I've only doubled on bass in bands, and the tracks I've played on bass for my recordings have been direct. I've never owned an actual bass amp.

I'd be interested in hearing why some players may chose cabinets with 15 inch speakers, as opposed to the four 10 inch cabinets, or I guess some have 8 ten inch speakers.

What's your preference?

My preference, personally, is based on the sound I want. The larger the speaker, and the more speakers you have, the deeper the response is. That can go to the point where you have a really really really deep bass cabinet that can sound somewhat muddy (which is sometimes desirable, if you like dub and reggae).

Personally I think a 4x10 gives the most stable spectrum of clarity and depth of bass response without muddy or twangy. Often, you'll be going though a PA system as well, so you shouldn't have to worry too much about volume when it comes to cabinets.

Right now, I'm using a Markbass 2x10 for smaller gigs (which is one of the best cabinets I've ever used by far!) and an SWR 4x10 for larger and louder shows. I haven't come close to needing both cabinets on the same show yet, thanks to PA systems and decent Front of House engineers.

Larger speakers are also going to have a more loose and slower response, which can also be desirable. 10's sound very tight and punchy.

I've been playing a long time -- 44 years --and I think I've used just about every combination available. I started out with a Fender Bassman with a 2x15 cab, which was just about the ultimate in bass amplification in 1965. I migrated to a rolled 'n' pleated sparkly Naugahyde Kustom 2x15, then to Standel with 2x 5, then to the old Acoustic 360, 1-18" in a folded horn cab. After that, I went back to an Acoustic 450 with 2x15 and wound up using an Ampeg SVT 8x10 before I stopped playing bar gigs.

Bass amplification has come a long way in the last 10 years, and I no longer think it's necessary to have a huge cabinet onstage in a club, especially if you're also going through the PA. Stadium sound is a whole different ballgame, of course, and if I were in that situation I'd probably be using some variation of the 8x10 with a Genz-Benz head, which I highly recommend.

Currently I use a GB Shuttle 6.0 with 2, 1x12 cabs with tweeters. The head puts out 600 watts in this configuration and gives me all the sound I need. I find today's 12" cabinets, if they are designed correctly, put out just as much bottom as the old 2x15" or even 18" cabs I've used. I've also had good luck with a 2x10 cabinet for smaller gigs. Ideally, I guess, you could use a combination of 15s and 10s or even 8s to really fill the spectrum, and there are a few manufacturers (Accugroove is one) that provide cabs that have this configuration in one box, with separate compartments.

I agree that the smaller the speaker, the tighter the sound, although 15s can sound tight and punchy depending on the amp, the EQ and the bass. If you can find a dealer locally, Genz-Benz offers very nice cabinets in a variety of configurations -- the NEOX line is killer -- lightweight and lots of bottom from a small box. They also make the Uber 401, which handles 1000 watts. But SWR and MarkBass make nice lines in a variety of configurations as well. The trick is finding a dealer who offers a lot of choices.

I played in a band for 5 years using my old Sunn 410 guitar cabinet and it sounded ... well, not all that great but then neither did we ... I'm looking for a real bass cabinet now and can't decide which speaker configuration I want. Probably end up getting whatever decent one I can find reasonably priced on Craigslist.

Try it out first, and make sure you like it of course. If you need any advice on the price of whatever you're looking at or various brands, feel free to ask Dave or myself with a post here or an e-mail.

It will be for classic rock, blues and a maybe some country. I'll be using a Schecter Stilleto Elite 5-string. I currently have a Tube Works MosValve power amp and Blue Tube II preamp but will be looking to get something more totally bass oriented at some point in the future. Given that setup and a budget of around $400 for a used cabinet what should I be looking for?

I think you already answered your own question.
Your words: "....... can't decide which speaker
configuration I want. Probably end up getting
whatever decent one I can find reasonably
priced on Craigslist."

Shopping used, that opportunistic open ended
approach is magic. When I see a player seeking
some quite particular item, hunting for it used,
cuz the specific item was recommended to him,
I wanna bang his head on the wall and tell him
that *your* approach is THE approach for used
gear shopping, on a budget but with a pressing
need to find a solution.

--------------------------------

BTW I think your current amp and pre are the
reason you've somewhat successfully managed
to play thru a geetar cab. A more bass-oriented
rig would prolly be too much for that same cab.

It's waaay more workable to run a geetar amp
thru a bass cab than vice versa, so a bass cab
is your top priority.


`

I'm with Golem on this one. Shop around for whatever and see what strikes your fancy. Don't be afraid to try everything in the store and just get a better idea of what's out there. Try the new stuff out too. Even if it's out of your price range. As a matter of fact, I RECOMMEND that you try out cabinets that are out of your price range. The more you know the better. And it lets your ear know what kind of tone and sound you can be shooting for with better quality parts.

There are lots of good things being done with 2x10 cabs now. Gallien Krueger, Ampeg, Ashdown, Peavey all have cabs under $400 Acoustic and Gallien Krueger even have 4x10 cabs in that price range. There's a world of difference between a 4x10 cab for bass and one for guitar. A well made 2x10 cab might put out as much volume as a badly made 4x10.