bass head through guitar cab?

thunderbolt · #1 05-03-2010, 08:12 AM

I know that you shouldn't play bass into a guitar amplifier, but what about using a bass head into a guitar cabinet for playing guitar? I like to play guitar too, and I was considering buying a peavey tube head. If I match it with a guitar cabinet (marshall probably) and play guitar through it, could the bass head possibly produce tones too low for the speaker cab to handle? I want to know what I'm getting into before I pull the trigger on anything.

PaulNYC · #2 05-03-2010, 08:21 AM

First sentence: wrong
many threads where people have reported it is ok to use guitar amp but not guitar cabs with bass.

coolrunner989 · #3 05-03-2010, 08:24 AM

Yes, a bass head can blow a guitar cabinet if you're playing bass through it. But as long as you don't crank the bass, for playing guitar through a guitar cabinet, it'll be alright. Tubes are tubes and EQ is EQ. I've done it plenty of times. Use your ears and back off if you hear farting, just like you would in any other case.

Rickett Customs · #4 05-03-2010, 08:27 AM

Guitar cab speaker, were not designed for the lowend frequencies of the bass.

There's a thread you could fit this into:

"Dumb things you've done to equipment"

j/k

But no, I wouldn't do it.

pasta4lnch · #5 05-03-2010, 08:35 AM

guitar heads sound great w/ bass, and as said guitar cabs and bass don't mix. I've used a bass amp for guitar but didn't like it. needed way too much tone shaping to make it work. a tube head might be better though . . .

diechris · #6 05-03-2010, 08:37 AM

guitar head on guitar cab is fine.. not sure on bass head on guitar cab..

Thunder Pulse · #7 05-03-2010, 09:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thunderbolt

what about using a bass head into a guitar cabinet for playing guitar?

Fender Bassman: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fender_Bassman

Quote:

Originally Posted by thunderbolt

could the bass head possibly produce tones too low for the speaker cab to handle?

Bass & guitar heads don't "produce" tones, they just amplify whatever's plugged into them, a guitar in your case.

Quote:

Originally Posted by PaulNYC

First sentence: wrong
many threads where people have reported it is ok to use guitar amp but not guitar cabs with bass.

Second sentence: not quite correct.

Guitarists typically use guitar cabs and bassists typically use bass cabs, but there will always be people that like to try different combinations of stuff looking for a "sound." Check 1:30 into the clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6HbKRkPnpA

And what about guitarists who use octave pedals? They're generating frequencies an octave down and sending them through guitar cabs. It's all about the excursion limits and power handling capability of the guitar cab.

BellBottomBlues · #8 05-03-2010, 09:43 AM

My first big cabinet was a Marshall 4x12 guitar cabinet. Wasn't the best bass cab I've ever used (it wasn't that great) but it had a bit of grind.

Hassouni · #9 05-03-2010, 09:46 AM

If you're not using a high powered SS bass head, you can plug into a 4x12 w robust speakers and it'll be fine. At my band practice I plug my 100w Marshall plexi reissue into what's either a 280w or 300w Marshall 1960A and it's fine

BassmanPaul · #10 05-03-2010, 09:53 AM

A tube bass amp with a GUITAR running through it into a guitar cabinet of sufficient power handling will be fine. You may or may not like what comes out however.

Bass through a guitar amp is fine

Bass into a guitar cab is not as the speakers will not be robust enough to handle the excursion.

Paul

Thunder Pulse · #11 05-03-2010, 09:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BassmanPaul

Bass into a guitar cab is not as the speakers will not be robust enough to handle the excursion.

Only at higher volume levels.

KramerBassFan · #12 05-03-2010, 12:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thunder Pulse

Only at higher volume levels.

AKA Enough Volume to be heard in a band, and have "Bass".