Cabs for small studio

[Zeppelin]

What cabs would you recommend for a small studio to cover most bases, from metal to blues?

Let's say one or two bass cabs and three guitar cabs.

For recording is there anything to gain from using a 4x12 or does a 2x12 or 1x12 do the job?

Also do you think it's a big deal soundwise what brand the cab is, if the speakers are the same?(and they're both open or closed)

[FFTT]

For a single 12 cab, I'd look for an original Bogner Cube cab or take a look at the
Port City Waves cabs.
I also like the Suhr Badger single 12 since it is front loading, making speaker swaps
a breeze.

2X12's Port City or Reeves or Reinhardt or the very popular Bogner OS 2X12

In a 4X12, take a look at the vintage Marshall reproduction cabs from Southbay Ampworks or the Bogner 4X12's. The Reeves cabs are also exceptional.

For Bass, I'd go for a Reeves single 15 or a Berg 6X10 or both, but most of your bass
tracking will be DI, so you just may want a cab to add some live sound.
Reeves is also working on a new 4X10 and you may want to look at the Ashdown 4X10. For extra deep low B fullness, nothing tops an EV single 18 Road Ready cab.
If you come across a vintage '73 or earlier Ampeg SVT cab loaded with CTS AlNiCo's
GRAB IT! Great cab for bass and big block guitar amps.

I would always go for cabs built with dovetail joints as they are the strongest.

If you'd like something in a tone wood cab, check out Bob Burt Custom Cabinets
or the fine cabs from Curt Emery at Emery Sound.

Since space is limited, you may also want to consider options like a covertable back
to allows closed or open operation.

[BadJones]

The Bogner's Alchemist 2x12 open back cab sounds great. It comes with a g12m green back and a g12h anniversary vintage 30 . different tone depending which speaker you mic. I use it with a suhr badger and a divided by 13 jr9/15. perfect size for the studio.

The mesa's 4x12 recto is also nice, but the cab needs alot of power, has mucho low end and is loud, can wake the neighbors.

I also have a 2x12 closed back cab with vintage 30's a orange copy. It gets very little use.

My vintage marshall 4x12 cab and the alchemist cab is really all I use. The Mesa is on standby for the metal players.

Can't recommend the bogner cabs more, at least the alchemist 2x12

[nbarts]

1x12, 2x12 or 4x12 will all sound different recorded, as well as different brand cabinets will make a difference. How much of a big deal it is? Probably not as much as people make it. I wouldn't go that crazy on cabs until you have the rest of the setup covered. If you have the money, no argument, go for it.

I'd get a 4x10 or something with 10s for a bass cab first for recording. If you have the luxury to have a 15 too, go for it, but again, not a necessary thing.

[drbob1]

I'm not sure the specific brand of cabs makes as much difference as the basic construction and speaker choice, especially with close miking techniques. One possible solution to minimize size and maximize flexibility would be to start with something like a Mesa 1/2 back 412 (top half is open back, bottom is closed). Choose a variety of speakers (say a pair of vintage Jensen P12R, c12Q or P12Q for the top and JBL, Celestion G12H-30s for the bottom). That gives you a nice american open back sound and a nice british closed sound. A 410 cab, open back, wired with a pair of Weber Blue pups (vintage brit sound) and Jensen P10Q (vintage american sound) will take care of smaller amps. A sealed and ported 112 cab with a modern speaker (EV, Celestion/Mesa 90, Celestion V30) should take care of the modern thumpy sounds.

Basswise, how about a ported 115 with an older JBL D130, E130, K130? for a warm sound, and a 410 cab with modern speakers (Emminence?) for more thump.

Some kind of attenuator, so if someone brings in their Triple Rectifier or SVT they don't blow up your cabs and I think you're done... Yeah, you could get way more specific for specific sounds, but then you're going to want to own a lot more cabs (ideally closed back old and modern 412s, closed and open back 410s, open back 212s, open back 8s in pine and plywood to get the various resonances you need).

[Zeppelin]

Anyone tried the Reeves guitar cab with the Vintage Purple speakers(Fane substitute)?

[nedorama]

Just got a convertible 1x12 Dr. Z Cab with a Celestion Vintage 30 - great sounding. Can go from closed back to 2/3 closed for different tonal options. Worth listening to for a 1x12 option.

[Benlittlejohn]

I'd go for a mesa 2/12 vertical. Can be had for pretty cheap on craigslist. The bottom speaker is sealed and ported. The top is open back. It is great for recording. Very tight but open.

the black shadows that come in them are great middle of the road speakers that work for just about anything. and if you get tired of them (which you prolly won't), you can throw a EV12ML in the bottom for even cleaner tighter bass and a sparkly fender style speaker on top.

got mine for $300.




...also forgot to say they're pretty ugly. LOL.

[Zeppelin]

Originally Posted by Benlittlejohn

I'd go for a mesa 2/12 vertical. Can be had for pretty cheap on craigslist. The bottom speaker is sealed and ported. The top is open back. It is great for recording. Very tight but open.

the black shadows that come in them are great middle of the road speakers that work for just about anything. and if you get tired of them (which you prolly won't), you can throw a EV12ML in the bottom for even cleaner tighter bass and a sparkly fender style speaker on top.

got mine for $300.




...also forgot to say they're pretty ugly. LOL.

I think it looks kind of cool!

Not sure if I'll come across one, but will keep my eyes open.

Also pretty sure I am going to order one of these babies for bass duties:

Aguilar Amplification: Bass Pedals, Bass Pickups, Bass Preamps, Bass Amplifiers, and Bass Speaker Cabinets

In Chocolate thunder!

[Benlittlejohn]

Originally Posted by Zeppelin

Also pretty sure I am going to order one of these babies for bass duties:

Aguilar Amplification: Bass Pedals, Bass Pickups, Bass Preamps, Bass Amplifiers, and Bass Speaker Cabinets

In Chocolate thunder!

I hear great things about those cabs!

[Pasta4lnch]

Originally Posted by Zeppelin

Also pretty sure I am going to order one of these babies for bass duties:

Aguilar Amplification: Bass Pedals, Bass Pickups, Bass Preamps, Bass Amplifiers, and Bass Speaker Cabinets

In Chocolate thunder!

I have a GS112 and it is awesome . . . great tone! Aggie makes great stuff . . .

[guitarwolle]

For anything from clean to classic rock tone I use my 4x12 Marshall straight cab with Pre Rola G12H30 Celestions (1971) - one of the best things I ever bought in my life, it sounds unbeleavable.

[Hazer]

- Open back 2 or 4 x 10". Alnico Jensens, Webers or American-voiced Eminences would be great. This is your country, funk, blues and indie cab.

- Closed back 4 x 12". Celestions or any British-voiced speaker is the way to go. Try mixing V30-esque speakers with strong mids with more open sounding ones -- V30/G12H30 and V30/G12T75 are popular comboes. This will kill for anything under the rock umbrella.

- TL806-spec ported 1 x 12" with an EVM-12L or Eminence Delta Pro 12A. Jazz, metal, electric piano, anything that needs tons of definition and low end with no cone breakup.