Good 4x12 with V30s

  • Thread starter Thread starter Fiesta Red
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Fiesta Red

Fiesta Red

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Thought I'd start one similar to the GB one I posted.

Soldano? Marshall? Not a Mesa fan.
 
The Marshall AV/BV cabs are my favorite of all time. The Marshall celestion vintage speaker is like the best v30 on the planet, without being a v30. More scooped, more lows and highs, not as “tight” as a Mesa cab, but this is a positive to me. Sometimes cabs that are overbuilt like the Mesa cabs don’t breathe enough for me. I still own and love them, but it all just depends on what the song calls for.


What do you not like about Mesa cabs?
 
Besides Mesa or Marshall, Bogner and Friedman make really good V30 cabs too.

The Mesa and Marshall V30 cabs are kind of the tried and true industry standards for a reason though. I’m also curious about why you specifically don’t want a Mesa cab.
 
I took a '90s Marshall JCM 900 series 1960A 4x12 cab that I bought used with only of 2 of the original Celestion G12T-75 speakers installed, took them out, loaded it with 4 used Celestion Vintage 30 speakers, and had my amp tech modify the jack plate with 5 speaker input jacks to so I can run it either mono, stereo, or wet/dry/wet. It's the best speaker upgrade & jack plate mod that I had done to a Marshall 4x12 cab!
 
If you're on a budget, I'd be tempted with the Harley Benton cabs with V30s.

I have a pair of Engl PRO E212VHB 2x12 cabs which I've owned for around 10 years or more, if I wasn't on a budget, I'd get an Engl 4x12 with V30s. The 2x12s are heavy, 14-ply birch plywood.
 
Just to throw another option in the mix, Zilla stuff is pretty great and customizable
 
I agree on the Marshall AV's. They're ratty, not as well made, and expensive in this side of the pond, but they mic up beautifully. I have not played the originals, but the current AV's are fantastic. They stopped doing the MDF back like 10 years ago too.
 
VESmedic said:
The Marshall AV/BV cabs are my favorite of all time. The Marshall celestion vintage speaker is like the best v30 on the planet, without being a v30. More scooped, more lows and highs, not as “tight” as a Mesa cab, but this is a positive to me. Sometimes cabs that are overbuilt like the Mesa cabs don’t breathe enough for me. I still own and love them, but it all just depends on what the song calls for.


What do you not like about Mesa cabs?
Click to expand...
It’s a great one
 
Randall xl. They can hang with anything out there.
 
ENGL cabs are great too! Just listen to Studio Fredman stuff.

Orange are well built and whatnot, but I've never gotten anything I like from them under the mic. The whole skid thing is ridiculous as well. When you record a cab, you want to decouple it from the floor, not have it resonate.
 
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StoneAge is the hands down the best sounding/ built 4X12 cab I've ever owned.
 
I'll be an odd duck and say Peavey 5150 cab with V30s is hard to beat. I like Marshall cabs, but I feel the Peavey cabs are much better built.
 
Mesa, Bogner, Diezel, all in the same ballpark with Mesa being darkest. All great. Marshall Vintage will be far brighter and appear scooped by comparison.
If you can find one, first version 80s Marshall Vintage destroys all others. Imo. Harder to find than a Pulsonic cab though.

But, a great and severely underrated V30 cab is a Rivera 4x12. The K412. I had a Mesa, Bogner and Rivera at the same time and the Rivera was just as good while being a bit brighter than the Mesa. They also came with T75s so if you find one double check with the seller.
Another great underrated cab is the Carvin Legacy 412. Front loaded and killer.
 
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