Guitar Cabinet article
Guitar Cabinet for Beginners: A Complete Guide
Understanding this piece of equipment and how it fits into your setup does not require deep technical knowledge, but knowing a few fundamentals prevents the most common mistakes that new players make when they first start using a separate head and cabinet rather than a combo amplifier.
Head and Cabinet vs Combo
A combo amplifier contains the amplifier circuitry and speaker in one unit. The cabinet is the speaker component of a head-and-cabinet setup, where the amplifier head and the speaker enclosure are separate. The head-and-cabinet format is more flexible — you can pair different heads with different cabinets, and you can replace or upgrade one without the other. Many players start on a combo and move to a head-and-cabinet setup when they want more tonal flexibility or need a louder, more expansive rig for stage use. If you already have a head, a guitar cabinet is what you need to complete the setup. If you are buying from scratch, the combined cost of a head and cabinet is typically more than an equivalent combo, but the investment provides more long-term flexibility.
Connecting Correctly
The cable between an amplifier head and a guitar cabinet must be a speaker cable, not an instrument cable. Both look similar, but they are wired differently. An instrument cable used as a speaker cable risks damage to both the cable and the amplifier's output section. The impedance rating of the cabinet must match the output impedance selected on the amplifier head — most heads have a selector switch for 4, 8 or 16 ohms, and this setting must correspond to the cabinet's rated impedance. Running a serious impedance mismatch on a valve amplifier can damage the output transformers over time. For guidance on choosing the right guitar cabinet, see the buyer's guide. The complete overview covers types, speakers and design.
Microphone Placement and Recording
When recording, the cabinet is miked rather than DI'd. The most common approach is a single dynamic microphone (Shure SM57 is standard) placed close to the speaker cone. Positioning the mic at the centre of the cone produces a brighter, more cutting sound; moving it toward the edge of the cone produces a warmer, softer character. A few centimetres of distance from the cabinet softens the extreme brightness of a close-mic position and adds a small amount of room ambience. Blending a second microphone further back in the room adds depth if available. Most beginners record with a single close-mic position and move from there as they develop a preference.
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