Ex-Barefaced users?

[JapanAxe]

[quote name='lowregisterhead' timestamp='1505663952' post='3373423']
Had a Big Twin T. It was very light and much louder than you'd expect, just like they said it would be, but the sound had a big hole in the midrange that I couldn't seem to EQ back in, and then the horn blew on the second gig. Returned it and got a refund.
[/quote]

What are you using now?

No hole in my midrange btw!

[lowregisterhead]

[quote name='JapanAxe' timestamp='1505674670' post='3373505']
What are you using now?

No hole in my midrange btw!
[/quote]

Well... seeing as you've asked, I reverted to my EBS Proline 410, then that morphed into two EBS Proline 210's just 'cos they were more manageable (getting old y'see) and as I stack them on their ends, they're actually more audible too. That was the other thing the BF lacked - that trademark EBS glassy top end, but I see you don't care for tweeters, so that won't be an issue for you! On the top of the cabs has variously been an EBS TD650, a Glockenklang Heart Rock II, a TC Electronic BH800, a GK MB800 Fusion, and now an Eich T1000. I have tried other Neo cabs in the past (MarkBass, EBS) but I found they just couldn't handle the bottom end... not my kind of bottom end, anyway.

[JapanAxe]

[quote name='lowregisterhead' timestamp='1505675496' post='3373514']
Well... seeing as you've asked, I reverted to my EBS Proline 410, then that morphed into two EBS Proline 210's just 'cos they were more manageable (getting old y'see) and as I stack them on their ends, they're actually more audible too. That was the other thing the BF lacked - that trademark EBS glassy top end, but I see you don't care for tweeters, so that won't be an issue for you! On the top of the cabs has variously been an EBS TD650, a Glockenklang Heart Rock II, a TC Electronic BH800, a GK MB800 Fusion, and now an Eich T1000. I have tried other Neo cabs in the past (MarkBass, EBS) but I found they just couldn't handle the bottom end... not my kind of bottom end, anyway.
[/quote]

Thanks for that, nothing if not thorough!

[Salt on your Bass?]

I went away from bf as wasn't playing. Started playing again and tried a few other cabs and the weight and ride wasn't what I wanted. Went back to bf for gen 3 12s then the retro series. Settled on the retro series as the tone hits the spot for me now. Tried a 215 whilst having the retro and tonally it's not quite right. Happy and won't change from now on on the cab front.

[Steff]

I used two Midgets for a year, done 2-3 gigs with one per week and 1 per month with both.

In my opinion they’re better than your average cab but I like more aggressive, punchy and focused sound. I found them to be very neutral Cabs. So I switched to Bergantino AE210 and I’m happier. Better low mids, better highs (for my taste). Also the Bergs can handle more power before starting to distort audibly. Which is strange as they’re rated at 400 watt and the Barefaced site says 150-600w for the midget, I guess that’s RMS and peak values.

Have also tried the 2x12 plus tweeter (don’t remeber the model) on a gig but for my liking it was lacking low mid and midrange. The sound was too heavy and slow, not defined and focused enough.

Wouldn’t go back to them but again - everyone’s sound preferences are different. I am an aggressive player and like to be audible in the mix. For someone who likes to just add the low frequencies to the band mix, they should be more than suitable, also very light and compact and so on.

Have played with one midget on a small local festival where the stage was big enough and the cymbals weren’t in my ear and it was loud enough.

[Captain Rumble]

had a 1 x 15 compact it was great for its size and weight, acquired an S12t which I used for several years and it was ideal for what I was doing at that time, Then I got to use a Vanderclay 2 x 12 and immediately moved the Barefaced on and no regrets. Ya pays yer money and takes yer choice

[Conan]

[quote name='Steff' timestamp='1506263173' post='3377402']In my opinion they're better than your average cab but I like more aggressive, punchy and focused sound. I found them to be very neutral Cabs. So I switched to Bergantino AE210 and I'm happier. Better low mids, better highs (for my taste).

Have also tried the 2x12 plus tweeter (don't remeber the model) on a gig but for my liking it was lacking low mid and midrange. The sound was too heavy and slow, not defined and focused enough.
I am an aggressive player and like to be audible in the mix. For someone who likes to just add the low frequencies to the band mix, they should be more than suitable, also very light and compact and so on.
[/quote]

Interesting. Your experience is virtually the exact opposite of mine! I found the Bergs (HS210s) to be too "polite" after years of using Barefaced. I find the BF cabs (or at least the ones that I have used) to be very "in your face" if you want them to be.

[Merton]

I'd like to come clean and say now that I'm no longer an ex-Barefaced user. My rig now consists of a Super Compact and One10 and I couldn't be happier. I'm an ex-ex-Barefaced user 😎

[JapanAxe]

[quote name='Merton' timestamp='1506352367' post='3378139']
I'd like to come clean and say now that I'm no longer an ex-Barefaced user. My rig now consists of a Super Compact and One10 and I couldn't be happier. I'm an ex-ex-Barefaced user
[/quote]

Are they designed/intended to be used together (like the original Compact and Midget)? And do you use them like that?

[Merton]

[quote name='JapanAxe' timestamp='1506355381' post='3378181']


Are they designed/intended to be used together (like the original Compact and Midget)? And do you use them like that?
[/quote]

They're not designed to be used like that but they do work very well together IMO

[scrumpymike]

I'm using a SC with 2xOne10s. Asked BF Alex and he doesn't recommend it because (in his words): ..."you lose focus, but a lot of people do it despite - or maybe because of that." Sounds very nice to me though, which I guess is all that counts!

[Dood]

My experience has been based on going straight for the kill, the daddy of the BF range and I still maintain that the Big Twin II is one of the very best sounding bass guitar cabinets available today. It does need to be treated differently to stock mushy sounding poo cabinets - and if you plug your amp in to the BTII using the same EQ settings then the BTII won’t sound good. Most folk are setting there EQ to try to make the cab sound good in the first instance.

So I sold my BTII. That was a mistake. My plan was to sell and I’d already told Alex that after the sale had gone through he could expect an order from me for a pair of FR800 cabinets. I love the idea of using these as either a PA, a combo or active back line. What a great idea for us bassists. Sadly shortly before the order I had some pretty crippling house bills and repairs that meant my plans were (and still are) scuppered. I did manage to lick my wounds a little and buy a BB2 instead which I love. Maybe I’ll be able to get another next year but as a pro Bassist, FR800’s are unlikely ever because I have 4 mouths to feed and a mortgage to pay first.

[CamdenRob]

I've been using a pair of One10s for a while now and couldn't be happier with them I only swapped from the berg CN210 I had been using to give me the option of using just one cab and Berg didn't make a lightweight 110.

I was very sceptical at first as I tried an older set up ages ago (Compact and Midget I think it was) and I absolutely hated it... it was mega loud but sounded like I was playing my bass through the london underground PA system... horrible middy honk and no botttom end. Dunno what they are doing differently now but I wouldn't swap my One10s for anything else*... Lovely punchy deep focused sound and ridiculously easy to get around. Tone is subjective yadda yadda but it's a 10/10 from me.




*actually that's not strictly true, if I had someone to carry my gear around I'd have a full fat Glockenklang rig.

Edited September 29, 2017 by CamdenRob

[Marty Forrer]

I had a pair of One10s, sold them and bought Super Midgets. to mind, and ears, there is nothing better.

[Roland Rock]

I sold my 69er as it was distorting at the big subby frequencies I often play at. The super twin which replaces it is undistortable and the perfect sound for me.

[JapanAxe]

[quote name='Roland Rock' timestamp='1506792333' post='3381185']
I sold my 69er as it was distorting at the big subby frequencies I often play at. The super twin which replaces it is undistortable and the perfect sound for me.
[/quote]

Could be to do with the drivers that BF developed for Gen 3?

[Roland Rock]

[quote name='JapanAxe' timestamp='1506797117' post='3381231']


Could be to do with the drivers that BF developed for Gen 3?
[/quote]

The drivers on the 69er are designed to thicken the sound to an extent, also being a sealed cab might be a factor.
But Yes, the g3 drivers are superb imo; the Super Twim gives me an immense blank canvas.

Edited October 1, 2017 by Roland Rock

[shug]

My only experience with BF was a 2x15 I bought around 2010. The build quality was kinda flimsy (it got broken in transit despite pretty rigorous packaging by Alex), the corners didn't fit the radius of the cab and whole thing seemed a bit Micky Mouse to me. It didn't sound any good, either. I used it with a couple of good amps - a Marshall VBA400 and a TE SMX - over a couple of gigs and a rehearsal or two and couldn't get a usable sound out of it. I've played for a long time, in a lot of different situations and with a lot of different set ups and neither I nor my drummer ( a pro sound guy) could wring anything approaching a quality noise from it. I gave up in the end and, to be fair, Alex was completely cool about the return and refund.
I look at BF's site sometimes and there are a lot of interesting looking products on there and a whole lot of you folks seem pretty sold on 'em but, y'know, pricewise they're right up there at the very top end, use off the shelf drivers (nothing wrong with that) and they do seem a bit Emperor's New Clothes to my eyes.
I'm prepared - would be happy, in fact - to be proved wrong on this. Maybe a local BF user would let me know when they're doing a local show. I'd be interested to come along and check it out.

[alexclaber]

Lots of things have changed since 2010, when there was just one person at Barefaced and it was run out of my garage in my spare time, not least of which that we no longer use:

[quote name='shug' timestamp='1506860830' post='3381540']...off the shelf drivers...[/quote]

Try another one when you get a chance! Either we're the world's best con artists or thousands of bassists all over the world have a good reason for loving their Barefaced cabs. ;-)

Note that we have demo cabs available to test/borrow from the Brighton factory and The Gallery in London and hire cabs available (with or without flight cases) either now or imminently from Brighton Electric, John Henry's in London, STS in Manchester and Third Encore in Los Angeles.

[shug]

[quote name='alexclaber' timestamp='1506862675' post='3381557']
Lots of things have changed since 2010, when there was just one person at Barefaced and it was run out of my garage in my spare time, not least of which that we no longer use:



Try another one when you get a chance! Either we're the world's best con artists or thousands of bassists all over the world have a good reason for loving their Barefaced cabs. ;-)

Note that we have demo cabs available to test/borrow from the Brighton factory and The Gallery in London and hire cabs available (with or without flight cases) either now or imminently from Brighton Electric, John Henry's in London, STS in Manchester and Third Encore in Los Angeles.
[/quote]Hey, well, ya gotta respect a fellah who works Sundays!
I'm sure a lot has changed in 7 years and there's a learning curve going on for all of us. I would be real interested in trying one of your cabs, particularly the big ones! Do you think they'd be equal to the rigours of the road? Without a flightcase (which would be kind of antithetical to the point of the whole lightweight thing)?
I love the look of your stuff and the whole idea of the ultra-light thing has a very obvious appeal. I'm hoping someone local, a BF user, gets in touch and I'll go along to one of their shows and listen and learn.
I truly want to believe and nothing would please me more than to use something that's made and designed by an individual on a mission rather than churned out by some massive musicorp conglomerate.
I'm interested...

[JapanAxe]

[quote name='alexclaber' timestamp='1506862675' post='3381557']
Try another one when you get a chance!
[/quote]

I may just do that myself!

Since starting this thread 3 weeks ago I have pretty much settled on the idea of an upgrade to 'One Cab To Rule Them All', in the form of a single 4-ohm cab that will play nicely with my 800W Demeter or 900W Streamliner, whilst still producing a healthy output from my recently acquired Nano Mark 300 (when used as a backup in case of main amp failure). I started drawing up a comparative list of what's available, and Barefaced have no fewer than 3 contenders in their current range, of which the Super Twin seems the best fit for me. The other contenders come from Bergantino, TKS, and Vanderkley, but all but TKS have tweeters, which add little for someone who favours a smoother sound, plays flats exclusively, and can't hear anything above 12kHz! Sadly there is now nowhere in the UK to audition a TKS 2126 or S2126, whereas Barefaced can be had on sale or return.

So Alex, what is the lead time on a Super Twin (with grille cloth) at the moment?

[CameronJ]

I smell a sale pending...

[JapanAxe]

[quote name='CameronJ' timestamp='1506870327' post='3381634']
I smell a sale pending...
[/quote]



I'm talking myself into this!

[JapanAxe]

... and just put down a deposit on a Super Twin with silver grille cloth!

[CameronJ]

Good work!