Tonal difference in cabinet versus out.
Moderators: pompeiisneaks, Colossal
Tonal difference in cabinet versus out.
Has anyone noticed the tone change when they installed their express into a cabinet built to original specs. Mine seemed to darken up a tad. Or am I imagining things ? Could the cherry be serving to dampen out the chassis and cut out some of the microphonic trebly side of the beast ? I have to say whatever the case it is becoming my favorite over the Rocket now and it controls rather nicely. Also running a pair of 6L6GC output bottles as well.
"It Happens"
Forrest Gump
Forrest Gump
Re: Tonal difference in cabinet versus out.
What did you use for stain? Minwax? Formby's?
Re: Tonal difference in cabinet versus out.
Instigator!Jana wrote:What did you use for stain? Minwax? Formby's?
Re: Tonal difference in cabinet versus out.
With any other amp, I would say "no way"...but with an express, I believe ANYTHING is possible.
I've built a lot of bass guitars and It's amazing how different woods react to vibration. Some are very effective "sponges". I don't have any experience with cherry, but it could be that it's doing some dampening. I sure don't see many cherry-necked strats out there. I've always assumed it's a lousy tone wood.
If this is true..., that the cabinet can help tame the express, I'm gonna build my next cab out of balsa!
I've built a lot of bass guitars and It's amazing how different woods react to vibration. Some are very effective "sponges". I don't have any experience with cherry, but it could be that it's doing some dampening. I sure don't see many cherry-necked strats out there. I've always assumed it's a lousy tone wood.
If this is true..., that the cabinet can help tame the express, I'm gonna build my next cab out of balsa!
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Re: Tonal difference in cabinet versus out.
Actually cherry is very close to maple tone wise.
I have seen quite a few solid bodies made with cherry.
I don't recall ever seeing a neck made from it, but I'm sure it would work if you got quarter sawn or a nice straight grained piece.
I have seen quite a few solid bodies made with cherry.
I don't recall ever seeing a neck made from it, but I'm sure it would work if you got quarter sawn or a nice straight grained piece.
Tom
Don't let that smoke out!
Don't let that smoke out!
Re: Tonal difference in cabinet versus out.
Wow! You're right, Tom. I looked into this and it's actually used quite often and is definitely considered a "tonewood" and is actually favored for it's balanced properties. I just can't recall ever seeing that much of it being used.Structo wrote:Actually cherry is very close to maple tone wise.
I have seen quite a few solid bodies made with cherry.
Kind of makes me want to track down some quilted cherry and make me a new bass...
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Re: Tonal difference in cabinet versus out.
Colossal wrote:Instigator!Jana wrote:What did you use for stain? Minwax? Formby's?
lol, yeah, I couldn't resist!
Now, has anybody seen my shotgun? There is a barrel of fish out back I should tend to.
Re: Tonal difference in cabinet versus out.
There is a difference!passfan wrote:Has anyone noticed the tone change when they installed their express into a cabinet built to original specs. Mine seemed to darken up a tad. Or am I imagining things ? Could the cherry be serving to dampen out the chassis and cut out some of the microphonic trebly side of the beast ? I have to say whatever the case it is becoming my favorite over the Rocket now and it controls rather nicely. Also running a pair of 6L6GC output bottles as well.
I heard that years ago......when I first biased my 1st Express.
Re: Tonal difference in cabinet versus out.
Wreckboy...
Can you explain what is the diference? any special reason Ken chose cherry to make his cabinets?
Can you explain what is the diference? any special reason Ken chose cherry to make his cabinets?
Re: Tonal difference in cabinet versus out.
oh no 
the return of the ampstrument!
the return of the ampstrument!
Re: Tonal difference in cabinet versus out.
the wood dowel thing also dampens some vibrations.
Also try this, turn all controls on 10,no guitar plugged in, move the left side or preamp side of the cab 6 or 8" forward,about a 45deg, see if anything changes, then try the same with the right side.
I too think the amp sounds smoother mounted in the cab.
Also try this, turn all controls on 10,no guitar plugged in, move the left side or preamp side of the cab 6 or 8" forward,about a 45deg, see if anything changes, then try the same with the right side.
I too think the amp sounds smoother mounted in the cab.
Re: Tonal difference in cabinet versus out.
Tung oil, Lord what did I start ?Jana wrote:What did you use for stain? Minwax? Formby's?
"It Happens"
Forrest Gump
Forrest Gump
Re: Tonal difference in cabinet versus out.
Yes if you can find it, there are some gorgeous figured cherry pieces around. Finding it is the hard part.KellyBass wrote:Wow! You're right, Tom. I looked into this and it's actually used quite often and is definitely considered a "tonewood" and is actually favored for it's balanced properties. I just can't recall ever seeing that much of it being used.Structo wrote:Actually cherry is very close to maple tone wise.
I have seen quite a few solid bodies made with cherry.
Kind of makes me want to track down some quilted cherry and make me a new bass...
Tom
Don't let that smoke out!
Don't let that smoke out!
Re: Tonal difference in cabinet versus out.
Is any of the TAG members building the TW cabinet with traditional TW joints?
Jana definitely tung-oil.
For the barrel of fish I usually 1/2 stick dynamite and the barrel netted. Good results that way.
Jana definitely tung-oil.
For the barrel of fish I usually 1/2 stick dynamite and the barrel netted. Good results that way.
Re: Tonal difference in cabinet versus out.
No snake oil here....just stating what I heard...without a preconceived notion of this. If fact, Ken laughed when I told him what I heard. He ment this in a positive way!
Try it yourself.....play the chassis outside of the cabinet and then play it loaded in the cab. I heard the difference. Livelier, more "air" and more open outside the cabinet....in the cabinet it sounded smoother and more focused.
At one point, I had a plywood, tolex head cab made to take my Express out , again, different....flattened out the tone a bit.
With my Komet prototype that Ken sold me as a chassis...I heard the same thing but to a lesser degree. I took the chassis out loaded in a HUGE box (temporary head shell before the regular cab was built by my friend). when I loaded the chassis in my friends tolex covered head cabinet....the amp sounded different.
Ken used to talk about the tone of different cabinets woods.
As a fun experiment builders who have doubts about this could place a chassis in various head cab and listen....you may or may not hear a difference. But I sure did. And I agree that other amps are less "sensitive" to this .
Thanks for listening.
Aloha
Try it yourself.....play the chassis outside of the cabinet and then play it loaded in the cab. I heard the difference. Livelier, more "air" and more open outside the cabinet....in the cabinet it sounded smoother and more focused.
At one point, I had a plywood, tolex head cab made to take my Express out , again, different....flattened out the tone a bit.
With my Komet prototype that Ken sold me as a chassis...I heard the same thing but to a lesser degree. I took the chassis out loaded in a HUGE box (temporary head shell before the regular cab was built by my friend). when I loaded the chassis in my friends tolex covered head cabinet....the amp sounded different.
Ken used to talk about the tone of different cabinets woods.
As a fun experiment builders who have doubts about this could place a chassis in various head cab and listen....you may or may not hear a difference. But I sure did. And I agree that other amps are less "sensitive" to this .
Thanks for listening.
Aloha