Grateful Dead Music Forum

Hi. I'm relatively new to the forum but have done quite a bit of research so far and have gotten a ton of good info. I'm in a Dead cover band that formed over the summer in Jackson, WY http://thedeadlocks.com and am working on refining my Jerry tone. Am getting one of Troy Post's guitars, and as far as the amp setup goes, am set on the sms classic JG mod preamp>McIntosh mc250 power amp. My question is basically: what my best options for a speaker cabinet? Hard Truckers? I feel this would be the easiest since it looks like I could just order of their JG-1s with JBL E120s, but it looks like that would probably set me back quite a bit of money, and I wonder if their cabs are really worth that these days. Does anyone have experience with current Hard Truckers cabs? It looks like I could get a custom Weber 2X12 with neomags or california 12s for much less money, but would I be sacrificing tone? Any other options out there?

HT cabs are no doubt very good. There are two regularly-contributing members here that also make very nice cabs, Modz and Hogan.

Here's Tracy's (Modz) website; afraid I don't have Hogans off-hand, but I have done business with him as well and was quite happy.

http://www.soundscaperproductions.com/

I'm sure either of these fellows will be able to set you up at a fraction of the HT cost. Or, you can go the "authentic" route and go with HT's. Hope you enjoy, either way!

Thanks! I'll definitely check them out.

I think the JBL speakers are more important than which open-backed cabinet you use.

Emoto wrote:I think the JBL speakers are more important than which open-backed cabinet you use.

true - but $ 1300 is a lot of money too

http://www.hardtruckers.com/jg1.html
I am just a weekend warrior but I love Hogans Cab loaded with Neo Mags and tie die grill + t-shirt and cable @ just over 1/2 the cost .......

Tennessee Jedi wrote:

Emoto wrote:I think the JBL speakers are more important than which open-backed cabinet you use.

true - but $ 1300 is a lot of money too

http://www.hardtruckers.com/jg1.html

That was kind of my point - as much as we might try to look authentic in our gear, most open backed cabinets would be fine. Although each cabinet does affect the tone, with an open back it is less so. So, that leaves you wide open to get a cabinet from Hogan or one of the other members here who make them. The one below was by Woody. He might make them as special orders; I don't think he is making them all the time.

Tennessee Jedi wrote:I am just a weekend warrior but I love Hogans Cab loaded with Neo Mags and tie die grill + t-shirt and cable @ just over 1/2 the cost .......

Glad to hear it. I am sure that Hogan makes a good cabinet. It is also good to hear you like the Neo Mags as our beloved JBLs won't last forever.

there is a Hard Truckers on Ebay:

http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-53200 ... =824&kw=lg

Not to shoot myself in the foot but a cabinet is a cabinet, a microphone may not pick up the difference between two different cabs with the same outside dimensions as long as they are both made from Baltic Birch. Some will hold up to falls better than others and some may even rattle. Most of the cabs I see here on RUK look great! Hogan's cabs look top notch in my book! I have a site but I just build for fun as I play music as much as I can. In my opinion a cabinet is not crucial to the sound but the cut out in the back is! I like for the opening on the back to be as big as possible. A smaller cut out equals tighter bass (more use-able for hard rock in my book). I have a bunch of different cabs and I find the cabs that can breath the best cut through the mix better! You can't compete against the bass guitar! I love HT cabs. I have never played through one and they look like art! A cab is a cab though! I have talked a few people through builds on RUK and their cabs came out great and cost them 200.00 doing it themselves and about 30 hours of work. Yup that equates to $6.00 an hour on cabs! I have 2 K120's and I will keep them for ever. A guy offered me 1,200.00 for my personal 2x12 cab at a Schwag show and I said NO! The JBL's are getting real hard to find! Weber guy's are great folks and I love their speakers!

Thanks for all the info, and the pics. Beautiful cabs. I visited the SSP website too and those look awesome. I'd like to order one in the next month or so, but things here are kind of slow right now with the off-season and I still have quite a chunk to pay on Troy's guitar. And from the sound of it I'd be better off getting new speakers (I'm thinking Weber neo-mags) and just throwing them in my Twin until I can afford the cab. The speakers in there now are Jensen C12Ns, and they sound good for dirty blues stuff but just don't sound right for Jerry tone.

Front Loaded vs. Read Loaded?

Some of the mass marketed cabs come rear loaded. Is there a difference in sound or is it more for convenience reasons (blown speaker swap out, etc.)

Chinarider1A wrote:Front Loaded vs. Read Loaded?

Some of the mass marketed cabs come rear loaded. Is there a difference in sound or is it more for convenience reasons (blown speaker swap out, etc.)

Others in the know, correct me if I am wrong, but I do believe that JG's speakers were only front-loaded so that Big Steve could change them out quicker when JG blew them.

brutusbuck45 wrote:

Chinarider1A wrote:Front Loaded vs. Read Loaded?

Some of the mass marketed cabs come rear loaded. Is there a difference in sound or is it more for convenience reasons (blown speaker swap out, etc.)

Others in the know, correct me if I am wrong, but I do believe that JG's speakers were only front-loaded so that Big Steve could change them out quicker when JG blew them.

While it's true that front loaded are easier to replace many audiophiles and musicians agree that you get a purer tone with front loaded speakers since rear loaded's sound waves have to blast past the baffle which can change both directionality and tone.