Use combo amp as speaker cab?

[Deleted]

I realize this isn't the exactly the right place to ask, but I don't feel like registering for another forum. And I know a lot of you have plenty of experience in this area.

Here's the situation: I have a small show coming up, I need a better amp but don't want to buy anything while I figure out what I need. (I sold off my larger amps a while back.) It all depends on whether we start gigging regularly, or only play ever few months. Meanwhile, I want to try to make things work with the gear on hand.

I have an Epiphone Valve Jr., which is a great little amp, plenty loud for my needs, but it only has a tiny 8" speaker, so there's no bass response. The Valve Jr. has a jack for its speaker, making it easy to run it into an external cab.

I also have a Line 6 Spider 30 with a nice-sounding 1x12 speaker (bought it for my son, but he doesn't play anymore). It's a nice lightweight unit, which is an important plus. AND the speaker is rated the same as the Valve Jr.'s speaker out (4 ohm).

So, I would like to use the Line 6 speaker as a cabinet, but it's hard-wired. I don't want to dismantle the Line 6, so it can still be used as a practice amp.

I'm thinking I could add a speaker jack to it, without removing the original wiring. The speaker has two extra unused lugs on it -- so all I need to do is solder/clip the wires from the added jack to those? (obviously, the Line 6 won't be plugged in when I'm using it as a cab!)

[Stevie]

Hmmm,

I'm wondering whether it's OK to pump audio back into the amp, switched off or otherwise?
With a more powerful amp you should use "Speakon" cables because of the currents involved, even with your little combo, I think I'd be inclined to try switching the speaker out for this purpose, but others on here would be better placed to advise than myself.

(I did do this once with a "Smoky Amp" into my Yamaha G100 112 without giving a second thought to this issue cnd no harm was done. You should see how loud a Smoky Amp is when pumped into a big loudspeaker!)

e&oe...

[Deleted]

I could also unclip the speaker wires in the Spider, that way there'd be no risk to the amp.

The Spider has a Celestion speaker, for what that's worth. The only other 4 ohm cab I found goes for 900 euros! (I know the Valve Jr. can be modified for an 8 ohm output, but that kind of mod is beyond me.)

[Deleted]

Just to be a little more clear, here's a photo of a Celestion (not mine).  I've labeled the two "extra" lugs 1 & 2. (#2 is the positive on my amp.)

My thought is I should be able to connect the new jack to these lugs, without having to remove the Line 6's wires. As long as the Line 6 isn't turned on, it shouldn't matter, right?

[andys]

Those wires from the Line 6 amp have spade connectors. If I were you I would simply take them off the speaker, and wire the two other lugs to a jack socket. Just to be on the safe side, as the two existing speaker wires will be connected to a transformer.

Just my penn'orth

[Deleted]

Nov 23, 2015 22:36:51 GMT andys said:

Those wires from the Line 6 amp have spade connectors. If I were you I would simply take them off the speaker, and wire the two other lugs to a jack socket. Just to be on the safe side, as the two existing speaker wires will be connected to a transformer.

Just my penn'orth

Yes, I think you're right. I was worried the quick connects were soldered on, but it looks like I should be able to just pull them. Thanks!

[Deleted]

So...a followup. I gave it a shot. Hooking things turned out to be pretty simple, no permanent changes to either amp.

On the other hand, the sound's not at all what I'm looking for. It's great if you're into super-thick n' creamy overdriven blues. And the Line 6's speaker definitely helped open up the bass end. But I need a much cleaner sound.

Luckily a like-new Bugera V55 just showed up at the local used shop. Fits my budget, and it's supposedly an emulation of the old 50s style amps, which is the sound I'm going for. Has footswitchable channels - and the drive change has a midrange boost, which is going to be very helpful. We'll see... taking it on a test drive at band practice tonight.