Head or combo?

Van_Hayden

Right - with my Matamp hat on.

Heads or combos. Which do you prefer and why? Either or both?? Matamp don't do combos as a rule, I think they're missing out.... Opinions if you please!

hywelg

Heads. More versatile.

Thing is speakers make the biggest change to the tone of any user replaceable parts. I have two nice cabs with a third on the way and once you find what sounds really good why would you want to play an amp through anything else?

Col_Decker

heads

so you can mix and match cabs

monquixote

Do you work with Matamp?

I've only ever had Combos BTW. 

Always meant to get into head and cab, but never actually owned one. 

dindude

Combo for me for defo, to the level of my head that i picked up converted to a combo by Zilla, but then I'm a fan of low-ish watts, single speaker set ups so carrying the cab Seperate seems pointless, and combos look so nice if you get them right. If I was into high watt, multi-speaker, I can see the appeal of seperates.

Van_Hayden

I do, between making pickups and teaching, even gigging now and again....busy boy me!

Van_Hayden

I see a place for both - but I think there's a core of players who just go combo...

Van_Hayden

I see a place for both - but I think there's a core of players who just go combo...

digitalscream

It always boggles my mind when people say they want combos "because I'm after a more portable rig". Fuck that, combos are - by definition - heavier than anything you have to carry with an equivalent head and cab. In fact, you can usually carry a head in one hand and 2x12" in the other far easier than lugging a combo, because you don't have to rely on your back muscles for balance.

Head and 2x12" for me, definitely. I actually don't like the sound of a 4x12" or 1x12", so it all works out rather well

mike_l

Combo, but needs to be able to take an extension cab.

I mostly play at home, so generally don't need anything other than a combo. So much so that both my amps (ok 1 is just a practise amp) are combos.

 

However, If I was regularly playing medium/large venues it would be head/cab set-up.

 

And while we're here, you don't need  a 100w stack to play small pubs

SidNewton

Head and 2x12 cab. My back will thank me for it at a later date.

Col_Decker

mike_l said:

And while we're here, you don't need  a 100w stack to play small pubs

pffft

god dam hippy

dindude

digitalscream said:

It always boggles my mind when people say they want combos "because I'm after a more portable rig". 

It works for a 1x12, combo in one hand, guitar in other, pedalboard and leads in backpack, one trip from car, boom.

John_P

I like both but probably prefer head's and cab's.    I gig mainly with a fender twin and it's really convenient having it in one package but there is something about a head/cab I really like.  Not sure why but I think some makes suit a combo better - It would certainly be missing out not to offer both options.

mike_l

Col_Decker said:

mike_l said:

And while we're here, you don't need  a 100w stack to play small pubs

pffft

god dam hippy

Hippy maybe, but my hearing is (mostly) intact.....

Actually, I've been accused of being a lot of things (including a guitarist), but never a hippy......

IanSavage

Depends entirely on the gig, for me; I LOVED my Peavey Delta Blues 1x15" combo but I'd never use it with a 'rawk' band - I'd want the look of a head + cab setup as much as anything else, shallow as that may make me. If I were playing with a more sedate rock 'n' roll outfit, covers band or whatever I'd get another DB in a heartbeat (or possibly even a solid-state Fender, Deluxe 90 or Stage 100 probably).

For recording, head all the way, though; as hywelg says, the single biggest tonal change you can get at a stroke is usually by switching cab, so it seems pointless to be tethered to what's built into your amp. 

Dave_Mc

i normally prefer heads and cabs

John_A

Horses for courses. I have both and some suit certain gigs and some suit others. A jtm45 and 4x12 would make for a pretty heavy combo and it would be a bit daft to split a Princeton in to a head and cab

not_the_dj

Heads and cabs for me.

monquixote

It depends what size you go to. 

A small amp works well as a combo. Wheres things like Twins are just a pain in the arse. 

bandmaster188

Head and cab for me. Trusty old bandmaster reverb head (choice of 2, a 73 or a 76) Plug it into a choice of cabs at the rehearsal rooms and when I'm gigging I have a lightweight Alnico loaded 4x10. Big sound and easy on the back!