COMBO AMP OR HEAD & CAB?

[ezkahuna]

Do you prefer a combo amp or an amp head with separate cabinet? I have both but lately when I leave my home I've been just using my small Egnater Tweaker head and 1-12 cab. It is so much easier to carry. In a lot of the photos that Forum Members post, I see several Carvin, Egnater and Bugera heads. Do you care if your cab is a different brand than your head?

I have a Mesa Boogie 1-12 combo amp with a matching 1-12 cabinet. The amp alone is 65 lbs and I live in an upstairs condo. I bought it when I got rid of my 212 Deville. Funny, the Mesa is about 5 lbs heavier than the 212 Deville. It is still small compared to other outfits. It seems when I was younger - Bigger was Better! What's your preference?

I found a bag for a drum kick pedal that fits my Egnater perfectly.

 

[CoreyT]

I like head/cabs over combos.
Also if the cab does not match the head, it is ok with me.
My latest from a few weeks back.

 

[John Beef]

The last time we lived upstairs somewhere my wife bought a used Ampeg PR410HLF cabinet at 128 pounds. I had a truck to haul it around, but we did carry it upstairs a couple times.

Lessons learned: 1) do not live upstairs. 2) DO NOT live upstairs. That was two apartments and then two houses ago, none of the following had stairs.

She now has an Ampeg 8x10 instead @140 pounds.

Me, I play a 4x12 and head. I have tried 2x12s and combos and nothing works as well as the 4x12.

 

[László]

I prefer heads and cabs, so when I record, I can keep the head in the control room and stick the cab in a recording booth. I've used speaker cables as long as 35 feet with no audible degradation of the signal.

 

[sergiodeblanc]

Combo. One trip into the club, one trip out.

 

[11top]

Head and cab for me.

 

[Mikegarveyblues]

I always thought a separate head and cab looked cooler - particularly on stage. Beyond that I don't have much preference.

 

[Boogie]

I have both but like the smaller individual size of head/cab. I can almost get the head and a 1x12 in the 911. Almost.

 

[11top]

I have both but like the smaller individual size of head/cab. I can almost get the head and a 1x12 in the 911. Almost.

Hey K, have a told you about my 3 channel, made in USA............................Oh never mind.

 

[cjmwrx]

I lug this fancy pig around. 70 elbows. I do have a roadcase with wheels so...

 

[Chris528]

I have a Mesa combo and a Egnater head with 2 1x12 cabs. I take the head and one cab when I play away from home. That damn Mesa is too damn heavy.

 

[sergiodeblanc]

I lug this fancy pig around. 70 elbows. I do have a roadcase with wheels so...

Love it. More amp than anyone could possibly need.

 

[watelessness]

PRS C on top of a Mesa 1x12 open back

 

[Egads]

Sold a twin...because it was so heavy. Fell in love with a Lonestar, stopped gigging it...because it's too heavy. Bought a Mark IV. LOVED it, but sold it...because it was to frickin' heavy. That amp changed my mind forever about a 1x12 being able to hold it's own. That speaker was truly amazing with ANY amp driving it.

I currently have several heads...including one USA made, three channel, with...never mind. I've got a couple great cabs (and a good hardwood one I built), and I rotate the heads with the cabs. I'm just as flippant with my amps as I am with my guitars, so I like being able to mix and match lots of options.

 

[pondsnorkeler]

PRS 2 channel C on top of an Avatar 2 x 12 closed back with a G12H-30 and V30. This cab has never left the house. I have a Lopo 1 x 12 with a V30 to take out of the house. I'll only move the 2 x 12 if someone can help. It's 73 lbs and bulky. It sounds great though.

 

[jfine]

Combo for me--as small and light as I can get. Back in the early '70's I lugged a Twin Reverb around--they're still my favorite amp--but I can't lift one anymore (and I never really could--but back then the gigs were mostly house-band gigs, and I hardly had to move gear)! I'm currently using a Quilter MicroPro 200--200 watts, throttled down to drive an 8" heavy-duty speaker (it puts out about the same volume as a Fender Hot Rod Deluxe, but stays cleaner at higher volumes), weighs 21 lbs.; closer to 25 with the cover and footswitches. With access at some gigs being totally ridiculous (stairs? no parking within two blocks of the venue? HELP!!), it's no wonder I don't want to have to make 4-5 trips to and from the car!

 

[Gibson67v]

Honestly, I like both. If I could only choose one or the other I would choose Head and Cab... just makes things easier down the road if you wanted to expand. That being said... I'm not sure I could live without my Mesa Dual Rec Half Stack and my Fender Blues DeVille 410 Combo.

I plan on getting a PRS CAD Head with a Stealth 212 Cab. Having different cabs (especially with different speaker combinations) is always a benefit when recording.

 

[jfb]

I only have heads and cabs currently, but I've been wanting a 1x12 combo. I don't gig out so it's more about size for a room. Sometimes a quarter or half stack is just too big.

 

[Serious Poo]

My recommendation?

:biggrin:

 

[CoreyT]

That is some serious poo you have there