Speaker Cabinets

The entertainment business has always been a “no-excuse” industry. Ever since the phrase “the show must go on!” was first coined in the 1800s by the circus industry, it has been repeated by stage managers everywhere. Whether you make your living playing music or you are a weekend warrior for fun, a good trouble shooting approach will let you go on with the show. Second chances are hard to get, so you need to make that first shot work. Make sure you’ve prepared not only your music but also make sure your equipment is reliable and well-maintained. Unfortunately there is no way to predict when a bad connection or worse a failure will develop in your guitar system, but it is likely at some point you will turn up your guitar on stage and find there is no sound coming out. The good news is that by following a few simple steps, any musician can learn to quickly find which part of the system isn’t working and bypass it to keep the music going.

Today’s gigging musician will play in a wide variety of venues: small bars, clubs, outdoor stages, and so much more! As such, it is important to have a rig that is suitable for a range of venues and performing situations. Conventional wisdom says it’s better to get way more amp than you need to make sure you have enough juice for any situation. You can always turn down, right? That usually is not true, because the tone and dynamics change on guitar amps when turned up or down. It is also financially wiser to purchase a rig for the long haul, with the power and tone that you won’t grow out of anytime soon. That’s in a perfect world at least- in the real world, if your band is playing the local bar circuit or going on your first tour, you are going to be responsible for moving your rig around and setting it up onstage, so having a huge, powerful rig isn’t always the best way to go. Having a modular rig is highly beneficial for players seeking the easiest setup and best sound at every gig, no matter where it may be!

Impedance is something that can make or break your amp- literally! Even a general understanding of it can be a real lifesaver. This article will cover the basics of impedance and how it applies to your bass heads and speaker cabinets, specifically with matching them together.

Even the most experienced musicians forget essential parts of their rig from time to time. A drummer I know forgot his drum sticks at an out of town gig, and I myself have showed up to play at a local show having forgotten to bring my bass amp head (I had to use a DI that night)! It’s something that happens to the best of us. Fortunately, if there are other bands on the lineup or a helpful soundman, they may be obliged to help you out lending you the item you forgot, especially if it is something like a cable.

Watch The Tone King's outdoor demo and review of Carvin Audio's VX Series Birch Guitar Cabinets. He demos both the VX212S Slant 2 x 12 cabinet and the VX112 cabinet with a Carvin Audio V3M 50W Tube Amp, and explains the features and benefits of the VX Series and the different tuning options. Watch both videos below. Project the passion of your music with a USA Built VX Series Birch Guitar Cab.

When the time comes for your band to hit the road for a couple of weeks or months, you’ve all worked on sounding your best. You’ve put in the time at practice, working on the set and making sure everything goes smoothly. You’ve turned knobs on your equipment and tried different settings, making sure that everything is dialed in. Hopefully, you’ve also made sure that all your equipment not only works as it should, but will hold up to the rigors of the road (and fit in the van!) It can be difficult to find gear that meets all these requirements, and if you’re a bass player, chances are you’ve sat there and pondered which cabinet could fit the bill.

When purchasing a new speaker cabinet, guitarists are often faced with the choice of open back or closed back cabinets. An often overlooked factor, this seemingly simple choice is responsible for a large part of your tone. While no cabinet style is necessarily better, they are different, and it’s just a matter of finding which one works better for your situation.

The bass players in a band play a key role in maintaining a rhythmic groove. Bassists create the entire music foundation upon which the other band members play. It takes more than mere juice and hefty speakers to immaculately replicate the output of your bass guitar. Fortunately, a plethora of gear is available to meet your requirements and let your music shine. Whether you are a novice player looking for your first amp, an aspiring bassist wanting to revamp your amplification setup, or an experienced player looking to renovate your rig, here are a few tips for choosing the right bass guitar amp and speaker cabinets to match your music, budget and the venues where you perform.

Guitarists have been mulling over which amplifiers work best for years without reaching any consensus. The guitar in a band has to stand out amongst the crowded stage. Guitar players tend to be opinionated and will swear by their half stack, full stacks or combo amps, depending on their personal preference. All three setups have been used to play different types of music in all kinds of situations. It’s hard to pin down specific reasons why one may select a particular setup over another in a specific situation. All this is to say we will not be giving you any definitive answers, rather we will sound out some pros and cons for combos and stack setups to help guide your decision.

Whether feeding a live mix or laying it down in the studio, an important part of your guitar sound usually involves placing a mic or mics in front of your combo or stack. You may have your technique dialed in or, like most of us, are still searching for that signature sound. That tone is ringing in your head, but not coming out in the mix.

Having a basic understanding of the anatomy of your guitar amplifier will go a long way towards getting the most out of your system. While designs vary and there are a lot of model-specific features available, all guitar amplifiers have the same basic components, with additional optional components adding features to the more complex models.