Getting a cab -- what speakers?

[Spaced Out Ace]

(This is in reference to another thread) Ted Weber's stuff looks interesting, but the options aren't for me, mainly because I am a bit of a ludite. ie, how much doping should I get? If I get too much or too little, the speakers will either be too stiff or breakdown. Also, I'm not sure why there are wattage options for each speaker (or most of them), as I'm sure the changes to get the various wattages changes the speaker's sound characteristics quite a bit from what they are supposed to theoretically be.

Also, I'm unsure how long it would take to get the speakers shipped out, and I received the Fryette PS-2A today. I'd kind of like it within the return window (or close to it) in case something is up.

 

[Spaced Out Ace]

Does anyone know if the kind of tones I am going for would benefit from either using a standard (1960) sized cab or an oversized cab?

 

[MadAsAHatter]

(This is in reference to another thread) Ted Weber's stuff looks interesting, but the options aren't for me, mainly because I am a bit of a ludite. ie, how much doping should I get? If I get too much or too little, the speakers will either be too stiff or breakdown. Also, I'm not sure why there are wattage options for each speaker (or most of them), as I'm sure the changes to get the various wattages changes the speaker's sound characteristics quite a bit from what they are supposed to theoretically be.

Also, I'm unsure how long it would take to get the speakers shipped out, and I received the Fryette PS-2A today. I'd kind of like it within the return window (or close to it) in case something is up.

Doping helps stiffen the edge of the cone to prevent cone cry when using medium to higher gain. The more distortion you use the heavier you want the dope. On the other end no dope lets a speaker flex more and is more expressive; great if you primarily play clean to edge of breakup.
If you mainly play rock and metal you want heavy dope. Clean and dirty blues, light or medium dope depending on which side you lean more. Only ones I wouldn't suggest are the extremes of no and pre-rola dope; unless you have a specific sound in mind that requires one of those.
I play mid to high gain so I go with heavy dope. I bought a used Blue Dog with no dope. Great clean, uncontrollable cone cry with any respectable gain.


On the wattage part, it does change the character slightly, but not the overall sound. Basically higher watts = warmer and smoother highs. Low watts = brighter and aggressive. It's easier to push lower watt speakers into breakup. This is good for that 60s - 70s classic rock sound. Higher wattage is typically better for metal where speaker breakup can be muddy sounding.

I've ordered directly from Weber several times. Time from order to ship date has been about 10 business days. I recently placed an order for a pair of Gray Wolfs on 10/23. I haven't gotten shipping notification yet, but I also asked for a full break in which adds a fey days. I expect them to ship Monday or Tuesday.

 

[Spaced Out Ace]

Doping helps stiffen the edge of the cone to prevent cone cry when using medium to higher gain. The more distortion you use the heavier you want the dope. On the other end no dope lets a speaker flex more and is more expressive; great if you primarily play clean to edge of breakup.
If you mainly play rock and metal you want heavy dope. Clean and dirty blues, light or medium dope depending on which side you lean more. Only ones I wouldn't suggest are the extremes of no and pre-rola dope; unless you have a specific sound in mind that requires one of those.
I play mid to high gain so I go with heavy dope. I bought a used Blue Dog with no dope. Great clean, uncontrollable cone cry with any respectable gain.


On the wattage part, it does change the character slightly, but not the overall sound. Basically higher watts = warmer and smoother highs. Low watts = brighter and aggressive. It's easier to push lower watt speakers into breakup. This is good for that 60s - 70s classic rock sound. Higher wattage is typically better for metal where speaker breakup can be muddy sounding.

I've ordered directly from Weber several times. Time from order to ship date has been about 10 business days. I recently placed an order for a pair of Gray Wolfs on 10/23. I haven't gotten shipping notification yet, but I also asked for a full break in which adds a fey days. I expect them to ship Monday or Tuesday.

What cabs do you use?

 

[MirrorProfiles]

Does anyone know if the kind of tones I am going for would benefit from either using a standard (1960) sized cab or an oversized cab?

I don’t really associate oversized being a thing until the Rectifier cabs took hold even though some Marshall cabs were of similar dimensions before they settled on the 1960 style. Those are sort of the benchmark for everything else. Personally I like the B cabs better, they’re just better balanced to me and the slant of the baffle sounds a little better to A cabs to me (I generally much prefer the top speakers in slant cabs).

 

[Orvillain]

Celestion and nothing else.

V30's, T75's, and Greenbacks.

 

[SillyOctpuss]

Celestion and nothing else.

V30's, T75's, and Greenbacks.

Lol that's literally what I was scrolling down here to post. I don't feel any need to try anything else when you can get a celestion for every use case.

I'll add creambacks and g12h30s to your list though.

 

[eggpl@nt]

I really dig the WGS Retro 30's. I've got 2 in a 2x12 cab, they're a less nasty V30 in the upper mids/treble area.

Ugh. I've wanted to work the R30s into my collection forever. I've had my eye out for cheap 2x12s to use as a home for a pair--I just don't have room for another cab, and I like the speakers in my current collection.

 

[Spaced Out Ace]

Ugh. I've wanted to work the R30s into my collection forever. I've had my eye out for cheap 2x12s to use as a home for a pair--I just don't have room for another cab, and I like the speakers in my current collection.

What're you currently using?

 

[eggpl@nt]

What're you currently using?

• Mesa Widebody 1x12 w/ C90
• Mesa Widebody 1x12 w/ V30
• Mesa Traditional 4x12 w/ V30s
• Mojotone Twin Canyon w/ Swamp Thang + CV75
• Mojotone Grand Canyon w/ Mojotone BV30V + BV30H
• Swanson Custom 2x12 w/ DV77 + G12H75
• Swanson Custom 4x12 w/ Mojotone Greyhounds
• Vboutique Vumble 2x12 w/ Alnico Gold + Mojotone BV30H

For mixed, x-pattern speakers that complement Marshall tones, I think the BV30V+BV30H is great.

 

[Spaced Out Ace]

• Mesa Widebody 1x12 w/ C90
• Mesa Widebody 1x12 w/ V30
• Mesa Traditional 4x12 w/ V30s
• Mojotone Twin Canyon w/ Swamp Thang + CV75
• Mojotone Grand Canyon w/ Mojotone BV30V + BV30H
• Swanson Custom 2x12 w/ DV77 + G12H75
• Swanson Custom 4x12 w/ Mojotone Greyhounds
• Vboutique Vumble 2x12 w/ Alnico Gold + Mojotone BV30H

For mixed, x-pattern speakers that complement Marshall tones, I think the BV30V+BV30H is great.

Thanks for the reply. Vboutique is also a cabinet company I'm looking at (in addition to Avatar and Mojotone). Which do you think it worth the money the most for Marshall style tones?

 

[eggpl@nt]

Thanks for the reply. Vboutique is also a cabinet company I'm looking at (in addition to Avatar and Mojotone). Which do you think it worth the money the most for Marshall style tones?

Honestly, I think the Swanson 4x12 is my favorite cabinet of the bunch. Swanson builds for MGL, which produces Marshall-style amplifier. That said, I'm not sure how fun it is to deal with smaller shops, like Swanson's, if you're not local to them. For example, does shipping get out of hand? I picked mine up directly from Jeff, so I don't know.

Have you looked at Stagecraft? I've almost pulled the trigger on a Diagonal 2x12 many times. They, of course, have 4x12 options as well.

 

[Spaced Out Ace]

I have not looked into Stagecraft. They look nice and reasonably priced. I'd like to get the cabinet sooner than 4 weeks, unfortunately. I had to jump on the PS-2A, as it is a blue front version. It's some "Chuckclusive" 65th anniversary something or other (Chuck Levin? Uh, who?), but I bought it for the front. Same price, free shipping, and only one left, so I jumped on it.

I initially planned to get a used Marshall cab, but GC is not responsive to reach outs, so screw them. That's why I'm looking at Mojotone and Avatar, as it seems they are ready to order, I think. I think Avatar is at least faster to ship out, perhaps. I just wish they sill made 412s, though I'm sure the price of things made it difficult to profit.

 

[Spaced Out Ace]

Oh, I missed it: just to clarify, I'd like it sooner than 4 weeks just in case it got messed up in shipping.

 

[Boudoir Guitar]

Eh, I'd reference recordings, but the amount of post speaker manipulation would make it mostly irrelevant.

I use York Audio IRs currently, mixing T75/V30 and H30/M25.

If you're basing your desire to blend/mix speakers on your experience with Its, understand that doing this in real life, in a single mono cab driven by a single power amp, is much trickier business due to the huge impact speaker sensitivity has and the complete lack of control you have over relative level of each speaker.

 

[Spaced Out Ace]

If you're basing your desire to blend/mix speakers on your experience with Its, understand that doing this in real life, in a single mono cab driven by a single power amp, is much trickier business due to the huge impact speaker sensitivity has and the complete lack of control you have over relative level of each speaker.

I'm well aware of that. Thanks for looking out though. I appreciate it.

 

[Boudoir Guitar]

I'm well aware of that. Thanks for looking out though. I appreciate it.

My approach would be to only try mixed speakers that I know I like from past experience. Otherwise, I’d start with one speaker type and then maybe experiment from there.

If I didn’t know what speakers I wanted to go with, I’d start with a 2x12 simply because speaker trial/error is expensive.

 

[la szum]

Mixing speakers can definitely be a crapshoot!

 

[la szum]

Not that kind of crap chute!

 

[Spaced Out Ace]

Lol!