Amp vs Speaker

How many amps do you need to own to get all the sounds in your head? For some of us, that answer could be many. But what if the biggest difference between amps was not in fact the amps themselves, but the types of speakers and cabinets that were used? Also, if you own a bunch of amp heads, but run them all through the same speaker cabinet, will they end up sounding quite similar?

Well, these are the questions we are tackling today. We will compare 3 classic combo amps, each through their own cab/speaker, and then start swapping cabs/speakers to see whether it is in fact the amp itself, or the cabinet that makes the most difference.

To be clear, you cannot make a high gain metal amp sound like a 70’s Silverface by swapping speakers. We are talking about relatively similar styles of amps here, however, this is especially useful if you have ever wondered if you need a Deluxe Reverb and an AC15, or a Marshall and an Orange.

Speakers are probably one of the most overlooked elements of the tonal signal path (at least here at the Ground Wire). Many guitarists will change pickups, overdrive pedals, and even cables, before considering a speaker swap. Have a listen, and let us know what you think. We found the results to be rather surprising.

Gear Used:
1965 Fender Deluxe Reverb- Jupiter 12LC
1983 Marshall JCM800 4010 Combo- Original Celestion G1265
1962 Fender Princeton- Celestion G10 Greenback
“Control Cab”- Mesa/Boogie 1x12 Thiele Ported Cab with EVM12L
Custom Built “Tele”
Custom Built “Strat”
Gibson SG
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