phil0333 said:
I've got a 1X12 Blue Angel combo with a vintage 30 speaker. I really love the sound and the break up. I'm wondering how much difference there would be in the sound using an external cabinet as well. We play small/medium size bars and I haven't tried to gig with this yet. I think it's probably loud enough, I just can't convince myself that a 1X12 combo is "enough" since we don't usually mic the guitar or bass. (I use a les paul standard>OCD>Bassman RI usually).
So if anyone can tell me if it's really worth it to get a 1X12 or 2X12 extension, I'd appreciate it.
thanks in advance,
Phil
Phil
Glad to hear that you ienjoy your Blue Angel. It is one of my favorite Mesa amps. I don't have one yet, but I can tell you about my experiences using extension cabs with my current Mesa amps.
My normal gig rig with my current G/K/B/D Classic Rock cover band is my Mark IV--but I have used all of my various Mesa amps at one time or another, in an effort to match the amp to the venue. I like the Mark IV as it gives me great clean tones, and two gain tones. That's a LOT of versatility, especially when I'm using both a G&L Legacy and a Les Paul. Still, a single 112 EVM combo can use a bit of extra bottom end--and that's why I almost never leave the house without the Mark IV's matching 112 EVM Theile cab. These cabs are great, and they add a lot of punch and projection, while keeping a small footprint--a necessity for some of those tiny bar stages.
I use that same cab with my DC-3 112--it also has the Vintage 30 like your Angel. The Theile matches up perfectly, and another great feature is that now the amp's controls are up at a readable level. This a potent little stack--no one ever believes me that it is only 35 watts! The Theile adds a nice deep chunk to that EL84 chime.
A year ago, I picked up my newest Mesa amp--one of the last of the Maverick 212s. You wouldn't think that you'd need an extension cab with a 35-watt Class A combo with two Vintage 30s. (Right now, you need to insert an "evil laugh" at this point!) At the advice of one of the Mesa CSRs, I decided to add a Recto 212 to my arsenal. (I actually found a good deal on one a few days after I bought my amp.) The Mav is a really nice amp, versatile enough to encroach into Vox AC30 and Twin Reverb territory--yet it has its own tones, too. But with the Recto 212 it now has HUGE bottom end projection--and I've found a setting that reminds me of the Plexi Marshalls--at a less deafening volume. I could close my eyes, and easily imagine Duane and Dickey trading riffs on a pair of Maverick/Recto 212 rigs. The bottom end was just as delicious as could be--I was feeling it in my feet! My '58 Historic Les Paul had this great singing tone--even on the clean channel--the kind of tone that takes your mind to a more heavenly place than you knew was possible.
So, got some ideas now on where I stand on the issue of the extension cab? LOL! There are several Mesa cabs available that you could use with your amp. Only you can decide which one will work best with your amp. Personally, I think it's hard to beat a 112 EVM Theile cab; though it won't perfectly match the style of your amp--it will add a lot of thump. A 212 Recto will also do the job, and running the closed back cab with the open-back combo gives you the airy ambience of the the open back cab with the punch and projection of the closed back cab--the best of both worlds, in my opinion. I believe that there is also is a 112 3/4 back or closed back cab that will match your amp--either way, I expect that you will really enjoy the sonic benefits of an extension cab.
And don't tell anybody, but the 112 combo on top of a matching cabinet--it's one of the best LOOKING rigs you can get! Forget projection, forget the now easy-to-reach controls, forget increased speaker reliability with the split load, forget that you now have a back-up speaker....
They just LOOK COOL!
Good luck on your tone quest!
