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Fender Pro Amp Ext. Cabinet question:


Dr. Ellwood

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I can't bring up ebay from work the firewall won't let it by. I'm thinking 1X15. I don't understand why extension cabinets are larger than the volume used in the actual combo cabinets. Would'nt you think that they would be the same size as the combo minus the space displaced by the amp chassis???
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The optimum extension cabinet, IMHO, would be one that is a duplicate of the combo. I would even include a metal box (with some insulation to prevent it from resonating too much) of the same size and in the same position as the combo's amp box.

 

I've seen and heard an extension cab with not only a dummy amp box in it but it also had a couple of old transformers and dead tubes hanging from the amp box into the cab air space. It sounded absolutely awesome. I couldn't tell from listening which was the amp and which was the extension.

 

I don't know why some extension cabinets are larger than the combo. That makes no sense to me.

 

Here's the picture I was trying to show you:

http://www.crystalblack.com/pictures/FenderVibroKing.jpg

Born on the Bayou

 

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(Oh, yeah- Fender Vibro King 3x10 atop a 2x12 ext-cab; waaay cool, schweeedt tone from Heavan!! One of my favoritestest amps ever!) :freak::love:

 

I don't know if Fender ever did make a specific matching extension-cab for your amp, Lee; if they did, it'd probably be a very rare thing to come across after all these years, there may be none left in existance, even if there ever were any at all.

 

Looking at '60s era Fender amps and cabs pictured in Fender Amps: The First Fifty Years by John Teagle & John Sprung (Hal Leonard publishing), I can see that there were some "blackface" extension cabinets made by simply covering the angled space where the face-plate of the amp-chassis would normally be for a given model of amplifier. Those vintage Fender cabs that were not made this way, but had straight/square dimensions throughout, were made to go with specific amplifier "heads", and may or may not match-up conveniently with other models.

 

Really, and especially with an open-back cab, I don't think it will make much difference either way if the chassis-space and total internal-volume are taken into special account; there may well be a scientifically measurable difference, but compare the built-in speaker and the extension-cab powered by the amp and they'll sound damn near if not exactly the same. Run 'em together as God planned, and you won't perceive anything different or weird between 'em.

 

I'm curious- and please forgive me if I've asked you this before, and forgotten your answer- why do you want an extension cab for this amp, anyways?

 

Isn't it plenty loud enough?

 

Or is it a matter of projection and clarity from where yo stand while at a gig?

 

Or, are you trying to get a cleaner, tighter overall sound, with less overdrive and breakup around the edges?

 

Did you have tilt-back "legs" installed on the sides of the cab you had made for the Pro Amp? If not, you may want to try 'em; Fender still sells two sizes of 'em that look exactly like the vintage '60s units. I love 'em, they're nice for pointing the speakers "at your ears, instead of your butt", and you can reduce floor/cab coupling and stage-rumble in the mics if there's a need to, as well. And, they look all vintage-throwback-retro-cool! :cool:

Ask yourself- What Would Ren and Stimpy Do?

 

~ Caevan James-Michael Miller-O'Shite ~

_ ___ _ Leprechaun, Esquire _ ___ _

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Originally posted by LPCustom:

The optimum extension cabinet, IMHO, would be one that is a duplicate of the combo. I would even include a metal box (with some insulation to prevent it from resonating too much) of the same size and in the same position as the combo's amp box.

 

I've seen and heard an extension cab with not only a dummy amp box in it but it also had a couple of old transformers and dead tubes hanging from the amp box into the cab air space. It sounded absolutely awesome. I couldn't tell from listening which was the amp and which was the extension.

 

I don't know why some extension cabinets are larger than the combo. That makes no sense to me.

 

Here's the picture I was trying to show you:

http://www.crystalblack.com/pictures/FenderVibroKing.jpg

Yes yes and YES!!! that is EXACTLY what I'm talking about!!! Thanks buddy!! So this means that if I order an exact duplicate of my Pro Amp without the little angle on the front...it should be perfect...and put in a baffle where the bottom of the chassis would be!!!! :D:thu::cool:
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Hay Caevan good stuff and thanks! ok on the tilt back legs...no I have not done that YET, I have been torn between trying to keep it as close to original looking as I can or making it a better more useable amp! I mean it pleanty useable now buy you are so right it should have the legs on it even though originally they where not offered on the Pro Amp. Ok well the reason I am thinking about this extension cabinet are it looks great, it gives me the opportunit to spread out on the stage, I walk from side to side allot and if I am going to ever use this amp at my regular gig the stage is REALLY wide! The amp is very very loud in a blues setting but in a Rock setting like I use my Marshall in ...I DUNNO? yes I am miked into the PA always but it is the stage thing I'm wondering about. We monitor our instruments as well as voice so I guess I would hear my amp fine across the front of the stage, I have a very balance sound on stage but my Bass player is VERY loud, a good balanced sound (not complaining JIM) but LOUD as he should be. Buy hay how do you like the looks of that Fender mini stack LP found for me HUMMMMM????? :D:thu::cool::cool:
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Like I edited-in on my last post here, after I saw that:

 

Oh, yeah- Fender Vibro King 3x10 atop a 2x12 ext-cab; waaay cool, schweeedt tone from Heavan!! One of my favoritestest amps ever!) :freak::love:

 

Now, that particular get-up and extension-cab (which Fender specifically made for the Vibro King, but also suggested as a possible cab to use with other head-style Fender amps) has a cab that definitely does NOT have the same dimensions OR internal-volume as the combo-amp it's made for. It's shorter in height, CLOSED-BACK, HAS TWO TWELVES (as opposed to three tens), and no added internal baffle, metal plate, transformers, or any of that. EVERYTHING'S different, except for the cosmetics- same width, covering, and grille-cloth.

 

It does benefit from having been R&D'd to sound good with the Vibro King 3x10 combo, though.

 

I really, really think that if you like the sound- the tone- you already have, and also have an adequate monitor-mix, then the tilt-back legs will be a much less expensive, and even better addition, than a matching extension-cab. One fifteen should be enough, man! Oh, the humanity! ;)

 

But if you really want a matching extension-cab, don't agonize over the difference in overall size, just have the same folks make you a cab just like the first one except for the total-height and faceplate-opening and angle. Have it made square, minus that angled chassis-space, it'll be a very little-bit shorter but look and sound perfect once you throw a matching Jensen in there.

 

If you go with a diagonally-arrayed 2x12 compliment (similar to that Vibro King ext. cab), it'll add more of a shimmer and swirl of harmonic-overtones to the total mix; at least, that's been my experience with Fenders and 12" speakers. If you do, make sure they're both 16-ohm speakers so that you can wire them in parallel for a combined impedance of 8-ohms. (Your Pro Amp's 15" Jensen speaker is an 8-ohm job, right?)

Ask yourself- What Would Ren and Stimpy Do?

 

~ Caevan James-Michael Miller-O'Shite ~

_ ___ _ Leprechaun, Esquire _ ___ _

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