How many guys gig with 4x12's , 2x12's, 1x12's?

[Random Hero]

I've done plenty of gigs with a 1x12, with no problems hearing myself or getting a good sound. Then again, I don't really play heavy stuff for the majority of my gigs so that probably has something to do with it. I do think a lot of it is psychological though. If you're being mic'd up, the mic doesn't care if it's seeing a 1, 2 or 4x12. It's only hearing one speaker...

Band mix is infinitely more important IMO.

 

[alxdgr8]

I've done 4x12's, 2x12's, 1x12. The new 2x12's are bigger than a single 4x12.

I've played this stage before with a 4x12 stacked on top of the rack case, but a 1x12 (Mesa Theile with K100) worked just fine the last time we played.

 

[BeZo]

Ever since I got a trailer, it's been as many 4x12s as I can bring. Fuck all the people stuffed into the tiny bar. I'm putting up a wall!!!!

Do you bring both your 810 cabs for a Bass gig?

I did, but I never hooked them both up. Nobody ever wants to help me move the Basson cab, and it weighs like 250 lbs. No joke.

 

[scottcrud]

with deadhorse usually 2 4x12's, with PND usually 1 4x12

 

[MrDan666]

Used to take a 4x12 every time, but these days I'm more than happy using a 2x12 for gigs. Last gig i played was the 2x12 and my tone was sounding better than it usually is. Much easier for me to carry the 2x12 too (I can't carry or maneuver a 4x12 cab up and down stairs on my own).

Also i can take two 2x12's if i want to do the Wet/Dry setup and it's easy to pack up/transport the 2x12's in the back of the car. Moving around two 4x12's would be a pain in the ass for me.

 

[Bishop5150]

I used to use 4x12's only and sometimes one on each side of the stage in a stereo setup. Too much crap to bring these days. Nowadays I usually use my 5150 III with a Mesa Recto 2x12 cab and a 5150 combo in a stereo set up with the combo on the other side of the stage by the bass player. Works and sounds great. I'm planning on getting a EVH 2x12 cab to replace the Mesa 2x12.

 

[glpg80]

I have always played and owned 4x12's. Blues, classic rock covers, progressive metal originals, lead guitar fill-in's for other bands, the works. Always had and used two 4x12's, when i was gigging heavily i had three 4x12's - two 5150 cabinets and a NOS 1983 Marshall lead 800 with original G12-65's that i used for medium to upper level volumes.

i normally liked the sound of 1 cabinet more than two for high volume playing, for low volume playing i actually prefer the sound of two 4x12's. I already sold my marshall cabinet, and i am currently getting ready to sell both of my 4x12's.

The main reason is i prefer the sound of impulses/studio polishing for mic'ed tracking. For the smaller gigs, i plan to bring a 2x12 stereo cabinet and run the tremoverb/5150 II in stereo. For larger venues and band practice, two VHT 4x12 cabinets and also keep the cabinets for when i get back into gigging heavily.

Each have their ups and downs, honestly stage room and the quality of the house PA dictates which i bring to a show and how much. It is quite nice to be able to point one cabinet at the drummer and the other at myself and be able to hear one another clearly - no volume battles. The other added benefit is combating the loss of stage volume outdoors, i cannot count how many times having 4x12's on stage allowed me to actually hear what i was playing and stay in pitch when i was to sing.

Downside is that much smaller venu's and most club owners see the 4x12's as a cocky assholish setup. I see it more and more these days, which is the other reason i am downsizing for now before building back up in the future when money and time and the gig's call for it.

Also, i invested in a set of hand trucks and ramps for my truck. no back breaking for me. If stairs were involved, i bummed a friends 2x12 marshall cabinet or bought a friend a 6 pack for a favor.

 

[university81]

4x12s, weight/transport is a bitch but gotten used to it, for much smaller gigs with more limited space i'd probably take a 2x12, or what i did last time was borrow someone's 1x12 combo...wasn't ideal tho lol

 

[Laura]

I am not a guy but I play shows with 2 4x12's and 2 amps in stereo now that we have one guitar player. Seems to sound bigger and better.

 

[IndyWS6]

I don't actually pan anything, but my rack rig is stereo, so I use a 4x12 that is wired for stereo. I have a pair of Avatar 2x12 contemporary cabs that I bought specifically for use with the rack rig, but have yet to use them live. Although they are not as tall as a 4x12, they have a larger footprint, so there is no advantage in terms of saving space on stage or in the trailer by using the 2x12. Hauling two of them would take substantially more space than the 4x12, so I use them at home.

On large stages, it's no problem, but we play a lot of bars where room for the band is an afterthought and I can't put the 4x12 where I need it to be able to hear myself well. It's a bottom cab, so it's either squeezed in and aimed in the wrong direction or I am so close to it that my knee caps and mid-section get pummeled. Relying strictly on monitors to hear my guitar never seems to work well (and we have good stage monitors...), so I have been toying with the idea of running one side of the rig to the 4x12 (which gets mic'd) and the other to a 1x12 cabinet on a combo amp stand that's facing back at me like a monitor. Theoretically, I should be able to use less stage volume with that setup.

 

[bsp01]

2x12 typically, but I will lug a 4x12 for a larger show, or if the stage appearance is high priority.

 

[tripstan]

I agree with using the right cab for the right circumstance. I usually use a FL 2x12 w/G12-65's. Sometime I use a FL Thiele 1x12 with a Emenince Delta Pro A (pretty much a EV-12ML)but thats only when I know the sound guy is able of giving me a good monitor mix or it's a really small club. Outdoors I always use a 2x12, sometimes 2 if it's a REALLY open venue like a street dance I think you need a 4x12 or two 2x12's. In my case I use two 2x12's for a venue like this. I'm using a 100 watt Einstein with these cabs.. Occasionally I use a Boogie MK III for stereo. One 2x12 on my side and the Boogie with a 2x12 or the 1x12 on the other. Oh I play in 2 bands, the cover band I always use a 2x12. In my original band (which has a few gigs a year) I use a 1x12 most of the time sometimes a 2x12 if it calls for it. But we are playing fusion/prog type of stuff.

 

[billboogie]

oversized 2x12 open back about 8-10 inches away from wall. nice full almost 3-d sound at reasonable levels. With the same cab closed back it is not nearly as full sounding at the same volume. Note: I play rock not metal

 

[wIsEbLooD]

metal/punk/rock always one 4x12 when i was gigging.

now i play at home w/d/w with three 4x12's. lol

 

[tjon]

6X12 duh

 

[Metaddict]

What about a 3/4 stack like Leslie West? He is using a 4x12 and 1 2x12.Kinda interesting

 

[kaseri]

I used to gig with two 4x12 cabs then I went to one 4x12. After a while I went to a single 2x12 and now I mostly gig with a 1x12 TL806 spec Thiele cab loaded with a 12L speaker.

 

[singlecutkiller]

For a long time i would take my Carvin Legacy 4X12 (with Legacy Head) to every and any gig. Then i got 2 Fender Hot Rod Deluxe 1X12 Extension Cabinets (NOT the amp)... So some of the smaller places i would only take a 1X12 and take the 4X12 to the bigger stages....

But lately my 4X12 is collecting dust, i really like the sound of the 1X12. Whether i use one or two depends on space. But i prefer taking 2.

 

[scottkahn]

Smaller stage, my 2x12. Larger stage, my 4x12. It's not about volume, it's about presence of sound. We're a six person progressive rock band (Days Before Tomorrow), tones range from sparkly clean to metal (Dream Theater/Porcupine Tree heaviness) and a 412 just lets me hear my tone "bigger" around me. Part of what helps is no doubt the 2 speakers higher up than sitting on the ground, but still, four speakers move more air, so even at a comparable decibel level, you have more presence to your stage sound. I can hear myself better WITHOUT having to crank the amp louder. But you have to respect the room... don't bring a 4x12 to a tiny stage.

 

[Audioholic]

I like 2x12s. And hate having to only have 1x12 if playing out