Shopping for guitar cab - help me choose

Resonant Alien · Post by **Resonant Alien** » Fri Nov 16, 2007 5:57 am

OK, now that my dreams of building my own speaker cab for $150 instead of having to pay $500-$800 for a "real" one have been dashed, I need some advice on what to buy.

I don't need a lot of volume - this cab will be mostly for recording.

I am using an Egnater M4 tube preamp through a VHT 2:50:2 50W tube power amp, into a Hot Plate to tame it down a bit, then into the cab.

In the Egnater, I have a Fender, Marshall and Vox preamp module, so I need the cab to be pretty versatile - good clean, good crunch, good hi-gain - i.e. I don't think a Vox cab with Alnico Blues would cut it.

I am looking either at a 1x12 or 2x12 - I tend to lean toward a 1x12 because I am close-miking and I don't think that the recorded sound of a 1x12 versus a 2x12 would be that big a difference when close-miking, and a 1x12 would generally have less overall volume, and less bleed into the rest of my house.

Below is my current punch list.......does anyone have any experience and/or opinions on any of these????

Mesa Boogie 1x12 Recto cab (either the current wide horizontal or the old "cube" style)

Bogner 1x12 Cube

Mesa Boogie 1x12 3/4 open back

Marshall 1912 1x12

Other 1x12s??

Mesa Boogie 2x12 horizontal Recto cab (or Roadster)

Budda 2x12

Bogner 2x12

Dr. Z 2x12

Marshall 1936 ("JCM 900 2x12")

Other 2x12s??

THANKS IN ADVANCE!!!

splatterbass · Post by **splatterbass** » Mon Nov 26, 2007 3:42 am

a buddy of mine has a boogie 4x12 stereo cab that has a cool layout.
slant cab layout with the top two speakers with 3/4 open back.
and the bottom 2 speakers are closed box. sounds killer in mono or sereo.
may do some digging and build one in a 2x12 format.

zara_drummer · Post by **zara_drummer** » Mon Nov 26, 2007 4:29 am

My guitar player is using a B-52 cab to run his BV-120 thru...Its LOUD and thick!! The B-52 cabs are open at the bottom. Relatively inexpensive for the quality of sound you get with them.

YouTube · Post by **James Steele** » Mon Nov 26, 2007 12:00 pm

I say get yourself two... no wait... FOUR Marshall 4 x 12 cabinets. Load them with Celestion Vintage 30s. And umm.... oh wait... sorry... I got carried away!

The answer is I don't know. I use a 4x12 because that's what I got. I'd love to try out a smaller single 12" cab and see what I can get out of it. Also having to only buy one 12" speaker, I could afford to play with things like Alnico Blues which hell... I can't afford to load a 4 x 12 cab with those! Yipes!

Resonant Alien · Post by **Resonant Alien** » Tue Nov 27, 2007 11:03 am

Thanks for your replies. So far, I have tried out an Orange 1x12 w/a Celestion Vintage 30, but didn't care for it. It is a great sounding cab for a particular sound, but not what I was hoping for (the bright orange Tolex is pretty kick-ass though).

I also tried a Budda 2x12 and a Bogner 1x12. I liked both, but didn't like the price - both nearly $600.

So, I found a mint condition Boogie Recto 1x12 on eBay for pretty cheap and bought that - supposed to get here tomorrow. I used to have a pair of these cabs, and I really liked them - regretted selling them ever since......hopefully my memory lives up to the reality.

All things being equal, I would prefer a 2x12, but I am trying everything I can to keep my volume to a minimum inside the house, and the 1x12 will be at least a little quieter.

RA

gearboy · Post by **gearboy** » Tue Nov 27, 2007 12:22 pm

Search ebay for custom guitar cabinet. Search google for the same. Tons of little companies making great solid-wood cabinets and loading them with thatever you want.

http://www.widgetworksunlimited.com/

Jeff

dosuna11 · Post by **dosuna11** » Thu Nov 29, 2007 7:54 am

Mike Soldano was a student of mine. AS well as killer amps he makes great cabinets.

lampostudio · Post by **lampostudio** » Sun Dec 09, 2007 10:56 am

Something i did and it worked great was i took an old empty Acoustic cab that held 4-12"s and put in 4 different 12"s I also put an on/off switch for each speaker. I was able to get a choice of any single speaker sound or a unique combo sound from one cab.
I don't know how good you are at wiring but it's really simple to put a switch at each speaker that interrupts the signal. Just make sure you are not wired in series.

Phil O · Post by **Phil O** » Sun Dec 09, 2007 12:35 pm

Just last week I had a guy come in who played an old beat up SG through an even older Sundown tube amp with a Marshall 1960 somthin' or other. I think it was this:
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/1960B/

It had an awesome crunch. Don't know what your budget is but this cab sounded great!

Phil

dmi · Post by **dmi** » Fri Jan 25, 2008 2:36 pm

Check out Emperor Cabs and Avatar. I think both of these companies make 2x12 and they're good inexpensive cabs. Emperors I would recommend.
http://www.emperorcabs.com/
http://www.avatarspeakers.com/

sck · Post by **sck** » Sat Jan 26, 2008 10:39 am

I play a Strat Plus through an Orange AD30TC (with the Vintage 30s) and it sounds great! I manage to get a pretty wide range of satisfying tones both clean and crunchy. Really dig that 4 diff. switchable speakers in one cab idea Lampost.

Resonant Alien · Post by **Resonant Alien** » Sat Jan 26, 2008 2:22 pm

Thanks. I ended up going with a Boogie 1x12 and also picked up a Palmer speaker simulator. I am mixing the mic'd cab together with the Palmer output and getting some nice results.