How many people gig with 1x12 combos?

gearaddict

I am in that phase where I am thinking about down-sizing my rig...I'm not gigging that much and I keep tripping over cabs and stuff in the garage, the space under the bed is full of pedals and guitars etc.

I used to gig with a fairly compact 1x12 combo (H&K Statesman Quad) but then I moved to using various heads and a 2x12. The 2x12 does give a fuller sound but a 1x12 is really enough for most purposes.

I bought my kids a 3/4 sized strat at the weekend and so they would have something to play through I pulled my old H&K Edition Blue 60 combo out of the attic. I had a bit of a blast with it last night and I was really surprised how good it sounded. I have gigged with it in the past and had good comments about the sound.

It just made me think - a fairly inexpensive 1x12 combo is probably all I need.

Might sell some stuff.

Just some rambling throughts, really...

gubble

I'm sure a 1x12 combo is probably the most common of all setups for a guitarist.

I've used lots of 1x12 combos over the years for gigging. Ranging from a Marshall VS100 to a Vox AC15 and most recently a Peavey 6505+ .

I can think of many 1x12's that would be perfect for gigging ranging from a s/h Peavey Bandit right up to a nice hand wired cornell.

 

failed_astronaut

All I've got is a Peavey Classic 30 and that covers everything I need it to. It's cheap, cheerful, the clean channel is flipping loud, takes pedals well and if you're really precious about tone, there are some easy mods that can be done to tart it up.

timmysoft

A 112 as long as you can hear it on stage.

welshboyo

Bogner Shiva 1x12....has enough volume to shake the windows out if needed, but visually (to the unsuspecting landlord) it "looks" quiet..

I used to gig with a JTM 45 1/2 stack and was playing at far lower volume levels and used to get asked to turn down, just because the thing "looked" loud....

For the average pub/club gig 1x12 is more than enough provided its a loud enough 1x12...

In saying all of this, I currently have GAS for another 1/2 stack....

citizen68

Use both a head & 1x12 cab and as backup a Fender HRD with Celestion speaker - works grand for the blues / rock covers we do (mic-ed that is). 

 Also means I can squeeze my gear into drummist's car - win win!

ICBM

I did for several years - mostly with a Mesa DC-5. It was never not loud enough, and it usually sounded great. The only times it didn't where when it was on a very large open stage a couple of times, then it just seemed to get quite boxy-sounding even though it was mic'ed - it seemed to need something behind it. The 2x12" I have now doesn't suffer from that.

If I didn't think I needed to fill a big stage it wouldn't bother me either way. I've gigged plenty of times with even smaller than 1x12"s and been fine in small places too.

Danny1969

Here's my 1 x 12" rig, very inexpensive but sounds great

I know the normal consensus is to have a 30 watt amp or more and speaker behind you raised up behind you but I don't believe in that. 

I like a low powered amp on the floor as low as poss, mic'ed up and then I use in ear monitors if I need to hear more of it. If you gig a lot you can't fight volume with volume or you will end up deaf ...  or the very least hearing impaired. 

Si_

Never gigged with a 1x12 but used them at rehearsals.. I'm not sure if it's just psychological, but they never seem to sound good to me, always sound small and weedy.

citizen68

Here's mine - the EV12L in the Zilla (Mini Modern) cab sounds huge - never boxy http://i326.photobucket.com/albums/k405/citizen68/275C97CB-330B-4CBB-9BFE-10DCA1FAB8C4.jpg

Danny1969

If you mic up anyway it shouldn't sound small through the PA, mine always sounds pretty cool to me through the PA. 

Adji

gearaddict said:

I am in that phase where I am thinking about down-sizing my rig...I'm not gigging that much and I keep tripping over cabs and stuff in the garage, the space under the bed is full of pedals and guitars etc.

I used to gig with a fairly compact 1x12 combo (H&K Statesman Quad) but then I moved to using various heads and a 2x12. The 2x12 does give a fuller sound but a 1x12 is really enough for most purposes.

I bought my kids a 3/4 sized strat at the weekend and so they would have something to play through I pulled my old H&K Edition Blue 60 combo out of the attic. I had a bit of a blast with it last night and I was really surprised how good it sounded. I have gigged with it in the past and had good comments about the sound.

It just made me think - a fairly inexpensive 1x12 combo is probably all I need.

Might sell some stuff.

Just some rambling throughts, really...

H&K Statesman Quad EL84 was my gig-rig when I was in the covers/ party band also man. Really great amp.

ICBM

Danny1969 said:

If you mic up anyway it shouldn't sound small through the PA, mine always sounds pretty cool to me through the PA. 

That's what I thought, until it did...

Of course, there's also the possibility that it had *always* sounded small through the PA, and I just didn't notice because it sounded full on stage, until I heard it with that taken away.

hubobulous

I have a Suhr Badger 30 and 1x12, so not strictly a combo, but essentially the same thing. I haven't gigged it yet, but am heading in that direction and there's nothing yet to make me think it won't do the job. Adding the mic to PA option is also something I'll be happy to consider.

gearaddict

Adji said:

gearaddict said:

I am in that phase where I am thinking about down-sizing my rig...I'm not gigging that much and I keep tripping over cabs and stuff in the garage, the space under the bed is full of pedals and guitars etc.

I used to gig with a fairly compact 1x12 combo (H&K Statesman Quad) but then I moved to using various heads and a 2x12. The 2x12 does give a fuller sound but a 1x12 is really enough for most purposes.

I bought my kids a 3/4 sized strat at the weekend and so they would have something to play through I pulled my old H&K Edition Blue 60 combo out of the attic. I had a bit of a blast with it last night and I was really surprised how good it sounded. I have gigged with it in the past and had good comments about the sound.

It just made me think - a fairly inexpensive 1x12 combo is probably all I need.

Might sell some stuff.

Just some rambling throughts, really...

H&K Statesman Quad EL84 was my gig-rig when I was in the covers/ party band also man. Really great amp.

I know! Now, why did I sell that again...?

D'oh!

bigjon

I've used a Laney World Series 1×12 120W as my main gigging amp for over 20 years. Used a Peavey Triumph 120W valve amp as well for a while but it proved unreliable. If I've got room I supplement the Laney with a ZT Lunch box & cab to provide a bit more spread / fold back.

timmysoft

I intend on gigging with my 1x12 peavey, I think the uninformed may be frightened by the amount of volume I can generate!

austint01

I've been using a Fender hrd for a good while now with a couple of pedals for dirty sounds and it has plenty of volume on tap. When its mic'd, its only for spread really.

Always fancied a mesa express though.

John_P

With a decent amp volume isn't an issue but unless it's a gig where I'm trapped in one spot I can find a 1x12 a bit directional and hard to be heard across the stage/room.   Going through the PA helps but I'd rather take a 2x12 unless space is really tight.

p90fool

Apart from one band where I go direct via a modeller my preference for years has been open-backed 4x12s.

However, I have a 40 minute rhythm guitar gig on Friday so I'm taking my 68 Custom Princeton, 12 watts 1x10" ftw!

ICBM

timmysoft said:

I intend on gigging with my 1x12 peavey, I think the uninformed may be frightened by the amount of volume I can generate!

I read that as "uniformed" .

Someone in the next street may call them, anyway...