http://www.gbandf.com/home-speaker-amplifier/
Can you run a guitar amplifier through a home speaker?
Alright, I got these MASSIVE speakers from a thrift store for ten bucks. Huge vintage speakers. I have a guitar amplifier, it’s not too big but not too small; just a standard mid-size guitar amplifier. It can produce some great tones, but doesn’t play too loud without signal distortion. My amp has an output jack, and I’m thinking about running the amp through one of the speakers. Will this work?
I have an adapter into 1/4.
Hello there,
Yes you can. Well maybe. There is a lot that goes into the sound a speaker makes. The enclosure has a significant impact. The speakers used in guitar speaker cabs have a pretty heavy magnet. Also, you need to watch the impedance so you do not mismatch the speakers and the amp. A mismatch can damage an amp. It could create a loss of volume (probably not what you are looking for). You can also get lousy tone from a mismatch, at least in my opinion.
I am assuming the speakers you have found are from some musical device, organ, stereo, something like that. So they should work. If they are larger than your current speaker, yes, they are gonna push some air.
My own preference is for a closed back cab. That’s my preference. Others may differ. My Bandmaster uses a closed back cab and I love the sound. My Marshall JCM 900 with its 1960 cab is a closed back cab and I love the sound of it. Heck, even my little Marshall Lead Combo 2×12 and the newer Line 6 2×12 are closed back cabs. The construction of the cab has an effect on the tone. I think the insulating material does. I don’t like the foam they put in some new cabs.
There a lot of factors that you can address to alter the tone. Check the speakers you got and see what the power rating is (x watts) and the impedance (x ohms). Check your amp. There is probably a plate by the external speaker jack that says something like 20 watts @ 8 ohms. Most amps are 4, 8 or 16 ohms.
Now if your speakers are say 30 watts at 8 ohms and you amp is say 20 watts at 8 ohms. Wire one speaker to your input jack and you are good to go. Plug it in. Be sure to use a shielded cable.
However, lets say your speakers are 30 watts at 16 ohms and your amp is 20 watts at 8 ohms. This time you need to wire in both speakers. Wire them in parallel and you will have a 8 ohm load that matches your amp.
Even you are running a20 watt amp, you can wire your speakers with 18 gauge AWG wire. Here is a wiring diagram to help you connect the speakers.
http://colomar.com/Shavano/2x12wiring.html
Another note. If your speakers are in a cabinet that was used for a stereo, the cab may be ported. That is okay for bass. I don’t like it for guitar. You may want to close the port(s) if you have that style speaker cabinet.
If you need to make a speaker cabinet. I like pine best for the sides, top and bottom. Nice rice tone. Use birch no voids plywood for the front and back. I like fiberglass insulation inside (not foam). Run a small strip like a 1×1 along the joints (if you do not finger them). Wood glue and screws. Use plenty of screws to secure the front and back. Caulk the joints to make them airtight.
You may not make your amp a lot louder, but with good speakers you can make it sound better. How much better depends on what speakers you have in your combo amp and what speakers you use in the extension cab.
Later,
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