Bass amp help/question

[nofi]

if it's a bassman 10 it should have a closed back. i saw willie dixon's bassist play a rick thru one. not exactly a blues rig when you think about it but it sounded fine.

[Denis]

I meant the speaker section. I would not want a closed back tube head, wouldn't last very long with no ventilation. I was trying to figure out if that was a bass amp or a guitar amp, if it has an open back speaker section, it's a guitar amp.

Like I said, the head portion is open. The speaker section is closed though.

[Hornisse]

It's a Bassman 10.  The guitar version was called the Super Reverb and it had an open back for the speakers.  They also made a Super Six Reverb that had six 10 inch speakers.

[Denis]

That's the one!

[bobyoung]

Like I said, the head portion is open. The speaker section is closed though.

I hate to sound like an A-hole but saying the head part is open did not answer my question, an open head does nothing for the sound and does not denote whether it is a bass or a guitar amp, open heads prolong tube life and almost all tubes amps are open as they need to be. Almost all bass amps are closed back unless they're ancient like the original Bassman and Ampegs, when people ask if the amp is open back or closed back they almost always mean the speaker section, if it's a tube amp it's assumed the head back will be open.

[Pilgrim]

I agree with Bob.  One instant clue to a guitar vs. bass cabinet enclosure is whether the speaker cab is open or closed-back.  Guitars often use open-backed speaker cabs, but few (if any??) basses do.  I suspect the reason is to reduce the total speaker excursion so the speakers don't over-travel.   (I'm probably either over-generalizing or missing the point, but if so I am sure others will clarify.)

[Dave W]

An open back cabinet has frequency cancellations from sound coming out the back (from the speaker moving backwards). It's especially noticeable in the bass frequencies. And the speaker has to work harder to pump out the bass notes than if the back is closed up. Sorry I can't be more technical.

[Denis]

I hate to sound like an A-hole but saying the head part is open did not answer my question, an open head does nothing for the sound and does not denote whether it is a bass or a guitar amp, open heads prolong tube life and almost all tubes amps are open as they need to be. Almost all bass amps are closed back unless they're ancient like the original Bassman and Ampegs, when people ask if the amp is open back or closed back they almost always mean the speaker section, if it's a tube amp it's assumed the head back will be open.

Not sure what you mean since I've said repeatedly it's a bass amp (and wrote "Like I said, the head portion is open. The speaker section is closed though."). Hornisse's post, which you may have missed, contains specs and a photo of what my Bassman 10 is like. Here's the pic and specs again...

[Dave W]

I think he just missed the post where you said it. Nothing more than that.

[Denis]

Revised my post accordingly...

[Pilgrim]

Sorry I can't be more technical.

That never stopped you before!