If you’re a guitar player, chances are you’ve spent some time thinking about which guitar cabinet is right for you.
There are so many options on the market, it can be tough to know where to start. You may want a 1×12 cab or a 4×12 cab, also, you may like specific speaker sound.
So, if you can’t decide which guitar cabinet to buy, you came to the right place where you will find guitar cabs for rock, blues, and metal.
Also, check out some of the greatest speaker cabinets for bass amps.
What’s The Best Guitar Cabinet?
For this post, I have collected all of my favorite guitar cabinets I’ve used in my career. The list covers a wide range of cabs that is good for different styles of music and playing.
1. Marshall 1960A
Marshall 1960A is a 4×12″ angled guitar speaker cabinet that many consider a timeless classic. One of the most popular amp cabinets among guitar players and it is a versatile cabinet too. The cabinet has a closed-back design and can work with 4, 8, and 16 ohms.
It’s loaded with four Celestion G12T-75 speakers that sound awesome and have a great clean tone but also juicy dirty sounds. A slightly brighter tone than straight cabinets but I like it. Each speaker outputs 75 watts of power so it’s a huge, 300-watt cabinet for guitar amps that is awesome for live shows and great for recording.
Marshall 1960A is great for any kind of music and you can play blues, rock, metal and also has a great clean sound. It’s one of the most versatile speaker cabinets out there.
2. Orange Crush Pro 240
Another one of the best guitar cabinets for guitar amps is Orange Crush Pro 240. Like Marshall 1960A, it has a closed-back design and is equipped with four 60-watt custom-designed amp speakers that sound awesome. Has a slick Orange design and works with 16 ohms amp heads.
Crush Pro 240 Cabinet provides exceptional sound quality across a wide range of frequencies. These speakers have a warm low end and a smooth top end, making them perfect for a variety of genres. It’s a modern-sounding amplifier with famous Orange quality and a British tone. I have tested it with various amp heads and it always sounded great.
Also, this Orange cabinet has many advantages over other cabinets such as flexibility, relatively lightweight, and very affordable price. Great speaker cabinet for rock and metal music.
3. Vox V212C
If you love Vox amps for their unique sound then you will love the Vox V212C cabinet because it sounds just amazing and is great for crunchy guitar tones. With a semi-open back, Celestion speakers, and sound quality, the V212C guitar cabinet is amazing for live performances and it’s one of the best guitar cabinets for recording.
This is a 2×12 cabinet with two Celestion G12M Greenbacks in it that produces 50 watts of power. It works with 16 ohms and pairs perfectly with Vox amp heads such as AC30H and AC15CH but you can use any other amp head and it still is awesome. Also, has a classic Vox design and is easy to carry around.
Vox V212C has a great price tag and is a superb guitar cabinet for home use. If you love Vox sound, then you should get it.
4. Fender Hot Rod Deluxe 112
Fender is a beloved brand and doesn’t need an introduction and Hot Rod Deluxe 112 guitar cab is one of my favorite Fender products. The overall design of the cabinet is quite simple, but it’s this versatility something that makes it so awesome. The Fender Hot Rod Deluxe 112 can be used with any amplifier head, making it a great choice for those who want flexibility.
Fender Hot Rod Deluxe comes in different styles but I like the Tweed one the best. It’s a 1×12 cabinet with 80 watt Celestion G12P-80 speaker that produces a classic Fender tone which is great for crunchy and blues rhythm and lead tones. It produces classic Fender tones with a good low-end and rich midrange.
It’s an awesome live guitar amplifier and one of the best recording amps for a variety of styles of music.
5. PRS HDRX
The first thing you’ll notice about the PRS HDRX is its beautiful and eclectic design. Very minimalistic and one of the best guitar cabinets I have ever used. It’s a compact, easy-to-carry, closed-back speaker cabinet that will work with any amp head but perhaps the best one is PRS HDRX 50 amp head.
The cabinet is loaded with two great-sounding Celestion G12H-75 guitar speakers that output 75 watts of power. So, it’s a 150-watt cabinet which is great for live shows, rehearsal, or recording. All these features make it a very balanced-sounding guitar cabinet with full and rich tones.
PRS HDRX cabinet series includes 1×12, 2×12, and 4×12 and you can choose the one depending on your requirements but 2×12 is my favorite.
5. Peavey 6505 412
Peavey offers various 6505 cabinets but my favorite is a 240-watt 4×12 guitar cabinet. They have an angled one but I like the straight cabinet more. This is a closed-back style speaker cabinet with awesome tones that is great for metal and heavy music. Works great with Peavey 6505 head but can be used with any hi-gain amplifier and it will sound superb.
Peavey 6505 cabinet is loaded with four Celestion Vintage 30 speakers which are one of my favorites. These speakers make the 6505 guitar cabinet a great option for classic and modern metal tones. Another awesome thing is that it has mono and stereo I/O and works with 16 and 8 ohms. Also, the construction is great and it is built with 18-ply Baltic Birch.
If you want to create a really cool modern metal sound but also have the option for classic tones, then this is the cabinet for you.
7. Bogner 212C
The Bogner 212C extension cabinet is a great choice if you want to have a great bass response and punchy sound. This 2×12 guitar cabinet is great for home use or playing in small club shows. Also, it’s one of my favorite guitar cabinets for recording crunchy to mid-heavy guitar tones.
The cabinet is a closed-back style with rich tones thanks to two Celestion Vintage 30 speakers. This 120-watt guitar amp cabinet produces a huge sound and is very elegant looking. Bogner is known for very high-quality, boutique-like amps and cabinets and 212C is no exception.
If you love Vintage 30 speaker sound and 120 watts is enough for you, then this might be the great choice because it can record well and is great for gigging too.
8. Blackstar HTV412
Blackstar HTV412 is a 4×12 Celestion Seventy 80 angled guitar cabinet that’s been designed to deliver exceptional tone and volume. It’s made with finger-locking Birch plywood and features a high-quality black Tolex covering. This extension cabinet has enough power to be used on large stages and is awesome for recording.
One of the most interesting things about the HTV412 guitar cabinet is the ability to work in 4×12 or 2×12 mode. It has 8 ohms stereo input and 4/16 ohms mono inputs which are switchable. With Seventy 80 speakers and 320 watts, this is the best guitar cabinet and is amazing for heavy music. This is the matching cabinet for Blackstar Venue series amps but you can use it with other amp heads and it will still sound great.
The bottom line is that if you’re looking for a top-quality guitar cab that will give you great heavy and clean tones.
9. Mesa/Boogie Rectifier Standard 4×12
Rectifier Standard 4×12 is a sturdy piece of equipment, made with Birch with black Taurus vinyl and featuring handles for easy transport. The standard series also includes an angled version but I haven’t used it so a straight one is my choice.
The sound quality of the Rectifier Standard 4×12 cabinet is top-notch. It uses Celestion Vintage 30 speakers that sound superb and you get a classic Mesa/Boogie sound that is rich and full. One of the best guitar cabinets for metal but you can play anything with this cabinet. Produces 240 watts of power, has mono and stereo inputs, and type is closed-back. Perhaps a favorite guitar cabinet for recording metal music.
If you’re looking for a versatile speaker cabinet that will give you great sound no matter what style of music you’re playing, then the Rectifier Standard 4×12 is a great option.
Summary
There are lots of great guitar cabinets on the market and it’s hard to choose the right one for you. And to make it easier I created this list of my favorite guitar cabs. If you’re looking for a classic and versatile sound, go with the Marshall 1960A. But if you need a more metal-sounding cabinet, I think Mesa/Boogie is the best.
However, any speaker cabinet in this list has high-quality sound and offers various sound options.