Members WRGKMC Posted February 18, 2011 Members Share Posted February 18, 2011 Kind of a no brainer here. If you have both you use what fits the venue, and makes life easire to move. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Selsaral Posted February 18, 2011 Members Share Posted February 18, 2011 I don't really buy gear like an amp online anymore. And at my local stores, heads just aren't really available. For example, I just got a Mesa Express 5:50 combo. They make a short and a medium head for the 5:25 and the 5:50, but no store nearby sells the heads. Besides, the head+cab is a LOT more expensive than the combo. Though I do wish I had the head+cab. Easier to move. Better mix/match. But as long as you can carry the combo in one trip with reasonable ease, there is a certain appeal to the simplicity of it. I'd never want a combo with more than 1 speaker. Extension cabs all the way for that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Belva Posted February 18, 2011 Members Share Posted February 18, 2011 If I'm forced to choose I'll get head. But I prefer to get both in combo.:poke: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Harvester1199 Posted February 18, 2011 Members Share Posted February 18, 2011 combo and a 2x12 cab, all you need and if its small venue leave the cab at home! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Kid Klash Posted February 18, 2011 Members Share Posted February 18, 2011 It depends. If you need the "stage presence" to sell your band's image and are young enough to schlep it around, go for a head/cab. If you're not trying to "sell an image", don't drive a van or don't want to deal with a lot of weight, go with a combo (although tube combos aren't light either). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mrbrown49 Posted February 18, 2011 Members Share Posted February 18, 2011 It depends.If you need the "stage presence" to sell your band's image and are young enough to schlep it around, go for a head/cab.If you're not trying to "sell an image", don't drive a van or don't want to deal with a lot of weight, go with a combo (although tube combos aren't light either). Sounds like you are assuming that Head/Cab means giant marshall head and 4x12 cab. I prefer smaller amps, and smaller amps generally have more issues with rattle because of the lower mass and proximity to the speaker. A small head and small cab is the better choice IMO. It won't break your back, take up much space, and has nothing to do with image. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Kid Klash Posted February 18, 2011 Members Share Posted February 18, 2011 Sounds like you are assuming that Head/Cab means giant marshall head and 4x12 cab. I prefer smaller amps, and smaller amps generally have more issues with rattle because of the lower mass and proximity to the speaker. A small head and small cab is the better choice IMO. It won't break your back, take up much space, and has nothing to do with image.Yes, that's "the image" part of things... nobody needs a half or full stack for volume these days - it's only for stage presence and image.If you don't need "the image", a small cab with a head would be fine in place of a combo.A perfect example is the gig we're doing tomorrow evening - I'll be playing through two Marshall half-stacks, when I could easily do the gig with my SCXD mic'ed through the PA. The fans (and promoter) expect to see the "wall of sound", so we're going to give them what they want (and what they're paying for). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Jarick Posted February 18, 2011 Members Share Posted February 18, 2011 I like a 1x12 combo. Any bigger and it'd have to be a head/cab. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Jarick Posted February 18, 2011 Members Share Posted February 18, 2011 You might need more than a 1x12 15w if you've got a loud drummer in rehearsals though I played in two bands as the drummer, and here was an interesting one. One band had a Crate VC 4xEL84 (30w) 1x12 amp and that thing would not cut it volume-wise. Just got fizzy and hissy and disappeared. Another band had a UNIVALVE with a single EL34 (7-10 watts maybe) through a 4x12 cab with V30's and that thing worked fine. Sure it was cranked and distorted, but it actually cut. At gigs he'd have to run it half volume. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Radar-Love Posted February 18, 2011 Members Share Posted February 18, 2011 When it comes to larger amps (50-watts or more) I definitely prefer the head + speaker cabinet arrangement. As long as it's a 2x10 or 2x12 cabinet, a head + speaker cabinet is easier to move around than a massive combo amp. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members noisebloom Posted February 18, 2011 Members Share Posted February 18, 2011 Head. It gives me a range of speaker/cabinet options. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members caveman Posted February 18, 2011 Members Share Posted February 18, 2011 LOL, "massive combo amp". I have never seen one of those. In my experience, a 2x12 cab + a head takes up more space in the jeep than a 2x12 combo does. But then I was packing a small PA with it's stands and monitors and a dolly for a 2 trip load in.When you have a lot of gear in the back, a loose guitar head can be awkward to fit where it won't get banged around. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mrbrown49 Posted February 18, 2011 Members Share Posted February 18, 2011 LOL, "massive combo amp". I have never seen one of those. In my experience, a 2x12 cab + a head takes up more space in the jeep than a 2x12 combo does. But then I was packing a small PA with it's stands and monitors and a dolly for a 2 trip load in. When you have a lot of gear in the back, a loose guitar head can be awkward to fit where it won't get banged around. Amps in general are awkward to cart around. I'm been loving my little 15 watt 1x12 combo. I can grab that, my guitar, and a backpack with cables and stuff all in one trip for a barebones rig. Could be worse. We could be drummers. Always felt bad for amount of crap they had to lug around. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members BAXANDALL Posted February 18, 2011 Members Share Posted February 18, 2011 Head...in case something catastrophic happens to it you'll still have the cab to work with. Head for these two reasons was my choice. I have a couple combos though that weren't offered in head style. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Jarick Posted February 18, 2011 Members Share Posted February 18, 2011 Could be worse. We could be drummers. Always felt bad for amount of crap they had to lug around. Not only that, but we also get stuck setting up and tearing down gear while you guys are talking to the cute girls at the bar. And by the time I've spent 20 minutes loading the gear in and come back to look for the girls, I'm all sweaty and the next band has started playing. Definitely going to play guitar in the next band Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members caveman Posted February 18, 2011 Members Share Posted February 18, 2011 Amps in general are awkward to cart around. I'm been loving my little 15 watt 1x12 combo. I can grab that, my guitar, and a backpack with cables and stuff all in one trip for a barebones rig. Could be worse. We could be drummers. Always felt bad for amount of crap they had to lug around. That's the direction I've been gearing toward as I've gotten older. In the old days I packed a Twin Reverb, a Kustom Kombo II (tuck and roll, draw-bar organ) and a 760 Leslie as well.... Whew!I have a HRD at practice, a BDri at home and the guys always load the HRD for gigs. I rarely have to move my amp over a foot or two. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members johnny slag Posted February 18, 2011 Members Share Posted February 18, 2011 Have had point-to-point heads which shook apart when on cabs. (Used to play with powered 100WSuperlead head on ground and another, unplugged one, on top for show.) At high volumes, definitely think heads and tubes last longer IF not placed on cabs. Have VT22 which weighs more than my car, so no advantage in lugging about and the tubes get shaken badly. Have a bunch of recording/rehearsal combos BluesJunior, Vox, YCV40, which are easy enough to move but still think they'd last longer if electronics were separate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Wyatt Posted February 19, 2011 Members Share Posted February 19, 2011 Combos. Haven't owned a head in years. I have owned huge heavy combos, they are a hassle. And I can see moving a head and 2x12 being a little easier than my old 75-lb. Carvin XV212. But remember the only real weight difference between the head and combo is the speaker, the head cabinet is NOT significantly lighter than a combo cabinet, and a speaker cabinet is NO lighter at all. So, you move both, you are pretty much guaranteeing you are moving at least 20lbs more than the combo itself. But combos don't have to be heavy. But it depends on what you are playing. I haven't played anything better than a jam in over a decade. A Tweed Deluxe is less than 25 lbs and on a stand can fill most bars/clubs, and more power, my Allen Accomplice is the best of both worlds... a 35-lb., 35-watt 1x12 combo. Louder than a Deluxe Reverb, and lighter as well. Separate cabs are a necessity if laying outdoors with sound reinforcement though, you'll lose half your volume with an open-back cab outside. All of this is moot to me anymore, I'd never play without micing an amp again, I leave that to the cheap, or the amateurs, or the stubborn that all insist on no PA. So, I can play Wembley with a Champ at that point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tweak'd Posted February 19, 2011 Members Share Posted February 19, 2011 I picked up a Egnater Tweaker last weekend and got the combo over the head/cab version, because I thought it sounded better (and cheaper too). I can still run the amp into a seperate cab if I need to, with or without using the speaker in the combo. Best of both worlds.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members smorgdonkey Posted February 19, 2011 Members Share Posted February 19, 2011 I love my Traynor YCV 40 WR. It isn't so heavy that it can't be considered 'portable' and I have an extension cabinet that I can use or not...but damn it sounds great with the extension cab!! I just re-tubed with JJs from Eurotubes the other day too...my, oh my...lovely. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Flintc Posted February 19, 2011 Members Share Posted February 19, 2011 Just eyeballing the ol' arsenal, I notice I have two bass amps, one head and one combo. And four guitar amps, one head and 3 combos. I guess I don't much care. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Kap'n Posted February 19, 2011 Members Share Posted February 19, 2011 Combos. Currently I've got about ten of 'em, and one on the way. One for every occasion, and if you need more, bring a couple. I've never had need for a head/cab for anything other than bass. I used to have a Showman, and a Bassman w/ 2x12, but never liked dragging them around, and could never open them up enough to get a satisfying sound. Most of my favorite music has been done with combos. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DTrane Posted February 19, 2011 Members Share Posted February 19, 2011 My combos are heavy, bulky, and awkward. I think ideally is a compact 50 watt head with 2x12 cab Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members =JL= Posted February 19, 2011 Members Share Posted February 19, 2011 My 4x12s have wheels on them, and even on rough floors I don't have to worry about bouncing them along, as they have no delicate tubes inside. So I don't really have to carry it much at all. I'm 6'3" and can yank a 4x12 out of the car and onto it's wheels with one hand. The problem with a 100w 2x12 tube combo is not just the weight, it's that it's DELICATE and heavy. For small gigs I do love a combo, though outdoors I can never seem to hear an open-backed cab properly, and am more reliant on good stage monitoring when I'd rather rely on my own gear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bluesnapper Posted February 19, 2011 Members Share Posted February 19, 2011 Not only that, but we also get stuck setting up and tearing down gear while you guys are talking to the cute girls at the bar. And by the time I've spent 20 minutes loading the gear in and come back to look for the girls, I'm all sweaty and the next band has started playing. Definitely going to play guitar in the next band Drummers don't normally look for girls! They just reach out, grab the nearest thing in a skirt and grunt at them! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.