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Using a combo amp to power a cab

L

Lex Slade

Guest
Jul 16, 2013
51
14
#1
I play in a hard rock/metal band and we're playing a club gig next month. The only problem is money is tight and the only amp I have is a 50 watt combo. It's loud enough so that I can be heard in the mix with the guitarists' amps and it works well for practices and the basement show we just played, but for club gigs I doubt it'll cut it.

The club we're playing at has backline amps, but they're only the cabinets without heads. I know you can use a combo amp to power a cab, but will the sound be any different if it's coming out of an Ampeg 8x10 in terms of volume and tone? Worst case scenario I can rent a Hartke or Ampeg head from the studio we rehearse at for the night.
 
#3
Their cabs still be louder than your combo. More speakers makes more loud, even with the same power.

Find out what the impedance limits are for the amp part of your combo. You may have to disconnect its internal speaker and rig a jack to connect the other cab(s).

Or rent or borrow from a friend a regular amp head for that gig.
 
#6
Rent a head. You can jury rig your combo to power an 810, and despite claims to the contrary, I've run a 25w B-15 head into my 810's before, and while I wouldn't call it "loud," it's not quiet either. But it's still jury rigging and it looks very non-pro to rig up a speaker cable with alligator clips out of your combo with no speaker in it. People understand money woes to a certain extent, but you'll look like a piker doing that, and you'd actually be better off just using your combo as it sits than jury rigging it.
 

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