Your favorite traditional 2x12 guitar cab

Wrohme

Member
Just to get this out of the way – I hope to avoid a FRFR vs XYZ debate. I just picked up an Axe 3 a week ago, I already had a pair of QSC K12’s and have been playing around with those. I also already have a Fryette Powerstation and figured I should give that a shot to see which I like better (FRFR vs Power Amp + Cab). I don’t currently have a speaker cab that I would pair with this and was thinking about picking up a 2x12.

What are your favorite traditional 2x12 guitar cabs? What speakers do you like? I kind of want to stay away from V30s – I know they’re tried and true, but I naturally veer contrarian – if everyone else is using it, I want something else. I’ve been thinking about EVM 12L’s or some of the Fane Speakers. Eminence makes some interesting ones as well. Hard to find anything used cabs locally that has anything but Celestion's in them, but every once in a while they pop up.

For what it’s worth, I play a fairly wide range of heavier music – from pristine clean to washed out ambient to super heavy gain (and all the various gain stages in between). Basically ambient shoegaze to post metal doom.

Would love to hear what you guys dig....
 
My personal favorite setup for loud cleans involved two TL806 Thiele 1x12 cabs with EV12S speakers (easier to carry than a 2x12 loaded with those heavy magnets). You can’t get those speakers anymore, but the 12Ls are similar. The TL cabs were home made, but Mesa’s version is similar. I also currently have a Mesa Road King II 2x12 combo with Altec 417-8H speakers in it that cuts through really well. You can find those speakers, and the EV12S, used if you shop a bit. I have three of the EVs saved, just in case I get a desire to lug heavy cabs again. 😁

The EVM12L, in my experience, is a great speaker, especially when you need to get really loud without the speaker breaking up. It takes on the personality of the amp you’re using, which can be good or bad, but it’s a good thing when you want less speaker coloration than something like a Greenback or Creamback would interject.
 
Fan of the EVM12Ls here too ..... I use them in a couple of Marshall 1x12 cabs. (Tried them in a 2x12 and all good but a bit too heavy ..... the 2 1x12s also give me the option to separate them if I want to do/hear stereo FX .... or stack them on an amp stand to have a small footprint).

I know I'm off topic re. suggested 2x12 cabs but sometimes 2 1x12s are worth thinking about ... options for just using one for a little room/rehearsal or use both for bigger/more volume required occasions.
 
Never heard of that Genz Benz before... sounds interesting. Wish there was a local one I could try out. Option to add to the list.
I've thought about going with (2) 1x12s, but I like the sound and space of a 2x12. Something I might try in the future, but going to start with a 2x12 first. I've actually got an oversized Ampeg V2 4x12 which I love but I don't want to tailor my Axe presets to that because it's giant and never leaves my practice space.
I've heard a lot of good things about those Port City cabs. I'm kicking myself a little bit because there was a used one for sale not too long ago here in MA but I wasn't up to speed on them at that point. Just recently missed out on what looked to be a nice Hi-Tone cabinet (Hiwatt clone) for the same reason. A fryette cab is another one that's on my shortlist, but those rarely come up and when they do, it's usually the 4x12.

Keep the recommendations coming guys, dig hearing what other people are using.
 
I have an old Jenkins Sound shop 2X12 that I just drop a pair of Celestion Rubys and it kills! It is one of the best 2X12s I've heard (I also have a Mesa 2X12 w/ V30s). I'm playing a Komet K60 and Trainwreck Express clone through the cab. I don't believe Jenkins is in business anymore but its very similar to a Bruno 2X12.
 
I've got a 2x12 vertical angle front rectifier cab with V30's that been my goto for a long time. You could try different speakers. Nice size cab, very solid but lighted and still looks great on stage. The slant top helps hear it on stage.
 
For a real cab (physical) I like the V30 + C90 (Mesa special), actually the V30 is also a Mesa built one, you get both midrange dirt and clarity.
 
I have a fender bb212 cab which came loaded with celestion v-type speakers, these are not bad but I recently switched them for a couple Fane F70s and it made a huge difference.
Fanes are really great speakers, they're balanced across all frequencies and have a tight low end which makes them very versatile, take a look (or listen) at them
 
I've always liked the Recto 2x12 with v30's for anything high gain. Take off the two rear casters and it leans back for better coverage, too.




Also, they come with two input jacks in the back wired directly to each other (intended for daisy chaining cabs) but you can easily convert them to stereo with almost no effort. Take off the rear jack plate and snip the two small metal wires connecting the two jacks and you're done. It would probably be just as easy to wire in a switch as well if you really needed it, but I didn't bother with that. Instead, for mono amps I just use two speaker cables and I'm good to go.
 
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