however disappointing. Thanks so much to you and @Phil Starr, you guys really know your stuff. I guess thats why my ABM 1 x 15 speaker has two 75mm ports on the back.

The magnet is not quite the same size as on your Jenson spec sheet, about 130mm full width ot the outside of the magnet, as far as I can measure with a ruler..

Hey, fantastic response, they look almost the same.

Ooh thanks ever so much. I don't really want to hack the cab about, so can't really increase the port diameter from 7.5cm. I don't suppose you could advise on port length for that diameter could you?? Pics of cab added. Ps The upstairs loo has stopped flushing, and the bedroom TV broke on Monday (after absolutely years of service, it's a 23" one) new one arrives this afternoon, so might not get to experiment with cardboard tubes for a day or two....

Part of me wanting to remove the tweeter, was to get a bit more ooomph out of the cab, and removing the tweeter, effectively front porting was a 'win win' way of both doing this, and lightening the cab. Also, as the front speakers and port will be behind the snazzy new silver grill Ashdown use for the RM III models, it wont need to be a pro finish visible job, just do the business audiably

Thanks, much appreciated. I'll have a go , see how I get on, expect me back asking you and @bremen questions real sooon !!!

Thanks, much appreciated.

Hi Phil Very informative post, I wonder if you could help me please. Do you have a link to the speaker/cab modelling site pleas, i'm trying to remove a tweeter from an Ashdown RMIII 2 x 10, not only to make it lighter (I never use the tweeter), but could do with advice as to how to 'tune' the now front ported cab. I'm hoping its just fit a tube of a certain length to the cab, which is braced, and has some acoustic wadding in, and is 445 x 465 x 275 mm internal dimensions, 75 mm dia 'front port' hole. I have no idea what the speakers are, just an Ashdown sticker, ASH/10/16/150/BLACK 2311 (which I assume to mean Ashdown speaker, 10 ", 16 ohm, 150 Watt, black cone , manufactured Nov 2023 )

Thanks Bill. It sounds completely bonkers, but that's what science is for, making sense out of what originally seems madness. I tested out (without knowing this stuff) an 8 x 10 cab at our rehearsal room last night, it seemed louder, or at least as loud, when I was at nearly 70-80 degrees around from the front, rather than directly in front !!

I prioritised the car over the cab, atm, the cab goes on the back seat !!!

DGBass That low end dirty thump of an old school cab is EXACTLY the sound I want (and get from my Ashdown compact 1 x 15 cabs, with Eminence 3015s in) but they are too deep to fit in the boot of my car, as I've mentioned on another thread. The Mesa Subway cabs look incredibly well built, and being front ported, even better, but sadly, they too are too deep for me. I wonder if I could just make a cab thats a bit higher and wider, but not as deep, whether that would achieve the same sonic results......?? I feel a little project coming on, the wood and glue shouldn't be that expensive..

I used to use a pair of those 2 x 15 vertical cabs, again as David said, with the removable fronts. Got decent ooomph from a Marshall 50 w valve amp powering both.

This could very well be a numpty question, but here goes... Doesn't it project sound behind the cab, ie towards the back corner of the room, where the band are, rather than forward, towards the audience ??

Hahaha glad you found my tongue in cheek post amusing, and replied in the same vein. In my Alfa Giulia, amazingly, in a soft gig bag, the bass sitting in the same position as it is when you play it, just fits in the boot diagonally, but only 'standing up' not laying down !! Boot is a whopping 480 litres, but can't fit the Ashdown compact cabs in, as they are too deep. Max cab depth would be around 36cm, so still looking, the Ashdown 2x10 rootmaster III cab fits, but being sealed, and small, lacks enough ooomph for all but the smallest gig. The eternal search continues... https://www.parkers.co.uk/alfa-romeo/giulia/review/practicality/