Matching Cab - old question with a slightly different twitch

[peterL]

Hello to all of you,

as a new member here and very happy owner of a MkV head I am aware that there have been many discussions about which cab to match, but could not find any specific answers to my situation (please apologize if I have overlooked them and kindly point me in the right direction if this was the case):

I currently have to be able to simultaneously serve a top-40 combo, a modern Texas blues band and a funk/fusion sextet. Until now - as all of these rehearsed in the same building - I was able to just "roll in" with my head and a pre-rectifier 4x12. Now two of the bands have moved to other places and I will not only need to move the rig to venues but also several times a week to rehearsals. And - frankly - I am just tired of lifting this hugely heavy beast of a cab around.

Now the question to all of you more experienced users is the following:

As I need both a most mobile and very flexible cab, which would you recommend? 3/4 1x12? 3/4 2x12? Any other?

Please bear in mind that I do not need any type of "metal" sounds beyond old-school Metallica (and I would be willing to compromise on that even to a degree), and also know that both floor space on the stages I play is very limited and at about 50-60% of all gigs I will be miked up anyway, so projection is less an issue (personal and stage monitor functions much more).

Thanks very much for your thoughts and insights,

Peter

 

[boogieman60]

Widebody Thiele with the front port. I use one and it is a great cab. It has a c90 in it and is $469.00 which is up there, but the cab is light, 38lbs and sounds huge for it's size.I think it will fit your needs...

 

[peterL]

Seems this not available any more. Would you not think a loaded design to be quite projective?

 

[MrMarkIII]

Seems this not available any more. Would you not think a loaded design to be quite projective?

It's still on the Mesa website:
http://www.mesaboogie.com/Product_Info/Guitar%20Cabinets/COMPACTcabs/Widebody-ClosedBack-1x12-LG.htm

 

[screamingdaisy]

I use a widebody open back on top of a widebody theile. I really like the pairing, but if you can only get one I'd recommend the theile as it provides a fuller sound with a bit more thump on the rhythm sound.

 

[Barry]

I have the wide body front ported cab . I ordered mine with a V30 (not a fan of C90s) and a Boogie badge to match the mark V head .

http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u92/barry2001/dsc00995.jpg

 

[peterL]

Hi,

Thanks very much for your input - just one more question: As the ported cab is to be quite "beamy", do you angle the rig up for personal monitoring?

 

[screamingdaisy]

Hi,

Thanks very much for your input - just one more question: As the ported cab is to be quite "beamy", do you angle the rig up for personal monitoring?

It's not as beamy as a closed back cab.

That said, I use mine with an open back on top of it, so monitoring isn't an issue so long as there's a wall behind it.

 

[Barry]

Hi,

Thanks very much for your input - just one more question: As the ported cab is to be quite "beamy", do you angle the rig up for personal monitoring?

I hear this all the time on the forum . cabinets sound so much different according to where you are standing as well . Take one step to either side and it will sound differnt . Also sounds much different in the context of a band than it does in your bedroom

 

[peterL]

Hi everyone,

so I am expecting delivery of a a wide body ported cab as per your advice - will let you know how I feel about it as soon as I have gigged with it.

One other thing (and this may be a newbie question) annoyed me last night during a show with the blues crew - in Mk I mode on Ch 2 45W, variac setting, the "solo" control seemed not to do what it should, even with the master set somewhat less than halfway and the solo fully up. Should I change up to 90 watts?

And: The folks should REALLY have placed the footswitch connector to bottom of the chassis.....

 

[peterL]

@Barry:

to imagine a MkV stack in anyone´s bedroom is a strange thought - for private practice I use a (fully and overwhelmingly oversized) Express 5:25 - which, luckily, serves teaching and other purposes as well....

But here in Europe floor space on stages is really at a premium - even at venues considered "generous" I almost every time end up standing in front of the rig, less than 10 inches away, sometimes I end up sitting on the rig with no room to move. One gets used to never hear any of your articulative high end, but a great on-stage sound I tend to define slightly differently....

Maximize the floor space for the punters is the rule of the game - not that anyone would accept any compromise in sound and performance. If the bankers are bitching around having a tough time, these guys should for once only try to make a living on music....

 

[peterL]

Thanks screamingdaisy and all,

I finally received the widebody front ported cab on Friday - unpacked it, flew the cover over it and went off for a show. Man, was I amazed as soon as I took it into action! Sounds HUUUGE for the diminuative size, is not beamy at all, can hold its punch both on stage and into the audience and - best of all - mikes extremely well!

Thanks again for this suggestion - it does all I wanted and more.

Since then I have been through gigs and rehearsals with all three formations and a surprise jazz stunt - it turned out as the most flexible and adaptable cab I ever had! Got lots of complimentary remarks on my sound, and also some pretty puzzled looks from my fellow six-stringers (who still lug Marshall heads and 4x12s)....

Great advice - thank you for a third time!

Peter

 

[screamingdaisy]

Glad it worked out. 8)