Looking for inspiration for a lightweight one-cab solution

[Stylon Pilson]

I've been playing and loving a Barefaced Compact 15" for about 13 years and it's definitely showing its age. I'm looking for suggestions for what to replace it with. Money is no object, but it needs to be light.

 

Obviously I'm considering replacing it with another Barefaced - the Super Compact looks like it fits the bill in terms of capability and weight, though in terms of being able to hear myself on stage, I do worry about it being so low down. The Super Twin might solve that issue.

 

I'm also finding myself lusting quite heavily after a GR AT212 Slim.

 

Any other suggestions?

 

S.P.

[gjones]

I liked my Barefaced compact so much that I bought a Super Compact. It's a good sounding cab but it's not as loud as the old Compact.

 

I can play my Compact with a loud drummer, using a 500 watt head and I have headroom to spare. The Super Compact needs a bit more power to compete with the same loud drummer. I had to upgrade to an 800 watt head.

[Lozz196]

I think I’d look at the Super Twin, I’d rather have too much in terms of speaker cone area than not enough. The BF 2x12 cabs are plenty capable of handling the type of venues without FOH PA on their own.

[pbasspecial]

+ 1 for the Super Twin. Used to have one Super Compact, then two. Then sold the new one. Regretted it so bought a Super Twin. Amazing one cab solution. 

[fretmeister]

Another vote for a Super Twin.

It's a lovely cab. I do everything from big band jazz to metal with it, paired with an Ashdown RM800 Evo 2 head.

The tilt back wheels are excellent too.

 

[Dan Dare]

If you like the BF approach, a Super Twin is the obvious choice. It fulfils all your requirements - power, weight, height so you can hear yourself, etc - and is not overly pricey for what it does. BF are very helpful. I'm sure they'd be happy for you to visit (you're not a million miles away) and compare one to your old Compact if you give them a call.

[chris_b]

If you want more power from a Super Compact. . . . get 2. 500 watts into a pair of those and you'll be a match for any guitarist, and they will still sound great at moderate volume.

[Stevie H]

I part exchanged my Supertwin for the GR AT 212 slim. It’s lighter, it’s smaller, it’s got side handles (very important for me!) and crucially I think it’s sounds better than the ST and equally as loud. GR all the way for me. 

[itu]

I play through the alusonic 2 x 12". It is under 40 lbs (18 kg). As any cab it has its own sound, but can produce quite a lot of noise if needed. They have a 12" version, too.

[fretmeister]

16 hours ago, Stevie H said:

I part exchanged my Supertwin for the GR AT 212 slim. It’s lighter, it’s smaller, it’s got side handles (very important for me!) and crucially I think it’s sounds better than the ST and equally as loud. GR all the way for me. 

Has it got wheels?

[Muzz]

I have an old-school 15" Compact and a Super Twin (after a few in-between cabs, like Bergs, Schroeders, other BFs, yadda yadda), I'd suggest for a 'It'll definitely cope' single cab solution that the Super Twin is pretty damn good.

 

The only thing I'd change mine for is, as Chris says above, two Super Compacts, but then that's a specific requirement of mine (I'm doing a lot of smaller gigs, so modular suits me these days), and not the OP's...

[Stevie H]

1 hour ago, fretmeister said:

Has it got wheels?

Nope. Doesn’t need them as it’s over 5kg lighter than the ST, has excellent side handles and has smaller dimensions. Incidentally I rarely used the tilt back wheels on my ST as I didn’t want to rattle it to bits on a footpath or road, and it was easier to just lift it through a packed pub. My ST was ace, but the GR is acer in my experience. 

[chris_b]

My big rig is a BB2/SM, the medium rig is an SC/SM, the small rig is an SC and my home practice rig is 2 One10's.

 

I can rattle my fillings out with any of these set ups and cranking the big rig has my loudest guitarist running for his volume control!

 

These are all lightweight options but I still use a trolley when moving them.

 

You can always buy "one more thing". The secret is knowing when "you're good" and it's time to enjoy what you already own.

[Muzz]

I should add that my Big Rig is both the Compact and the ST; they're the same width (verrrry important for a fairly OCD bunny like me), and are Stacktastic together...having said that, I've only used them both on two occasions, both to intimidate a stooopidly loud geeetard and keep the 'We need a big backline' singer happy, in the Rawk Band I'm no longer in...

 

I like the height thing from the ST (the Stacktastic even more so) - I had just a BB2 at one point, but although it could fill an aircraft hanger with bass (and literally did so on an RAF gig), standing next to it a lot of it went past my ankles. You can go too small with cabs...

[Phil Starr]

Do you fancy building something. There's a freely available design on BC BassChat Mk3 which will be more than adequate and has outperformed some of the cabs you've mentioned in blind listening tests. One of the special features in it's design is the midrange dispersion which is shaped so you can pick yourself out of a mix even when close to the speaker. 

 

 

I'd better declare an interest, it's not my design but I was involved in some of the development.

 

If I'm up in Reading you could maybe try mine out

Edited May 26, 2022 by Phil Starr

[Downunderwonder]

On 25/05/2022 at 04:14, Stylon Pilson said:

13 years and it's definitely showing its age.

You could sand it back and Duratex it. I wouldn't expect another 13 years' gigging carbon fibre if you are scuffing up the old one.

[Nebadon2000]

Super Twin; SPL 133 capable, 37lbs with cloth grille, 29" high [also can use what I have for single 12";  'Amp Wedge' [or similar] to angle Cab slightly up 2 or 1x12. 

 

Mesa 1x15 if you can find one and Genzler 1x15 Bass Array Slant, if your prefer 15" worth consideration

 

Boom Bass Tank 1015 or 1215 seems interesting, smaller 10 or 12 drivers are angled up on front 15" is down firing using Faital drivers 43 and 48lbs

[jazzyvee]

My one cab solution would be a Big Twin II. Lightweight, great sounding and extremely powerful when you need it to be.]

 

[garyt]

The Supertwin is a killer cab.  You won’t get it out of 2nd gear, but it’s light as a feather, doesn’t take up much space, and will deal with any situation.  In reality, the Super Compact will probably do.