1x12 comnbo or half stack?

[drscotty14]

im thinking of getting a 1x12 tube amp so i donthave so much sound coming from the 4x12 when i crank it. what are the pros and cons of cranking a half stack or a 1x12 combo?

[Matt]

A 1x12 combo is plenty, in my opinion. I've had half-stacks, 2x12 combos, and 1x12 combos.

A good tube 1x12 combo has enough volume for most small clubs. If you play anything bigger than that...use a pa.

Plus, you save $$, space on stage/storage/van, and your back.

[brandondrury]

The speaker configuration seams to matter little on the recording side as well. Because of the plentiful low end in 4x12 cabinets, I have to compensate by pulling much of the low end out on the amp.

If I could go back, I'd probably have a couple different 1x12 cabinets and all my amps would be super low wattage. I don't think I'd really go over 20 watts in most cases.

I use 100watt heads and 4x12 cabinets now because that is what I have. It's cheaper (and less time consuming) to stick with what I have. I do really like low wattage speakers. So when I crank my amps to 10 (which is what I do most of the time during recordings) I do need a cabinet that can handle the load. I've blown one 30 watt Celestion G12H30 doing this.

I could always use a Hot Plate or something similar, but the version I bought is 8 ohms and I've heard that bad things happen when you pair it with a 16 ohm cabinet (which is what I have, unfortunately).

For live use, I agree with Matt. A 1x12 combo is just fine. You don't have to saturate your power tube section live and the tremendous inconvenience of using 4x12 cabinets won't net you any better tone, necessarily.

Brandon

[Matt]

It's my experience that live sound (for the most part) is a joke fidelity wise. Most people go to bars/clubs to socialize and have drinks. A killer guitar tone is only important to the few guitar players who aren't too hammered to notice it.

The most important guitar tones in a live setting are the ones that make the ladies shake their asses.

If you're planning on a recording rig, that's a different story.

[brandondrury]

Your assessments are right on!

Live music is about sex. I know of no straight man who has ever gotten laid from a guitar tone!!

I've had a regular live sound gig that I take very seriously, and all live sound will ever be is damage control. Some guys are definitely better at reducing the damage than others, but I've seen a ton of big shows that sounded like shit.

Brandon

[kredd]

i say it depends on the music you are playing and the tone you are looking for. correct me if i'm wrong but most musicians dont drag their live rig into the studio and record with it. i play metal and there's no way i can use the same gain and settings when i record that i use live.

the only 'pro' to having a half stack is that you can mix-n-match cabs and heads...but if it's just a loudness issue, i would think you'd pretty much have to go with a combo with a lower wattage.

[brandondrury]

correct me if i'm wrong but most musicians dont drag their live rig into the studio and record with it.

I'd say the opposite. If we say "most", I assume you are meaning all bands...as in local bands too. Most bands do record with their own rigs, I'd think.

In recording you can do crazier stuff and blend amps and what not, but if the band actually sounds good, I'd definitely want to use their rig first. If they are using Line6 or equivalent, we'll have to do something different.

i play metal and there's no way i can use the same gain and settings when i record that i use live.

I've done my share of metal recordings. I'm not sure why guitar players do this. The reason we have to pull the gain and stuff down is because it sounds better. When you go back to your "real sound" you start sounding like those shitty, local metal bands on Myspace do on their recordings.

In other words, I don't see a distinction in guitar tone between live sound and the studio. The same rules pretty much apply.

Brandon

[kredd]

Originally Posted by brandondrury

I'd say the opposite. If we say "most", I assume you are meaning all bands...as in local bands too. Most bands do record with their own rigs, I'd think.

you misread my post - i said they don't use their *LIVE* rig. didn't say their *OWN* rig. which if you are local, like myself, there probably isn't a difference but i've just read that some bands do that here and there in magazines, but i say use whatever gets you the sound and tone you want. didn't mean to make a generalized statement...

i and my guitarist both use my peavy 6505+ for recording cause we don't like the sound his mesa XXX rect produces in the studio(altho its AWESOME live!). we use what gets us the sound we want.

Originally Posted by brandondrury

The reason we have to pull the gain and stuff down is because it sounds better. When you go back to your "real sound" you start sounding like those shitty, local metal bands on Myspace do on their recordings.

i think you misread me again, or misunderstood. i'm saying the same thing you are. i *AM* pulling the gain and stuff down b/c, as you said, it sounds better. goodness, myspace bands. the horror.

Originally Posted by brandondrury

In other words, I don't see a distinction in guitar tone between live sound and the studio. The same rules pretty much apply.

how do you not see a distinction in guitar tone b/n live and studio when you just made a distinction b/n "real sound" and pulling the the gain and stuff down to make it sound good for recording?

did i misunderstand? btw, this web site rocks and is invaluable.

Kelly

[brandondrury]

you misread my post - i said they don't use their *LIVE* rig. didn't say their *OWN* rig

This isn't making since to me. If a person HAS a live rig, it is then owned by that person...right?

I'm taking the approach that a guitar player, more or less, has a sound. Their guitar, pedals, amps, etc all work together to make up that sound.

but i've just read that some bands do that here and there in magazines,

I assume you mean using different rigs in the studio than they do live.

This is true to a certain extent. It's not because their live amp sucks. It's because they are probably using 3-10 amps and have this crazy thing happening on the record that just isn't practical to do live.

http://www.royerlabs.com/session_pho...vildriver.html

It's also possible that any one of those amps used in the recording wouldn't sound even close to the record live and going with a Recto or Triamp gets closest to the amp (when you can only use one amp).

i'm saying the same thing you are.

No, I read this quote loud and clear:

i play metal and there's no way i can use the same gain and settings when i record that i use live.

I'm saying that the tones are almost exactly the same on recordings and live. If your live rig sounds terrible in the studio, it also sounds terrible at your gigs. I have no doubts. It works the same exact way.

how do you not see a distinction in guitar tone b/n live and studio when you just made a distinction b/n "real sound" and pulling the the gain and stuff down to make it sound good for recording?

I put "real sound" in quotes because I was being sarcastic..nothing more. This 'real sound' is a terrible sound. I said that. I've never heard you live, but more than likely you have a fizzy mess live and don't even know it.

I can not think of a single reason why a sound that was good in the studio would not be good live. It just doesn't work that way.

Brandon