412 cabs!

[boardn10]

Hey guys,

Any comments on used cabs on the market such as Marshall, Mesa, etc?
I would love a PRS cab or another Splawn, but can't history the cost. I have a straight Aplawn 412, Bogner 212 OS and Stone Age 212 OS. I want a slant cab like the Marshall 1960A. I love the Splawn hybrid cab which looks like slant top, but has an internal tilted straight baffle.

In listening to cabs, the Marshalls, Orange, Splawn, Bogner sound warm/juicy and full. The Mesa cabinets I have heard and tried lack the warmth and seem more dry to me, unfortunately.

Thanks for suggestions!

 

[Mark Ray]

My only remaining 4x12 is an Egnater Tourmaster w/Vintage 30's. It's slanted, and is a beast on stage! (I guess that's why it sits under it's cover collecting dust, sadly)

 

[GuitarJammin]

The most important things are Speakers, Speakers and Solid wood construction (no particle board) that make all the difference. After all that is said and done the speakers make a difference too in case I didn't mention.

 

[GuitarJammin]

After being disappointed with lots of cabs I'd try out and just not finding one. I ended up going a different route.

My 4x12 is a all solid birch cabinet (a older Randall cab i got for cheap) I sold the Celestions that were in it and that almost made the cab free. Then I went to town buying speakers to try in it (so you can do research on what kind of tone you are after) I found my match and love the cab...Im like around 500 bux all in and this cab blows away any other cab I've ever tried for it's target tone.

I also bought a empty 2x12 all birch cab off reverb and stuffed speakers in that cab which also came out great.

Mind you, I do have a Archon 25 combo..and a PRS 1x12 with the stock speakers in both for other target tones. If I decide I want Metal Meat out of the combo served as a thick cut porter house steak I'll plug the little combo into my 2x12 and I'll be needing the steak knife.

 

[Black Plaid]

After being disappointed with lots of cabs I'd try out and just not finding one. I ended up going a different route.

My 4x12 is a all solid birch cabinet (a older Randall cab i got for cheap) I sold the Celestions that were in it and that almost made the cab free. Then I went to town buying speakers to try in it (so you can do research on what kind of tone you are after) I found my match and love the cab...Im like around 500 bux all in and this cab blows away any other cab I've ever tried for it's target tone.

I also bought a empty 2x12 all birch cab off reverb and stuffed speakers in that cab which also came out great.

Mind you, I do have a Archon 25 combo..and a PRS 1x12 with the stock speakers in both for other target tones. If I decide I want Metal Meat out of the combo served as a thick cut porter house steak I'll plug the little combo into my 2x12 and I'll be needing the steak knife.

When you say "solid birch", you mean "birch ply", yeah?

I don't know of any manufacturers that have ever made non-plywood 4x12s

 

[GuitarJammin]

I'm sure it's ply, but when i meant solid wood...I just meant to avoid the particle board (little random pieces glued together). For me it was important to avoid particle board.

 

[Rider1260]

I have always like the 1960a cab 4x12s just sound good , pain in the butt to move around at times.


IMG_6064 by https://www.flickr.com/photos/152274366@N08/

 

[boardn10]

I do love Egnater and I had an Egnater 212 with the Elite 80s. Sounded great. Often wish I kept it, but replaced it with the Bogner and Stone Age cabs. I never liked that Beige or cream color of the Egnater. Wished it was black or a dark color. Just my preference.

I am waiting for a 1990s UK built 1960A with UK Celestion cab in excellent shape to pop up locally. For the price, it can't be beat. They are a dime a dozen. I paid $600 for my Splawn straight cab but sort of wish I had gotten the Slant cab. Although this Splawn sounds amazing.

Mesa cabs sound dry and lack what I like in a cabinet. I like Marshall, Bogner, Splawn, Orange, and Sue I would like Friedman, PRS and Suhr cabs. I like the Fryette Deliverance cab too.

I just won't spend that amount on a cab again.

One thing I have found is that thr Marshall with the partial board rear panel sound just as good as the pine wood panels. But it's crazy how one cab to the other with the same speakers can sound different. One of the best cabs I played thru had a partial board back panel.

 

[boardn10]

My only remaining 4x12 is an Egnater Tourmaster w/Vintage 30's. It's slanted, and is a beast on stage! (I guess that's why it sits under it's cover collecting dust, sadly)

Why not use it instead of collecting dust?
Their cabs are great. I don't like the color though.

 

[RickP]

I still like the sound of a Marshall 4x12 greenback cab, and though I have no actual use for one, would love to have one in the music room. I well remember having two 4x12 cabs in “live in” road cases at one point. Crazy heavy. That’s off the menu these days for me!

 

[boardn10]

I get thrle weight thing and I love the sound of my 412, but I could easily use my Bogner or SA 212.our other guitarist uses a Marshall 412 and I feel I have to keep up. For our music too, I think 100 watt heads and 412s add muscle and girth, but I would be fine using my 212.

 

[Serious Poo]

In my home studio I run my rack into a closed back 4x12 wired in stereo and a pair of open back 2x12's in stereo. For jams and rehearsals I just bring a head and one of my 2x12's. FWIW, the 4x12 is an absolute beast. It's the heaviest sounding cabinet I've ever played through, much tighter than the Marshall and Mesa cabs I've owned.

 

[Mark Ray]

Why not use it instead of collecting dust?
Their cabs are great. I don't like the color though.

99% of our gigs are in venues where it is just too much, size-wise and volume-wise. It is a killer sounding cab, and I will keep it for those rare one-off jobs.

 

[boardn10]

In my home studio I run my rack into a closed back 4x12 wired in stereo and a pair of open back 2x12's in stereo. For jams and rehearsals I just bring a head and one of my 2x12's. FWIW, the 4x12 is an absolute beast. It's the heaviest sounding cabinet I've ever played through, much tighter than the Marshall and Mesa cabs I've owned.

Who makes that 412?

 

[boardn10]

99% of our gigs are in venues where it is just too much, size-wise and volume-wise. It is a killer sounding cab, and I will keep it for those rare one-off jobs.

I get it..
I don't find 412s to be louder. I can keep the volume lower on my 412 than my 212 if I want and it still sounds fuller and better for our music which is like Slipknot meets Tool.

 

[Serious Poo]

Who makes that 412?

Roman over at Coffee Cabs. He made an absolute dream cabinet for me. https://coffee-audio.com/lungo-412/

 

[Boogie]

In listening to cabs, the Marshalls, Orange, Splawn, Bogner sound warm/juicy and full. The Mesa cabinets I have heard and tried lack the warmth and seem more dry to me, unfortunately.

In my experience, you have to tune the amp to the cab. I’ve had Marshall cabs that ice pick the from row’s eyes out. A twist of the knobs later, gorgeous.

 

[boardn10]

Roman over at Coffee Cabs. He made an absolute dream cabinet for me. https://coffee-audio.com/lungo-412/

If I were a pro musician and needed the best studio cab or big stage cab, I would get something like this. But I just play at home for fun, jam with friends and may gig again but my Splawn 412, Bogner and Stone Age cabs do amazingly well.
I spent a lot on a custom Ear Candy cabs many years ago an dated it. It was ported. I also didn't like the Port Cory ported cab either. I think my regular 411and Bogner 212 destroyed it. I also refer my cabs closed, not ported or semi open, etc. I find the tone thins out with any back opening.

 

[3rdstone]

I got an old closed back Peavey 4x12 probably 10-15 years ago and reloaded it with WGS speakers suited to my style.
It weighs 1000lbs so I only break it out for outdoor gigs etc but it is so worth it when you can let it rip.
The problem is that is a rare occurrence these days. I played a Christmas party this weekend with in-ears and Kempers (zero stage volume) and they still said it was too loud!

 

[AP515]

I don't know a lot about cabs. Don't have a lot of experience with the wide range of makers. I have just found that 4x12's seem to have fallen out of favor and there are pretty good ones going for cheap on the used market. I picked up one with 4 Celestions for $140. I have it facing the wall and run my PRS "H" amp through it. Lovely room full of sound coming out all those speakers. The definition of headroom.