Guitar cabinets are crucial to a player’s tone. Choosing the right cabinet can completely change everything about your sound and frequency balance.
Here we break down the best guitar cabinets available today, from 1×12 expansion cabinets to powerful 4×12 half-stacks. No matter your playing style, there’s a cabinet that can help you expand your sound.
Find the best-selling models on Reverb, decide which one is right for you, and own your stage or studio.
Top 8 Best Guitar Cabinets
1. Orange PPC-212 (Horizontal)
Orange has been a mainstay in the rock scene, and when you consider the quality of their gear, it’s easy to see why.
Founded in 1968, the company has brought in many big names. Jimmy Page (Led Zep), Billy Gibbons (ZZ Top), Jim Root (Slipknot), and Brian “Head” Welch (Korn) have all used their gear.
This horizontal variant of the Orange PPC-212 is a particularly great space-saving option when height is a constraint.
The Celestion Vintage 30 speakers offer a solid, responsive sound with excellent projection. And the classic Orange color will definitely make you stand out.
One of the unique features of the Orange is the “skid runner.” This black bar attached to the bottom of the cabinet helps to affix the cabinet to the stage floor, improving bass response.
This 2×12” cabinet is a horizontal configuration. While vertical cabinets are great if you have width limitations (more on that in a moment), full-size head amps don’t fit that well, especially if you have 100-watt heads.
This isn’t an issue with the horizontal cabinets. That means you can stack multiple head amps on top of each other, taking advantage of the height.
2. Evh 5150 iii 2×12 cabinet
If you’re looking for a cabinet that can handle any tuning and cut through any mix as smooth as butter, the Evh 5150 iii 2×12 cabinet is your choice.
The frequency balance it offers is truly magical. All leads and fast riffs will be very defined and clear. This monster has an incredibly tight low end, making hissing sound like a monster.
The low mids are also leveled out, making the tone sound very smooth. The high mids are quite controlled. They have great clarity, but they don’t sound harsh.
The high end is buttery clear and smooth. You can feel a very smooth presence in all types of playing with this cabinet.
You can also expect a lot of dynamics from this cabinet. The stickiness of the instruments is noticeable. This cabinet excels in low tunings. It gives a very balanced tone, making the low tunings sound clean and clear.
The bass is tight, making the hissing sounds in low tunings sound very controlled.
The way this cabinet handles saturation is incredible. You can really push the amp while still maintaining a clean tone. This cabinet will sound incredible in any mix.
3. Fender Hot Rod Deluxe 112 Guitar Amplifier Cabinet
The Hot Rod Deluxe™ amplifier has become the world’s best-selling tube amplifier.
Since its introduction, it has been the go-to amp for countless guitarists and is a favorite among rock, country, funk, pop, blues, and jazz players alike.
Designed as an expansion cabinet for the classic Hot Rod Deluxe and Blues Deluxe combo amps, this lovely little box from Fender helps double your tone with a spacious, room-filling sound.
The Fender Hot Rod Deluxe cabinet is the perfect fit for your blues, rock, country, and more gear.
This 1×12 closed cabinet features a Celestion G12-80P for a smooth, rich sound, with low-end extension for extra creaminess and power.
Visually, the Fender has a distinctive look that harkens back to the 50s and 60s, but sonically, this cabinet has an impressive range.
4. Orange PPC212OB 2×12
Orange cabinets are quickly becoming one of the most popular cabinets thanks to their fantastic build quality, sound, and of course, their distinctive Orange Tolex wrap.
The Orange PPC212OB features two Celestion Vintage 30 speakers. This is a classic combo of guitar cabinet construction. It delivers a very mid-range heavy sound without boomy lows or harsh highs.
Thanks to the open-back cabinet design and diagonally placed speakers, there is a distinctly airy quality that fills the room well.
Orange’s trademark skid runners replace the typical feet you’ll find on most guitar cabinets. They acoustically bond to the surface on which the cabinet rests, ensuring excellent sound transmission and controlled lows.
5. Marshall Origin ORI212A 2×12 Angled
The Marshall Origin ORI212A is designed to be paired with Marshall Origin amplifier heads, but it also easily fits a variety of smaller amplifier heads.
This cabinet can accommodate full-size amplifier heads, but the sides stick out a bit.
Due to the vertical configuration of the speakers, this cabinet may sound a little odd at first, especially if you are used to a typical 2×12 or 4×12 cabinet.
However, once this effect wears off, you will quickly discover a bright, punchy tone that will work well with a variety of amplifier heads.
The angled cabinet provides excellent presence on loud stages, and the sealed design ensures that the bass remains strong and clear.
It is light enough to be moved by one person, and can easily climb narrow stairs in any venue.
6. Engl E412VS Pro Guitar Cabinet
The Engl E412VG Pro guitar cabinet is designed for rock and metal players, combining a huge guitar sound with German engineering for a powerful combination.
It is a very solid guitar cabinet suitable for heavy styles and extended-range guitars.
Even when the lower strings are squeaking, the bass response of this cabinet remains tight and clear without feeling ‘flimsy’.
At higher gain settings it sounds absolutely phenomenal, delivering a punch that hits you in the chest and never lets up. As expected, it is a very well-built unit, so it is quite heavy.
Fortunately, the recessed handles and casters are added to make it relatively easy to move around, and you can rest assured that it will withstand any bumps it takes while moving.
7. Orange PPC412 AD Angled 4×12 Guitar Cabinet
The Orange PPC412 4×12 guitar cabinet is a very strong piece of guitar gear that will make your guitar amp head sing.
The sturdy construction and lack of casters means it sits on a surface, making it a very stable-sounding cabinet.
The Celestion Vintage 30 speakers deliver a very balanced and very powerful guitar tone. You get beautifully sparkling highs and solid lows without being too lopsided to either side.
It’s one of the most versatile guitar cabinets, handling both a sparkling clean and high gain well.
The construction is typical Orange. It’s sturdy and solid, able to handle anything you throw at it. It doesn’t have casters, so be prepared to have someone help you move it long distances!
8. Mesa Boogie Rectifier 4×12
The Mesa Boogie is the gold standard for rock and metal tones, so it’s no surprise that their guitar cabinet is also a standout in this department.
Designed to be paired with the Dual and Triple Rectifier amp heads, this is a massive cabinet for monster guitar tones.
The Mesa Boogie 4×12 remains clean and clear even at the highest gain settings, allowing the amp’s natural tone to really shine.
It’s also great on the lighter side, perfect for arpeggiated clean passages and chord work with lots of delay and reverb.
The cabinet is very well-built and will withstand a lot of abuse, both in and out of the box. It’s constructed of marine-grade Baltic birch, ensuring top-quality sound that will stand the test of time.
What is a guitar cabinet?
A guitar cabinet is a wooden housing for 1 to 4 speakers. The cabinet is always paired with an amp head to power it. This is because the head doesn’t have an internal speaker like a combo amp.
Honestly, that’s all there is to it! To reiterate, a cabinet is just a wooden box with speakers in it, and you connect the head (amp) to the cabinet (speaker) to get the sound.
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