Steel Guitar Speakers as Bass Speakers?

Chris Bauer · From: Nashville, TN USA

I know that a lot of you are bass players as well as steel players. (Seems to be a bit of a steel guitar tradition, actually...)

So, for those who know both worlds, are there any steel guitar speakers you'd suggest would work well as bass speakers too? I'm looking to put together a low wattage bass rig and, knowing that it might be a crazy thought, would love to have a speaker or two that would cover both instruments.

Any good options?

Lane Gray · From: Topeka, KS

The steel speakers can handle the low notes, so capabilities aren't the issue.
I'd be tempted to point out that wide-range speakers might be too bright, but I know lots of bass amps using 4 tens.
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2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects

Erv Niehaus · From: Litchfield, MN, USA

I'm aware of steel players using bass speakers (me included) but I am unaware of bass players using steel guitar speakers. Whoa!

Richard Sinkler · From: aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana

I lent a bass player one of the Nashville 400's I had. It had a 1501 speaker in it, and it survived a fairly loud gig with no problems. I sold him that one, but I kept the one with the 1502 speaker, which is a bass speaker.
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Carter D10 8p/8k, Dekley S10 3p/4k C6 setup,Regal RD40 Dobro, Recording King Professional Dobro, NV400, NV112,Ibanez Gio guitar, Epiphone SG Special (open D slide guitar) . Playing for 54 years and still counting.

Godfrey Arthur · From: 3rd Rock

Bass speakers would definitely lend themselves to a PSG. Don't forget the fave go-to JBL's are bass speaker worthy themselves to handle the onslaught of 10 or more strings jumping through hoops. The Xmax ability of bass speakers to handle gobs of sound would suit psg in my opinion.

Single 15" is a good tight speaker if you're not playing too loud, The deal with 10's, and I used to own and play bass through an Ampeg SVT 8x10, is the mids and highs get produced and takes the mid pounding working in a cluster as those freqs try to all get out in the same time align out of a single cab and without an xover in the circuit slowing things down. But you need to play the 300 watt anvil amp loud to get the low freqs moving.

Unless you were going as a PSG solo act or joined a thrash metal band as a steel player an SVT 8x10 would be too loud to where you could get it up loud enough. You would need to cut the highs on the amp to play lower volumes.

A dual 10 single 15 (Traynor) would cover all the bases. I think Mesa B makes a similar cab, one even with 4x10 1x15.

If you got the right amp a Selenium 15 inch would take a beating sounding like JBLs for steel:

Selenium Pro which is now a sister company of JBL Pro, started by three brothers in Brazil has some amazing speakers being used in pro audio.

The 15WS600 is a professional versatile woofer. The frequency response is from 40-3,500khz, about ball park for a guitar unlike it's brother the JBL K130 which goes out to 6,000khz, which might be too sparkly for some.

These speakers, just like JBL, were designed for most applications, whether in your guitar amp or a PA system which ends up in most cases reproducing your guitar's signal to the audience.

The Selenium brand sees popular aftermarket use in Leslie speakers for organ as it can handle the abuse. It likes to be pushed.

Free air resonance (Fs) on this speaker is 35hz which means when you hold this speaker up in the air without a cabinet, it will reproduce a low 35hz frequency all by itself without baffling or bass reflex cabs. To my mind would be good starting point for those low string grabs on a psg and even if in an open back cab you would get some low end push. The K130's Fs is rated at 50hz so it doesn't really go as low.

Has a lower sensitivity than a K130 about 97 db SPL compared to a K130's 103db. But would allow you to turn your amp up some without getting the speaker going into ice-pick mode.

It's 21 lbs 6 pounds heavier than the K130.

USD$185.00 brand new compared to the higher priced units.
Parts Express has them for the $185 price figure.

And you get a 45 day return policy from them. same day shipping:
https://www.parts-express.com/selenium-15ws600-15-600w-woofer--264-393

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