Head/cab vs. combo amps

Primo Don · December 10th, 2003, 11:42 AM

Is there an advantage to carrying around 2 pieces of amplifier over a combo? I'm thinking of a new (or used) hand built boutique amp and I don't know what I want. I'm also thinking of the investment value. I don't know if I want 6L6's, or EL84's or what, class A or class A/B. I need to play them all I guess. There's not many (any) places to see these kinds of amps near me, so I'll have to visit a real city... I kinda like the Dr. Z Mazerati but it doesn't have reverb. Maybe a Matchless Chieftain... I dunno.

Anyway, tell me about head/cabs and combos. Recommendations are much appreciated!

Adam

JDO · December 10th, 2003, 12:21 PM

hey, i was born in charleston. i haven't seen it in a few years though.

anyway, i think there are pro's and con's each way.

head/cab
pro's - you're free to use whatever speaker you want. you can go opened back or closed back. you can use 2x10's, 4x12's, 1x15, etc. you could have a cab that has a less effecient speaker for smaller places so you can still crank your amp and it not be so loud. then you could have a cab with say 2 very efficent 10's for bigger places.
con's - one more thing to carry and worry about. more room taken up at your house with multiple cabs. and not as easy to tilt back.

combo
pro's - you just have one thing to grab. depending on how many pedals you use, you could probably make just one trip, guitar & gig bag with tubes and what not in one hand and amp in the other. you could tilt it up at you to hear it a little better. you don't have to worry about forgetting the speaker or the speaker cable.
con's - you're stuck pretty much with the speaker that's in it. unless you treat it as a head and then what's the point of it being a combo. you always have an open backed speaker. and combo's are supposed to be worse on tubes.

all that being said, i like combos. i'm lazy. i have worked my gear down to my tele, my amp, cords and a boss tu-2. i like the idea behind head cabs. and all the amps of mine that have speakers in them, i could have just gotten all heads and a few cabs and in the end, not had as much stuff laying around.

hope that rambling helps some.

hippietim · December 10th, 2003, 12:24 PM

The primary reason is that I've got several amps and have sort of been cycling through them a bit. I've settled in with two different 2x12 cabinets I'm happy with. Then I can just rotate heads. This ends up being very flexible.

Rob DiStefano · December 10th, 2003, 03:16 PM

I think the head/cab route is the most functional amp route to take - particularly in terms of separating the chassis from direct speaker vibrations (saves the tubes and you'll have less/no tube rattle and tinkle).

Having said that, out of sheer laziness I prefer a combo and I'm about to build another one, for the Winfield Harvard chassis w/15" Weber. I'll stick the amp at the bottom this time, w/upright tubes.

December 10th, 2003, 11:42 AM	#1 (permalink)
Primo Don Tele-Meister Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Orlando, FL Age: 31 Posts: 381	Head/cab vs. combo amps Is there an advantage to carrying around 2 pieces of amplifier over a combo? I'm thinking of a new (or used) hand built boutique amp and I don't know what I want. I'm also thinking of the investment value. I don't know if I want 6L6's, or EL84's or what, class A or class A/B. I need to play them all I guess. There's not many (any) places to see these kinds of amps near me, so I'll have to visit a real city... I kinda like the Dr. Z Mazerati but it doesn't have reverb. Maybe a Matchless Chieftain... I dunno. Anyway, tell me about head/cabs and combos. Recommendations are much appreciated! Adam __________________ Why yes, I do have a liberal arts degree...do you want fries with that?

December 10th, 2003, 12:21 PM	#2 (permalink)
JDO Tele-Holic Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Pittsboro, NC Posts: 601	hey, i was born in charleston. i haven't seen it in a few years though. anyway, i think there are pro's and con's each way. head/cab pro's - you're free to use whatever speaker you want. you can go opened back or closed back. you can use 2x10's, 4x12's, 1x15, etc. you could have a cab that has a less effecient speaker for smaller places so you can still crank your amp and it not be so loud. then you could have a cab with say 2 very efficent 10's for bigger places. con's - one more thing to carry and worry about. more room taken up at your house with multiple cabs. and not as easy to tilt back. combo pro's - you just have one thing to grab. depending on how many pedals you use, you could probably make just one trip, guitar & gig bag with tubes and what not in one hand and amp in the other. you could tilt it up at you to hear it a little better. you don't have to worry about forgetting the speaker or the speaker cable. con's - you're stuck pretty much with the speaker that's in it. unless you treat it as a head and then what's the point of it being a combo. you always have an open backed speaker. and combo's are supposed to be worse on tubes. all that being said, i like combos. i'm lazy. i have worked my gear down to my tele, my amp, cords and a boss tu-2. i like the idea behind head cabs. and all the amps of mine that have speakers in them, i could have just gotten all heads and a few cabs and in the end, not had as much stuff laying around. hope that rambling helps some. __________________ clean as a whistle

December 10th, 2003, 12:24 PM	#3 (permalink)
hippietim Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Raleigh Posts: 2,101	I've switched back to head/cab The primary reason is that I've got several amps and have sort of been cycling through them a bit. I've settled in with two different 2x12 cabinets I'm happy with. Then I can just rotate heads. This ends up being very flexible.

December 10th, 2003, 03:16 PM	#4 (permalink)
Rob DiStefano Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Park Ridge, NJ Age: 62 Posts: 4,787	I think the head/cab route is the most functional amp route to take - particularly in terms of separating the chassis from direct speaker vibrations (saves the tubes and you'll have less/no tube rattle and tinkle). Having said that, out of sheer laziness I prefer a combo and I'm about to build another one, for the Winfield Harvard chassis w/15" Weber. I'll stick the amp at the bottom this time, w/upright tubes.