Cabinets, your experiences |
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Jun 14 2011, 06:55 PM
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Hey guys, I just thought we can make a topic here, and every one can create their own experiences regarding cabinets.
As you know, speakers and cabs are very important last link that forms the sound, and not all heads and cabs match properly. So what kind of experiences you had with cabs?  I hope our experiences will help people who haven't had a chance to try various cabs in making their decision when buying something similar!
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Jun 14 2011, 11:10 PM
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So far I've owned three cabs: a B-52 LS 412, A Peavey 5150 slant cab, and a Marshall JCM 800 1960A manufactured in the 80's.
The B-52 is a budget cab. For its brand new price of $249 it provided a lot of features. It had a steel grill, ohm selector (8 or 16), 400w, and had mono/stereo capabilities. It was also rear ported, whether or not that actually enhanced the bottom end I can't say. I kinda think its more of a gimmick than anything else. But for a budget cab, it sounded alright. The massive amount of wattage it could handle prevented it from sounding muddy at higher volumes. At higher volumes it was clear but not really defined. The steel speaker grill doesn't roll of some of the sharp high end like a fabric grill would, so with lots of treble and presence it can get a bit harsh. Overall, for a brand new budget cab, its definitely the best you can get for the money. But if you have $249, I'd recommend looking on the used market for a quality cab. I ended up selling this one to get a better cab for less money than I sold this one for. The Peavey 5150 slant cab is 16 ohms mono and is 300 watts. In addition to the 1/4 jack, it has an XLR jack, I'm not sure if its an input or a simulated speaker output. It is a very bassy cab, you'll have to roll the bass back on your amp when using it. This cab has more clarity than the B-52, and more warmth as well. It is kinda dark sounding but not overwhelmingly. Its new equivalent, the 6505 cab, cost $749. While it is a good solid cab, I don't think its worth that much money. I actually picked this one up for $100 used. Its a little beat up and the input jack is secured with duct tape, but all the joints are tight and the speakers are perfectly intact. The speakers are Sheffield 1200's. The cabinet construction itself is made from actual plywood and not particle board or MDF. I'm not sure what kind of wood it is but I think it might be pine. So its a good foundation for new speakers. Some time in the future I think I might install some Eminence Governors or Warehouse Veteran 30's. If you can find one of these for a $100 bucks, get it. If you find it for more than $300 used, keep looking, theres better cabs out there for that money. The Marshall JCM 800 1960A cab is by far the best one I'v owned. It is equipped with well worn Celestion GT12T-75's. The cab is constructed from Baltic birch plywood. Speakers and cab were manufactured in the UK. The sound is very colorful and very warm. The midrange is detailed and the bottom end is tight and punchy. The cabinet seems to have its own natural reverb. The notes you play are very musical and defined. I've always wondered what all the hoopla was about these vintage Marshall cabs, and now I know. I don't know what it is, but it has some sort of mojo going on. It might be all the tar from burning cigarettes that have been building up on the grill and speakers over the years. According to the markings on the speakers, they were manufactured in February, 1985. The guy I bought it from said he bought it brand new. He was a heavy smoker, and didn't practice good hygiene. When I brought the cab home my whole house smelled like cigarettes and ass. It took a couple of months for most of the smell to evaporate from the cab. Believe it or not I got this cab for $250. The reason why it was so cheap was because it was modified and beat up. The modification however was easily reversed. The previous owner partitioned the cab into two halves with a plank of wood down the center, and then installed another 1/4 inch jack and wired it in stereo. So all I had to do to restore it to stock was remove the jack and partition, and rewired the speakers in mono with 14 gauge wire. I also filled the hole of the stereo jack with plastic wood filler then painted the small spot black. You can check out the pictures in this thread here. So, should you get a used cab? I think so. True, the ones I have are beat up, but I think it gives them character. If you're patient, you can find some great deals on craigslist. I just found a Mesa cab $300, cosmetically, it was beat to hell but worked fine according to the owner. Along with Marshall cabs, these are the best cabs you can get. Unfortunately I don't have the money or the place for a third cab 
This post has been edited by Mudbone: Jun 14 2011, 11:16 PM --------------------  He who laughs last thinks slowest. "That which can be asserted without evidence, can be dismissed without evidence." - Christopher Hitchens Gear: Guitars: Uncle Rufus' Twanger Classic Amps: Mississippi Boom Box Mojo: Hammer of Odin and a pair of Ox gonads Inspiration: Samuel Adams Boston Lager Zero to Hero: 1,387/10,000 |
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