open back / closed back

[Michaell]

All I own and use are combos with open backs. Never owned a closed back cab.

Any thoughts or preference?

[EMan]

My 1X12 cab is convertable, meaning that the back panel is in 2 sections. The top panel is about 1/4 of the total rear area, and comes off.

I like using it closed in conjunction with the open back Princeton.

[CatfishStudios]

Guitar combos, open back...but for Bass combo amps...gotta be closed back..

[studio1087]

I like closed backs because they are punchier. I like the percussive quality, it emphasizes the pop and twang.

[6942]

I prefer open backed cabs.....nice airy sound.

Steve

[Wally]

Eman's use of both is an interesting way to go with it. I built up a cab for a customer once with 2X10 and a 1/3 opening on one side. The center board was sealed so that the two compartments were totally separate sonically. I installed a rotary switch so that either speaker could be used alone or both together.
The closed back side by itself was tighter and more focussed. The open back side was looser and bigger sounding. Both together yielded a large 3-dimensional sonic pattern and created some high harmonics that were not present with either speaker alone. Very lively.

[Murphy Slaw]

I prefer open back combos for small (100/300 seat) clubs. The stage sound is better. But, having said that.......

A decade ago I played with a Country/Classic Rock band that insisted on miking everything, and putting everything back into monitors, even in small clubs. With my open back combo next to the drummer he (was a picky s.o.b.) was forever blitchin' about too much guitar. I started bringing a Marshall JCM900 1/2 stack (swear to God) because it was closed back, and therefore he couldn't hear anything except what went back through the monitors.

I didn't give a damn, I bought the Marshall to look cool, but felt pretty stupid using it in small clubs, and didn't like the tones.

I left that band!

I use a Mesa Blue Angel 1;12 open back on a flight case most of the time now. Tone to die for. Rarely miked, I prefer to open her up.

Best of luck.

Murph.

[Michaell]

thanks!

[woodman]

i like open-backs, because they give kind of a natural reverb. both my gigging amps (tweed Deluxe for small rooms, brown Pro for bigger stages) are open-back, but neither has reverb. but if you can get your backblast reflecting off the wall behind the stage, you don't need no steenkin' reverb!

closed cabs have always seemed a little "in-your-face" for me, except for big-stage outdoor venues.