Whether you are looking for the best 1×12 guitar cabinet for a small show or a big festival, there are many factors to consider when getting a 1×12 guitar cabinet.
In order to get the best 1×12 cabinet for you, you should take a few things into consideration.
First, decide what type of show you will be using your 1×12 guitar cabinet for. If it will be a big festival, you will want a loud and compact high wattage speaker cabinet.
This will provide a full sound and a dynamic response. If it will be a smaller show, you may want to go with a less loud cabinet and the 1×12 speaker should be perfect for you.
Affordability and versatility are also factors to take into account. And the 1×12 speaker cab has both. Read on to find out more on the 1×12 cab reviews and information as to why you need to consider this type of cabinet.
1. Orange PPC112C 1×12 Speaker Cabinet
The Orange PPC112 is the best 1×12 speaker cabinet if you want a premium name brand with an excellent sound speaker.
Although it is a bit pricey, it is the gold standard of 1×12 cabs and something every serious guitarist should have in his or her inventory.
What is a 1×12 cab?
The 1×12 guitar cabinet is the cornerstone of every gigging musician’s inventory. Although amps and pedals are important, you should also consider your speaker cabinet, which can make a huge difference in sound quality.
Every little details matter in a guitar cab from the shape of the interior space to the materials used to the quality of the speaker. In other words, it is important to find the best 1×12 guitar cabinet that will do your tone justice and gives you the biggest sound.
If you want to compare 4×12, 2×12, and 1×12 guitar cabs, it is pretty obvious that 1×12 cabs will have the lowest power and output. However, a 1×12 guitar cab will also be very lightweight, portable, and best of all cheap.
These are cabs you can easily stack up in your room for practice as well as take to a gig. It really depends on your budget as 1×12 cabs can be really cheap and some can be very expensive.
One of the biggest choices you have to make is to determine whether you want a closed-back or open-back cabinet design. Closed-back cabinets will have tighter focused sound on the lower ends.
It also will feature a sharper attack and a better low-end response. Open back cabinets are generally looser and less focused across the entire frequency spectrum.
They really allow notes to bloom and are great in a room where everyone needs to hear each other and the source. Open backs are also great for small stages or rehearsals.
Also, it is important to find a solid manufacturer of guitar cabinets and not take a risk with some unknown brand. The built quality of speaker cabinets is important and usually reputable companies don’t feel the need to skim on material costs. Every little detail matters, from the grille cloth to the baffle board.
Best 1×12 Guitar Cabinet
- Orange PPC112C 1×12 Speaker Cabinet
- Fender Hot Deluxe
- Peavey 1×12 Cab
- Aguilar SL 112 Bass Cabinet
- BOSS KTN-50-2 Katana-50 MkII-50-watt 1×12 Guitar Combo Amp (KTN-50-MK2)
1. Orange PPC112C 1×12 Speaker Cabinet
The Orange PPC112 Speaker is one of the most popular and best budget 1×12 guitar cabinets due to its classic design and stellar performance.
It is a closed-back cab with an 18mm birch plywood enclosure and 16-ohm impedance. This helps give the Orange 112 a great fat tone with great projections.
It has a Celestion Vintage 30 speaker inside that can handle output up to 60 watts mono. Additionally, the Orange 112 has skid runners on the base to improve low-end responsiveness.
If you haven’t heard by now, Orange amps, cabinets, and cables are industry leaders. Everything they make is pure quality and has excellent craftsmanship.
The most striking feature is obviously the sound quality. It is great for clean or overdriven sounds and has a crazy amount of clarity and distinction in every note.
Second, the orange casing just outright looks cool and vintage. It is lightweight (32 pounds) and ultra-portable.
You can keep it in your room and easily transport it on stage for gigs. Overall, the Orange PPC112 is the best 1×12 guitar cabinet for those who want a quality brand name and sound.
- Iconic brand
- Great fat tones and projections
- 60 watts mono
- 16-ohm impedance
2. Fender Hot Rod Deluxe 112 80-Watt 1×12-Inch Guitar Extension Cabinet
If you are looking for the best 1×12 guitar cabinet for metal, you can’t really go wrong with Fender.
This is the 1×12 cab with an 80 W power output head and features a 12 inch Celestion G12P-80 speaker. It is both compact and rugged, which means it can definitely handle a beating.
In terms of power, it is rated at 80 watts RMS at 8 ohms, which is quite a lot of power for a 1×12 cab.
The most defining feature is the amazing sound quality, as it is known for its tight and defined toned. We like how it is a closed-back system, which is good for increasing low-end bass response.
Additionally, we think it has a really nice fat, clear, and punchy low end. Also, this speaker really pushes lots of volumes out for a 1×12.
We were pleasantly surprised that this one Fender Hot Rod Deluxe cab alone can be enough for a small venue.
Overall, we don’t have too much to complain about with the Fender Cab. It really is the complete package.
It is only 21 pounds so lightweight enough to single-handedly haul it between gigs. Additionally, it has a cool brownish grille and a vintage-looking design.
We recommend you get the Deluxe with the following features:
- 80 Watts RMS @ 8 ohm impedance
- Closed back so great lows
- Combo solution
- Lightweight at 21 pounds
3. Peavey 1×12 Cab
We consider the Peavey 1×12 cab to be the best 1×12 guitar cabinet if you are on a budget.
While there are certainly cheaper 1×12 cabs out there, we think this speaker is as low as you really need to get without significantly sacrificing performance.
This 1×12 guitar cab features a 12-inch blue marvel speaker that pushes 40 watts RMS at 16 ohms. These are not name-brand speakers by any means, but they are definitely functional. Also, it is a great cab for most small amp heads.
In terms of performance and sound, it is pretty decent for a cheap low-end budget guitar cabinet. It delivers a clean punchy and articulate sound that is best described as bright American-sounding speakers.
Although we don’t think the stock speakers are all that great, for the price and build quality, we think the cabinet is worth it even without the built-in speakers.
Finally, the biggest selling point for us is the sturdiness of this unit. It is built durable and without quality materials. Although it is a bit on the heavy end of 1×12 cabs, it is certainly portable enough for most situations.
- Very cheap
- Pushes 40 watts @ 16 ohms
- Decent sound quality
- Very durable
4. Aguilar SL 112 Bass Cabinet
The Aguilar SL 112 is the best 1×12 cabinet if you want a top-end premium unit. It is really suited for a gigging bassist as this cab produces a great well-toned low-end thump.
Although it also has great mid-range clarity and adjustable tweeters, the low end is really where it is at.
Perhaps the defining feature is that this cab can be suitable for many different kinds of playing styles.
We really like the fact that you get a lot of weight-saving with the Aguilar SL 112. Also, they come in at only 25 pounds without compromising tone.
This means you can carry it around one-handed without worry about dropping it. They say you are paying up for the loss in weight, but we think it is totally worth it.
In terms of specs, it doesn’t get any better than this and you are definitely paying the premium for these numbers. You are looking at 250 watts RMS with a 500 watts peak at 8 ohms.
The single 12-inch cash frame woofer features a Neodymium driver with a custom crossover, to produce lush tones and great projections. Overall, this is a fabulous guitar cab to have if you have the budget to back it up.
- Very well-toned low end
- Amazing sound
- Very expensive
- 250 watts RMS, 500 watts peak @ 8 ohms
5. BOSS KTN-50-2 Katana-50 MkII-50-watt 1×12 Guitar Combo Amp (KTN-50-MK2)
The Boss KTN-50-2 Katana-50 MkII-50-watt 1×12 Guitar Combo Amp is an excellent high-end and best 1×12 cab for metal that can deliver 50 watts of power (option for a 100 Watt available and a compact version available too).
You also have the ability to have 5 Watt output power. This comes in handy with the kids sleeping.
The tone of this amp is very detailed and crisp, and the sound clarity is excellent.
Is the Boss Katana 50 worth it?
This amp is also loaded with features, so there is no need to go out and buy any additional gadget or pedal. It also has a Tight and Bright switch for you to possibly change the EQ on it.
To ensure a user will not need anything else, this amp is loaded with tweeters, chorus, flange, reverb, distortion, and more. It would do justice to any live performance. Although it is a heavy amp, the weight does not prevent you from carrying it with you anywhere you want.
When you look at it a little closed, the BOSS Katana amp is a combo amp that’s perfect for rehearsing, practicing at home, and playing at any smaller venue. With 50 watts of power, this amp has a 12″ speaker inside the durable solid-wood cabinet that produces a rich sound with natural resonance and a sparkling resonance.
This amp also features a simple control panel with a Level knob to make adjustments, a Clean/Overdrive switch to select the desired amount of drive, and a built-in tuner.
Overall, this is an excellent high-end amp that will be a great addition to the collection of any musician who wants to have a great practice session or good jam. All in all, the BOSS Katana amp is perfect for those who want to practice at home or play at a smaller venue.
- 50 watts
- Great mid to high-end cab
- Nice clear tones
Final words
We hope you enjoyed our article on the best 1×12 guitar cabinets. If you’re looking for a deeper, more powerful sound, then the above reviews on 1×12 cabs are more than sufficient for you to choose from.
The cabinets we selected have been vetted after many hours of research. So you are safe in choosing amongst these.
Note that our preference goes to the Orange 1×12, but we really like the Boss version too.
All in all, you have 5 options to choose from which will allow you to select the cab for your need whether it is for a recording session or a live setting, these are sure to deliver. Thank you for reading and we look forward to helping you find the perfect guitar cabinet for your needs.
