Does this mean my cab sucks???

Jupiter · #1 01-24-2004, 04:54 PM

Hey guys!
I currently own a couple of different rigs... i have a Line 6 AX212, Rocktron Chameleon preamp, Peavey Rockmaster preamp {just got it today}, and a Tubeworks Mosvalve 982 power amp. Whatever amp/preamp i'm playing, i run it through my Laney 4x12 half-slanted cab. I got this cab a few months ago. It's was used, and i'm not sure how old it is. It has a metal grille on the front of it, hard bumby black exterior, big handles in the sides, and 'Laney' in big white letters. Here's something that i've noticed about it... whatever amp i'm playing through it, the tone will sound extremely harsh and trebly when i stand right in front of it, but when i move over to either side of the amp, the tone will be much nicer {more bass, more clarity, WAY less harshness, etc...}. This may be a dumb question, but is this normal? I know the guitar naturally has some directional frequencies that can only be heard when you're standing in certain relations to the amp, but this is a really big change! I worry about cutting the audience's heads off with all of the harsh treble, plus i'd imagine when i'm miked at gigs, the mic will pic up said harsh frequencies. Is this normal? If so, is there any way i can get the tone to be more consistant?

adamcbest · #2 01-24-2004, 05:17 PM

dude.. i have the saaaaaame exact problem.. cannot figure out how to fix it.. so please people.. help us both.. I've heard that the farther you get from your amp, it's not so bad.. I haven't been able to get all that far away from my amp so i haven't been able to test it. I have a Marshall TSL601 combo and it sounds so shrill to me when i stand right in front of it (of course i hate the tone of it anyway.. i'm goin to look at a mesa tonight).. you're not the only person with this problem.. it's been something that has driven me nuts for a while.

frankfalbo · #3 01-25-2004, 12:53 AM

That's the idea behind using an SM57 style mic to find the "sweet spot" when micing the cab. It's a condition of most guitar speakers, and a cabinet really can't change that aspect of it. There are huge differences from cabinet to cabinet, but standing in front of one of the speakers and getting blasted with harsh treble frequencies is pretty much a constant. With a focused element like the SM57 if you're pointing it in from the side, its sort of hearing more of what you hear when you stand off to the side. Pointed straight in it will hear what you hear in front, which I think is poop. A friend of mine put a coating on my JF Naylors and it helped to dampen that 3-4khz blast. I don't know enough about speakers to tell you anything meaningful about them, but different speakers do have less of that front-facing harshness. I don't really like the Peavey Scorpion all around, but I seem to remember it having less of that effect, as do EV's. Vintage style speakers and the cheaper "factory" speakers will have more.

7LightWithOutHeat7 · #4 01-25-2004, 09:02 PM

try turning your cab aroud backwards faceing it at a wall or get some better speakers

frankfalbo · #5 01-25-2004, 09:35 PM

Well for that matter you could put some carpet padding over it too, but I think you should open it up and find out what your speakers are before you determine that you need "better" ones. Some of your favorite tones could have been recorded on those same speakers, with the right mic placement.

screamndemon69 · #6 01-27-2004, 04:39 PM

Frank has a good idea about mic placement (i use an SM57- they work great!).
you might want to turn the tone knob back a 1/2 turn on your guitar and turn the treble back a touch on your pre-amp and that might also smooth it out. backing the presence off alittle could help as well.
i think when you stand in front of the cab you are getting ALL the frequencies and when you stand to the side you only hear part of the frequencies.