Mesa Boogie vertical 2x12 half open/closed back cab?

Dirtyking

Dirtyking

New member
Anyone ever play or hear a Mesa Boogie vertical 2x12 cab with the top half open speaker and the bottom half closed. Does this combo sound full? How does it compare to a 4x12? I'm not asking which is better, I'd just like to know where it excells.

I just got me a Rectoverb head and am playing it through an old peavey cab with G12k85's. It just doesn't pair to well as it does with my buddies 4x12 mesa cab. His V30's sound way better.

I came across two of these Mesa 2x12 cabs on ebay and thought maybe they would fit my Bill. One is loaded with V30's and the other with Black Shadows. In all the club's I've played they mic the cabs so I never get above 9 o'clock in the master volume. Plus that's the volume we practice at. Would dropping to a 2x12 from a 4x12 make that much of a difference? Would I have trouble competing with my buddies 4x12?

For references I play mostly stoner/rock/metal/industrial/punk. Think of COC, Down, Type O negative, QOTSA, Danzig, The Cult, Prong, Sabbath, Alice in Chains, NIN, The Sword just to name a few.
 
Re: Mesa Boogie vertical 2x12 half open/closed back cab?

It's been a long time since I've seen one of those cabs. Never played through one though. They were popular with Boogie players in the 80's, which of course were largely 80's shredders and hair metal guitarists.

It has been my experience that a 2-12 (I have a closed back Mesa 2-12 with V30's) sounds different than a 4-12. My 4-12 has a bit more thump in the low end. But you have to consider that in a mix with a drummer and bassist, that low end thump often gets covered over or EQ'ed out completely. It's my opinion that a 2-12 is fine for gigging except perhaps if you play a 7 string or have your guitar tuned down to C# or something.
 
Re: Mesa Boogie vertical 2x12 half open/closed back cab?

dONT GET AN OPEN BACK CAB!!!

for your style of music its not a good thing. you need closed back for heavy palm mutes.

Ive always wanted the mesa 212 recto horizontal; that way you can crank your tubes and not fry you or your bandmates ears. I see em go for $400 on fleabay. Id much rather have a 212 than a 412 cause better volume management. you can get another 212 later to look good on stage if you wanna go that route.
 
Re: Mesa Boogie vertical 2x12 half open/closed back cab?

I've got a 212 Halfback Mesa cab loaded with a C90 in the open-back top and the 150-watt Mesa Black Shadow/Eminence MS-12. I think this is a BIGGER sounding cab than many 412s. The bottom of the cab is closed AND Theile-ported--so it definitely projects and crunches.

The Mesa Halfback 412 with EVMs and C90s is my all-time fave cab.

I'm selling my 212 cab--just having to let some stuff go after struggling with health issues over the past year.

Bill
 
Re: Mesa Boogie vertical 2x12 half open/closed back cab?

I disagree. A friend of mine has the 212 Halfback Mesa cab and they play heavy modern metal/hard rock and it sounds great! Me? I find open back cabs for playing lead and heavy rock are overly bright so I either prefer closed or partial open.

I like the Vertical Mesa Recto and I also have a Bogner oversized 212 with ported or slotted back, a 4" opening in the back which too me still gives me the closed back feel and sound while being a little more open and 3D with better spread! My THD 212 also has the opening and is great!


everdrone said:
dONT GET AN OPEN BACK CAB!!!

for your style of music its not a good thing. you need closed back for heavy palm mutes.

Ive always wanted the mesa 212 recto horizontal; that way you can crank your tubes and not fry you or your bandmates ears. I see em go for $400 on fleabay. Id much rather have a 212 than a 412 cause better volume management. you can get another 212 later to look good on stage if you wanna go that route.
Click to expand...
 
Re: Mesa Boogie vertical 2x12 half open/closed back cab?

I had the 4x12 with the EV's in the bottom, insanely heavy both literally and figuratively. Probably the best sounding cab I've ever heard, huge bass, but still projected highs. I was using the same MarkIII I have now with it and playing today is the day type stuff on it, circa 1998.

I don't know why they don't make them like this anymore, I guess too expensive.
 
Re: Mesa Boogie vertical 2x12 half open/closed back cab?

everdrone said:
dONT GET AN OPEN BACK CAB!!!

for your style of music its not a good thing. you need closed back for heavy palm mutes.

Ive always wanted the mesa 212 recto horizontal; that way you can crank your tubes and not fry you or your bandmates ears. I see em go for $400 on fleabay. Id much rather have a 212 than a 412 cause better volume management. you can get another 212 later to look good on stage if you wanna go that route.
Click to expand...

Then Im guessing you've never played one of the mesa half back cabs. I used to have one that I used first with my MKIII then my MKIV Had a celestion V30 up top and 90 watt celestion in the bottom. That set up used to push very hard. Harder than most 4x12's ive ever encountered they are a completely different animal from the rectifier cabs.
 
Re: Mesa Boogie vertical 2x12 half open/closed back cab?

Boogie Bill said:
The Mesa Halfback 412 with EVMs and C90s is my all-time fave cab.
Bill
Click to expand...

Hah! mine too! :14: I've put up with that back breaker for years just cause I love the sound of it. I also like the heavy wire grill look to it too.
 
Re: Mesa Boogie vertical 2x12 half open/closed back cab?

An open back + closed speaker combo gives you a very interesting mix. Diffusion and open airy feel of an open back, and the punch and tightness and cabinet knock of a closed back.

I'd tend to mix different speakers to optimize both sounds.

I'll also note the G12K85 was mainly sold as a keyboard speaker, which may explain your dissatisfaction with it for guitar...

I have a Mesa Thiele 1x12 loaded with an EVM12L. It's a little monster. Outbasses many closed-back 2x12s.

I don't know what speaker mix I'd do with a Recto, which is very much about oversized cabs loaded with V30s. I'd tend to go for something that does great bass, like an EVM12L or Swamp Thang in the closed portion, and something with more interesting mids and highs in the open back. For other amps I'd probably look at a higher wattage Alnico Blue clone. V30 might be the right choice for the Recto, even open-backed.

If it's a ported cabinet, avoid low power handling speakers, and speakers not designed to handle deep bass. They can tear themselves apart with the abnormal load. Used to be a popular trick in the 70s with octave down effects...
 
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Re: Mesa Boogie vertical 2x12 half open/closed back cab?

Open back cabs feel odd to me, thin and bright. I almost bought a half back cab but did not for that reason. I prefer a slotted or semi open back cab. If not, I prefer a closed back.
 
Re: Mesa Boogie vertical 2x12 half open/closed back cab?

I never like open back cabs so do you guys with the half back find it feels more open back or a mix of both?

I do not have a closed back cab right now and wonder if I am missing something in feel? I like my amps to sound big and 3D so I tend to use semi open back cabs. My cabs are closed but have a 2-4" open slot in the back to give more spread and dispersion.

My fear is that I may be missing out by not using a fully closed cab? Do they tend to be smoother for lead playing?
 
Re: Mesa Boogie vertical 2x12 half open/closed back cab?

Dirtyking said:
I came across two of these Mesa 2x12 cabs on ebay and thought maybe they would fit my Bill. One is loaded with V30's and the other with Black Shadows.
Click to expand...

The Black Shadows in that cab could be MC90s, MS-12s, or EVM-12Ls.

If it has an EVM in the bottom and an MC90 in the top, I'd say go for it. If it's another configuration, I'd look for a Recto cab.

That said, I really like the Recto cabs (2x12 and 4x12). They produce a lot of midrange while sounding somewhat smooth (for a V30 loaded cab). They're not as bright and brash sounding as the smaller V30 loaded cabs, which tend to accent the V30s upper mid hump. I like them a lot.
 
Re: Mesa Boogie vertical 2x12 half open/closed back cab?

Put Celestion K-100s in the Rectifier 212 and it is an even better cabinet. :)
 
Re: Mesa Boogie vertical 2x12 half open/closed back cab?

some_dude said:
With a Recto, I usually avoid any speaker with the term "Massive bottom end" in the description.
Click to expand...

Nahhhhhhh....they are fine...nice and balanced, full sounding. Sound great in a 412 too. Tight bass, smooth mids and highs.
 
Re: Mesa Boogie vertical 2x12 half open/closed back cab?

papersoul said:
What do you look for ain a speaker?
Click to expand...

I like the performance of the V30, specifically when used in the Recto cab. It's the best pairing I've tried, specifically because of the way the Recto cab detunes the V30's upper mid spike into more open crunch that de-emphasises the pick attack, as well as how it detunes the bottom end so that the mud that's typically present at and around 100Hz is now sitting at some lower frequency that no one cares about..... particularly the microphone, which in combination with an EQ can be used to shelve the lower end boom and leave nothing but a rather detailed and aggressive midrange bark.

That is what I look for in a speaker. :)

Type of music?
Click to expand...

Loud ass rock and roll.
 
Re: Mesa Boogie vertical 2x12 half open/closed back cab?

Thanks! I'll keep the V30s in a Recto vert 212 when I get my Mark V next month.
I have to admit, I have heard the new Bogner 20th Shivas through V30 Bog cabs and they are great. I have also heard the Mark V through a stock Recto 412 and the tone was jaw dropping. I played it though the same cab briefly.

What about older British made V30s compared to new?

A studio head friend I have says for recording in the studio, they tend to prefer the WGS Vet 30s over the V30s.....but I have not done a direct comparison. I do have the WGS Vet30/ET65 set in my Bogner 212 and love it!
 
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