# Guitar head through bass cab



## ghoti (Apr 28, 2009)

I'm not really the greatest at electronic setups...I took a class in electronics, I've used soldering irons and tools, and I once put together my own computer system...but I'm anything but a pro.

Theoretically it seems like it should be possible, because you can match the impedance from the head to the cab. Not only that, but a 7-string guitar is only a 5th (sometimes less, when downtuned) higher than notes bass cabs are designed for.

I'm wondering if I'm nuts here or if anybody's done something like this before. And if so, how did it work?


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## MFB (Apr 28, 2009)

IIRC correctly you _can_ do guitar -> bass head/cab but not bass -> guitar head/cab since the low notes would be too low and technical shit that I don't remember right now


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## SargeantVomit (Apr 28, 2009)

Guitar through bass or guitar head into bass cab = OKAY as long as impedance matches. That's the only way I roll, I find guitar speakers weak and inferior.


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## Ben.Last (Apr 28, 2009)

I remember reading that Adam Jones started out playing through a bass cab. I'm pretty sure he was using a guitar head with it. I read this a while ago though so it's a bit hazy.


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## jimmyshred (Apr 28, 2009)

Ive tried it, 
It did work but I didnt have it turned up extremely loud. 
It will make low tunings sound awesome because its perfect to handle the lows just make sure the impedance matches. 
Should be allright.


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## ShadyDavey (Apr 28, 2009)

I know there was a period where the 8 x 10" Marshall cab was considered to be quite awesome for more vintage tones, but I can't think of many artists using a guitar head into a base cab but sure, if the impedance matches I can't think of reasons why not......although perhaps a mix of guitar/bass speakers a la Dime might provide a better overall tone?


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## Harry (Apr 28, 2009)

MFB said:


> IIRC correctly you _can_ do guitar -> bass head/cab but not bass -> guitar head/cab since the low notes would be too low and technical shit that I don't remember right now



It's actually fine to play a bass guitar into a guitar head, they are all amps at the end of the day. Of course, guitar amps are designed to accentuate and attenuate certain frequencies to an extent to work with guitars to provide a suitable voicing, but it's fine to play a bass through it.
Guitar cab loaded with guitar speakers is indeed another story altogether.
You have to cut certain frequencies below a certain point, but once you've done that, you'll be fine as long as you don't do anything dumb.


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## raximkoron (Apr 28, 2009)

The other guitarist in my band uses a Randall cab with 2 12" guitar speakers (Eminence of some sort) and 2 10" bass speakers in an X-pattern. The sound fucking slays, unfortunately I have issues cutting through from time to time trying to compete with the crazy amounts of mids that cab can push out


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## SargeantVomit (Apr 28, 2009)

I know it's common for guitarists to speakers, but it absolutely matters what box a bass speaker is in. Not only is it a hit or miss on tone just to pop a bass speaker in your cab, it's also very easy to damage it when playing. If you're interested in bass speakers, you should be looking at bass cabs. Preferably sealed cabs, they will be voiced almost completely mid heavy and have a lot of punch.


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## Scarpie (Apr 30, 2009)

i have always wondered about this and the possible damage,being i play guitar and my bass tuned to low F# through one marshall head and guitar 
cabinet.


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## SargeantVomit (Apr 30, 2009)

Should be okay at bedroom levels, anything higher and watch out! Guitar speakers have very low X-max (maximum excursion) and wont handle bass freq. at louder volumes. You should take a look at your speakers for creasing or tears, and if you plan on playing louder than bedroom level pick up a bass cab off craigslist even if it's cheap and crummy it will save the stress on your guitar cab.


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## Scarpie (Apr 30, 2009)

cool, but i was thinking that a bass cabinet would stress out the marshall no? i hear about underpowered amps cause speaker cones to melt or something bad hahaha you think it 'll be fine?
but thanks for the insight cause i didn't know.


ironically enough this half stack is in fact in my bedroom hahahaha


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## SargeantVomit (Apr 30, 2009)

Underpowering a cab is a myth, it refers to the fact that a lot of time small SOLID STATE heads cannot keep up, and the user cranks it until it's clipping, which melts the voice coils if done constantly.


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## Scarpie (May 1, 2009)

wait it's a myth that refers to the fact that it is damaging to speakers? i am confused


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## GRUNTKOR (May 1, 2009)

You can but it probably won't sound good.... Even though downtuned guitars are in the same frequency range as basses they have less low end to the sound (this is due to a shorter scale length - the longer the scale length the more fundamental to the sound). Here's a thread about bass cabs with guitar amps from Harmony Central

Can i use a bass cab with a guitar head and cab? - Harmony Central Musician Community Forums


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## SargeantVomit (May 1, 2009)

Scarpie said:


> wait it's a myth that refers to the fact that it is damaging to speakers? i am confused



It's a myth that would be a better said "if you abuse a solid state amplifier through ANY speaker in that manner, the voice coils will melt". Clipping a solid state amplifier is harmful to speakers no matter what the power rating is, it's common that most times people abuse their setups in this way they are using low wattage amps through higher wattage cabs thinking that they can crank the amp without damaging the speakers. 

As for people who think true full-range drivers are bad for guitar, just remember any time you have ever seen a major concert the ONLY guitar you are hearing is through the PA, and modern bass cabs for the most part are built to be similar.


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## GRUNTKOR (May 1, 2009)

yes you are hearing them through full range speakers but they are only reproducing what the microphones pick up from the guitar speaker cabs which are NOT full range speakers


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## SargeantVomit (May 1, 2009)

If you're using SM57's you are. Which are also commonly used to mic kick drums. But that's neither here nor there, it just shows that just because a speaker can reproduce a larger range of frequencies than the average guitar cab, it isn't going to have "BAD" sound. If people would just give certain cabs a try I bet they would be surprised. I use a 2x15 Traynor and it sounds stellar. If it didn't I wouldn't use it and would buy something else.


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## replete (May 14, 2009)

Eric Clapton used to use a jcm 800 through a 800 bass series CAB.

I do too, not because I chose too, but because that's how it came when I got a great deal.


Phil


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## Bevo (Jun 14, 2009)

Have been tweaking my Ampeg 2-10 to play guitar through and found the tweeter needs to be set in the sweet spot for it all to work.
Its muddy without the tweet and using my parametric eq it cleans up nice.

Jackson EMG-Pod X3 Live-Hartke 250 SS-Ampeg 2-10.

Have not tried it flat out yet but a stupid loud its good. Will take it to the next jam and see how it mixes.


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## Jazzamatazz (Jun 3, 2012)

I think the lead guitarist for Abigail Williams has been running a EVH 5150 into an old SUNN O)))) 2X15 for as long as I can remember him being in the band. He swears by the tone


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## Mazzy (Jun 3, 2012)

You bumped a three year old discussion for that?


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## Jazzamatazz (Jun 3, 2012)

Didnt look at the dates, google took me to this topic and I never looked at the date


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## mortbopet (Jun 4, 2012)

I can say that a guitar -> bass head -> bass cab *can* sound good, but both the head and modeler need a bit of tweaking.
I've experienced, that when you run guiars through bass cabs, things tend to resonate way more frequently than with guitar cabinets, which can totally ruin your sound. Furthermore, i do not think that its possible to get a proper guitar tone through bass cabs, since the speakers are built for a whole other frequency area!


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## Loomer (Jun 4, 2012)

All necrobumping aside, I still have some info here: 

I currently run a Marshall 1982 guitar cab along with a Marshall 1552 bass cab. It sounds like there's more than one guy playing, and someone's playing bass  

Seriously, the combo of a bass cab and guitar cab is just awesome. I've never been more pleased with my sound than I am now.


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## Baelzebeard (Jun 4, 2012)

I'm with the positive responses here. You really have to try it and be mindful of what your doing with EQ, and it can be stellar.


My current rig is 1xEV 15", 1xPeavey Scorpion 15", and 2xEmi Legend 12", with about 700 watts of bass amp power, and as Loomer said the sound is like layers of sound, like 3D.


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## xchristopherx (Jun 5, 2012)

I recorded an ep at zing a few years ago, and those dudes were tracking bass with a jcm800 into a 410 and the stereo reamping with a 810. The jcm800 really drove the punch of that bass. There were a lot of mixolydian scales that really shined through the simple guitar parts. As far as with a guitar, I'm interested to check it out. As I type this I'm thinking about picking up a Mesa 215 and running a single rec into it alongside my 5150/orange cabs


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