Amp head + speaker VS combo

dumbangel · Post by **dumbangel** » Thu May 14, 2009 8:58 am

I have a Twin reverb. What advantage(s) would turning this combo amp into a head + speaker cabinet give to me ?

RefD · Post by **RefD** » Thu May 14, 2009 9:05 am

none that i can think of, and i've gone both routes.

separate head+cab = more setup time and more things to get stolen/lose/break.

any flexibility you might gain can also be had by just plugging a cabinet into the main speaker out on the combo, bypassing the built-in speakers.

norton · Post by **norton** » Thu May 14, 2009 9:49 am

Does your combo have a ton of rattles or buzzes?

Or are you vibrating your tubes to death?

Those are the two main reasons to go with a Head/Cab vs. a combo.

I've never owned a twin... but i've never heard one that was particularly prone to buzzes and rattles either. Which speaks to Fender's: design for easy production esthetic.

dumbangel · Post by **dumbangel** » Thu May 14, 2009 9:52 am

yes my twin is prone to rattles on certain guitar notes, certain chords?

joninc · Post by **joninc** » Thu May 14, 2009 10:18 am

i guess in the studio some guys like having all their amp heads in the control room so they can adjust tone and hear the changes right there in front of the monitors.

i have only combos so i can't say... BUT i have always wanted an AC30 and any time i have had the chance to record them - they rattle so much we inevitably take the head out of the chassis. so i kind of decided that if i ever have the cash - i'll buy the ac30 head separate from the cab.

i don't seem to have that rattle issue with any of my fenders tho.

Neil Weir · Post by **Neil Weir** » Thu May 14, 2009 11:05 am

i guess in the studio some guys like having all their amp heads in the control room so they can adjust tone and hear the changes right there in front of the monitors.

Yep... and you don't get the signal degradation running say, a 20 foot speaker cable between your head and your cabinet that you would get from running an instrument cable from your guitar or pedals to your amp...

RefD · Post by **RefD** » Thu May 14, 2009 12:58 pm

Neil Weir wrote:i guess in the studio some guys like having all their amp heads in the control room so they can adjust tone and hear the changes right there in front of the monitors.

Yep... and you don't get the signal degradation running say, a 20 foot speaker cable between your head and your cabinet that you would get from running an instrument cable from your guitar or pedals to your amp...

RefD wrote:any flexibility you might gain can also be had by just plugging a cabinet into the main speaker out on the combo, bypassing the built-in speakers.

Neil Weir · Post by **Neil Weir** » Thu May 14, 2009 1:21 pm

any flexibility you might gain can also be had by just plugging a cabinet into the main speaker out on the combo, bypassing the built-in speakers.

I agree except that this would require having two set of speakers. The ones in the amp and the ones in the cab....

RefD · Post by **RefD** » Thu May 14, 2009 7:38 pm

Neil Weir wrote:any flexibility you might gain can also be had by just plugging a cabinet into the main speaker out on the combo, bypassing the built-in speakers.

I agree except that this would require having two set of speakers. The ones in the amp and the ones in the cab....

and?

Neil Weir · Post by **Neil Weir** » Thu May 14, 2009 7:51 pm

It's not an issue if the OP is okay with putting an extra couple hundred dollars into it. Four speakers just cost more than two...

RefD · Post by **RefD** » Thu May 14, 2009 8:03 pm

Neil Weir wrote:It's not an issue if the OP is okay with putting an extra couple hundred dollars into it. Four speakers just cost more than two...

if he wants the flexibility offered by having a separate speaker cabinet then that's probly a better option than chopping up his combo amp.

Neil Weir · Post by **Neil Weir** » Thu May 14, 2009 8:05 pm

I agree...

kayagum · Post by **kayagum** » Fri May 15, 2009 10:17 am

Neil Weir wrote:It's not an issue if the OP is okay with putting an extra couple hundred dollars into it. Four speakers just cost more than two...

... which is nothing compared to the destroyed value of hacking the Twin Reverb for resale.

IMHO the external out is the answer. You have the flexibility of trying different speaker cabs without destroying the integrity of the original amp.

chovie d · Post by **chovie d** » Fri May 15, 2009 4:52 pm

You guys are forgetting the best and main reason to chop a twin.
The weight.

This is very commonly done amongst steel players who tend be old guys with bad backs. like myself....

Personally, I went with a 1968 showman head and saved a twin for someone who can lift it.

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Amp head + speaker VS combo

Amp head + speaker VS combo

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