Gear, part 8 - SWR Bigfoot 2x12

This is practically an antique - these were only made for a few years, back in the early 90s, I think.
I shied away from SWR cabs for a long time. Although I always liked the tone I heard through them, my first experience with an SWR can wasn't a happy one: I was playing at the Jazz Cafe in Camden, London, and was assured that they had a great backline, no need to bring my own rig. So I showed up rigless and saw they had an SWR Goliath Jr waiting for me. Happy days, I thought. Not so. Halfway through the second song, I hear a farting noise, and turn around to see one of the speakers lying on the floor in front of the cab. It had literally rattled free of the screws holding it in place and leapt right out of the cab.
But a few years later, after a pleasant experience with a tiny little SWR Workingman's 10 combo at an East End jam session, I thought I would try SWR again, and this particular cab showed up for sale nearby. My main requirement of it was that it would fit in the boot of my car. When I'd hauled it all the way down the 15 storeys of the tower block where the seller lived, I discovered that it didn't. Oh well, too lazy to carry it all the way back up, I jammed it in the back seat and took it home. And I'm so glad I did.
i'd always used 10" speakers before this. I like the speed and responsiveness. Bigger speakers seem to lag ever so slightly. But I'd always felt there was a bit of warmth missing from my 10s. This cab fixes that. The speakers in the Bigfoot are actually made by Bag End, not SWR, and there's just something magical about them. They're the first 12" speakers I've found that react as quick as 10s, but of course they have that little bit more warmth than 10s. The sound feels exceptionally smooth - enough mids to cut through the mix without getting harsh and obnoxious, lovely bottom end to anchor the sound, and sparkly tops courtesy of the SWR tweeter. And it's very light, considering the size. And even better, it has castors to save wear and tear on my back and knees. 😊
I've had this cab for about 15 years now. I actually retired it for a few years while I was using an Epifani UL 410, mainly because some clumsy soundman broke my only speakon-jack cable - the Bigfoot came with jack inputs only! - and I just never got round to buying a new cable. But a few years ago, I asked local amp tech and all-round electronics genius Cyril Ryan to switch the jack inputs in it out for a speakon connection, and now this is once again my main gigging cab.
As always, feel free to drop me a line here if you have any questions about this cab.
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