Building a 4x10" for Bass

Ewlman · 06-25-2012, 12:31 PM

I came across some cheap Celestion BL10s (19€/ piece) a while back so me and my friend decided to make our half stack for bass stand tall and proud!

The final set up would then be 1x15" (8ohms) + 4x10" (8ohms) with a total of 16ohms. The 4x10 would then be connected to the amps 16ohm out and the 1x15 to the 4x10s series link when in fullstack mode. We figuered that this series link would give us a very impedance versatile setup since the fullstack could be easily used in both 16 & 4 ohms (1x15 features a parallel link) or of course a single cab of choice in 8ohms.

We decided to use 18mm finnish spruce ply for economical reasons (about half the price of birch).
It's sturdy and dense enough for task I can assure you.

Here are some pix of the building process:

Well it has to start somewhere...

Isolation in place.

Holes carved out for the handles..

Checking the wiring referring to dc resistance

Thin nails are there to keep the fabric in place when the glue is wet

Back panel with input (left) and series link (right). The switch engages the or disengages the series link.

Finito!

... damn, I gotta take a better pic when I'm at our rehearsal space next time...

GIBSON67 · 06-25-2012, 01:27 PM

Nice job, and those Celestions look damn beefy! How does it sound?

My only suggestion would have been to rear load the speakers and just attach the grill cloth to the baffle. And maybe some porting to tune it to a good bass frequency.

SmokeyDopey · 06-25-2012, 01:39 PM

Nice jog, Ewlman!! I built a 2x12 cab for guitar... This seems like a cool "next project" for me!

Gibson:
How do you tune a cab once it's built? Do you mean like trial and error of throwing in some insulation in there, like fiber glass or something? (Until you get a good frequency)
Or how does that work?

GIBSON67 · 06-25-2012, 02:13 PM

It is based on the size of the port and the length of the port. Also, the speaker parameters come into play. I can't tell you how to tune to a specific frequency but you can try it by trail and error. The best idea is to copy speaker plans from a well known company and that way you are assured to have it ported correctly.

I have built a EV TL606 1x15 ported box that could either be tuned to XXhz or XXhz depending on whether you leave the port cover on or off.

Insulation is good for damping a box that is too boomy.

Ewlman · 06-25-2012, 07:12 PM

Thanks guys! Me and my pal had real fun constructing this baby! Being the first cab anyone of us designed and built I must say it turned out great!

Haven't really had the time to test the speakers with our proper bass head yet (early 70's super lead clone) but from what I can tell this far, from a test drive with a Yamaha SS bass amp, they're bad ass.

The speakers are very warm and pleasant sounding. Tight and round bass, not ultra clean and bright like a Hartke cab but with a mean grit in the lower mids, the highs are present but not at all harsh sounding. Quite a vintage bass tone I would say.

Gibson: Well, the cab is already tuned to about 40Hz (low E on bass being 41Hz...). The cab was designed using all speaker parameters I could find (not only the standard Thiele-Small) and put into the 'Bass Box Pro 6'- cab design program.

The vent is down there in the front... pic is some what bad, I know.

Smokey: Go for it! Get some bass cab designer software and use the parameters to help you calculate/decide what kind of cab and how to build it. I think you can get some mean guitar tones from if that's what you wanna use for as well...

Ewlman · 06-25-2012, 07:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GIBSON67

Nice job, and those Celestions look damn beefy! How does it sound?

My only suggestion would have been to rear load the speakers and just attach the grill cloth to the baffle. And maybe some porting to tune it to a good bass frequency.

Btw. Any special reason for rear loading the speaker? Since our cab is one solid, glued and screwed box we had to load the speakers from the front. I also figured that they take up a little less volume on the inside that way.

GIBSON67 · 06-26-2012, 08:22 AM

Good job on using a port and making sure is was tuned. I didn't see that before.

I've read and I believe that rear loading the speakers helps transfer the sound better to the box itself for a deeper sound. Also, I like to keep things simple. And adding the grill cloth directly to the baffle eliminates the frame/grill cloth assembly that might rattle.

You did great, my first build was utter crap compared to your's.

Ewlman · 06-26-2012, 10:31 AM

Thanks to the internet it's pretty easy to DIY these days as long as you do your research.

Already thinking about the next project... a 2x12 semi open back with a little unconventional construction. More of that later

siav · 12-07-2012, 03:34 AM

Hello!

I´d like to change my speakers on my 4x12 cab but dont live close to the place where my amp is to open it and check what impedance have the speakers have.
The impedance of each speaker should be of 8 Ohms in order to use the Marshall "Mono/Stereo" switch in the back of the amp?

Thanks!

06-25-2012, 12:31 PM	#1 (permalink)
Ewlman Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Aland Islands, Finland Posts: 189	Building a 4x10" for Bass I came across some cheap Celestion BL10s (19€/ piece) a while back so me and my friend decided to make our half stack for bass stand tall and proud! The final set up would then be 1x15" (8ohms) + 4x10" (8ohms) with a total of 16ohms. The 4x10 would then be connected to the amps 16ohm out and the 1x15 to the 4x10s series link when in fullstack mode. We figuered that this series link would give us a very impedance versatile setup since the fullstack could be easily used in both 16 & 4 ohms (1x15 features a parallel link) or of course a single cab of choice in 8ohms. We decided to use 18mm finnish spruce ply for economical reasons (about half the price of birch). It's sturdy and dense enough for task I can assure you. Here are some pix of the building process: Well it has to start somewhere... Isolation in place. Holes carved out for the handles.. Checking the wiring referring to dc resistance Thin nails are there to keep the fabric in place when the glue is wet Back panel with input (left) and series link (right). The switch engages the or disengages the series link. Finito! ... damn, I gotta take a better pic when I'm at our rehearsal space next time... bvoris likes this. __________________ Amps: Marshall Silver Jubilee 2555, 70's Diamond Sound Super Lead 100W, Marshall Class 5, Marshall AVT150HX, Marshall MG100-DFX (can't get it sold ) Cabs: 1960A & 1960B X-pattern V30-T75, 70's Diamond Sound Tesla loaded 4x12", Behringer BB115, AG BL10 4x10" Guitars: J&D LP Trans Amber, Squier Classic Vibe 60's Strat, J&D Gothic LP, Salmath Eagle Lucifer http://www.myspace.com/tssbband Last edited by Ewlman; 06-25-2012 at 01:04 PM.

06-25-2012, 01:27 PM	#2 (permalink)
GIBSON67 Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Lakeland, TN Posts: 3,292	Re: Building a 4x10" for Bass Nice job, and those Celestions look damn beefy! How does it sound? My only suggestion would have been to rear load the speakers and just attach the grill cloth to the baffle. And maybe some porting to tune it to a good bass frequency.

06-25-2012, 01:39 PM	#3 (permalink)
SmokeyDopey Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Argentina Posts: 8,290	Re: Building a 4x10" for Bass Nice jog, Ewlman!! I built a 2x12 cab for guitar... This seems like a cool "next project" for me! Gibson: How do you tune a cab once it's built? Do you mean like trial and error of throwing in some insulation in there, like fiber glass or something? (Until you get a good frequency) Or how does that work?

06-25-2012, 02:13 PM	#4 (permalink)
GIBSON67 Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Lakeland, TN Posts: 3,292	Re: Building a 4x10" for Bass It is based on the size of the port and the length of the port. Also, the speaker parameters come into play. I can't tell you how to tune to a specific frequency but you can try it by trail and error. The best idea is to copy speaker plans from a well known company and that way you are assured to have it ported correctly. I have built a EV TL606 1x15 ported box that could either be tuned to XXhz or XXhz depending on whether you leave the port cover on or off. Insulation is good for damping a box that is too boomy.

06-25-2012, 07:12 PM	#5 (permalink)
Ewlman Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Aland Islands, Finland Posts: 189	Re: Building a 4x10" for Bass Thanks guys! Me and my pal had real fun constructing this baby! Being the first cab anyone of us designed and built I must say it turned out great! Haven't really had the time to test the speakers with our proper bass head yet (early 70's super lead clone) but from what I can tell this far, from a test drive with a Yamaha SS bass amp, they're bad ass. The speakers are very warm and pleasant sounding. Tight and round bass, not ultra clean and bright like a Hartke cab but with a mean grit in the lower mids, the highs are present but not at all harsh sounding. Quite a vintage bass tone I would say. Gibson: Well, the cab is already tuned to about 40Hz (low E on bass being 41Hz...). The cab was designed using all speaker parameters I could find (not only the standard Thiele-Small) and put into the 'Bass Box Pro 6'- cab design program. The vent is down there in the front... pic is some what bad, I know. Smokey: Go for it! Get some bass cab designer software and use the parameters to help you calculate/decide what kind of cab and how to build it. I think you can get some mean guitar tones from if that's what you wanna use for as well... __________________ Amps: Marshall Silver Jubilee 2555, 70's Diamond Sound Super Lead 100W, Marshall Class 5, Marshall AVT150HX, Marshall MG100-DFX (can't get it sold ) Cabs: 1960A & 1960B X-pattern V30-T75, 70's Diamond Sound Tesla loaded 4x12", Behringer BB115, AG BL10 4x10" Guitars: J&D LP Trans Amber, Squier Classic Vibe 60's Strat, J&D Gothic LP, Salmath Eagle Lucifer http://www.myspace.com/tssbband

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06-26-2012, 08:22 AM	#7 (permalink)
GIBSON67 Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Lakeland, TN Posts: 3,292	Re: Building a 4x10" for Bass Good job on using a port and making sure is was tuned. I didn't see that before. I've read and I believe that rear loading the speakers helps transfer the sound better to the box itself for a deeper sound. Also, I like to keep things simple. And adding the grill cloth directly to the baffle eliminates the frame/grill cloth assembly that might rattle. You did great, my first build was utter crap compared to your's.

06-26-2012, 10:31 AM	#8 (permalink)
Ewlman Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Aland Islands, Finland Posts: 189	Re: Building a 4x10" for Bass Thanks to the internet it's pretty easy to DIY these days as long as you do your research. Already thinking about the next project... a 2x12 semi open back with a little unconventional construction. More of that later __________________ Amps: Marshall Silver Jubilee 2555, 70's Diamond Sound Super Lead 100W, Marshall Class 5, Marshall AVT150HX, Marshall MG100-DFX (can't get it sold ) Cabs: 1960A & 1960B X-pattern V30-T75, 70's Diamond Sound Tesla loaded 4x12", Behringer BB115, AG BL10 4x10" Guitars: J&D LP Trans Amber, Squier Classic Vibe 60's Strat, J&D Gothic LP, Salmath Eagle Lucifer http://www.myspace.com/tssbband

12-07-2012, 03:34 AM	#9 (permalink)
siav Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Nordland Posts: 383	Re: Building a 4x10" for Bass Hello! I´d like to change my speakers on my 4x12 cab but dont live close to the place where my amp is to open it and check what impedance have the speakers have. The impedance of each speaker should be of 8 Ohms in order to use the Marshall "Mono/Stereo" switch in the back of the amp? Thanks! __________________ Kramer 600ST Gibson Les Paul STD 2005 Martin D16 Custom Marshall 6101 30th Anniversary Marshall 2555SL JCM Slash Soldano SLO 100W clone soon, soon

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