The Jack12 - The Best Bass Cab Ever

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Jim Van Streader
Posts: 196
Joined: Wed May 16, 2007 10:32 am
Location: Scottsdale, AZ

The Jack12 - The Best Bass Cab Ever

#1 Post by Jim Van Streader »

While I’ve been a builder here for years I had never used any of Bill’s designs for my bass guitar. I always tried my bass through most of the builds but usually just plucked a few notes in my shop and thought, not my sound. I even did this with the J12.

I’ve been using two Euponic Audio single 10 three way cabs for the past 13 years. These were the original ones they came out with, not the trash they put their name on today. I say that because I stopped in The Bass Place here in town and was shocked at the shoddy workmanship, big open seams in the covering, really bad. I figured they must have gone the route of every other company that comes out with something decent and once they make a name for themselves they turn the cheese knob to eleven.

Well they recently got stolen (along with a whole bunch of other stuff) and I was in a pinch for a bass rig. Instead of my usual Demeter pre into a symetrix compressor into a QSC PLX2402 bridged into the two EA’s, I was left with just a 15 year old rusty GK800RB that I literally never used, just kept as a backup.

I had 2 Jack12’s in from a rental customer for repairs. (I’d experimented with hot melt glue to hold the arrays and they had let go. Bad idea number 6702c.) Anyway, I had no choice but to grab them and head off to the gig.

What a surprise. And I mean wow. These are the best sounding bass cabs I’ve ever used by far. I’m old and have played through tons of different stuff. I realized that testing a bass cab any other way than at a live gig was not giving it a chance. These are so much louder, deeper, just right is all I can say. I can actually feel my bass through these which was not a quality of the EA’s. Not to mention the GK has quite a bit less power than the PLX2402. Like 2100 watts less and I was only running the input and output gain knobs at about half.

Two Jack12’s 3012HO loaded, no tweets, are the shizzle for bass. Give them a try, you won’t be sorry.

Here’s a couple photos since everyone always asks. They had full grills which I left off so the horns are a little unsightly with hot melt and tweet wires. Man I can’t get over how good they sound. Can’t wait till the next gig just to play through these again.

Image
Image
JVS Audio Mfg.

National artists through my builds so far:

Days of the New
Y & T
Great White
Tantric
Agent Orange
F4
Blind Melon
Bullet Boys
Quiet Riot
Vains of Jenna
Steelheart
Warner Drive
Gilby Clarke
Dokken

sine143
Posts: 3066
Joined: Sat Feb 06, 2010 3:27 pm
Location: Raleigh NC

Re: The Jack12 - The Best Bass Cab Ever

#2 Post by sine143 »

betcha your band members hate em :D
Built:
2x Tuba 30s delta12lf loaded (gone)
4x Otop12 d2512 loaded
8x t48s (18, 18, 24, 24, 30, 30) 3015lf loaded
2x AT (1 mcm, 1 gto 804)
2x SLA Pro (dayton pa6, 6 goldwood piezo loaded)
1x bastard XF208

2x OT212 (delta pro 450a loaded, eminence psd)

Jim Van Streader
Posts: 196
Joined: Wed May 16, 2007 10:32 am
Location: Scottsdale, AZ

Re: The Jack12 - The Best Bass Cab Ever

#3 Post by Jim Van Streader »

Well, my guitar player did say "Can you not point those things right at me?" My drummer says he can here them lock with his kick better than the old ones.

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Bill Fitzmaurice
Site Admin
Posts: 28967
Joined: Tue May 02, 2006 5:59 pm

Re: The Jack12 - The Best Bass Cab Ever

#4 Post by Bill Fitzmaurice »

Jim Van Streader wrote:Well, my guitar player did say "Can you not point those things right at me?"
Payback's a bitch! :twisted:

Dantreige
Posts: 128
Joined: Sat Aug 28, 2010 10:06 am
Location: Northwest Wisconsin

Re: The Jack12 - The Best Bass Cab Ever

#5 Post by Dantreige »

Jim Van Streader wrote:Well, my guitar player did say "Can you not point those things right at me?" My drummer says he can here them lock with his kick better than the old ones.
It sucks when the guitarist figures out that there is a bass player in the band. ;)

I love my Jacks 12's.
Once you go Jack, you never go back!

Done:
(2) Jack 12, 3012ho, Straight Array with On/Off Switch
In Process
(4) Dr200 Beta 8, Melded Array

Jim Van Streader
Posts: 196
Joined: Wed May 16, 2007 10:32 am
Location: Scottsdale, AZ

Re: The Jack12 - The Best Bass Cab Ever

#6 Post by Jim Van Streader »

I guess I'm lucky. My guitarist recently decided to stop bringing his amp and 4x12 and now just goes out of his tone lab pedal into the PA. His old cab was so bassy we would compete on some notes. Now it's super clean on stage and the sound out front is superb.

Now if I could get the guys in my other two bands to do that...

BoostFab
Posts: 458
Joined: Fri Sep 17, 2010 2:51 pm
Location: DFW, TX

Re: The Jack12 - The Best Bass Cab Ever

#7 Post by BoostFab »

which would be better for bass, the Omni12TB (or Omni15TB) vs Jack12?

sine143
Posts: 3066
Joined: Sat Feb 06, 2010 3:27 pm
Location: Raleigh NC

Re: The Jack12 - The Best Bass Cab Ever

#8 Post by sine143 »

how much stuff you want to carry?

Jacks are smalller, and more modular, imo. that alone is almost reason enough to pick them.
Built:
2x Tuba 30s delta12lf loaded (gone)
4x Otop12 d2512 loaded
8x t48s (18, 18, 24, 24, 30, 30) 3015lf loaded
2x AT (1 mcm, 1 gto 804)
2x SLA Pro (dayton pa6, 6 goldwood piezo loaded)
1x bastard XF208

2x OT212 (delta pro 450a loaded, eminence psd)

BoostFab
Posts: 458
Joined: Fri Sep 17, 2010 2:51 pm
Location: DFW, TX

Re: The Jack12 - The Best Bass Cab Ever

#9 Post by BoostFab »

sine143 wrote:how much stuff you want to carry?
Having a descent size enclosed trailer, 10-20 cabs isn't an issue, I'm not too much concern about packing, more focused on good sound :-)

Jim Van Streader
Posts: 196
Joined: Wed May 16, 2007 10:32 am
Location: Scottsdale, AZ

Re: The Jack12 - The Best Bass Cab Ever

#10 Post by Jim Van Streader »

I havn't built either of the regular Omni's but I'd venture a guess the Jack12 is an easier build as well.

+1 on the modular advantage. With the 3012's they are super light weight and easy to carry. You just can't go wrong with these.

User avatar
Bill Fitzmaurice
Site Admin
Posts: 28967
Joined: Tue May 02, 2006 5:59 pm

Re: The Jack12 - The Best Bass Cab Ever

#11 Post by Bill Fitzmaurice »

BoostFab wrote:which would be better for bass, the Omni12TB (or Omni15TB) vs Jack12?
It depends on the response you're looking for. O12 and O15 have flatter 'hi-fi' response, Jacks have a colored mid bass/lower mids boosted response. I've used both and could live with either. Omnis are probably better for drop tuning, Jacks better for visceral punch.

Scot Bass
Posts: 43
Joined: Mon Feb 15, 2010 11:20 am
Location: Perthshire, Scotland

Re: The Jack12 - The Best Bass Cab Ever

#12 Post by Scot Bass »

Bill Fitzmaurice wrote:
BoostFab wrote:which would be better for bass, the Omni12TB (or Omni15TB) vs Jack12?
It depends on the response you're looking for. O12 and O15 have flatter 'hi-fi' response, Jacks have a colored mid bass/lower mids boosted response.
+1

I've built and used 2 Jack10s and an O12TB. The O12TB sounds bassier to me and better suited to my needs but it is very much a personal choice.
The O12TB is a much simpler build and has very clear instructions aimed at the beginner.

Cheers,
SB
Jack 110 x 2
O15TB
Customised Fretless P/J bass
Ashdown ABM 500


http://myspace.com/tunnatunes

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