No more Neo's...back to the heavyweights!

[Raslee]

Well having done the Markbass thang for the last 12 months I found there was something just not there in my reggae sound from the days I reminisced of a past Warwick air shifting 6x10 that i had previously owned......so to the detriment of my fellow band mates backs (mine too)...I'm back on the heavyweights with my new rig below....they just sound different to neo's to me, so heavy for a reason me thinks? Perhaps for heavy for dubbing belly pumping bass vibrations.

The Eden WT800A is soon to be replaced by a new WT550 that i have on order from Mansons. Sadly the WT800A has proved unreliable in the past but typically I've not had a single fault with it since having recently ordered the WT550

Edited December 14, 2009 by Rasta

[Clarky]

Hey Rasta, I presume you are about 7 foot tall in order that you can adjust the amp settings

[Musicman20]

Sometimes, you need traditional cabs!

[bassmanady]

I have tried Epifani and Markbass cabs with neo's,and i have to agree with you,i found their sound was not for me either

Edited December 13, 2009 by bassmanady

[Rayman]

You can keep yer blinkin 1x8 super lightweight whatever mini cabs.......... nowt moves air better than a couple of ruddy great back breaking wardrobes the size of a small car with 1x15s in 'em.

Edited December 13, 2009 by Rayman

[Raslee]

[quote name='Clarky' post='682542' date='Dec 12 2009, 09:11 PM']Hey Rasta, I presume you are about 7 foot tall in order that you can adjust the amp settings [/quote]

It's about eye level, 5ft 11...but yeah pretty cool


[quote name='Rayman' post='683015' date='Dec 13 2009, 02:24 PM']You can keep yer blinkin 1x8 super lightweight whatever mini cabs.......... nowt moves air better than a couple of ruddy great back breaking wardrobes the size of a small car with 1x15s in 'em.[/quote]
+1 (Jus prefer 10"'s over 15"'s)

[wateroftyne]

At the risk of making myself unpopular with a number of people... I feel the same way.

IME, a well-designed Neo might *sound* the same as its' ceramic equivalent, but on the gig they just don't *feel* the same.

I'm still to be convinced.

[EBS_freak]

I had neos. Went back to ceramics in lots of small manageable boxes. Neos, to me at least, are a bit characterless and not got the thump of ceramics.

[stevie]

[quote name='wateroftyne' post='683833' date='Dec 14 2009, 11:56 AM']At the risk of making myself unpopular with a number of people... I feel the same way.

IME, a well-designed Neo might *sound* the same as its' ceramic equivalent, but on the gig they just don't *feel* the same.

I'm still to be convinced.[/quote]
I don't think the 'problem' is with neo drivers. I've just got myself one and it doesn't sound any worse than the high quality ceramic driver I've been using so far. I strongly suspect that the problem is with poplar ply. This would explain the bad press for MarkBass, for example, despite the fact that they use world class B&C drivers.

The first company to build poplar ply cabinets (in the late eighties) was Hughes and Kettner. It is interesting to note that they didn't produce any of their 'Lightline' cabs with a rating higher than 100 watts. And they don't use poplar ply anymore. They use something else.

Food for thought perhaps.

[JTUK]

I use a couple of 10 " Neos in 'proper' cabs and I like them. I think the sound is an improvment over what I had ( Celestions, IIRC ) and I am happy with the weight of around 40lbs for a 2x10 cab.

If we are talking lightweight, then 35 lbs or so is about as low as you need to go, IMV If you can't carry that weight in one hand, you'd be better off getting your back fixed properly or certainly having it looked at with MRI and specialists involved.

[Beedster]

[quote name='Musicman20' post='682565' date='Dec 12 2009, 09:37 PM']Sometimes, you need traditional cabs![/quote]

Yep, having just moved from a lightweight Markbass rig to a monstrously hard to move Mesa Boogie, I agree (the f**king thing's so massive it has it's own gravitational field). The soundguy at the first gig with the Mesa summed it up best; "it's not adifference you can hear, it's one you feel". He had a smile on his face all night (and he's a drummer). Came up to me at the end of the show and said he's gonna talk to his bassist about getting a new rig

Lugging that heavy stuff around just feels more honest as well

Chris

[Beedster]

[quote name='Beedster' post='684098' date='Dec 14 2009, 03:43 PM']Yep, having just moved from a lightweight Markbass rig to a monstrously hard to move Mesa Boogie, I agree (the f**king thing's so massive it has it's own gravitational field). The soundguy at the first gig with the Mesa summed it up best; "it's not adifference you can hear, it's one you feel". He had a smile on his face all night (and he's a drummer). Came up to me at the end of the show and said he's gonna talk to his bassist about getting a new rig

Lugging that heavy stuff around just feels more honest as well

Chris[/quote]

Although having said that, the speakers in the Mesa are in fact Neos, but the cab itself is a monster compared to the Markbass, and I'm guessing that's where some of the magic lies?

C

[Happy Jack]

[url="http://www.gcc-uk.org/page.cfm"]http://www.gcc-uk.org/page.cfm[/url]

[silverfoxnik]

[quote name='Beedster' post='684098' date='Dec 14 2009, 03:43 PM']Yep, having just moved from a lightweight Markbass rig to a monstrously hard to move Mesa Boogie, I agree [b](the f**king thing's so massive it has it's own gravitational field)[/b]. The soundguy at the first gig with the Mesa summed it up best; "it's not adifference you can hear, it's one you feel". He had a smile on his face all night (and he's a drummer). Came up to me at the end of the show and said he's gonna talk to his bassist about getting a new rig

Lugging that heavy stuff around just feels more honest as well

Chris[/quote]


Classic! And FWIW, I'm totally in agreement with the OP..I prefer the sound from heavier cabs.. Not sure whether it's 'honest' or 'stupid' though Chris??

[stevie]

[quote name='Happy Jack' post='684184' date='Dec 14 2009, 05:02 PM'][url="http://www.gcc-uk.org/page.cfm"]http://www.gcc-uk.org/page.cfm[/url]

[/quote]
[url="http://www.made-in-china.com/image/2f0j00jMTaWsZCHUrLM/Blue-Elastic-Rubber-Caster-11XXXBL-.jpg"]http://www.made-in-china.com/image/2f0j00j...er-11XXXBL-.jpg[/url]

[Beedster]

[quote name='silverfoxnik' post='684524' date='Dec 14 2009, 09:20 PM']

Classic! And FWIW, I'm totally in agreement with the OP..I prefer the sound from heavier cabs.. Not sure whether it's 'honest' or 'stupid' though Chris??[/quote]

The only cab I've owned heavier than the Mesa Boogie was that H&K 4x10 I got from you Nik. Took three of us to get it up the stairs at gigs

[silverfoxnik]

[quote name='Beedster' post='684628' date='Dec 14 2009, 10:40 PM']The only cab I've owned heavier than the Mesa Boogie was that H&K 4x10 I got from you Nik. Took three of us to get it up the stairs at gigs [/quote]


Very true; we used to call it 'the beast' in my band for that very reason! Funnily enough, I was thinking about ith the other day Chris.. remembering how good it sounded in fact!! With my old GK 700RB head and my Wal it sounded fabulous...

[warwickhunt]

I'll add my name to the growing list of those not convinced by neo loaded cabs (whether that be because of the driver/design/cab material).

After several years in the wilderness trialling neo equipped EBS 2x12's, Tech Soundsystems 2x10/1x15/6x10/2x12 (the last one being the Tecamp Puma combo) I converted/reverted to the Aguilar DB12's... I came home; Ah bliss!

[Musicman20]

I definitely think it's materials as well. I bet the Mesa is really chunky and well built

I have one neo cab, and it's impressed me a hell of a lot whereas others did not. That said, I still love ceramics.

Edited December 15, 2009 by Musicman20

[Beedster]

[quote name='Musicman20' post='685817' date='Dec 15 2009, 10:20 PM']I definitely think it's materials as well. I bet the Mesa is really chunky and well built [/quote]

I was best man at my mate Dan's wedding a few years back. He's 21 stone and built like a boulder. We phoned the outfit hire company and gave them our details in order to hire morning suits. The lady on the phone stopped Dan after a few second of his readiing off his vital statistics and said "so, what you're saying love is that you're a bit chunky" (this being in the north it was pronounced choon-ka). Clearly morning suits come in small, medium, large, extra large and chunky

Yep, like a 21 stone boulder of a dude, the Mesa is not short on chunkiness

[guybrush threepwood]

[quote name='Rasta' post='682534' date='Dec 12 2009, 08:55 PM'][/quote]

That's quite a rig mate. And it's lovely to see my old Corvette in front of it. You still enjoying it?

[Raslee]

[quote name='guybrush threepwood' post='686126' date='Dec 16 2009, 10:30 AM']That's quite a rig mate. And it's lovely to see my old Corvette in front of it. You still enjoying it?[/quote]
Yeah, quite a heavy rig Heavy bass too...also that 2x10 Eden cab seems just as heavy as the 6x10-its quality though. This set up finally shifts the air i was looking for. I used to have a Warwick 6x10 cab and our drummer always said it sounded better than my Markbass rig that i had...i was so reluctant to accept this as i could carry the Markbass in two hands (A MB Berlin combo and MB 15" ext cab), but in the back of my mind i always felt something was missing. Now although i semi like the Markbass sound i could just not feel the air or earthy vibes.....so i thought perhaps it is because i am using 2x15" speakers (not my usual choice) so then i tried the head off the Berlin through an Ampeg fridge 8x10.....sounded good but then i compared the MB to the WT series Eden...well Eden is in a different league IMO (especially for reggae), but the MB was nice. So it was off with the Mark bass stuff and in with heavyweight new cabs again... and this is what i ended up with. Its great as i have the versatility of using just the 2x10 for smaller gigs too....those Eden XLT 2x10s can handle some whack for sure...seen.

As for the Warwick vette, its weird, i didn't want to become too attached at all, it was supposed to be bass number 3, one for the living room etc - and that's probably where the affair begun-we did it on the sofa :brow: - Soooo i cheated on my 79Ray & P bass and haven't looked back .....the vette is just so easy to play and the eq is great, i can go from a thick warm dub tone to a clickerty clank ska bass just via the eq alone...i was never able to do that before. In fact i was more of a passive bass geeza generally but i really like the eq control of the upgraded EMG pre amp & EMG PU's......most impressed indeed. And although not particularly competent at funky slappy slop stuff...well i can get a half decent groove going on it-at least enough to twitch my funk gland anyway :ph34r: . Interestingly I played another Corvette recently to compare and it was pants compared to this one...real chunky neck too...weird.


Jus waiting on the delivery of the Eden WT550....Mansons are a bit slow...or Eden are i think.

Edited December 16, 2009 by Rasta

[guybrush threepwood]

I'm really glad to hear you're enjoying it! Yeah, it really has got an impressive tone that one, and the neck... yum

I used to have a Streamer Jazzman 5, and the neck on that was terrible; so damn thick, it was like a tree trunk! I think they changed the neck profile around 2000, and I haven't really enjoyed playing one after that date as much as the Vette. It does seem like a heavy bass though, I used to use a comfort strap, but after a few hours of practice, my shoulder would be absolutely paggered... But on reflection, I don't think it's much heavier than the jazz you sent my way, it's just the way the weight is distributed; the long, 'engorged' upper horn of the Vette balances it perfectly, but also puts a strain on your shoulder!

As for the Jazz... I absolutely adore it. I haven't been able to put it down. It was [u]exactly[/u] what I was looking for, and my tone is now so close to the one that's in my head! I must admit, I do kind of miss the active EQ, but then again, I don't; I quite like the restrictiveness - I could never seem to dial in a tone and stick with it, probably due to my OCD, and it's good that I don't have to remember spare batteries! Of course, harmonics don't ring out as easily and strong, but the way the bottom end fills out a band... hell, it's incredible. And on the harmonics... it was good enough for Jaco, must be my poor techinque! I have made a little mod though; put in a series parallel switch on the volume pot, and over Christmas I'm swapping the pickups for Dimarzios, and the tuners for Hipshots. I love the Kent Armstrong pups, but I just want some humcancelling ones, and the tuners are great, but I've been spoilt by the Warwick high ratio ones! The Hipshots are 1:27, so I should be more at home with those.

I'm glad to find another Eden fan, but it's harsh that you had problems with your amp; I've had a WT-600 for a few years now, and (touch wood) it's never let me down... However, it is overdue on a service... They always go on about their stuff being hard-wearing, maybe you just got unlucky.

[RhysP]

[quote name='stevie' post='683879' date='Dec 14 2009, 12:36 PM']I strongly suspect that the problem is with poplar ply.
The first company to build poplar ply cabinets (in the late eighties) was Hughes and Kettner. It is interesting to note that they didn't produce any of their 'Lightline' cabs with a rating higher than 100 watts. And they don't use poplar ply anymore.[/quote]

So poplar has turned out to be to be unpoplar then......................

[alanbass1]

I'm another one that used Neo's for a number of years (Epifani UL210's) and have now 'rediscovered' ceramics in the guise of a couple of Bergantino's 112's. Its a bit of an apples and pears comparison, two 2x10's against two 1x12's, but I also tried the Bergantino AE112's against the HT/EX pair I bought - the AE's sounded harsh and less musical in comparison to their Ceramic driver/heavier cab brethren.

Edited December 21, 2009 by alanbass1