Cabs for playing live: What do you prefer?

[Cadorman]

I'm curious what the live players here prefer to use on stage. It seems like most people are opting for smaller rigs these days. Can you get away with a single 112? Are a pair of 112s as good as a 212, or do you have to go with a 212? Maybe hire your nephew and go with a full stack? Let's see what you are using.

 

[Ramo]

Im not the live player im bedroom worrier, but if i had chance i would build a wall that you can see from space wall of Marshall's.

 

[Beagle]

I used a 12W 1x10 combo from 83 until 2016.

But I did own and run the PA.

 

[iblive]

When I played at church, it was about 90% acoustic plugged straight to the house. No amp. The half dozen times I did electric, it was my Traynor YGM3. 20W-12”. With a mic into the board. If I played for church again sometime in the future and did electric, I’ve convinced myself I’d go small footprint and use my Boss GT1 multi effect straight to the board.... Again..... no amp.

like Ramo.... today I’m pretty much a bedroom warrior.

But that’s just this old guy from Illinois. Your results may vary.

 

[Beagle]

My acoustic and Mandolin, along with the fiddle, went via DI box to the board. The Princeton and other guitar amps were mic'd.

 

[BFT Gibson]

almost always a 4x12 cab is backlined. last go round all summer, we all just plopped our heads up on the Marshall 1960bv cab, Easy band changes between sets. Was outside shows & larger inside churchs

 

[Session 5]

For small venues I use my Fishman Loudbox mini. 60 watts, 6.5 inch speaker with 1 inch tweeter. Works well with my electric guitar, has its on P.A, I am impressed with this unit and the P.A. works extremely well.






5
You can't go wrong with this one

Submitted 9 years ago
By lilboogiemusic
From Alabama
I purchased this amp three months ago for use at live gigs in small venues. I've used it every week, two nights/week since then and it has done the job very well. It's not a big system, but the sound quality for the size is astonishing .I'd never give it up in favor of hauling a full PA . This baby does the job and saves the back in the process.

More Details

 

[BFT Gibson]

Buddy's band on Cherry St Manhatten , set up in between the high rises.

 

[Don O]

1x12 H&K Duotone mic-ed Into the PA.

 

[67plexi]

20 years ago I used 4 x 12" still own 3 Marshall A cabinets now that I'm older and have more sense use 1 x 12"

 

[ChasFred]

Back in my youth, 5-6 lifetimes ago, I used 4x10. Yes a blackface Super Reverb. It has long gone the way of the DODO. I have always regretted getting rid of that amp.

 

[Don O]

Speaking of getting older, I installed casters on the Marshall 2x12 yesterday. Much easier to move around now :dood:

 

[67plexi]

My 1959 Fender Concert has 4 x 10" and in my amp room still have a black face Super Reverb I use as a rental and two Fender Twins I rent out.

 

[Inspector #20]

The 1984 Jackson/Motorhead 4x12 is the staple for outdoor events....

 

[67plexi]

Just one corner bottom shelf is full also

 

[gball]

Depends in part on the music. In a blues band or dad/classic-rock gig a 1x12 combo will usually be enough. For live playing hard rock/metal in anything bigger than a corner bar only a 4x12 will do. In a really intimate setting an open-back 2x12 or even a 1x12 if its like a party or something. When I will still playing with the band I had a bunch of cabs of different sizes and configurations so I could choose the right one for the gig.

 

[67plexi]

Excluding the Marshall all the amps in the photo have 12" EV speakers

 

[Amp Mad Scientist]

I'm curious what the live players here prefer to use on stage. It seems like most people are opting for smaller rigs these days. Can you get away with a single 112? Are a pair of 112s as good as a 212, or do you have to go with a 212? Maybe hire your nephew and go with a full stack? Let's see what you are using.

It depends on your convention.

In the old convention the stage amps supply a lot of the loudness and the PA is for vocals.
Bigger amps and more speaker cabs.

In the new convention the PA supplies the loudness and the stage equipment is mic'd.
(or the amps are direct into the board etc)
Smaller amps and more monitors.
The band is primarily listening to the monitors for everything.
But this also requires professional musicians who respect and balance the loudness.

The new convention has the potential to sound much better overall.
But musicians must respect each other in balancing stage volume of the band.....
But this depends on a skilled person to control the overall sound and monitors for the band.
It requires a much better PA system and the knowledge to operate correctly.

If you have one person who always plays too loud (the me me me factor) it spoils it for everybody.
There's nothing worse than a guitar player with a distortion pedal who's always trying to drown out the singer and everybody else.
Plus it sounds like crap...
So, it could be great or it could suck.

 

[Cadorman]

Thanks for all the input. Seems like a variety is needed depending on venue, etc. I've got the 412s covered at this point, but I need to start collecting some smaller cabs.

 

[SG John]

I rarely play places where the guitar cabs are mic'd, so I still use a 4x12 slant cab. It still doesn't get enough sound up towards my ears, but I can at least hear me.