Emperor Custom Cabs

ksmith63

ksmith63

New member
Re: Emperor Custom Cabs

thanks for sharing! always looking for cab cos for my dream of building an amp wall.. haha. Sad, but visually Ive always dreamed of that wall of marshalls like I used to see in the 80s. But I know I can prob get better cabs at better prices elsewhere. True be told, I wouldnt complain about having a wall of splawns.. : )
 
Re: Emperor Custom Cabs

How do they stack up against avatar? I'm actually looking for a 2x12 100w at 16ohms. So far the only thing I've seen is the bugera cab. I have no qualms with bugera but if I can get something custom then I will!
 
Re: Emperor Custom Cabs

Bob Zombie said:
How do they stack up against avatar? I'm actually looking for a 2x12 100w at 16ohms. So far the only thing I've seen is the bugera cab. I have no qualms with bugera but if I can get something custom then I will!
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I haven't played an avatar but the two operations are quite different. Emperor is completely custom shop while avatar is mass produced with different options. I have read many good things about avatar so I would assume the build construction is similar (very good). The emperors also have the 'work of art'/'antique' look.


Emperor will build you whatever the hell you want. You specify the size (they have 'standard' sizes but if you want a 10' x 10' single 12" speaker cabinet they will do that too), speaker configuration, horizontal/vertical standing, which speakers you actually want, how you want them wired, wood stain color, grill cloth type, blah blah blah. A 2x12 100w 16 ohm cabinet only scratches the surface on what you can request.

If the Bugera is the price range you are looking at then don't bother with Emperor. The emperors were cheaper than a comparable mesa/marshall cab but not that cheap.
 
Re: Emperor Custom Cabs

ksmith63 said:
I haven't played an avatar but the two operations are quite different. Emperor is completely custom shop while avatar is mass produced with different options. I have read many good things about avatar so I would assume the build construction is similar (very good). The emperors also have the 'work of art'/'antique' look.


Emperor will build you whatever the hell you want. You specify the size (they have 'standard' sizes but if you want a 10' x 10' single 12" speaker cabinet they will do that too), speaker configuration, horizontal/vertical standing, which speakers you actually want, how you want them wired, wood stain color, grill cloth type, blah blah blah. A 2x12 100w 16 ohm cabinet only scratches the surface on what you can request.

If the Bugera is the price range you are looking at then don't bother with Emperor. The emperors were cheaper than a comparable mesa/marshall cab but not that cheap.
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That is what i LOVE about Emperor, not only are they thee best looking cabs (for me) out thre by a country mile, they will also build me a '1X15/2X10' cab, no problem !!!
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Sadly Avatar does not do a 15"-anything cab anymore.
 
Re: Emperor Custom Cabs

I have an avatar cab and I'm less than impressed with the build quality. It's made with good wood, but kinda looks slapped together once you open it up. They use different vendors for different cabs too, so who knows who's making it.

The Emperor dudes make everything in the same shop in Chicago, and build everything for war. If you can wait for it, it's not even a competition.

They all play in Raise the Red Lantern too.
 
Re: Emperor Custom Cabs

King IzzO))) said:
I have an avatar cab and I'm less than impressed with the build quality. It's made with good wood, but kinda looks slapped together once you open it up. They use different vendors for different cabs too, so who knows who's making it.

The Emperor dudes make everything in the same shop in Chicago, and build everything for war. If you can wait for it, it's not even a competition.

They all play in Raise the Red Lantern too.
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Those dudes rock. They came out and played the CD release show with us for one of our records.

The Emperor cabs are very impressive in person. Nice hardwood finishes and they weigh a metric ton.
 
Re: Emperor Custom Cabs

King IzzO))) said:
I have an avatar cab and I'm less than impressed with the build quality. It's made with good wood, but kinda looks slapped together once you open it up. They use different vendors for different cabs too, so who knows who's making it.

The Emperor dudes make everything in the same shop in Chicago, and build everything for war. If you can wait for it, it's not even a competition.

They all play in Raise the Red Lantern too.
Click to expand...

AFAIK, they are the ones producing the cabs for Verellen Amps :headbang:
 
Re: Emperor Custom Cabs

That could be, I didn't know that. He makes some cool stuff too. I wonder if he had something to do with the amp they're making.
 
Re: Emperor Custom Cabs

King IzzO))) said:
I have an avatar cab and I'm less than impressed with the build quality. It's made with good wood, but kinda looks slapped together once you open it up. They use different vendors for different cabs too, so who knows who's making it.

The Emperor dudes make everything in the same shop in Chicago, and build everything for war. If you can wait for it, it's not even a competition.

They all play in Raise the Red Lantern too.
Click to expand...

I've read so many glowing reviews of avatar....oh well. My Emperor is solid as hell (dove tail joints!) and pretty light weight. I put 2 deltalite 12"s in it to keep the weight down.

Some internet ******s like to claim the cabinets are not 'road worthy' because they don't use tolex. Some b.s. about the wood coming to shreds.....completely untrue.
 
Re: Emperor Custom Cabs

I think most of those glowing avatar reviews are people who have never had a 4x12 before or are comparing to marshalls and Peaveys with terrible speakers. Terrible speakers do not make the cab worse than the others and vice-versa. I bought my Randall cab for $50 because the speakers sucked (70/80) and it's about the same build quality as a newer Mesa, I've done some stuff to make it better though.

If Emperors can handle Converge, Trap Them, Young Widows, etc, I'm sure they handle Jim Bob's blues band and the bi-yearly show that he will use them for. That's just ignorant.
 
Re: Emperor Custom Cabs

I got a quote from Emperor this morning. Really quite reasonably priced, for what it is. Not sure how sold I am on the notion of increasing bass response in my guitar cab, though. I don't play really heavy music (except when I'm just screwing around) and it makes me a little nervous that all I'd be doing is creating headaches for myself in post, trying to EQ room for the bass and drums.
 
Re: Emperor Custom Cabs

King IzzO))) said:
I think most of those glowing avatar reviews are people who have never had a 4x12 before or are comparing to marshalls and Peaveys with terrible speakers. Terrible speakers do not make the cab worse than the others and vice-versa. I bought my Randall cab for $50 because the speakers sucked (70/80) and it's about the same build quality as a newer Mesa, I've done some stuff to make it better though.

If Emperors can handle Converge, Trap Them, Young Widows, etc, I'm sure they handle Jim Bob's blues band and the bi-yearly show that he will use them for. That's just ignorant.
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Man i do NOT like those 70/80 drivers one bit !
 
Re: Emperor Custom Cabs

St_Genesius said:
I got a quote from Emperor this morning. Really quite reasonably priced, for what it is. Not sure how sold I am on the notion of increasing bass response in my guitar cab, though. I don't play really heavy music (except when I'm just screwing around) and it makes me a little nervous that all I'd be doing is creating headaches for myself in post, trying to EQ room for the bass and drums.
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Who says that all of their cabinets have to increase bass response? Don't forget these guys are completely custom and will make anything to your spec. The 'deep' cabinets are really popular with the type of bands that endorse them. The regular ones would be better and they would build you a shallow one if that wasn't enough. Also you could put different speakers in or cut some bass from your amp.
 
Re: Emperor Custom Cabs

Honestly, I don't feel like I know enough about cab design to dictate exactly what I'd need. But maybe I could talk to them about it and they'd know what to do.
 
Re: Emperor Custom Cabs

SirJackdeFuzz said:
Man i do NOT like those 70/80 drivers one bit !
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They don't break up nice, but they make OK clean sounds, I guess. I've mixed them with some Wharfedale GSH-30's and that sounded good. I think they'd go good with V30's, but on their own pushing anything over 30 watts is nasty.
 
Re: Emperor Custom Cabs

St_Genesius said:
Honestly, I don't feel like I know enough about cab design to dictate exactly what I'd need. But maybe I could talk to them about it and they'd know what to do.
Click to expand...


Ditto.. I have learned about good construction and that some sound better. My Avatar cab was worlds better than a Carvin one I have.. (carvin has great build, just slightly bland speakers). My Splawn cab trumps both in build and sound
 
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