Marshall wattage question

robdynamite

So, i've been playing for some time now and i'm ashamed to say i really don't understand wattage/loading from amp to cab.

Basically i went out on a whim and snapped up a fawn marshall 2049 2x12 this weekend purely because i've gassed VERY hard for one of these tall cabs and i couldn't let the opportunity pass me by. Anyway, i digress.

My question is, my head is a very trusting 2204 50w jcm 800.

Can i actually use it with the 2049 cab? as it's a 60w cabinet. 

I don't want to sound stupid, but in fairness i've always just stuck with a 1960 cab and never considered anything otherwise.

Thanks all!

ICBM

First check that the original speakers are in the cab, unless you know for certain that the previous owner has already checked or something… old Marshall cabs are very commonly found with replaced speakers, which may make the question moot.

If the speakers are original, be careful. You should be ok up to the volume where the amp is still capable of a clean sound - basically see how loud you can get it with the master up full and turning the gain up until it starts to break up. If the dirty sound you usually use is no louder than that, it should be fine unless the speakers are falling apart anyway. If you crank the amp up full on a dirty sound, all bets are off really - those amps will put out around 90W fully overdriven.

If the speakers are non-original, of questionable condition or you just want to blast it, I would suggest replacing them with a pair of Creambacks - either G12M-65s, G12M-75s or one of each depending on the sound you want - then there will be no risk and it will sound more or less like it should.

Bygone_Tones

Is that the cab that was on ebay? Awesome cab.

If its the same one, it had a pair of blackbacks inside, T1217's I think.

robdynamite

CBygone_Tones said:

Is that the cab that was on ebay? Awesome cab.

If its the same one, it had a pair of blackbacks inside, T1217's I think.

Correct and correct.

robdynamite

ICBM said:

First check that the original speakers are in the cab, unless you know for certain that the previous owner has already checked or something… old Marshall cabs are very commonly found with replaced speakers, which may make the question moot.

If the speakers are original, be careful. You should be ok up to the volume where the amp is still capable of a clean sound - basically see how loud you can get it with the master up full and turning the gain up until it starts to break up. If the dirty sound you usually use is no louder than that, it should be fine unless the speakers are falling apart anyway. If you crank the amp up full on a dirty sound, all bets are off really - those amps will put out around 90W fully overdriven.

If the speakers are non-original, of questionable condition or you just want to blast it, I would suggest replacing them with a pair of Creambacks - either G12M-65s, G12M-75s or one of each depending on the sound you want - then there will be no risk and it will sound more or less like it should.

Thanks very much for the insight.

In all honesty, finding information on these cabs isn't the easiest, but like you say, I'm pretty certain that it's unlikely to have original speakers in it.

I'll try what you've suggested and report back once I actually get the cab in my hands, but I think long term, replacing the speakers is a good option.

Though I must say, I'm scared to crank it and blow a speaker haha.

robdynamite

well, I'm going to pick this up on Friday so i'll report back over the weekend.

But after a bit of research I think i'll be investing in some new speakers.

Bygone_Tones

They should be good speakers if they are working properly. But you will have to check them over to be sure.