Amp/cab issue? Help RT!

[Steinmetzify]

Got a new amp last weekend, and the ohms don't match my cab....any foreseeable issues? Amp is 4 ohms, 4 ohms, and 8 ohms....been running the 8 ohms plug into a 16 ohm cab. What can I expect? Tired of the crap on the internet where everyone is an electrical expert, so I want the real knowledge from here. Help, amp cats...someone give me a definitive answer.

Thanks,

Scott

 

[hthomas]

You should be able to run 8ohm with that cab. The danger is when you run a head, for instance, at 16 ohms into an 8 ohm cab. As long as the cab is higher or the same, you should be fine.

 

[Steinmetzify]

Right on man. Thanks!

 

[peterc52]

Why don't you just rewire the cab to 4 ohm?

 

[Steinmetzify]

That would imply some electrical knowledge and how to solder, neither of which I possess sir!

 

[maddnotez]

With all due respect. I am an electrical noob..seriously

I wired all my own cabs, its pretty simple..Especially if its a rear loaded cab.

I dont solder I used clips, yes soldering is better....I did however solder in my pickups once and that was fairly easy as well...

I would not risk it, even if it is ok to run a higher rated cab, I feel its safer to match it up especially with the cost of all this darn gear.

This was the exact link I used from google, pretty straight fwd chart.

http://www.colomar.com/Shavano/4x12wiring.html

 

[TheMagicEight]

That would imply some electrical knowledge and how to solder, neither of which I possess sir!

You're better off with 8 --> 16 than rewiring IMO. The 8 ohm tap utilizes the whole output transformer, whereas the 4 ohm tap is only half. 4 ohms into 4 ohms might be a little more "direct" sounding, but IMO the way you have it will give you better tone in general with a more natural high end. That's the best I can describe it.

 

[Steinmetzify]

With all due respect. I am an electrical noob..seriously

I wired all my own cabs, its pretty simple..Especially if its a rear loaded cab.

I dont solder I used clips, yes soldering is better....I did however solder in my pickups once and that was fairly easy as well...

I would not risk it, even if it is ok to run a higher rated cab, I feel its safer to match it up especially with the cost of all this darn gear.

This was the exact link I used from google, pretty straight fwd chart.

http://www.colomar.com/Shavano/4x12wiring.html

Dude.......if you've soldered pups into a guitar, you're not a noob like I am lol....I'd never even attempt it without a lot more knowledge and practice.

You're better off with 8 --> 16 than rewiring IMO. The 8 ohm tap utilizes the whole output transformer, whereas the 4 ohm tap is only half. 4 ohms into 4 ohms might be a little more "direct" sounding, but IMO the way you have it will give you better tone in general with a more natural high end. That's the best I can describe it.

Nice.....much appreciated, man.

 

[maddnotez]

haha well, it was my first time. And it worked...I figured it beats paying someone else $50 to do it. Plus I dont want anyone else touching my guitar let alone keeping it overnight lol...not sure how else to practice other than just doing it...The pups i guess would be more dangerous as your not supposed to touch the gun to the actual plate or jack or whatever the heck that things called that the wires get soldered onto...

Just sayin might be alot easier then you think especially with a cab, all you do is touch the solder to the heated gun, close to whatever you are soldering it to and the solder melts right onto it.

From the other replies it sounds like you should be ok with the way you have it now.

 

[racerevlon]

I feel like a broken record. All of those speaker taps have the word "minimum" implied after them. You can always run a cab that has a higher impedance, just never lower. So, is 16 (the cab) bigger than 8 (the head)? Yes, you're fine. Simple rule, memorize it.

 

[Steinmetzify]

I feel like a broken record. All of those speaker taps have the word "minimum" implied after them. You can always run a cab that has a higher impedance, just never lower. So, is 16 (the cab) bigger than 8 (the head)? Yes, you're fine. Simple rule, memorize it.

How can it be a broken record if I've never heard it? You stop being a wordy jerk Race, and I mean right now.

Simple rule memorized, dude. Thanks.

 

[maddnotez]

I feel like a broken record. All of those speaker taps have the word "minimum" implied after them. You can always run a cab that has a higher impedance, just never lower. So, is 16 (the cab) bigger than 8 (the head)? Yes, you're fine. Simple rule, memorize it.

You broke the record yourself and repeated an answer someone already posted.

 

[D-Rock]

No rewire necessary. Look at the Mesa manual shows you what mismatches are safe. Mesa recommends plugging a 16 ohm cab into the 8 ohm tap with no harm to the amplifier. Tubes may wear faster, but the tone will likely be fatter/warmer as a result.

 

[Steinmetzify]

No rewire necessary. Look at the Mesa manual shows you what mismatches are safe. Mesa recommends plugging a 16 ohm cab into the 8 ohm tap with no harm to the amplifier. Tubes may wear faster, but the tone will likely be fatter/warmer as a result.

Nice! Tubes are cheap, anyway. I have spares lol.