Kekani
Well-known member
Okay, its no secret that although I build `ukulele, & I'm learning to play bass for Ramon. Hawaiian music is fairly easy just banging the 1&5, and I'll foray into walking lines someday. Anyway, here's the long story:
I try to install good pickups in my instruments, simply because why spend over $1k on an `ukulele just to scrimp on the pickup. Okay, why spend over $1K on an instrument, over $100 on a pickup, just to scrimp on the instrument cable? So, I made my own cables using supposedly a little better than run of the mill Canare cables and G&H connectors. I've had Ramon sit on it with his folding stool, with no end cap, and not break through the outer shield. Irritates the crap out of me that he cannot buy $.25 caps (well, just yesterday, he cut THROUGH a mic cable - there goes $25 - guess I need to buy it for him, and no, that wasn't one of my cables).
SO, I thought, why go through all that, just to run it through low end speakers (PA, etc)? Yes, I built my own cab, targeted at my bass, but, with switchable tweets so I could see how they run as a full range PA.
So, the setup - Soundcraft Gigrac 1000, through JBL JRX115 (yes, the low end of JBL), and side by side as a full range, the JBL's sounded less important. Next setup, Soundcraft Gigrac 1000 through Electro Voice SX100, and side by side as a full range, the EV's sounded like crap (from Ramon's own mouth).
Anyway, someone asked me how this would work as a single cab just for 1 `ukulele, and I told him the issue would be the amp. Of course, 1 small powered mixer would do the trick.
Caveat - I'm not a speaker builder, and yes, this was designed as a DIY, BUT, it took some skill to put this together. Its definitely louder, and cleaner, and it may be something I may add to my foray to my clients that have pickups installed - which is most of them. No, they're not cheaper than "store bought" - the main driver itself is about $200, with the tweet array considerably less (but way more time consuming to put together). Add on the other parts, crossovers/filters, and these will be fairly pricey over the low end, but, you get what you pay for.
Also, I initially built this for myself, just for fun. We all need some side projects every now and then, and I thought I'd share this one. By the way, the cab weighs a total of 34lbs, which is only 3lbs heavier than the EV's, and 27lbs lighter than the JBL's. AND, I can make them lighter - probably about 27lbs finished - next time.
Here's a quick bass clip:
Hard to tell from the vid, but here's one with the bass and steel running through it:
And no, I did not setup the system - I would've done it way different, but it is that way because we wanted to see what the cab sounded like as a bass cab, and full range (I can switch off the tweets to run it as a bass cab). Personally, its pretty fun playing on a instrument that was hand built, through custom cables, through a custom cab. Notice I didn't call anything "home made" or "DIY"? But we all know that they are. . .
-Aaron
I try to install good pickups in my instruments, simply because why spend over $1k on an `ukulele just to scrimp on the pickup. Okay, why spend over $1K on an instrument, over $100 on a pickup, just to scrimp on the instrument cable? So, I made my own cables using supposedly a little better than run of the mill Canare cables and G&H connectors. I've had Ramon sit on it with his folding stool, with no end cap, and not break through the outer shield. Irritates the crap out of me that he cannot buy $.25 caps (well, just yesterday, he cut THROUGH a mic cable - there goes $25 - guess I need to buy it for him, and no, that wasn't one of my cables).
SO, I thought, why go through all that, just to run it through low end speakers (PA, etc)? Yes, I built my own cab, targeted at my bass, but, with switchable tweets so I could see how they run as a full range PA.
So, the setup - Soundcraft Gigrac 1000, through JBL JRX115 (yes, the low end of JBL), and side by side as a full range, the JBL's sounded less important. Next setup, Soundcraft Gigrac 1000 through Electro Voice SX100, and side by side as a full range, the EV's sounded like crap (from Ramon's own mouth).
Anyway, someone asked me how this would work as a single cab just for 1 `ukulele, and I told him the issue would be the amp. Of course, 1 small powered mixer would do the trick.
Caveat - I'm not a speaker builder, and yes, this was designed as a DIY, BUT, it took some skill to put this together. Its definitely louder, and cleaner, and it may be something I may add to my foray to my clients that have pickups installed - which is most of them. No, they're not cheaper than "store bought" - the main driver itself is about $200, with the tweet array considerably less (but way more time consuming to put together). Add on the other parts, crossovers/filters, and these will be fairly pricey over the low end, but, you get what you pay for.
Also, I initially built this for myself, just for fun. We all need some side projects every now and then, and I thought I'd share this one. By the way, the cab weighs a total of 34lbs, which is only 3lbs heavier than the EV's, and 27lbs lighter than the JBL's. AND, I can make them lighter - probably about 27lbs finished - next time.
Here's a quick bass clip:
Hard to tell from the vid, but here's one with the bass and steel running through it:
And no, I did not setup the system - I would've done it way different, but it is that way because we wanted to see what the cab sounded like as a bass cab, and full range (I can switch off the tweets to run it as a bass cab). Personally, its pretty fun playing on a instrument that was hand built, through custom cables, through a custom cab. Notice I didn't call anything "home made" or "DIY"? But we all know that they are. . .
-Aaron
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