Amp Question.

[Musician78]

I have a Marshall full stack consisting of a 1960 A and a 1960 B. Well, I don't need so much anymore and would like to sell one of the cabs so that I can buy another bass and still have a guitar half stack. Only thing is; assuming they are both in great condition, would it better to keep the slanted one or the straight one? Would it matter? Is it all personal preference? What is the reasoning?

[markD]

i prefer the straight cabs if i am gonna have a 4x12. i like the sound pointing all forward. with the slant cabs, the way the sound angle up at me messes with the way i am used to hearing myself.

so, i'd keep the straight - but that is just me.

[catzodellamarina]

I like slants for the opposite reason. Most bar stages I've played on were cramped and I was standing close to the stack. The angled speakers directed sound better toward my ears. Straights do have more internal space which would give slightly more depth to the sound. I played an oversize Mesa straight an 1 outdoor show with a big stage and it was incredible.

[Spivonious]

^ what they said. Slanted are slightly smaller, but will aim the sound up at your ears. Straight are bigger but the speakers are pointed parallel to the ground. Of course, the angle of speaker means nothing if you're standing more than ~5 feet away.

[Dreamland_Rebel]

i'd keep the Straight. if you ever do a show where you want a full stack, it'll be a lot easier to borrow a slant cab from someone cause that is what most people have.

[MakeAJazzNoiseHere]

It would be easier to sell the angle cab separately, probably, since a "typical" half-stack is the angled cab.

IMO, try them both out separately and see which one you prefer.

[KINGSFAN]

I would keep the bottom cabinet, IMO they have a heavier tone

[Cygnus X1]

Looks like we're all over the place on this one.
I like a slant for a single 4x12 or 4x10..
The angle makes for a good monitor and voice the bottom
to project.

Rsmacker posted a brilliant treatise on the difference between what the guitarist "hears" and
what the audience really hears.
A slant helps the guitarist, but not really the soundman or the audience.

I think it gives a more accurate reference.
Straight cabs make you want to turn up way too loud just
to hear yourself.

[chrisolson]

I like the TONE of straight cabs much better than slanted.

[Musician78]

That is so weird. I can't really hear a difference in tone.

[chrisolson]

That is so weird. I can't really hear a difference in tone.

That's because you play Jacksons. Get a Charvel. heh,heh...

I just think the bottom cabs sound bigger, maybe a little deeper and fuller too. Since I don't use lows much with my amp, the cab takes care of it in an "organic" way without needing to jack up the amp's bass and making thing flubby. I rarely have the bass over 50-60%.

[Rupe]

Straight cabs typically have a bit more low end, but as already mentioned, they are not as good for hearing yourself on stage. That said, if you have a good soundman/monitor system, hearing yourseld shouldn't be an issue. I would go with your own personal preference...all things equal, sell the straight cab, as it will most likely be easier to move a half stack with the slant cab if it ever comes to that. Bottom line, there's no "right" answer here, just opinion.

[Shawn Lutz]

I prefer slants in a half stack configuration myself...

[Musician78]

I think from an aesthetic perspective, the slants do look better for half stack.

[bombtek]

If you're not afraid of modding a perfectly good (and expensive) cab, you could always reconfigure how the speakers are positioned behind the cover. Use the straight cab, slant the two on top, and leaved the bottoms as is. Not tough to do, but there would be cutting involved. Of course resale vaue is out the window at that point. Unless you buy a new sheet of birch plywood, remove the speakers and the speaker holding sheet of plywood from the cab, cut the new plywood how you need, mount the speakers and install into the cab. Saving the original just in case you need it back to how it was.

That's why I buy cheap stuff...so I can do what I want to it without worrying about its value. I am usually always happier with the end results than the original configuration of whatever it is I am modding.