4x10 vs 2x12 vs 1x15

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SurfGuitar101 Forums » Gear »

4x10 vs 2x12 vs 1x15

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Dodger Joined: Oct 27, 2020 Posts: 31	Posted on Aug 24 2024 09:42 AM I’ve a Fender combo where the speakers are missing. What should I go for as a lead guitar player - 4x10, 2x12 or 1x15? Top
RobbieReverb Joined: Feb 28, 2006 Posts: 2348 San Jose, Ca.	Posted on Aug 24 2024 12:47 PM Dodger, there is really no right or wrong answer here. It's really a matter application, how many watts the combo is pushing, and, above all, personal preference. What sounds best to your ears? Generally, I love the sound of 4X10's. that said, the 2X12 is widely used for mid to high wattage amps, and a 1x15 can sound glorious. Good luck in your quest. — Bob Top
synchro Joined: Feb 02, 2008 Posts: 4446 Not One-Sawn, but Two-Sawn . . . AZ.	Posted on Aug 24 2024 02:55 PM Very much a matter of personal preference. I like 12s, myself, and have had some good amps with a single 15. It just depends on what sounds best to your ear. Also, you have to match the impedance requirements of the amp. — The artist formerly known as: Synchro When Surf Guitar is outlawed only outlaws will play Surf Guitar. Top
DaveMudgett Joined: Mar 17, 2019 Posts: 162 Central PA	Posted on Aug 24 2024 07:51 PM Since this is a combo amp, unless you plan to take the amp chassis out and build either a new combo cabinet or separate head/speaker cabinets, then you seem to be stuck with what size speakers were in the original combo cabinet. N'est-ce pas vrai ? As already stated, this is mostly personal preference. But I think the actual amp matters a LOT. What amp are you talking about here? What kind of sound you're looking for also matters a lot. There's no 'generic' answer to a question like this. — The Delverados - surf, punk, trash, twang - Facebook Chicken Tractor Deluxe - hardcore Americana - Facebook and Website The Telegrassers - semi-electric bluegrass/Americana - Facebook Top
synchro Joined: Feb 02, 2008 Posts: 4446 Not One-Sawn, but Two-Sawn . . . AZ.	Posted on Aug 24 2024 09:13 PM DaveMudgett wrote: Since this is a combo amp, unless you plan to take the amp chassis out and build either a new combo cabinet or separate head/speaker cabinets, then you seem to be stuck with what size speakers were in the original combo cabinet. N'est-ce pas vrai ? As already stated, this is mostly personal preference. But I think the actual amp matters a LOT. What amp are you talking about here? What kind of sound you're looking for also matters a lot. There's no 'generic' answer to a question like this. And there’s the issue of portability. A 4x10” combo amp is going to be heavy and somewhat unwieldy to carry around. I love the sound of a Super Reverb, but I would hate to lug one of those home after a late night gig. Most of my amps are a single 12” speaker, and are an easy one hand carry. I’ve done shows with a long ways between the parking lot and the stage, and shoot for a one trip load in, guitar in one hand, amp in the other, a backpack for cables etc. and a pedalboard that slings over one shoulder. Right now, my Twin is on consignment at a friend’s music store and I’m done with big gear. — The artist formerly known as: Synchro When Surf Guitar is outlawed only outlaws will play Surf Guitar. Top
Dodger Joined: Oct 27, 2020 Posts: 31	Posted on Aug 25 2024 06:16 AM DaveMudgett wrote: Since this is a combo amp, unless you plan to take the amp chassis out and build either a new combo cabinet or separate head/speaker cabinets, then you seem to be stuck with what size speakers were in the original combo cabinet. N'est-ce pas vrai ? As already stated, this is mostly personal preference. But I think the actual amp matters a LOT. What amp are you talking about here? What kind of sound you're looking for also matters a lot. There's no 'generic' answer to a question like this. It’s a Fender quad so there is enough room for all of the options, just need to modify the baffle. Top
synchro Joined: Feb 02, 2008 Posts: 4446 Not One-Sawn, but Two-Sawn . . . AZ.	Posted on Aug 25 2024 07:14 AM A Quad! You don’t see those very often. Here’s a schematic, if you want to have a look. It’s rated for 4 ohms, output impedance, which they achieved by having four 16 ohm speakers in parallel. If it were mine, I’d put two 8 ohm 12s in the bottom, to distribute the weight as favorably as possible, and I’d call it good at that. Four 16s in parallel would be awesome, but I can’t imagine what it would be like to carry. Then there was the Super Six, which is even bigger, with 6 10s. Massive amps, indeed. — The artist formerly known as: Synchro When Surf Guitar is outlawed only outlaws will play Surf Guitar. Top
RobbieReverb Joined: Feb 28, 2006 Posts: 2348 San Jose, Ca.	Posted on Aug 25 2024 11:39 AM I get a hernia, merely thinking about Quads, and Super Sixes! — Bob Last edited: Aug 25, 2024 11:39:30 Top
synchro Joined: Feb 02, 2008 Posts: 4446 Not One-Sawn, but Two-Sawn . . . AZ.	Posted on Aug 25 2024 12:41 PM RobbieReverb wrote: I get a hernia, merely thinking about Quads, and Super Sixes! When I was in my late teens, I picked up a Super Reverb and knew, immediately, that I didn’t want to lug one of those around. They are a great amp, and that .022 mFd midrange capacitor gives it a great voice, but carrying one is not a trivial matter. Now, that’s a Super Reverb, so I would imagine that a Quad would be even heavier. — The artist formerly known as: Synchro When Surf Guitar is outlawed only outlaws will play Surf Guitar. Top
DaveMudgett Joined: Mar 17, 2019 Posts: 162 Central PA	Posted on Aug 25 2024 04:27 PM I've had two Quad Reverbs. I know the current owners, and they're definitely NOT ME, LOL! A Quad Reverb is just a silverface Twin Reverb chassis in a 4x12 cabinet. Most people I've known just get or make a Twin Reverb cabinet out of lightweight pine, put in two 8 Ohm speakers, and voila, a Twin Reverb. My recollection is that Quad Reverbs all have dado'd (glued in) baffles - this was SOP from about 71-72 onward. So to change the baffle you'll probably have to tear it out anyway. One of the big advantages of the earlier blackface/silverface Fenders is that the baffle was screwed in, making it easy to non-destructively remove, and then simply screw in the new baffle. But if you like the idea of 4 speakers, I don't see why not just leave the four 12" 16 Ohm speakers in it. I don't see much of any weight savings going to four 10" speakers. Some pedal steel players really like a high-power-handling, high-headroom 15" speaker in a Twin Reverb. In fact, that is exactly the specification for a silverface Fender Vibrosonic - a Twin Reverb chassis in a Twin Reverb-size cabinet with a 15" orange JBL K130. Wicked killer for steel, and I imagine would be great for surf guitar also, although I've never tried one for that purpose. My main worry would be blowing up an old JBL speaker - but there are very good high-power 15" speakers these days. Pedal steel players use them lots. Eminence makes the Travis Toy, Telonics makes a nice 15", and there are others out there. If you want more details, look over at the Steel Guitar Forum - you'll see lots of threads about them and even some For Sale ads periodically pop up selling them. (Full disclosure: I'm an admin/mod over there). — The Delverados - surf, punk, trash, twang - Facebook Chicken Tractor Deluxe - hardcore Americana - Facebook and Website The Telegrassers - semi-electric bluegrass/Americana - Facebook Top
synchro Joined: Feb 02, 2008 Posts: 4446 Not One-Sawn, but Two-Sawn . . . AZ.	Posted on Aug 25 2024 05:54 PM DaveMudgett wrote: Some pedal steel players really like a high-power-handling, high-headroom 15" speaker in a Twin Reverb. In fact, that is exactly the specification for a silverface Fender Vibrosonic - a Twin Reverb chassis in a Twin Reverb-size cabinet with a 15" orange JBL K130. Wicked killer for steel, and I imagine would be great for surf guitar also, although I've never tried one for that purpose. My main worry would be blowing up an old JBL speaker - but there are very good high-power 15" speakers these days. Pedal steel players use them lots. Eminence makes the Travis Toy, Telonics makes a nice 15", and there are others out there. If you want more details, look over at the Steel Guitar Forum - you'll see lots of threads about them and even some For Sale ads periodically pop up selling them. (Full disclosure: I'm an admin/mod over there). My main Surf amp was a Twin in a piggyback cabinet with a single 15” Eminence Commonwealth speaker in a closed back cabinet. I actually got the idea from Mel Waldorf who had done something similar. Putting the Twin chassis in a head cabinet the same size as a Showman head leaves room for only a 9” reverb pan, which isn’t much of a problem for Surf players, because most of us use external reverb, but the 9” internal pan actually sounded pretty good. The cabinets are still around, on consignment at a friend’s music store in Savage, MN if anyone is interested. But anyway, my point is that a single 15 can sound great for Surf. — The artist formerly known as: Synchro When Surf Guitar is outlawed only outlaws will play Surf Guitar. Top
chiba Joined: Sep 02, 2022 Posts: 514 Central VA	Posted on Aug 26 2024 09:53 AM I dig having cabs in all those configurations because I can get all the flavors. I tend to lean more heavily on the 4x10 though. — -- Project: MAYHEM by Hypersonic Secret now available! Top
Wellens_ Joined: Nov 05, 2023 Posts: 58 Brussels Area	Posted on Aug 26 2024 01:18 PM I really reallying dig the quads. Oh my... They got it all, also the weight — Cheers, Wellens https://m.facebook.com/TheArousals For the daring... and lusty! Top

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