Marshall head... but what cab?

Jimbojsr

Jimbojsr

New member
Hi ho everyone,

Seems to me like a lot of pro guitarists use marshall heads, but different 4x12 cabs (eg. Peavey). Some even use Orange heads through Marshall cabs. Is this really a common thing? And do other cabs give better sonic results, in your opinion, with a marshall head?

Discuss!
 
Re: Marshall head... but what cab?

In my opinion, marshall make the best cabinets. Particularly, the 1960AV and 1960BV, with vintage celestions.
 
Re: Marshall head... but what cab?

Most any well constructed cab, made with good materials, stocked with good speakers, wired with good wire is going to sound "good." It really is a matter of personal taste as to what sounds good to you vs. what's available to you. I'm fortunate enough to own a '76 or '77 Marshall 4x12, but lately I've had a gentle hankerin' for a Mesa Road Ready 4x12. I love my cab, I know how it's going to sound with any of the heads I've used with it. I know where to mic it, and I know where to point it.

I've had a Fender Showman that I didn't like through my cab. But I didn't like it a heck of a lot through any cab, but I did have a Bassman I liked. If you'll notice, not a lot of people like Celestion speakers with Fender amps. That's about as much as I can come up with a head not really agreeing with a cab or speakers.
 
Re: Marshall head... but what cab?

I tell ya what, I had a Marshall head and I used to run it though a Peavey cab with Blue Marvel speakers and I thought it sounded good until, I got my hands on a Marshall cab and realised that the Peavey cab sucked! The Peavey seemed to have no mids at all. It was mostly lacking in alot of low mids but, all of the mids very lacking. It just sounded cheap!
 
Re: Marshall head... but what cab?

based on what's been available to me, i like marshall cabinets the best (even if it isn't a marshall head). when i bought my recto, i played it through both the traditional and oversized mesa cabinets, didn't like it. didn't like the 2x12 mesa cabinets either. but when i plugged it into the marshall...bingo.

i've played through marshall, mesa, fender, peavey, line6, and behringer cabinets, and marshall is defeinitely on the top of my list. some cabinets i've never tried that i've heard are good are avatar, VTH, and splawn. and of course, bogner.
 
Re: Marshall head... but what cab?

Could it be that Marshall designs its cabs specially to work well with its heads? I hear they did that with the Mode 4.....
 
Re: Marshall head... but what cab?

If I'm not mistaken, it really doesn't matter what the brand name of the cab is. What matters is what kind of speakers, how many and how they're wired.

Isn't a Marshall 4x12 with Vintage Celestion 30s the same as a Mesa 4x12 with Vintage Celestion 30s?

- Keith
 
Re: Marshall head... but what cab?

KGMESSIER said:
If I'm not mistaken, it really doesn't matter what the brand name of the cab is. What matters is what kind of speakers, how many and how they're wired.

Isn't a Marshall 4x12 with Vintage Celestion 30s the same as a Mesa 4x12 with Vintage Celestion 30s?

- Keith
Click to expand...

More or less. The speaker definitely has the biggest effect on the sound. Cabinet design will effect the tone, though. Particulalry in the open back verses sealed cab debate. Cabinet size, dimension, and materials will also effect the sound coming out. Speaker choice is still the top contributor and a place where a lot of tone tweakage can occur...

Mike
 
Re: Marshall head... but what cab?

Can't forget the grill cloth. A buddy who used to work at Vox/Korg told me that Marshall uses paper in their grill cloths which apparently tames some of the high end as well. I have no reason not to believe him. I do think you can get other cabs that are very good, but Marshall makes a very good one too.
 
Re: Marshall head... but what cab?

I think a 1960 (not sure of which letter) 4x12 slant is the best guitar cab money can buy.
 
Re: Marshall head... but what cab?

Hey, I have a related question: other than appearance, is there a difference between an angled and a straight cab? Don't the speakers all face forward in both?
 
Re: Marshall head... but what cab?

msawitzke said:
More or less. The speaker definitely has the biggest effect on the sound. Cabinet design will effect the tone, though. Particulalry in the open back verses sealed cab debate. Cabinet size, dimension, and materials will also effect the sound coming out. Speaker choice is still the top contributor and a place where a lot of tone tweakage can occur...

Mike
Click to expand...
I'd argue that an open/closed back cabinet design has more influence on the sound than the drivers.

Hey, I have a related question: other than appearance, is there a difference between an angled and a straight cab? Don't the speakers all face forward in both?
Click to expand...
An angled cab has less air volume inside it. Figure a rectangular speaker box, say it has 10 cubic feet of air in it. (I'm making up numbers) if you have a angled speaker box, the volume of air is decreased because the angle of the front face is taking up space inside the box- so instead of 10 cubic feet, you'll have 9 cubic feet.
 
Re: Marshall head... but what cab?

The Golden Boy said:
I'd argue that an open/closed back cabinet design has more influence on the sound than the drivers.
Click to expand...

Fair enough. :D The speaker choice is pretty huge...I'll concede that they're equal contributors?!?!!? :D :D
 
Re: Marshall head... but what cab?

IMO, if you are looking for that Marshall sound, ya' have to use the same speakers/cab diminsions as the real thing.
 
Re: Marshall head... but what cab?

Marshall cab's are basically the industry standard; so you see them alot.

Splawn are the BEST cabs; Avatar's are the best bang for buck.
 
Re: Marshall head... but what cab?

The Golden Boy said:
An angled cab has less air volume inside it. Figure a rectangular speaker box, say it has 10 cubic feet of air in it. (I'm making up numbers) if you have a angled speaker box, the volume of air is decreased because the angle of the front face is taking up space inside the box- so instead of 10 cubic feet, you'll have 9 cubic feet.
Click to expand...
yeah but how would that affect tone?
 
Re: Marshall head... but what cab?

To me infact, I'll be investing in Marshall head amps. Talking about the cabs I'll look into Revera cabs. They sounded better and clearer to the stock Marshall cab, heard from a guy who owns a Mesa stack reported that the Revera is equally comparable to the Mesa
 
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