• From: Detroit
  • Registered: 2006-06-02
  • Posts: 5,807

Topic: Full Stack VS. Half stack

I'm going to be recording over Christmas, and I just learned the studio has a 5150 peavey head that's plugged into a 1960A and a 1960S Marshall 4x12 cabinets...full stack.

In my experience, I always loved the 4x12 tone as opposed to a 1x12 (combo) - does having a full stack make a big difference in tone, or is it just for volume purposes? Is there any advantage to recording with a full stack as opposed to a half?

Since my car will be full of presents, I'm going to be using all of their studio equipment. Although I'll likely record to my Apple and maybe sneak one of my guitars in the car!

Also if anyone has blues experience with 5150 amps, let me know your settings!

- Nic from Detroit... posting on JB's Forum since 6-2-2006
Ask me about my handwound Great Lakes Guitar Pickups
Since 2010, Bonamassa fans have taken advantage of my JB friend discount = my cost + shipping. cool
  • Rocket
  • Rocket
  • BONAMEGAMETAL
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  • From: San Francisco
  • Registered: 2006-04-26
  • Posts: 10,275

Re: Full Stack VS. Half stack

The full stack is going to have a disadvantage for most purposes, especially if you have no headphone mix and /or baffling techniques and / or do have others recording with you at the same time, especially in close proximity for 'the feel".  You could do some esoteric things however, depending on how, uh, carried away (and pershaps trivial) you care to get, the equipments used, engineering skills or willingness to experiment (most especially if you have a full complement of expensive microphones to dally with). The amp settings are always personal, so I can't advise.  Have fun.

Rock On & Keep the Faith,
Rocket

"He still doesn't charge for mistakes! wink"
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"Everybody wants ta get inta the act!"
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  • From: Pittsburgh
  • Registered: 2008-05-22
  • Posts: 261

Re: Full Stack VS. Half stack

That's going to move a lot of air in the studio.  Most guitarists including myself like a smaller lower wattage amp to record with so that the amp can be cranked without having to worry too much about bleed through and isolation issues.

If you're recording guitar parts seperately then there's not too much of a problem.  Put 'em in a room and crank 'em up.  Usually a close mic and a room ambient mic will work well.

Experiment with mic placement.  I'm finding that the placement of the mic effects the sound of the amp to tape drastically.  You can get vast differences in tone.

DannyG's Website

  • Rocket
  • Rocket
  • BONAMEGAMETAL
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  • From: San Francisco
  • Registered: 2006-04-26
  • Posts: 10,275

Re: Full Stack VS. Half stack

You 've got that right!

DannyG wrote:

... I'm finding that the placement of the mic effects the sound of the amp to tape drastically.  You can get vast differences in tone.

"He still doesn't charge for mistakes! wink"
http://jbonamassa.com/tour-dates/
"Everybody wants ta get inta the act!"
“Now, this isn’t your ordinary party crowd, here.  I mean, there are professionals in here.”
  • From: London, UK
  • Registered: 2008-07-27
  • Posts: 615

Re: Full Stack VS. Half stack

Well the full stack has its advantage, coz its easier to get that well wanted feed back, and that extra volume when there is no PA, and marshalls in particular sound better as they get louder, so thats the main advantage. But with a half stack, you still have tons of volume, but its easier to put away and store, it might not be as necessary to have a full stack, and with a full stack, particularly if you are very short, it can be difficult to reach the control panel, but there are many ways around that...
Whatever most suits the conditions woulc then be the better amp to be honest!
Its a personal preference, if it was me, i'd have a full stack, coz halves are hard to pack away as it is, you may aswell have another one!
But I seem to go for the combo version of amplifiers smile

Rus

Jamming with Joe and Bernie Marsden:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=18zqg3brNH8