Shopping for guitar cab - help me choose

Here's where to talk about preamps, cables, microphones, monitors, etc.

Moderator: James Steele

Forum rules
Here's where to talk about preamps, cables, microphones, monitors, etc.
Post Reply
Resonant Alien
Posts: 1374
Joined: Wed Nov 10, 2004 10:01 pm
Primary DAW OS: Unspecified

Shopping for guitar cab - help me choose

Post by Resonant Alien »

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
Posts: 78
Joined: Fri Nov 19, 2004 10:01 pm
Primary DAW OS: MacOS
Location: vancouver canada
Contact:

Post by splatterbass »

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
Posts: 139
Joined: Sun Apr 30, 2006 1:53 am
Primary DAW OS: MacOS
Location: AZ
Contact:

Post by zara_drummer »

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.
User avatar
James Steele
Site Administrator
Posts: 22814
Joined: Fri Oct 15, 2004 10:01 pm
Primary DAW OS: MacOS
Location: San Diego, CA - U.S.A.
Contact:

Post by James Steele »

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!
JamesSteeleProject.com | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

Mac Studio M1 Max, 64GB/2TB, macOS Sequoia 15.5 Public Beta 2, DP 11.34, MOTU 828es, MOTU 24Ai, MOTU MIDI Express XT, UAD-2 TB3 Satellite OCTO, Console 1 Mk2, Avid S3, NI Komplete Kontrol S88 Mk2, Red Type B, Millennia HV-3C, Warm Audio WA-2A, AudioScape 76F, Dean guitars, Marshall amps, etc., etc.!
Resonant Alien
Posts: 1374
Joined: Wed Nov 10, 2004 10:01 pm
Primary DAW OS: Unspecified

Post by Resonant Alien »

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
...
User avatar
gearboy
Posts: 1426
Joined: Sat Nov 13, 2004 10:01 pm
Primary DAW OS: MacOS
Location: Port Richmond, Philadelphia, PA
Contact:

Post by gearboy »

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
OS 10.4.11 - G5 Dual 1.8GHz, 3GB RAM / Mac PB G4 1.5GHz, 1.5GB RAM / Apogee Duet / MOTU 828mkii w/BLA Analog & Clock mod / MOTU DP4.61 / Live5.2 / Peak 4 & 5 LE / Izotope Oz3, Sp, Tr / Waves Ren Max / TRacks, Miroslav / NI Komplete 5 / GF impOSCar, MiniMonsta, M-Tron / Automat / Nomad Factory Vintage Studio Bundle / apTrigga / Audio Hijack Pro

My recording blog: http://www.ipressrecord.com
dosuna11
Posts: 1130
Joined: Sat May 21, 2005 10:01 pm
Primary DAW OS: MacOS
Location: Mountlake Terrace, Washington
Contact:

Post by dosuna11 »

Mike Soldano was a student of mine. AS well as killer amps he makes great cabinets.
iMac 2.7Ghz quadcore i5 16 gig RAM DP 7.24 OS 10.6.8, iMac G5 2.1GHz 2.5 gig Ram DP 5.13 OS 10.4.11 MOTU 828 MK2, East West Platinum Plus, Miroslav Philharmonic, Komplete 5, Kontakt 2 Garritan Big Band, Mr Sax T, The Trumpet, DrumCore, Trilogy and Trillian, Ivory, MachFive, Ethno Instrument, Reason 4, SampleTank 2 Sampletron, Samplemoog, Melodyne Editor, Nomad plugins, Vintage Warmer, Ozone 4, Amplitube Jimi, Xgear and AmpegSVX.
http:www.davidosuna.com
User avatar
lampostudio
Posts: 131
Joined: Wed Jul 27, 2005 10:01 pm
Primary DAW OS: MacOS
Location: Harrisonburg, VA
Contact:

Post by lampostudio »

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.
Al Chisare
Lamp Post Studio
www.lprstudio.com
User avatar
Phil O
Posts: 7347
Joined: Thu Jul 28, 2005 10:01 pm
Primary DAW OS: MacOS
Location: Scituate, MA

Post by Phil O »

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
DP 11.34. 2020 M1 Mac Mini [9,1] (16 Gig RAM), Mac Pro 3GHz 8 core [6,1] (16 Gig RAM), OS 15.3/11.6.2, Lynx Aurora (n) 8tb, MOTU 8pre-es, MOTU M6, MOTU 828, Apogee Rosetta 800, UAD-2 Satellite, a truckload of outboard gear and plug-ins, and a partridge in a pear tree.
dmi
Posts: 1
Joined: Thu Jan 24, 2008 3:35 pm
Primary DAW OS: MacOS
Location: Long Beach, CA

Post by dmi »

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
Posts: 7
Joined: Mon Jan 16, 2006 12:01 am
Primary DAW OS: Unspecified

Post by sck »

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
Posts: 1374
Joined: Wed Nov 10, 2004 10:01 pm
Primary DAW OS: Unspecified

Post by Resonant Alien »

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.
...
Post Reply