Guitar combo or speaker?

[hoursonend]

Hi,

I've got an electric guitar with a mic/guitar tube preamp, but would I want to connect that to a guitar combo (solid state?), or to a guitar speaker? What impedance is used on guitar speakers, anyway? I guess my preamp just amplifies the guitar signal to Line-level, but is line-level okay for a guitar speaker, or do I need a guitar combo?

What combo / speaker would you recommend? I plan on gigging with it in a band (2 e-guitars, piano, female singer, saxophone, drums), so I need a lot of power (2x12"?).

I'd like to keep on a budget, if possible (probably not) between $100 and $200. May be second-hand, I don't really care, as long as it sounds good and loud

Thanks.

 

[Richard Monroe]

In order to get the line level output of the preamp to a speaker, you need a power amplifier. Guitar speakers are commonly made in 8ohm and 16ohm versions, and there are a few that are 4ohm, which is more common in acoustic guitar amps and some PA's. You are likely to find that the mic pre and power amp combination is very neutral/clean and lacks character. The color needs to be added, using pedals, rackmount processors, or amp simulators. I often use a Pod Pro with a power amp and a 1X12 Marshall cabinet. For acoustic guitar, I use a good mic preamp/DI straight to the power amp.
Note that power amps tend to be 2 channels, as the small ones are meant to drive passive studio monitors, and the big ones, PA's. Some power amps allow you to "bridge" the 2 channels, so it can be used as two 4ohm channels or one 8ohm channel. This is especially useful if you are trying to drive one 8ohm cabinet. No- line level will not drive speakers. You need a speaker cabinet *and* a power amp. You want it to be $200-300. Your best buy in that range would be a versatile combo amp that gives you the clean and distorted sounds you want. One more piece of advice- if you decide to get a power amp for studio use, get one with radiant cooling, fins, not fans. No one will hear your fan on stage, but a condenser mic sure as hell will. Power amps made for driving monitors also tend to be cleaner and quieter than ones designed for running PA's.-Richie

 

[Fusioninspace]

I hear you on the budget thing. The drummer may set your total volume needs...

If it's an acoustic set, then you'll need more power (and $$$). If you look for used and solid state, you should be able to find something in the 10 to 30 watt range for $100 to $200. That'll be plenty loud for basements, garages, small venues.

You might see if you can borrow some things and see how it works for your band.

 

[Tadpui]

Also when you're judging power, look for Watts and not number/size of the speakers. Even the total Watts can be decieving but its a better way to judge power. I'd think that you'd want at least 25 watts in a solid-state amplifier in order to be able to compete with a drummer and another guitarist. I'd say that 50W would be enough. That leaves exactly eleventy million amps to choose from.