My new 2 Jack Stack Attack....

[Frankie G]

I played 3 shows this past weekend, one outdoor, with the pair of Jack 1x12's loaded with Delta lite II 2512's and no HF sections, that I just finished, using some different amps and basses. All with a classic rock band consisting of a lead singer, two guitarists, keyboard player, drummer, and myself on bass. I played right hand style the whole time. I say hand style meaning at one point or another I use all 4 fingers, my thumb, palm, and finger nails of my right hand. When I need a pick tone I double thumb to get it. 3 big points stick out in my mind with one being when one of the guitarists saw them for the first time and commented, "Oh look, those are cute"! This is the same guitarist that insists on using two Vox AC30's cranked with bass on full.

The amps used were a Hartke LH1000 and Hartke HA3500. For basses I used a 2007 Fender J-24 Jazz Deluxe 4 string, 2008 Fender J-24 Jazz Deluxe 6 string, and a 2010 Fender Jazz Deluxe 5 string with the 5 string being my main player this time. All straight to the amp via an X2 XDS wireless system.

The first night I used my LH1000 in stereo mode sending each cab 225 watts at 8ohm loads. My first impression was the cabs were way to mid range heavy and boxy sounding. I kind of struggled all night to find "My Tone". I had no trouble with volume, or cut with this band's loud stage volume, and still had plenty of headroom, just didn't like the overall sound. I was hoping for a little more bottom and a little more top. Processing wise all this amp has available is a 3 band tone stack similiar to the old Fender Bassman style. I ended up with bass on full, full cut on mids, and treble on full. With this and cutting the mids on my basses I was pretty close to what I like but not quite. You can get a pretty close to a flat setting but never a mid cut with this amp. So starting with a mid heavy cab it will always be mid heavy. Overall this night I was still impressed at the over all volume with available headroom, and clarity from such a small set of cabs.

The rest of the weekend I used my HA3500 running the cabs in paralell sending them 350 watts at a 4ohm load. This amp has way more eq capabilites. When I first set up and played around it didn't take me all but about 5 minutes to find the "Holy Grail" of tone!! I bypassed the eq section and set my contour knobs at +2 for bass and +1 for treble. Then engaged the eq section. Final settings were a complete cut at 30hz, flat at 64hz, flat at 125hz,a little cut at 250hz, a bigger cut at 500hz , and flat at 1k and 2k, a little boost at 3k, and flat at 5k and 8k. The bottom end and top I was looking for came right to life. With these settings I had bottom end that reminded me of my Ampeg 4x10HLF only cleaner and tighter. Midrange like my Hartke Hydrive 4x10 only cleaner, and plenty of top end cleanness. These setting gave me a completely even volume and tone for every register I hit on any of the basses used.

Overall, I was absolutley shocked at the amount of bottom end these cabs provided at no expense of clarity and definition. I felt like I had the best of every cab that I have ever used. It was also super cool feeling all that air hitting me in the back of the legs like I had an 8x10 behind me!! I have definately found a pair of cabs that meet and excede all of my needs and expectations. They are loud even with headroom in reserve, clear/defined, articulate, very even sounding in all registers, light at a guesstimate of around 36 pounds a piece, and capable of reproducing everything put into them and this was finger style. I took off into a bass solo sometime in the second set and the notes from slapping and popping just lept from the cab with authority. I heard 3 times the chears I normally get! I think they just heard it better than ever before. If you are wondering about whether these cabs will work for you I think you owe it to yourself to try them. They're like nothing I've ever played through and I have been through alot of the commercial offerings as well as some boutique-ish stuff. At some points throughout the night I like to play from the dance floor dancing with fans and made a point of walking around and in front of a stage about 45 feet wide the dispersion from these cabs is unmatched by anything I've ever played through. And the last two memorable points being that when I first got them set up and sounding fantastic at gig volume was that whiplash was contagious as all band members whipped their heads around to look at the cabs and the sudden nervous look on Mr. Vox's face!!!

[Chris_Allen]

How does the Jack compare against your OTop15 with Piezos?

[Dantreige]

Thanks for that review FrankieG.

I should have pointed out in my own review that I play in a three piece and my guitard is not "bass control stupid." He is still a guitard though, and likes to bring his Marshal 2x12 cab and a 5150 head instead of his Fender Deville. I guess we really need that kind of power in small venues with full P.A. support.

I do not think I'll ever need two cabs unless I am outside. I'll just kick the cab back with one of those pantented "Audio Logs" someone on these forums invented. (Audio Log = painted 2x4. Full credit to the inventer! Do not sue me for copyright infringment!)

You seam to have had the same experience that I did with the clean low end. Tight, punchy, and great for flapping your bell bottoms.

I have to get back to my experimenting with my own cabs. I really want to try some distortion tones.

Later

Ben

[Frankie G]

I haven't done any side by side comparison with the Otop 15. I can say I really don't miss the tweets. I would rather have two Jacks 1x12's than one Otop 15 and really like this stack over carrying two Otop 15's just based on size alone! When I get some time I'll side by side them and give some more thoughts based on the ear.

[Bill Fitzmaurice]

Thanks for that review FrankieG.

I should have pointed out in my own review that I play in a three piece and my guitard is not "bass control stupid." He is still a guitard though, and likes to bring his Marshal 2x12 cab and a 5150 head instead of his Fender Deville. I guess we really need that kind of power in small venues with full P.A. support.

Bass players might not get laid at the rate that the rest of the band does, unless you're McCartney or Sting, but at least you know that you're still the smartest one in the band.

[Drey Chennells]

great review Frankie!

[Frankie G]

Thanks guys, tried to be as thorough about it as I could!

[Harley]

...Bass players might not get laid at the rate that the rest of the band does,...

Not in my neck of the woods

[Bruce Weldy]

...Bass players might not get laid at the rate that the rest of the band does,...

Not in my neck of the woods

Unfortunately, you can't see the rest of the sentence on the back of the shirt....

"...to mow my yard."

[Scott Brochu]

...Bass players might not get laid at the rate that the rest of the band does,...

Not in my neck of the woods

Unfortunately, you can't see the rest of the sentence on the back of the shirt....

"...to mow my yard."

If she was a drummers wife she'd have it mowed all ready.

[Frankie G]

My girl's yard is always mowed and nicely manicured!!!!

[Bill Fitzmaurice]

If she was a drummers wife she'd have it mowed all ready.

Or grazed it.

[Frankie G]

If she was a drummers wife she'd have it mowed all ready.

Or grazed it.

Wow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LMAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Gregory East]

Outnumbered and outgunned. Go the Big Dawg.

[Harley]

Yet another successful thread derailment

You gotta love it.