Bass with bass head and guitar cab?

[Fjord_monkey]

Hello,

I was wondering if it's possible to safely run a bass through a guitar cab? I want a 4x12, and i assume it should be possible as there are both octave pedals for guitars and 8 string guitars...

Thanks

[BassBunny]

I'll leave @Bill Fitzmaurice to answer this as it seems to be a very common topic.

[Shaggy]

I'd say almost certainly not - bass drivers (irrespective of size) are constructed to handle bass frequencies, drivers for guitar cabs aren't - also bass cabs are tuned to be efficient in the bass frequency range, guitar cabs for higher frequencies.   Bass cabs will happily handle higher guitar-range frequencies, albeit with less efficiency than a guitar cab.

I think JJ Burnel got his sound partly through using blown 12" drivers, but no idea if it was a bass or guitar cab

[Fjord_monkey]

 

3 minutes ago, Shaggy said:

I'd say almost certainly not - bass drivers (irrespective of size) are constructed to handle bass frequencies, drivers for guitar cabs aren't - also bass cabs are tuned to be efficient in the bass frequency range, guitar cabs for higher frequencies.   Bass cabs will happily handle higher guitar-range frequencies, albeit with less efficiency than a guitar cab.

I think JJ Burnel got his sound partly through using blown 12" drivers, but no idea if it was a bass or guitar cab

Ait, because i saw that Robert Trujillo plays a 4x12 mesa cab, would this have custom bass drivers then? I also saw some guy attempt blowing out a 15w guitar combo with a bass, max amp vol, max od settings, max bass od, max bass vol etc, and it didnt blow

[CameronJ]

18 minutes ago, Fjord_monkey said:

Ait, because i saw that Robert Trujillo plays a 4x12 mesa cab, would this have custom bass drivers then?

Mesa make bass amps & cabs so it’s probably one of those.

[Jus Lukin]

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Edited March 3, 2022 by Jus Lukin

[Fjord_monkey]

1 minute ago, CameronJ said:

Mesa make bass amps & cabs so it’s probably one of those.

I know they make bass cabs but i havent seen a mesa 4x12 bass cab before

[Jus Lukin]

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Edited March 3, 2022 by Jus Lukin

[itu]

I have been using Marshall 4 x 12" "g-word" cabinets in my youth. Worked really well. Very good rock sound.

It is true that you cannot drive them as hard as bass cabs, but before you reach hazardous levels, you can get pretty much noise. Think one as a bass cabinet that just has less power. It is possible to cut the lowest end and drive the cab harder but is that the sound you are after?

[Jus Lukin]

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Edited March 3, 2022 by Jus Lukin

[Marvin]

I used to use a guitar 4x12 at practice with one band. It sounded quite decent (it was pretty beaten up to be fair), you just had to be mindful not to push it with the lows or volume, otherwise you'd start to hear the drivers complain.

[Bill Fitzmaurice]

50 years ago a 4x12 bass cab and 4x12 guitar cab were the same thing. If you run a bass through a 4x12 guitar cab today the result will be the same as running it through a 4x12 bass cab 50 years ago: it won't go as low or as loud as a modern bass 2x12. Next:

Quote

I want a 4x12

Why? It's a form factor that hasn't made sense since 50 years ago. If you need more output than what a modern 2x12 can deliver, which isn't likely but that's a different topic, get a pair of 2x12.

[Beer of the Bass]

I've played in DIY venues and rehearsal spaces that used guitar 4x12 cabs with bass heads as the house rig and got away with it.  Though that was very much on the basis of cobbling together whatever gear was available, not something I'd set out to do. 

So I'd second the "why?", but if you really must, then a 16 ohm, closed back 4x12" has about the best chance of not breaking, out of the common guitar cab configurations. 

[Lozz196]

If a 412 is the preferred option the Marshall VBC412 is a great cab, no longer made but they turn up on here & the bay every so often at about £300 - and they are amazingly good cabs.

[itu]

If you get a beaten up "g-word" Marshall, just change the elements to bass drivers. Probably the elements cost more than a modern bass cab, but when in need...

[Beer of the Bass]

40 minutes ago, itu said:

If you get a beaten up "g-word" Marshall, just change the elements to bass drivers. Probably the elements cost more than a modern bass cab, but when in need...

For four 12"s it's going to be £200 minimum, and there are a lot of competent bass cabs, large or small, that you could buy used for that amount.

[pintspiller]

Why bother with 412? What's wrong with 410?

[Bill Fitzmaurice]

Since you brought it up, dispersion. A pair of 210 vertically stacked is better, as everyone can hear it better, yourself included.

[Dan Dare]

An important reason for me for avoiding 4x12 or 4x10 cabs has always been portability. Their width makes them a pain to get through doors, into the car, etc and of course, they are usually heavy. The fact that 2x10s or 2x12s work better is a bonus.