Head cab or combo

[dude]

I have several Hammond AO-43 chassis's and faceplates (6V6 Plexi). I'm getting ready to order some bd material from Doug but I'd like to ask here which would be a better seller, a 6V6 Plexi head or a combo?

A head cab built like the Marshall JTM-45 or a Marshall single 12" combo like a Bluesbreaker style cab. Also, is it worth making the room for 6L6s and EL34s, along with 6V6s, this entails a lot of work relocating the 8-pin sockets.   


al

[dude]

Was hoping to get some feedback, on a head or combo. Thanks anyway, for all the help and knowledge everyone’s here has given me over the years. Cheers, al

[RWood]

Al, you know my answer, lol. Interested to know what the others think.

Here's mine:

 

[Willabe]

On a smaller amp, like 2x6V6's, I like the convenience of a combo myself. Even 2x6L6 amps. 

Their easier and faster to move from gig to gig.   
 

[pdf64]

Head every time for me.
Yes, a small, light combo can be more convenient than separate head and speaker cabs, but my perception and experience is that with combos, the intense vibration from speakers in very close proximity is damaging to tubes; they get shaken such that the mica spacers loosen up and they then exhibit microphony etc, and their useful operational life is significantly reduced
Tubes are way better mounted in a separate head cab, vertically, with their pins facing down.
The only combo design I'm aware of that mitigates the above issues to a good degree is the horribly complex arrangement of the 60s Vox AC30.

[jjasilli]

Dude, there is no answer to your question for a small scale builder. 

[mresistor]

Depends on what you want to do personally. If you have speaker cabs then a head would be convienent and also easier to build. If you want convenience as mentioned then a combo.
I'm not so sure a head is going to have less vibration on the tubes as we usually set the head cab on top of the speaker cab.  If you set the head cab on something else then I guess that holds true.
Do what you desire .

[jjasilli]

Guys, the question is: "which would be a better seller".  The answer is the one your actual customer happens to want, which is unknowable on a small scale unless you build to order.  Since you have a handful to build, maybe build one of each as "demo's"; and see what happens. 

Plexi is synonymous with head.  So plexi buyers probably trend towards head & cab as a built-in mindset of their own.  If I were a gambling man and building a plexi on spec (no buyer in advance with $ down), I'd build the head version first. 

[shooter]

I don't even provide a head unit, just links and chassis dimensions, want it in grandpa's old _______, no problem, x$'s, a 30's radio, no problem, x$'s.........................
If it's for me, no problem 

[mresistor]

Ok since the question is what is a better seller I think a smaller lower watt amp would sell better in a combo cabinet for the reasons Willabe mentions. I've had several people ask me if I have a PR for sale. Self contained, one piece to carry in and out..  .. 

[dude]

The only reason for the question, I have five AO-43 Hammond chassis's I already made Head and Combo version paper face plates, from free software with help from a member here. These heavy paper faceplates will be covered with thin plexiglass material. Took a lot of time getting the faceplates to look right. So, I bought the chassis's with the intent to sell them on say Craigslist or FleaBay but I have several friends that are gigging older players to peddle them.


The head version I made is a great amp, no cab yet.  I made several mistakes mostly the layout locations but worked out all the space problems, cap location, small bd to fit, easy to get to replace parts, etc.


Hence, the question. I always hated lugging a combo around, especially with two twelves, so I thought a single is lighter. But then I thought, like jjasilli mentioned, a Plexi is a head, usually. And two "light" trips isn't heavy, enables one to carry a two twelve spk cab (much better tone), second trip the head.  But on the other hand, there's the other side of the coin...? Though maybe I'd get a majority here but got the same feedback as I was thinking, six to one, half a dozen to the other. 


Doing the combo, single twelve, thought probably best to put the tubes on the side of the chassis, pointing down, like a Marshall 18 watt combo, much cooler than inside the cab even with a vent and assesssable. I like carrying one amp, one trip but two light trips...?


I think I might do one combo and the rest heads. The head cab is much easier to make, looks very cool. Keep a head and combo for myself, sell three heads, maybe make more.


I made a lot of design mistakes, very small chassis (thin) but now I got that all figured out.


My question is answered, there is no answer,    but if there were, probably a head version.


Here's the head, no cab, I have added numbers to the faceplate and can easily print it out to exact dimensions but much easier to take the file to a print shop and have it printed on heavyweight paper (pretty cheap), cut the holes and cover with thin plastic. Looks professional.


Thanks for the replies,
the dude