The most popular type of guitar cabinet size is 4×12. Many people prefer the 4×12 guitar cabinets because they produce a louder sound. It can also be easier for a band to create a fuller sound.
Although a 4×12 guitar cabinet is a little bit heavier than a 4×10 guitar cabinet, they are still a popular choice.
There are a few different 4×12 guitar cabinets on the market.
While it might be difficult to make a choice, it’s important to remember to look for the features that matter to you as well as find a guitar cabinet that fits your budget and provides you the sound quality you are after. More on this below.
Note that we have researched the market for these 4×12 cabinets and we produced five 4×12 cabinet reviews. You’ll find these below.
1. Marshall 1960 300W 4×12 Guitar Extension Cabinet
The Marshall 1960is the best 4×12 guitar cabinet if you want a brand-name cab.
Marshall is a very well-known player in the audio world and makes very nice guitar cabs.
The Marshall MG Series is one of their low-budget high-performance products.
Why Do You Need a 4×12 Guitar Cabinet?
Back in the glory days, all you needed was the top 4 x 12 guitar cabinet and a 100-watt guitar amp, and you can rock any venue. The 4×12 cab is both iconic and powerful.
It delivers one of the highest sound pressure of any cabs out there and will get your music delivered. However, the drawback is that it is definitely heavy and not portable at all.
For those of you who don’t know, a guitar cabinet is basically wooden housing that contains guitar loudspeakers, amplifiers, and drivers.
The guitar speakers can range from 6.5 inches in diameter up to 12 or more inches. A 4 x 12 guitar cabinet means a housing that contains four 12 inch speakers. Many cabinets contain built-in amplifiers, but this is not always the case.
If you want light and portability, the 4×12 cab is clearly not the right fit for you. You won’t be able to pack it in a suitcase and take it with you on the road easily.
You’ll need a 1×12 or 2×12 cab for that. But if you have decided that the 4×12 guitar cab is the right size for you, you will need to do a lot more research, see next section.
What to look for when buying a 4×12 cabinet?
First and foremost, you need to examine the 4×12 cab quality and in particular its construction.
This is very important in determining audio quality and acoustics.
The rule of thumb is that the more expensive 4×12 cabs will be made of better materials and have better acoustics, with a more rich fuller sound. However, the trade-off is that better materials are usually heavier.
But, this also means the guitar cabinet will be less prone to sliding around when in action.
Next, you should focus on relevant statistics such as wattage and impedance. While in general higher wattage for the speakers means more power and volume, you should pay more attention to RMS power.
Most wattage numbers given will be peak power, which is never really realized. Finally, you should learn more about the average output of the speakers, which is what RMS or Root Mean Square Power tells you.
Impedance is also an important metric to pay attention to because you must match the impedance of the speaker cabinet to the amplifier or you will run into problems.
Best 4×12 Guitar Cabinet
- Marshall 1960 4×12 Angled Guitar Cabinet
- Line 6 Spider V 30 MKII Cabinet
- Seismic Audio – 412 Slant guitar speaker cab 4 x 12”
- Peavey 6505 4×12 Slant Cabinet
- Blackstar HTV412B Guitar Amplifier Cabinet
1. Marshall 1960 300W 4×12 Guitar Extension Cabinet
Marshall is a very well-known player in the loudspeaker industry, and the MG Series is one of their most popular lineups.
This 4 x 12” 1960 cab comes with custom Celestion 1960 speakers.
It is the best 4×12 guitar cabinet if you want affordability, reliability, and decent sound.
Of course, the audiophiles are going to complain about it, but the average person won’t be able to tell the difference. And for the price range, you can’t really beat its quality.
Perhaps the best feature of this guitar cabinet is that it is suitable for beginners and pros.
Additionally, we really like the cool and sleek carbon fiber look, which adds a nice finishing touch to the speakers.
These speakers are pretty lightweight for being 4×12 cabs and sound alright for the most part. Also, they are great for getting on and off the stage fast and for practice.
In terms of specs, you have 4 speakers delivering a total of 300 W total. The Marshall has an 8 or 16 Ohm impedance.
Finally, it has a weight of 81 pounds, which is pretty light. All in all, you can’t go wrong with these speakers for the price.
- Very affordable
- Lightweight
- Suitable for beginners and pros
- 300 W total @ 8 or 16-ohm impedance
2. Line 6 Spider V 30 MKII
The Line 6 Spider V 30 MKII 4×12 cabinet is an unmatched high-power cabinet that delivers the tone and response of a true guitar amp.
The built-in best 4×12 cab features a 12″ Custom Speaker and the Spider V 30 MKII guitar amp head comes pre-loaded into the cabinet.
The 4×12 cabinet can also be used with other Line 6 guitar amp heads such as the Spider III HD 150.
Featuring a custom-design 12″ speaker, the Line 6 Spider V 30 MKII 4×12 cabinet’s superior construction and remarkable power handling means it’s ready for any gig, from small venues to stadiums.
I am sure that when you are playing guitar, you want a sound that is as clear and accurate as possible. The Line 6 Spider V 30 MKII is a perfect solution for this. It does tighten up the tone and make your music sound crisp and beautiful.
Overall, the Line 6 Spider V 30 MKII is a high-performance amp modeling combo made for those who care about sound quality and those who don’t want to go through the hassle of lugging around giant amps and cabs.
The Line 6 Spider V 30 MKII can either be powered by a traditional power amplifier or through the power of an optional (but recommended) battery.
Finally, the Spider V 30 MkII will give any guitarist exactly what they need to take their sound to the next level.
- Great mid-level 4×12 cab
- 30 watts of power
- 18 pounds
3. Seismic Audio – 412 Slant guitar speaker cab – 4×12 400 Watts PA/DJ PRO AUDIO
With concerts being one of the top sources of entertainment for many people, one must have the proper equipment to amplify the sound. We believe it is the best 4×12 cabinet for metal.
The Seismic Audio 412 Slant Guitar Speaker Cabinet 4×12 400 Watts PA/DJ PRO AUDIO fits that bill as being a state-of-the-art speaker cabinet.
This best 4×12 cabinet speaker is built with high-quality wood and covered in black carpet. The cabinet has durable black metal corner protectors to protect it from damages.
The cabinet features two compartments, one for the speaker cab and one for the amp head.
The amp head compartment has room for an amplifier that has up to 400 watts.
The speakers are capable of putting out 400 Watts and a peak of 800 Watts, which is more than enough power for a gig.
This speaker cabinet is a great addition for any professional who plays acoustic or electric music. With accurate subs and a warm and smooth sound, this speaker cabinet is a perfect addition for any live and studio environment.
Even though it is thinner than most speaker cabinets, it still is able to produce a great sound. This is due to the fact that the quality of the speakers is extremely high.
We also like how it is very durable. Overall, it is a great 4×12 guitar cab with clear mids, pounding lows, and crisp highs. And don’t forget, it is one of the best 4×12 guitar cabinet for metal.
- 400 Watts of power
- 8-ohm mono or stereo
- 67.8 pounds
- 96 dB
- Very durable
4. Peavey 6505 4×12 Slant Cabinet
If you are looking for a solid 4×12 cab with stellar performance, you should take a look at the Peavey 6505. The first thing that stands out with this 4×12 cabinet is that it’s quite heavy.
It weighs in at nearly 90 pounds, making it a big to carry as one person. Perhaps the stand-out feature is its high-density plywood construction.
Also, it definitely doesn’t feel cheap and we think it sounds quite nice. The midrange is where the Peavey 6505 really shines while other cabs can get muddy pretty quickly.
The low end is loud and punchy and the highs are nice and crisp.
In terms of specs, you are looking at 300W RMS power loaded with 4 12 inch Sheffield 1200 speakers. There is an 8-ohm input and it is an angled closed-back guitar cabinet. So all pretty standard features for a cab.
The one thing that has us a bit worried about is the price. It is not exactly a cheap cab not is it an outrageously priced one.
However, the price is definitely on the higher end of things. But we feel that the slightly above market price really the only thing holding it back from mainstream success.
- 300 Watts
- 8-ohm input
- Great mids
- 90 pounds and heavy
5. Blackstar HTV412B Guitar Amplifier Cabinet
The Blackstar HTV412B Guitar Amplifier Cabinet is really designed for serious audiophiles and picky musicians.
This 4×12 cab is not exactly the best-looking guitar cabinet out there. However, in terms of sound, we would put it very high on our list. It features 4 twelve-inch Celestion 80 Watts speakers and premium matched tubes.
Additionally, it has tremendous sound quality and is able to deliver clear crisp sound. The construction is also extremely solid and makes the entire unit extremely durable.
In terms of specifications, you are looking at mono 320 Watts RMS and 4-16 ohms input. You can also use the cabinet as a stereo 160W/channel.
It is made of all plywood construction and a 12mm baffle board.
Don’t judge a book by its covers. Even though the Blackstar may not look like it is worth much, you actually end up paying a huge premium for it.
- 320 Watts RMS
- 4-16 ohm input
- Celestion speakers
- Superior sound quality
Final words
It is true that 4×12 guitar cabinets are the most common size cabinet on the market for gigs and open-air festivals. While they may not sound as good as a 2×12 or 4×10 cabinet can, they do make up for it with their ability to create the most volume of the three.
The cabinets can hold a total of four 12″ speakers and they can also house a range of different types of speakers for your specific needs. For example, you can put a tweeter in a 4×12 cabinet to get a crisper response from the cabinet.
Now, these cabinets come in different shapes and forms. They can be big, bulky, and heavy, or small and light. If you want to do an open-air event, then we would suggest you go for the Seismic 400 Watt with a peak power of 800 Watt cabinet.
However, if you are playing in restaurants, pubs, or indoor small facilities, then any of the other best 4×12 guitar cabinets described above should be fine.
References
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guitar_speaker
https://www.premierguitar.com/articles/25482-speaker-geeks-wiring-up-a-4×12-cab
