2x12 cabs – advise me!

[hamfist]

My understanding with the Framus 2x12's was that it was the delicate tolex that was the issue, not the woodwork in any way.

maybe so hamfist, i wouldnt know as i havnt abused it yet  :P
but if its tolex then is that really i problem? i dnt think so...

Wouldn't be a great problem for me either, but some folks are fussy about keeping stuff looking pristine.

[JamesHealey]

This 2x12 belonged to me before adam and it's a killer cab built by a guy who works for Matamp now.

It's rugged, well designed and sounds fantastic.

What about this? Bargain!
http://bareknucklepickups.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=17015.0

On paper, Adam's 2x12 sounds like a good buy. Although I've not seen pics of it at all.

BTW - steer away from Marshall 1922's (sorry Shobet  :oops:) - Possibly the worst 2x12 cab ever constructed. Horrible boxy tone, beamy, just yuk.

Richard, if you're choosing your own speakers, then I would strongly recommend G12K-100's, which are great for the sort of stuff you play, and have good power handling ability.

[richardjmorgan]

Also, a question for those of you who use 2x12s when playing live: do you find you need to raise them up somehow in order to be able to best hear them onstage? One reservation I have is that without doing that, all the sound is going to be coming out at about knee level (to use the appropriate technical terms) and therefore make it harder to pick out my playing from all the other racket going on.

[psy]

You could always stand the cab vertically.  That seems to make a difference when I struggle to hear mine.

[hamfist]

Also, a question for those of you who use 2x12s when playing live: do you find you need to raise them up somehow in order to be able to best hear them onstage? One reservation I have is that without doing that, all the sound is going to be coming out at about knee level (to use the appropriate technical terms) and therefore make it harder to pick out my playing from all the other racket going on.

If I'm using one 2x12, I'll have it raised up on a table, another cab of some sort, or any other way I can get it up a bit.  Often that will include having the cab on it's side so that the speakers are vertically one on top of the other.
   Yes, you lose some bass reponse that way, but I dial my amps in to accomodate that.

[_tom_]

I have two laney GS212ie's and, yes, the speakers are not great (nor are they too terrible either).

I would like to have a go with one of these with better speakers, it would look cool with my GH50L :) I just would need a new laney logo plate for my GH to match. Though the last shop I went into about that never got back to me :(

[Twinfan]

I just use my 2x12 flat on the floor, as does Martin.  No problem hearing it.

It's all about getting the entire band levels right.........

[hamfist]

I just use my 2x12 flat on the floor, as does Martin.  No problem hearing it.

It's all about getting the entire band levels right.........

This is one of those things where there is no right or wrong, just personal preference.

If you're the sort of player who likes to hear the full bandwidth of frequencies coming out of your cab then you'll need a speaker pointing somewhere near your ears.
  If you like to roll off those upper frequencies to your ears on stage then keep the cab low on the floor. In those circumstances, though, it can sound great to you, standing way above the speakers, but may well still have a trebly "beam of death" straight in front of your cab, which is often pointed straight at punter's ears. Just something to be aware of (obviously TF and MW both are) and adjust your cab direction as appropriate.

[Twinfan]

Indeed!  I like to hear the full band and not just me  ;)

[_tom_]

I did a gig on saturday and just had my 2x12 on the floor, sounded fine and in my opinion sounded bigger/broader than the other guitarists 4x12. Probably because it has better speakers and I had the back off I'm guessing?

[Twinfan]

Could be a combination of many things, Tom  :)

[JDC]

hey twinfan were you and martin using closed or open backed cabs?

[Twinfan]

My 4x12 is closed back, my combos are open backed, and our 2x12s are semi-open backed.....

[richardjmorgan]

Something I was jsut discussing with someone, and though you chaps might have some thoughts on:

It seems quite a few people seem to be fond of 4x12s with 2 G12K-100s and 2 Vintage 30s, with the speakers of the same type installed diagonally across from each other. This got me to thinking about the possibility of using one of each in a 2x12. Good idea, or is it something that's only going to be effective in a 4?

[Twinfan]

It works well in a 2x12 too I believe, but not for me.  Matchless use a G12M/G12H combination in their DC-30, and lots of the booteek guys do a similar thing.  I've tried a couple of mixes in 2x12s, but never really loved the tone.  I now use two Celestion Golds in my 2x12.

My 4x12 has two V30s and two G12H Heritages in a X-pattern, and this gives a great range and spread of tones.