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Need help: Ported vs. Non-Ported Cabinets [message #1350] Sat, 16 March 2002 22:05   Country_Gene Messages: 42 Registered: December 2001 Location: Northwestern New Jersey Member I'm building a small (23"x25") 2x12 cab to use for guitar with my K200-B1 bass head. I've built cabs before - always for bass; always ported. This goes back to my youth when I couldn't afford a Kustom, but tried to imitate one. Anyway; My question is this: Are ported cabs good for guitar? I was already designing the cab to have (2) concealed ports and a closed back. Reason I'm asking is that I downloaded some cabinet making tips from the Celestion Speakers site. They say that not only are ported cabs NOT recommended for guitar, but ported guitar cabs can actually cause premature failure of the speakers!?!?! This doesn't seem quite right to me. In my layman's view; a ported cab will at least disseminate the back-pressure, if nothing else. I figure I can rely on my Kustom pals to set the record straight. Thanks. Report message to a moderator

Re: Need help: Ported vs. Non-Ported Cabinets [message #1352 is a reply to message #1350] Sun, 17 March 2002 10:28 Anonymous Gene, that is a good question and I don't have any educated guess as to why ports are a no no. There are so many factors to consider. Speaker rating, power of amp, frequencys involved, etc. If you look back to any 60 style fender speaker cabinet, fender never ported any of the 2x10, 2x15 and 2x15 cabinets. They did have a unique 1x15 showman cabint that was a strange port design. Fender also used the same speakers in the their twins, vibrolux, super etc. and they were open backs. I have bought a couple of k100 SC 2x10 amps. One had the back replaced without the back ports. The other had the back ports. I prefered the amp with the back ports. With the amp standing close to a back wall it seemed louder and filled the stage area better than the non ported amp. I also had two of the 4x10SC 100 amps, one with ports and one without. They all have ported backs now. Just some of my thoughts. One thing to try is try a cabinet you have with front ports, then cover the ports, maybe a plastic cup and listen. It is all personal preference. I do know a JBL under powered and the amp driven as far as it can go will blow the speaker faster than the same speaker driven with a amp matched for power. Have fun Don Report message to a moderator

Re: Need help: Ported vs. Non-Ported Cabinets [message #1353 is a reply to message #1352] Sun, 17 March 2002 13:25   Country_Gene Messages: 42 Registered: December 2001 Location: Northwestern New Jersey Member Don.... Thanks for your insight. I'm going to try your experiment. Its a great idea. Report message to a moderator

Re: Need help: Ported vs. Non-Ported Cabinets [message #1357 is a reply to message #1350] Mon, 18 March 2002 13:43 Packerleap Messages: 14 Registered: June 2001 Location: San Diego, CA Junior Member Hi - Don't worry too much about the speakers and stuff, the VAST majority of Kustom speaker cabs are ported, whether for guitar or bass. Just ask J.C. Fogerty, whose speakers were all ported! He's probably responsible for the majority of people lusting for Vintage Kustom amps, from his CCR days... Report message to a moderator

Re: Need help: Ported vs. Non-Ported Cabinets [message #1358 is a reply to message #1357] Mon, 18 March 2002 15:33 Anonymous Remember now that Bud was originally making a bass amp rig when he started...and in fact his first cabs were non-ported...cosmetic or otherwise. A sealed enclosure properly sized will allow the cones to move but can acutally help limit their range of movement so in fact Celestion can be right that a sealed enclosure can extend the life of a speaker..assuming it is the correct dimensions. Bud ported his cabs later, and then added the chrome in response to another manufacturer that was ditzin his rig on the topic. But the fine people at JBL realized many years ago that a ported/tuned ported reflex cab is one of the most efficient and cost effective designs for getting the low end out of a cab..yer right..you get both the front push and the back reflex from the speaker...now I won't pretend that all kustom cab ports are tuned...they used a standard port insert length regardless of speaker option from what I can tell and there is a difference. as for guitar.. (I know..your original question... but Im having fun).. 3 designs come to light...closed back...fuller sound, helps hold the speakers in check at huge volumes... open back..more airy sound..can take advantage of the room acoustics and won't be so boomy...and ported which is gonna get more low end out front while not overshadowing the mids/highs. personnally I like to take advantage of all design options...for those times when I'm playing pretty current stuff...Creed etc...I want all the low end chunk I can get and my little 2x12 ported cabs deliver...but my favorite guitar tone comes from either my pair of 2x10SC combos running hard or for bigger dates, my old kustom 4x12 ported/sloted cab..the ports on the front are more show than anything..just keeping with the consistent cosmetics..but they do work a bit...the slotting on the back allows for the air the speakers need and provides a more open airy tone, but keeps a good bit of the backplane in place so the cab is very full without being boomy..its a great rig and I look forward to someday acquiring a second one..so if you're building just one special rig..my recommendation is to look closely at the sloted back design even if you like the cool porting look on the front...best of both worlds for guitar...and who else but Kustom made em! Play Loud..ET Report message to a moderator

Re: Need help: Ported vs. Non-Ported Cabinets [message #1359 is a reply to message #1358] Mon, 18 March 2002 19:38 KustomBlues Messages: 490 Registered: June 2001 Location: Michigan Senior Member Heck, all I know is that all Kustoms sound great! :-) Report message to a moderator

Re: Need help: Ported vs. Non-Ported Cabinets [message #1360 is a reply to message #1350] Mon, 18 March 2002 22:52   Country_Gene Messages: 42 Registered: December 2001 Location: Northwestern New Jersey Member ET - Thanks, Man for your really informative reply. Based on what you've said, plus my own experience and intuition, I think I know which way to go (I think). The cabinet will be a 2x12 (23"x25)" with closed back. I'm going to use (2) concealed ports (behind the grill cloth). I'm going to use 1" 'semi-rigid' fiberglass insulation on the sides, top, & bottom - but no insulation on the back. (Celestion also discourages insulating guitar cabs). My very unscientific theory is that the sides will absorb some of the "extraneous" sound waves. The non-insulated back will reflect the direct, rear projecting sound (mainly low-end) back through the front ports. Again, I'm not an expert (but like you - I'm having fun). All of this is probably more important in a bass amp. But, who knows - maybe I'll stumble onto something......Thanks again. Report message to a moderator

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