Mesa Black Shadow Speakers
- Thread starter edsmith
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T
thucydides
Guest
Re: Mesa Black Shadow Speakers
I still have one from the mid 80s, but I think the design is different today. Mine is 150 watts, I thought I saw that they handled less now. Not sure, though. The shadow I had didn't crunch like a Celestion, but certainly did it better than one of the EVs or JBLs that were designed for clean. The particular spkr I have was a great all around rock and blues spkr, and handled tons of abuse. It did the job well, but I realized after a while that I preferred a spkr that broke up quicker, like a Greenback.
I still have one from the mid 80s, but I think the design is different today. Mine is 150 watts, I thought I saw that they handled less now. Not sure, though. The shadow I had didn't crunch like a Celestion, but certainly did it better than one of the EVs or JBLs that were designed for clean. The particular spkr I have was a great all around rock and blues spkr, and handled tons of abuse. It did the job well, but I realized after a while that I preferred a spkr that broke up quicker, like a Greenback.
anewdefguitarist
New member
Re: Mesa Black Shadow Speakers
thats whats in my single rec. combo...its a pretty good sounding speaker. i have a 2x12 marshall with 2 gt-75's and the black shadow seems to be a little brighter/tighter. but it still has pretty good thump, especially for an open back
thats whats in my single rec. combo...its a pretty good sounding speaker. i have a 2x12 marshall with 2 gt-75's and the black shadow seems to be a little brighter/tighter. but it still has pretty good thump, especially for an open back
some_dude
Raging BB Gunologist
Re: Mesa Black Shadow Speakers
The Black Shadow C90 is a Celestion Classic 80 with a slightly heavier basket and a slightly different magnet structure (if I remember correctly, the venting is a little different, though I could be wrong).
There's also a Black Shadow EVM12L... which is just a re-badged Electro-Voice EVM12L.
The Black Shadow C90 is a Celestion Classic 80 with a slightly heavier basket and a slightly different magnet structure (if I remember correctly, the venting is a little different, though I could be wrong).
There's also a Black Shadow EVM12L... which is just a re-badged Electro-Voice EVM12L.
Boogie Bill
New member
Re: Mesa Black Shadow Speakers
Let's top right here...
Black Shadow.....
All of the Mesa speakers are branded Mesa Black Shadow.
They buy speakers from different manufacturers.
Which speakers are you talking about?
What cabinet is it in?
What amp are you driving it with?
There are a lot of Black Shadows--from the Vintage 30s, to the Vintage (a 50 watt speaker found in the Caliber Series), to the 150-watt Eminence, to the 200 watt EVM.
All of these speakers are very good, though some might be more suitable for one application than another. But I have to know what you're talking about before I make any recomendations.
So, which speakers are you talking about?
What cabinet is it in?
What amp are you driving it with?
Bill
Let's top right here...
Black Shadow.....
All of the Mesa speakers are branded Mesa Black Shadow.
They buy speakers from different manufacturers.
Which speakers are you talking about?
What cabinet is it in?
What amp are you driving it with?
There are a lot of Black Shadows--from the Vintage 30s, to the Vintage (a 50 watt speaker found in the Caliber Series), to the 150-watt Eminence, to the 200 watt EVM.
All of these speakers are very good, though some might be more suitable for one application than another. But I have to know what you're talking about before I make any recomendations.
So, which speakers are you talking about?
What cabinet is it in?
What amp are you driving it with?
Bill
T
thucydides
Guest
Re: Mesa Black Shadow Speakers
FWIW, they offered one model in the early-mid 80s...but things have moved on since, eh?
I guess me=:welcome: haha
FWIW, they offered one model in the early-mid 80s...but things have moved on since, eh?
I guess me=:welcome: haha
Boogie Bill
New member
Re: Mesa Black Shadow Speakers
Sounds like you have one of the 150-watt Eminence-made Black Shadows. I have used these, and currently have one in the bottom of an '80s 212 Mesa Half-back cab. These were a decent alternative to the EVM, but they generally have more mid-range focus and less top-end than the EVM. The are VERY heavy. They are marked "MS-12", and have been discontinued for many years. I had a pair of these made for Dean Markley Amplifiers (exactly the same speaker as the Mesa version) in a small BF Fender Bandmaster cab. That was the best cabinet I ever hear my 50-watt JCM 800 amp through--but I could barely lift the sucker!
The "MC-90" is of course the modified Celestion speaker that has become a mainstay of the Mesa line. They've been using these since the mid-1980s, and you'll see them in a lot of open-back cabs and combos. They are also the current offering in the 112 Theile cab.
Mesa has offered several speakers from Electro-Voice can be SROs, 12Ls, or EVMs. These replaced the Altec Lansing speakers in the earliest Boogies. I love the EVM!!! Darn shame that they quit making these--I was glad to hear that EV is building a new version of them for Zakk Wylde. If you are making this speaker distort,...."yer too D**N LOUD!!!!" If these came out of a closed cab, they probably don't have the Black Shadow Label on them.
I'm not sure who made the Vintage 50 speaker that is usually found in the low-power combos like the .22 Caliber. I heard they were Jensen--I've heard they were Celestions--who knows? Pretty rare, but I always liked these speakers.
And Mesa uses the Celestion Vintage 30 speakers, but doesn't mark them as Black Shadows. Interesting how amps respond so differently with different speakers: I love my Maverick 212 with it's Vintage 30s, but did NOT like a head version I played plugged into a Mesa 212 C90 cab. Weird, because I do like the C90/EVM and C90/MS-12 combinations when I use my Mark IIIs and Mark IV.
And what's really crazy--sometimes you'll see an ad for a "...Mesa with a Black Widow speaker..."
Sometimes the seller is confused--and sometimes the amp really does have a Peavey speaker!
Bill
Sounds like you have one of the 150-watt Eminence-made Black Shadows. I have used these, and currently have one in the bottom of an '80s 212 Mesa Half-back cab. These were a decent alternative to the EVM, but they generally have more mid-range focus and less top-end than the EVM. The are VERY heavy. They are marked "MS-12", and have been discontinued for many years. I had a pair of these made for Dean Markley Amplifiers (exactly the same speaker as the Mesa version) in a small BF Fender Bandmaster cab. That was the best cabinet I ever hear my 50-watt JCM 800 amp through--but I could barely lift the sucker!
The "MC-90" is of course the modified Celestion speaker that has become a mainstay of the Mesa line. They've been using these since the mid-1980s, and you'll see them in a lot of open-back cabs and combos. They are also the current offering in the 112 Theile cab.
Mesa has offered several speakers from Electro-Voice can be SROs, 12Ls, or EVMs. These replaced the Altec Lansing speakers in the earliest Boogies. I love the EVM!!! Darn shame that they quit making these--I was glad to hear that EV is building a new version of them for Zakk Wylde. If you are making this speaker distort,...."yer too D**N LOUD!!!!" If these came out of a closed cab, they probably don't have the Black Shadow Label on them.
I'm not sure who made the Vintage 50 speaker that is usually found in the low-power combos like the .22 Caliber. I heard they were Jensen--I've heard they were Celestions--who knows? Pretty rare, but I always liked these speakers.
And Mesa uses the Celestion Vintage 30 speakers, but doesn't mark them as Black Shadows. Interesting how amps respond so differently with different speakers: I love my Maverick 212 with it's Vintage 30s, but did NOT like a head version I played plugged into a Mesa 212 C90 cab. Weird, because I do like the C90/EVM and C90/MS-12 combinations when I use my Mark IIIs and Mark IV.
And what's really crazy--sometimes you'll see an ad for a "...Mesa with a Black Widow speaker..."
Sometimes the seller is confused--and sometimes the amp really does have a Peavey speaker!
Bill
