Help me decide! Which 2x12!?

[MatrixClaw]

Alright, well I've been looking into getting a 2x12 the past couple of months and I've finally found some decent deals. I'm still open to some recommendations, but for the most part I think I've narrowed it down to 3. What I want is a tight low end, something that I could replace my 4x12 with and not miss anything from it. I'm done with G12T-75s so I'm not interested in anything with them or that sound similar.

Which one would you go for and why?

Basson B212 Straight Cab - Guy wants $300. I've heard good things about these and it comes with Eminence Legends in it.

Lopoline 2x12 - $350, comes with Veteran 30s in it, which are Warehouse clones of Vintage 30s. I've heard good things about Lopoline as well as the speakers, plus it's decked out in a cool vintage vibe, tweed tolex and wheat grille.

Mesa Recto 2x12 - I've tried these before and really like them, but the cheapest I've been able to find is about $400, I've seen some locally for less but by the time I saw the ad, they'd already sold it. Comes with Vintage 30s in it.

I'm really leaning toward the Basson right now, but I've never tried one of their cabs before, so I'm not sure what to expect from it, and I can't try it out before I buy it as the guy is out of state. I'd like the Recto cab to match my amp, but I might be getting rid of it anyway and just because it says Mesa on it isn't a reason for me to get it, especially when it's the most expensive. I REALLY want an Oversized Bogner 2x12, but it seems they're pretty hard to find

Not really interested in a Vader unless I can find it at a really good price as I honestly hate how the look (I know, shouldn't judge it just by looks, but I've never been one for those metal grilles unless it was a Krank). Don't want an Avatar, want something higher quality.

[MrSandMan]

I have a vertical Recto 2x12 cab and love it. If you haven't seen the verticals, it basically looks just like a half 4x12 cab (with the casters too). If you get another later on, and pair them up, voila... you got yourself a 4x12 (or you can run them in stereo), if the stage is big enough, you can put one at one side and the other on the other side... and sound huge. Mine is loaded with Vintage 30s, which are my favorite speakers.

The Basson might be $100 cheaper.. but is it worth the risk of being happy? My .02 cents would be to (save up if you have to) and get the Recto.

Another question to ask yourself, can you sell the Basson and break even if you don't like it? Can you sell the Recto and break even if you ever get in a financial jam? Recto cabs hold their value.

I personally have not played the Basson. I had a Lopoline with a spit pair of eminence speakers. I don't think the Lopoline would be much different than Avatar. I personally didn't care for the lopoline after measuring it up against the Recto cab. It's like comparing a Tonka Toy to a Mac Truck.

[ninja636]

Damn...wish I woulda seen this a few days ago. A guy I met through a friend was selling a Soldano 2x12 with the Eminence Legends in it. It sounded HUGE man. I almost bought it for the 400 bones he wanted, I probably could have talked his stupid college ass down to 300-350. We get a lot of rich college boyz around here going to Auburn(yuck) U. Daddy buys them a guitar and sic ass amp, then they realize how much work it is and give it up.

[MatrixClaw]

Well, I have the cash to buy any of them, but would prefer to spend as little as possible (obviously :P )

I actually found a 2x12 Orange cab locally for $380, I REALLY hope he still has this, he's about a 2 hour drive away, but for that price I'd be willing to drive up there, plus it's nice and cool up there... no 110* weather, could make a day out of it and just go chill up there for a while.


I found a guy that might be interested in trading me his 5150 III for my Mark IV as well, so I might just be getting a whole new rig! :2thumbups:

[MatrixClaw]

Looks like I'm gettin myself a 5150 III, ships out tomorrow! :w:

[Brian Krashpad]

Looks like I'm gettin myself a 5150 III, ships out tomorrow! :w:


Congrats!

[MrSandMan]

That's awesome bro. I'm hearing great things about the 5150 III. Be sure to get us some clips. :w:

[MatrixClaw]

Oh I will, have the recording gear all set up for it, just need it to get here!

[NORAMACTIVE]

Looks like I'm gettin myself a 5150 III, ships out tomorrow! :w:


:sweet: Give us a review when you get to know it! :jumpgrin:

[MatrixClaw]

Haha, I actually never got it. He ended up getting sick and felt bad for not sending it out when he said he would, so he PayPal'd me $1700 for my Mark IV instead and I sent it to him and bought a Splawn Nitro :love:

I also finally decided on a 2x12 cab, bought a Lopoline 2x12 Closed-Back cab with Texas Heats last Thursday, hopefully it'll get here soon. Their 20% off was great though, got a brand new, loaded cab, for $295 :jumpgrin:

Texas Heats sound amazing with the Nitro though, I thought V30s sounded HORRIBLE with it, the G12T-75s in my 1960 sound good with it, but have this high-end fizz to it that can be dialed out, but then it loses its aggressiveness. So I'm trying to sell it and I'm going to buy a Krankenstein cab cause that thing sounds HUGE with the Nitro. :biggrin:

[ninja636]

What did the Splawn set you back, and how long did it take for you to get it? After reading about you getting one I visited their website, awesome. How 'bout some sound clips bro? Did you get any customizations with yours? I'm getting a lopoline 4x12 and loading it with Eminence Swamp Thangs, more bottom end than the Texas Heats(which I have 2 loaded in my Crate combo right now). I wonder how the Splawn would sound with those in D tuning. :biggrin: :w:

Edit: What tubes do you have in it?

[MatrixClaw]

What did the Splawn set you back, and how long did it take for you to get it? After reading about you getting one I visited their website, awesome. How 'bout some sound clips bro? Did you get any customizations with yours? I'm getting a lopoline 4x12 and loading it with Eminence Swamp Thangs, more bottom end than the Texas Heats(which I have 2 loaded in my Crate combo right now). I wonder how the Splawn would sound with those in D tuning. :biggrin: :w:

Edit: What tubes do you have in it?

I didn't order mine new. New there's an 8-10 week wait, costing $1950 or $2050 depending on the version you get, not including shipping. Their amps and cabs are fully customizable without an extra price tag.

Mine is all black with white piping and white control plate and grilles on the top and bottom, it doesn't have the plexi glass on the front like most of them do (which I think it looks ugly, but maybe that's just me :jumpgrin: ). Basically, it looks like an old Marshall, definitely a sleeper of an amp, looks killer with my 1960 cab, too bad I'm not too keen on the sound it produces with the G12T-75s :frownz:

The one I have is the KT-77 version, but the old owner thought with the KT-77s, it had too much low-end so he put EL-34s in it. I can't imagine this thing having any more low-end than it does because it has a MASSIVE low-end, it was shaking things downstairs when my friend was playing it, with the volume on 2. The tubes in it are 4 Ruby EL34-BSTRs and all Shuguang 12AX7s in the preamp. Sounds awesome, very aggressive and tight sounding amp. The cleans on the amp are literally AMAZING, especially being an EL-34 amp.

If you decide to pick one up, I'd really recommend the EL-34/KT-77 version over the KT-88 one. You may find you like the KT-88s better, but the EL-34/KT-77 version can be easily modded to the KT-88 version by adding one resistor to the board, the KT-88 can not be modded to the EL-34/KT-77 version without much more modifications.

[ninja636]

Thanks for the info!! Definately an amp I'll be looking into in the next year or so. Right now I'm just trying to get a halfstack at a cheap price to replace the V2 that was stolen from me. So for now I'll be getting a Bugera 333xl and lopoline 4x12 with Eminence Swamp Thang's loaded in it. I might do the Texas Heats though, I'm undecided right now. The Swamp Thangs will probably give the Bugera the bottom end it's missing in it's sound, don't know how they'd sound with the Splawn though. :w:

[MatrixClaw]

Thanks for the info!! Definately an amp I'll be looking into in the next year or so. Right now I'm just trying to get a halfstack at a cheap price to replace the V2 that was stolen from me. So for now I'll be getting a Bugera 333xl and lopoline 4x12 with Eminence Swamp Thang's loaded in it. I might do the Texas Heats though, I'm undecided right now. The Swamp Thangs will probably give the Bugera the bottom end it's missing in it's sound, don't know how they'd sound with the Splawn though. :w:


Cool, yeah I'd like to try the Swamp Thangs but there's no cabs that anyone carries around here that would have them in them to try.

I thought the Nitro sounded HORRIBLE with V30s, WAY too much crunchiness to it and I couldn't dial it out no matter how hard I tried. The Krankenstein cab with Texas Heats sounded huge with the Nitro and got rid of the high-end sizzle and fizz I don't like through my 1960.

I didn't know you could order the lopo 4x12s with speakers? On their website I only see 1x12s and 2x12, and only loaded with Texas Heats?

[ninja636]

I'm ordering an empty cab, and the speakers from AMS or MF, then I can wire it however I want, stereo or mono with a output for another cab. If I wire in stereo I have to install a switch. You can send them your specs and they can do custom jobs too.