The death of the 4x12

[Ufoscorpion]

Joking aside , all I have now is my Blackstar series one cab ( all Baltic birch including the back oversized slanted ) loaded with x2 V30’s on one side and x2 old pulsonic g12h30’s on the other side . Sounds fantastic, I can just use the greenbacks , just the V30’s or both ( stereo cab ) . 4x12’s are great if you only play at home and don’t need to cart them around coz they’re super heavy . If I were playing out I would definitely get a 1x12 Thiele cab , most likely the Harley Benton one for £99 .

 

[Filamentary]

RE looks:
Do 4x12’s look better on stage than combos or smaller cabs? Yes! Absolutely. But hopefully you are kicking so much ass on stage the audience doesn’t even notice or care what amp you’re playing through. Unless you have a wall of stacks behind you most of them won’t notice your amp.

RE tone:
Yes they sound awesome. If a 412 is your tone, bring a 412. Or, you could bring a smaller amp/cab and instead of micing it use an impulse response of a 412. There’s a lots of IR’s out there, not hard to find one that will sound as good/better through the PA more consistently than micing your real cab. Or use a combination of micing a smaller cab and using an impulse response blended for a really big sound. But this may not give you the same interaction between guitar and amp on stage that you require though.

RE: volume
Is a 412 louder? Depends. Usually yes. But it doesn’t have to be. A guitarist can be too loud with a 112 too. But some genres lend themselves to using 412 cabs, and those genres tend to be louder anyway. So maybe that’s why venues don’t want them. Clubs think that 412s just “look” (lol) loud. If everyone can keep the volume under control and use a 412, more venues will probably be open to booking bands using them in the future. Using Lexan shields in front of the amp can help here too. Just make sure the shield is far enough away from the front of the amp that you don’t get any weird phasing sounds through the cab mic.

 

[Spooky88]

The 4x12 looks alive and well in the band JFK here in Salem Oregon.

 

[guitarbilly74]

RE looks:
Do 4x12’s look better on stage than combos or smaller cabs? Yes! Absolutely. But hopefully you are kicking so much ass on stage the audience doesn’t even notice or care what amp you’re playing through. Unless you have a wall of stacks behind you most of them won’t notice your amp.

RE tone:
Yes they sound awesome. If a 412 is your tone, bring a 412. Or, you could bring a smaller amp/cab and instead of micing it use an impulse response of a 412. There’s a lots of IR’s out there, not hard to find one that will sound as good/better through the PA more consistently than micing your real cab. Or use a combination of micing a smaller cab and using an impulse response blended for a really big sound. But this may not give you the same interaction between guitar and amp on stage that you require though.

RE: volume
Is a 412 louder? Depends. Usually yes. But it doesn’t have to be. A guitarist can be too loud with a 112 too. But some genres lend themselves to using 412 cabs, and those genres tend to be louder anyway. So maybe that’s why venues don’t want them. Clubs think that 412s just “look” (lol) loud. If everyone can keep the volume under control and use a 412, more venues will probably be open to booking bands using them in the future. Using Lexan shields in front of the amp can help here too. Just make sure the shield is far enough away from the front of the amp that you don’t get any weird phasing sounds through the cab mic.

Yeah when it comes to volume, I usually tell venues when I'm booking shows: "we're a heavy band, the guitars will be mixed loud, no matter what I use".

I have a DI rig here (Friedman IR-D) , I can use that if someone insists, it sounds good.
But guess what, the guitars will still be mixed for a heavy rock concert. If they don't want that, they need a different band in a different style, I can even recommend some, I have a lot of friends in good pop bands.
But rock is rock. It's guitar music.

Mixing hard rock without loud guitars is like taking people on a scenic ride in a car without windows. You're not giving them what they came for.

 

[PelliX]

All valid points here (well, and V-man tearing someone a new one.... ). I think it might really be time to simply embrace the naked truth and say goodbye to the 4x12, lads.

Behold, the 8x12:

 

[Filamentary]

Yeah when it comes to volume, I usually tell venues when I'm booking shows: "we're a heavy band, the guitars will be mixed loud, no matter what I use".

I have a DI rig here (Friedman IR-D) , I can use that if someone insists, it sounds good.
But guess what, the guitars will still be mixed for a heavy rock concert. If they don't want that, they need a different band in a different style, I can even recommend some, I have a lot of friends in good pop bands.
But rock is rock. It's guitar music.

Mixing hard rock without loud guitars is like taking people on a scenic ride in a car without windows. You're not giving them what they came for.

I hear ya man (no pun). I’ve played in metal/hard rock bands. My main paycheck is a guitar driven rock band. No keys or horns. Covers and some originals, we’ve been a regional act for 30+ years. We do a bit of everything . But we aren’t a hard rock or metal band (we do some of that too). Guitar forward, but it’s different than what you are doing.

I respect you finding venues that are a good fit for your band. So many people just book themselves anywhere they can get a paycheck and shoot themselves in the foot in the process. A lot of places aren’t worth playing for many reasons.

 

[TassieViking]

The 4x12 cabs will only stay cheap until someone places one in a magazine as the perfect man cave bar setup or something similar.
The cab prices will go sky-high when the people with a $20,000 guitar hanging behind the bar realizes they can make noise and the cabs are needed for that.

 

[Chase42147]

The 4x12 cabs will only stay cheap until someone places one in a magazine as the perfect man cave bar setup or something similar.
The cab prices will go sky-high when the people with a $20,000 guitar hanging behind the bar realizes they can make noise and the cabs are needed for that.

I was gonna laugh but then I realized that's exactly how it would go

 

[jcm800gridlock]

Just after recently posting no more 4x12’s for me.

A 1997 Limited Edition Greenback 4x12 cab. Also picked up the matching 1987x Head.

 

[Calebz]

I run a modeler through my runt 50 and 4x12. Its glorious

I'm not anti-modeler at all. I just don't need one live. My Orange terror stamp, a tube screamer, delay, and a wah covers most of what I need. The only other thing I have on my board is a Leslie emulator and expression pedal. And a tuner, of course. Small, fairly light, and much less expensive than a decent modern modeler.

That said, I wouldn't mind having a Kemper for home use.

 

[Eric'45]

The only other thing I have on my board is a Leslie emulator

Speaking of Leslies, That's another one of those cumbersome dinosaurs. If you think a 4x12 is heavy, try to carry a Leslie Cabinet.

 

[Crikey]

I'm not anti-modeler at all. I just don't need one live. My Orange terror stamp, a tube screamer, delay, and a wah covers most of what I need. The only other thing I have on my board is a Leslie emulator and expression pedal. And a tuner, of course. Small, fairly light, and much less expensive than a decent modern modeler.

That said, I wouldn't mind having a Kemper for home use.

I was rabidly against modellers after my foray with several that were a pain to level volumes amongst settings. Then i tried the fender tonemaster pro and i love it. Super simple and i am still using the supplied presets. It sounds collasal through my two 4x12s and in stereo

 

[TassieViking]

Just after recently posting no more 4x12’s for me.

A 1997 Limited Edition Greenback 4x12 cab. Also picked up the matching 1987x Head.

That's the spirit !!
That''s the correct willpower I like to see.

 

[Browneyesound]

Speaking of Leslies, That's another one of those cumbersome dinosaurs. If you think a 4x12 is heavy, try to carry a Leslie Cabinet.

4x12’s, and other dead dinosaurs:

 

[mark 11:11]

i dont gig anymore but ive got 4 4x12 and 2 2x12 and i actually need at least another pair of 4x12s as i keep different speakers in each for recording and jamming and i have 6 or 7 speaker combos i want permanantly ready to go so i need more cabs and i just play at home mostly lol
long live multiple 4x12s

 

[tomsvintage]

This thread could be renamed....Death of a 4 x 12 ....the one that's too heavy for you to carry

 

[Leonard Neemoil]

View attachment 157588

4x12’s, and other dead dinosaurs:
View attachment 157589

Are those yours?

 

[Browneyesound]

Are those yours?

Yep. Playing an outdoor set on Saturday, and planning to bring the super reverb and twin reverb, and the Leslie powered by the Musicmaster bass.

 

[Leonard Neemoil]

Yep. Playing an outdoor set on Saturday, and planning to bring the super reverb and twin reverb, and the Leslie powered by the Musicmaster bass.

Awesome!

I hope you have a blast bud.

 

[Ray's Hell]

It was a good run but times have changed. They sound great and look even better for 'show' but it seems the desire to lug those back breakers around anymore is fading fast. How do you all feel about the current trajectory of amps and what do you think the future has in store for us guitar nerds?

Let the pontification commence.....

Oh, Come On !!!
They are on wheels, tip it on to the edge of your vehicle or stage and slide it on up !!

I have some 1-12 combo's, they sound good but Nowhere as good or warm as a 4-12 cab.
My Blackstar HT Club 40 easily gets louder than than my '74 JMP 50 watt.
The 4-12 looks louder but doesn't need to be.
The amp works harder to push four speakers, this gives you a warmer tone, a more natural break and at a lower volume.
Sounds and feels like a Marshall.
The single 12" Combo's are like LASER Beams. You can hear them, they easily cut through everything.

I use as few effects as possible.
Probably a major factor in my preference.

Peace.