Ampeg or Mesa

[bbottom]

So I have an opportunity to pick up a slightly beat up 05-06 USA Ampeg 8x10 cab or a Mesa 2x15 cab for just about the same price and I'm torn on which one to go for.

Suggestions?

[mortlock]

AMPEG

[clockwork green]

Mesa...I love me some 15's especially EV's if its an older Mesa cab. You can never go wrong with a solid Ampeg 8x10 though.

[bass sic]

Fuck it, get both and then give me the one you don't want. I'd have a tough time deciding, but I think (correct me if I'm wrong) the 8x10 will give you more volume while the 2x15 will push more low end.

[Instant Dan]

IMO, Mesa. In all honesty you won't go wrong with either.

[RacerX]

Fuck it, get both and then give me the one you don't want. I'd have a tough time deciding, but I think (correct me if I'm wrong) the 8x10 will give you more volume while the 2x15 will push more low end.

I'm not sure of the physics, but I've heard dudes playing outta all 10s, and there is no lack of bass response as compared to 15s. Even so, my favorite bass rig would have both a 6x10 fridge cab & a 2x15 cab.

[FullCustom]

What is your amp to pair with said cabs?

[Hemisaurus]

[justinhedrick]

i'm assuming that is some sort of compressor next to the tuner? . . .

[FullCustom]

I'd go with the Mesa then.

[RacerX]

What is your amp to pair with said cabs?

An old Acoustic 360.

[VOLVO)))]

i'm assuming that is some sort of compressor next to the tuner? . . .

Nope, That's Dixie's dirtbox.

[Lumpy]

There's supposed to be some 'bad' years for Ampeg 8x10s, maybe they were using pressboard or something (St Louis Music sold it to somebody else, quality dipped during the transition, something like that). I like Ampeg gear but i haven't studied the company history.

Try to play both, if possible. Google the Ampeg cab, with year of build.

[bbottom]

I was able to talk the ampeg dude down a few more bucks so I'll probably end up getting the 8x10's. The only thing that has me a bit concerned is that the guy took all of the tolex off of the cab and added that bedliner plastic to the outside of it.
Besides making the thing heavier, I'm wondering if it will effect the way the cab sounds.

[FullCustom]

I was able to talk the ampeg dude down a few more bucks so I'll probably end up getting the 8x10's. The only thing that has me a bit concerned is that the guy took all of the tolex off of the cab and added that bedliner plastic to the outside of it.
Besides making the thing heavier, I'm wondering if it will effect the way the cab sounds.

Sounds like one of the later cabs made of OSB. Unless you get it stupid cheap, I'd go with the Mesa.

[Mr. Foxen]

I was able to talk the ampeg dude down a few more bucks so I'll probably end up getting the 8x10's. The only thing that has me a bit concerned is that the guy took all of the tolex off of the cab and added that bedliner plastic to the outside of it.
Besides making the thing heavier, I'm wondering if it will effect the way the cab sounds.

Sounds like one of the later cabs made of OSB. Unless you get it stupid cheap, I'd go with the Mesa.

From the Ampeg head fanboy at Talkbass:

Hey Oli, the cabs you want to avoid are from 1998-2006 because of OSB, and 2000-2006 because of the dark speakers.

[FullCustom]

Unless those 10's are 32 ohm they don't belong in an Ampeg 8X10. I have no idea what they were thinking with those 8 ohm speakers that they were putting in the 8X10 cabs.

[Hemisaurus]

32 ohm, you're going back a long, long time.

In the grand scheme of things, it's a bass cabinet, it just needs to move lots of air, in a happy fashion

[Jake]

How long is "long, long?" I bought an 8x10 new in the late '90s that used 32 ohm speakers.

[Hemisaurus]

As long ago as that 

I had thought the 32's were only in the 60's / 70's models, of course whenever you encounter one, there's no guarantee it still has the original drivers anyways, most of the newer ones I encountered were wired like two 4x12's in parallel, so parallel/series/parallel.

[FullCustom]

SLM used 32 Ohm 10's for a while.
Yes, 8 Ohm speakers in series/parallel/parallel or parallel/series/parallel will give you the same resistive load. But not the same inductive load as the 32 ohm 10's. 

[Hemisaurus]

Yes, 8 Ohm speakers in series/parallel/parallel or parallel/series/parallel will give you the same resistive load. But not the same inductive load as the 32 ohm 10's.  

rephrasing why is this important?

[eyeprod]

I'd go with the mesa. roadworthy and sound awesome. ampeg fridges are great but big, and also fairly common and affordable. you can always find one of those later. I think the tolex is cheaper on some of the ampegs. Mine seems in between; it's fallen off a truck while moving and only got a small dent on the corner, but then again the tolex has torn like paper on certain spots on the back.

[justinhedrick]

i'm assuming that is some sort of compressor next to the tuner? . . .

Nope, That's Dixie's dirtbox.

and what might that be, jake?

[RAGER]

Yup that'd be a tough choice.  I own a 69 8x10 fridge with the og cts alnico's.  It sounds beautiful.  much lower power rating than the newer ones because they were intended to be run in tandem with another one originally.  My last bass player had a Mesa 400+ into a road ready 2x15.  that 2x15 could take every bit of the 12 x 6l6 monster.  Thunderous loud.  But he had to be to keep up with me So I might go with the 2x15 instead of possibly getting a cheaply built 8x10