Open-back Cabinet Madness... Help!

sonnyblu

sonnyblu

New member
In all my many years of playing... I know I have sometimes used an open back combo amp.
But I guess I always / or more often than not had a closed back on stage also...

Recently after using a 4 x 12 for years (That I love) I've found I need a 2 x 12 again
(after I sold all the closed back 2 x 12's I had)
But... I thought it would be nice to be an open back to spread the sound around.

Man, I can't believe it! I can't get any tone from this! It's not a "Lack of Bass" it's just Mud, a total lack of definition.

Are there open back cabinets out there that still have definition in the low end?
Perhaps a deeper (11") solid pine cabinet?

All these great players that use open back cabinets... I personally can't get a tone!

Mushy Muddy Muck... Can anyone empathize and or have a suggestion?
 
Re: Open-back Cabinet Madness... Help!

Check out the oversized Egnator 2x12 Tour Master Cabs. They have a panel on the back for open or closed back and I personally think they sound better open back, but either way, the bass response on these cabs are EXCELLENT, they look cool, sound incredible and have a good caster connect/disconnect system to make them easy for transporting.
 
Re: Open-back Cabinet Madness... Help!

Do the usual. Use a head/closed back cab for gain tones, and an open back Fender for your best clean tones.

It's not just following tradition for the sake of it. That's what sounds best.
 
Re: Open-back Cabinet Madness... Help!

The 4x12 that I love so much is an Egnater... It came with V30's I replaced them with Greenbacks.
I have been using a WGS Invader and Retro 30 combination in my openback experiment.
For my gigs last weekend... I just put a closed back, back on...

I have a plethora of speakers... the Greenback tone, chime and compression is what I like the best.

Thank you everyone for your suggestions...
 
Re: Open-back Cabinet Madness... Help!

I dig this thread and GJ's response

I was thinking about making a velcro board to convert an open back cab to closed. I like the closedback sound, just not the extra 15 pounds of weight for load in/out.

but the vibration would be too much, I think I will convert it to closed back. Cheers :beerchug:
 
Open-back Cabinet Madness... Help!

I have an open back 4x10 that I think sounds really good. Has a good bit of midrange punch but still keeps nice low end.
 
Re: Open-back Cabinet Madness... Help!

I play a '67 Gretsch Viking, 2004 American Strat with SD Everything pups and a Rickenbacher 620-12 through an open back Tech 21 Trademark 60 with 2 X 12 Celeston 70-80s. I can get any sound I need from bluesy to hard rock to jazz and everything in between.
 
Re: Open-back Cabinet Madness... Help!

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Re: Open-back Cabinet Madness... Help!

The actual design of the cab makes a HUGE difference in tone. If a cab design is not working for you then there well may be nothing you can do but dump that particular cab.
Saying that I have always favored a closed back cab for gainy stuff --that was until I picked up my 1/12 Blackstar open back! This one kills and has that tight thump that I nomally get with a closed back cab but also gives me some "air" because it is an open back for the cleans.
2 questions what cab are you using and what is it made of?
 
Re: Open-back Cabinet Madness... Help!

Not to be anoying, but why are you even considering an open back cab? To me it sounds like what you want is a closed back sound. Sure you can get close with an open back, dependent on its design, yet if you have no problem with using mutiple cabs, why even consider it?

On the other hand, when you want one cab that does it all a deeper open back 2x12 is probably what you want, airy cleans and tight bass are possible indeed.

I am planning to do a DIY 2x12 myself in the future, covertable open/closed with a weber 12f150 for cleans and vintage 30 for drive tones. But that is mainly the compromise I have come up with, not caring much to carry around 4x12's or mutiple 2x12's.
 
Re: Open-back Cabinet Madness... Help!

Sounds like what you need is one of the old metal grill boogie verticle 2x12's that have a convertible open/closed back top. I have the 4x12 version of that cab and it kills!
 
Re: Open-back Cabinet Madness... Help!

I recently found my 2x12 was sounding boxy and stuffy. So I removed 1/3 of the back, since it's a oversized Randall 2x12 and it has that option. My amp has lot's of lows and I didn't feel I lost any. Still very tight too. Inside are two Mesa MC90's and they just sound better and better with more volume. Super clear and preset. Great crunch. I like the clear 3D sound of the back being partially open. Not so blunt and directional sounding like before.
Been running my 800, VHT and Soldano through it exclusively lately.
 
Re: Open-back Cabinet Madness... Help!

Always use open back for clean, and closed back for distortion. That's why when I can afford it, I'm going to get a Fender Vintage Reissue Reverb and switch between the two amos with an A/B Box for clean and distorted tones.
 
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