BluGuitar NanoCab 60-watt 1x12" Closed/Open-back Compact Cabinet Reviews

Lightweight but very solid feeling cabinet, very nicely put together and was pleasantly surprised at the quality of everything including the very nice dust cover, no skimping here. It is the smallest cabinet I have ever seen, but sound wise, it sounds as big as my slant vertical 2x12 cabinet (that is loaded with lightweight neo g12 creambacks, also purchased at Sweetwater and love them). In fact, they were very close in sound in my room when comparing side by side.
I agree with other reviewers that it has very big bass response, but the feel is very good (I also got the Amp1 mercury edition) and not flubby and can be tailored with the bass knob on the amp easily. Sounds good at both low and high volumes to me so far. I had it on the floor and standing only 3 or 4 feet away I feel like I was getting really good sound dispersion up to my ears even though this is so small and low to the floor. I am very pleased, I've been looking for a small, lightweight, and no-compromise sounding cabinet like this for a while and this checks all those boxes, definitely worth it in my opinion. Thanks to Joe Schaeffer you are the best!

I have been playing full stacks, half stacks, combos, etc. for years. (Should I mention that I just had my second hernia surgery?) This cab is ridiculously light-weight and rocks with the AMP1 Mercury Edition. I am stunned. I can't recommend enough!

If you want that MASSIVE 4 x 12 sound without the bulk and weight, this is your cab.

Look closely at the front photo to see those two triangular holes, bottom right and left. Those are real engineered ports, not just an after-thought vent. Because the high-quality speaker, internal volume, acoustic damping and ports are properly engineered to all work together, this thing sounds HUGE. It seems like magic, but it's science. Two of these will easily match any 4 x 12 cab I've ever used.

They even placed the logo plate directly in front of the speaker cone which reduces "cone cry" and other harsh "beaming" effects. That also deflects the highly directional treble frequencies so you get better off-axis dispersion. When you look at old photos of pro players, you'll notice we sometimes put tape over the center of grills, in front of the cone. Now you know why. Obviously Herr Blug knows that "old-school" trick too.

Having raved about the clever engineering and quality, I must say that this is not for everyone. Why? Well, price may be an issue for some, but the real reason is TONE. This thing is meant to play LOUD. That's where it shines. At lower volumes it still sounds fine, but the bass response is a bit boomy for smaller rooms. So, if you haven't had a chance to try one yet, consider the venues you play. If you play large stages, outdoors or just want maximum impact from a small portable cab, this thing ROCKS.

If you want portability but mostly play smaller venues, it is overkill. My intention with this review is to inform others so they can make a good choice for their needs and be satisfied. This cab is super-pro quality. It's properly designed, well-made and comes with a beautiful lined cover too!

But because it is designed to be LOUD, it is not the best budget solution for those of us who play jazz or cover tunes in smaller venues. If you are going on tour and need a portable small cab to ROCK large stages, two or four of these is a great choice. That's especially important if you tour Europe where gas prices and cartage fees are HIGH. Using small cabs can actually save you money on tour.

I should also point out that, compared to buying even a single premium 4 x 12 cab, these are a bargain!
You can buy FOUR of these for the price of ONE British or American made 4 x 12 pro-cab.

Having one pair allows stereo operation. Having Two Pairs allows stereo for both stage and FOH monitoring. You get wide-field stereo imaging without destroying the front row or irritating the already stressed-out sound techs. That's MUCH more versatile, efficient and convenient than carrying 4 x 12 or even 2 x 12 cabs. That also provides redundancy in case of mishaps.

Many thanks to the helpful staff of Sweetwater for letting me try this and the Blu Amp 1. I gave it a thorough work-out and know it is premium quality. It makes no sense to buy a Ferrari if you're only driving downtown in traffic. Like an exotic sports car, something with this much horsepower needs room to breathe.

When I was touring back in the 80's and driving around LA doing sessions, I would have KILLED to have something lightweight and small yet HUGE sounding like this! Hope this info helps you make a good choice! ;-)

I bought the amazing Amp1 because I needed a good portable rig for the quick in-and-out gigs I frequently end up playing. I needed a cab that didn't weigh a ton and would fit in the back of my tiny car. Small, inexpensive cabs often sacrifice tone, which I did not want.

The BluGuitar Nanocab is everything I could have wanted. The cab is voiced with a Thomas Blug-designed speaker, and the cabinet is not much bigger than the speaker itself.

Live, this thing can get LOUD, and handles the 100 watt Amp1 perfectly. I can't say enough about every piece of BluGuitar I've purchased, and this little cab is no exception. Great tone!

I recently purchased the BluGuitar NanoCab. I was a bit hesitant to buy it because of its small size and I had no experience with the BluGuitar brand. I wanted a small, lightweight cab to pair with my PRS MT-15 amp. I'm surprised that this small cab delivers such a nice sound. It is impressive with clean and distorted tones. It handles high volume distortion quite well. The NanoCab is a nice match with the PRS MT-15 in terms of tone, weight and size (both are 14 inches wide).

If size and weight really matter, and you want a lightweight cab that sounds great and is extremely easy to tote around, the BluGuitar NanoCab is a very good choice.