Marshall or Mesa?

[customclimates]

Got a chance to buy a Mesa Rectifier 4X12 or a Marshall 1960b … The Marshall is a bit cheaper but I am really struggling were Marshall now makes so many entry level cabs and Mesa makes none. Can I get some opinions from both sides before morning?

[customclimates]

Both cabs are Stereo with Celestions ...

[Glass Snuff]

For metal I'd go with the Mesa, for clasic rock the Marshall.

[customclimates]

Will I really notice a difference? I ask this not in ignorance but the truth is when you go to a store you can’t crank it up to really hear these things. I have been playing for twenty plus years and always played Randall cabs. Being with no need for ten years of a 4X12 a lot has changed. I picked up a Carvin and there is just absolutely NO LOW END! I just want to avoid this and get something I am happy with … Here is a picture of my current rig.

[Steve Conner]

How long have you had the Carvin? Give it a chance, the bass might get bigger as the speakers break in. Pounding them with high volume and lots of bass can help.

Weren't Randall cabs tuned with ports for extra low end? No other 4x12 (that I'm aware of) has that.

Both cabs might have Celestions, but which ones? Celestion make about a dozen different models of 12" speaker. If the two cabinets have the same model, they'll sound about identical.

I'd go with the Mesa, because if you want more low end, you're probably coming from a metal kind of mindset. But I remember doing sound at a metal gig where one guitarist was using a Dual Rectifier head through a Marshall 4x12, and it sounded pretty heavy.

My favourite 4x12" was always the Mesa one with the wire mesh grill and metal corners, that looked like a giant flightcase. I never heard one, but always thought they looked great.

[customclimates]

Thanks Steve ... The Carvin is actually a few years old from a buddy that had it kicking around. Both cabs I am looking at come with the Vintage 30 Celestions. With that said and having the same speakers will the construction make that much of a difference? Here is the deal ... One Mesa for $500 or two Marshalls ( 1960 top & bottom ) for $700 .........
Just to lay it on the table with all the facts!

[Koreth]

The Recto cab has slightly larger dimensions than a standard 4x12 to give it more bass response. If you are looking for more bass response, you might want to check the recto cab out. However, that may be too much bass for you, and the Marshall cab may be just perfect. I'd recommend auditioning both and picking which one sounds more awesome to you.

[Sloan]

I dream of Mesa standard straight cabs.

[Hardtailed]

They'll sound different. The Mesa has Vintage30 speakers with oversized magnets, while the Marshall mostly has G12T-75 speakers.

I like Mesa cabs with Mesa amps, but hate them with Marshall amps.

That said, as much as I loved my JCM800 1960A cab, the JCM900 1960A I got after was really boring and lifeless. Both had G12T-75 (I still use a pair I got out of the first one in my 2X12, love them).

The other guy in my band has a JCM900 but the speakers have been replaced with Greenbacks. That thing sounds sick with a Marshall head.

[Ronsonic]

Really depends on what you want from them. The Mesa will be better for the modern metal whoomp on the bottom end. The Marshall more mids and a cleaner less extended bottom end.

Neither will suck.

[guitarn00b]

dude..

two marshall 1960 cabs for 700 bucks? that's a freaking steal! go with that. if you end up not liking them, you can at least sell the cabs back to someone for about 500 bucks a cab. at least, that's what i would do.

but otherwise, i love both cabinets.

[HTH]

if you always used Randall cabs, look for an old Randall cab - they're not collectible afaik so you should get one fairly cheap.

also bear in mind, the speakers in your old Randall cabs will have been different to what is around today.

here's an older Randall 4x12 for $369.00... 2000's R-412TC-Randall - eBay (item 120552671417 end time May-04-10 09:20:38 PDT)