The 1×12 guitar speaker cabinet is a staple of the musician. If you’re looking to rock out in your living room, these are a perfect choice. They can be configured for different sound variations with amps and effects pedals or by adding an extension speaker cabinet.
A lot of people think that they’re one of the most “updated” guitar speaker cabinets. Guitar player Stevie Ray Vaughan famously used two 1x12s in his legendary electric guitar called “Lenny”. The original 1×12 cabinet was developed by Fender, but it wasn’t until about 1980 when Dan Armstrong started to mass produce them with his company Celestion. Since then, these cabinets have become a staple in guitar clubs and studios all over the world.
Further Reading On 1×12 Guitar Cabinets
- 5 Best 1×12 Guitar Cabinet Options For 2022
- Unloaded Empty Guitar Speaker Cabinet 1×12 Options
- How To Make A Guitar Speaker Cabinet
- 10 Best Guitar Cabinets (These Speaker Cabs Rock!)
Benefits Of Using 1×12 Guitar Extension Speaker Cabinets
A single-enclosure speaker configuration provides a high-energy, full-range sound that is perfect for live performance. In addition, you can get great tone by adjusting the placement of the cabinet relative to your playing position and the position of the audience. Overall, live sound is about having clarity in your playing and an interactive audience. A properly designed guitar cabinet will also give you better isolation from your neighbors.
They are portable. 1×12 guitar speaker cabinets are the most popular size for home recording. It’s an easy setup and since it is a small cabinet, you can put the amp head on top of it.
It’s the perfect size for practice at home or if you’re playing with a band in your garage. They come in various sizes, so you can choose one that fits your needs. The best way to get one in this day and age is to have one custom made or to buy an assembled one. The downside is the cost, but you’re getting a quality built speaker.
It’s still prevalent among many bands and artists today. Many of the classic tone rock bands from the 70’s used 1×12 guitar speaker cabinets; Led Zeppelin, Kiss and The Rolling Stones just to name a few. Not to mention all of the great blues tones artists like Stevie Ray Vaughan, who was known for using two 1x12s stacked vertically in his famous “Lenny” guitar. Even metal players use them!
Even modern artists including Taylor Swift use them. The 1×12 Cabinet lets Taylor Swift and her touring band get maximum output from her sound system. This is because it provides a wide range of frequencies for vocals and instruments, something that is lacking in most of today’s music equipment.
They are better sounding than other guitar speaker cabinets because they have larger cone area and voice coils that translate more power into the air. The cabinet’s voice coils will give you a lower distortion although it can sound bright if not adjusted properly with your amp head or versatile tone control.