AVT Cabinet Upgrade

[JPummil]

I've got an old AVT 4x12 cab with the AVT grade Celestions it it that never really wowed me. Ive thought about upgrading the speakers, but by then I'm about $500 into a project that may not be as good as just buying an old 1960A.

I do like that the AVT cab is a bit smaller than a 1960, I don't like that it's constructed of cheaper materials. Aesthetically, it's still in great shape, no rips or tears. I still have the AVT-50H amp, but I'd probably be running my SV-20H into it these days.

Thoughts on whether a speaker upgrade would do wonders or just be tossing money out the window? I'm currently using an Avatar 2x12 with V30 and Greenback. Not looking for "louder", but 4x12's just seem to sound "bigger"?

 

[fitz]

I've got an old AVT 4x12 cab with the AVT grade Celestions it it that never really wowed me. Ive thought about upgrading the speakers, but by then I'm about $500 into a project that may not be as good as just buying an old 1960A.

I do like that the AVT cab is a bit smaller than a 1960, I don't like that it's constructed of cheaper materials. Aesthetically, it's still in great shape, no rips or tears. I still have the AVT-50H amp, but I'd probably be running my SV-20H into it these days.

Thoughts on whether a speaker upgrade would do wonders or just be tossing money out the window? I'm currently using an Avatar 2x12 with V30 and Greenback. Not looking for "louder", but 4x12's just seem to sound "bigger"?

If you like the smaller size of the AVT cab, new speakers would not be tossing money out the window.
No law saying the new speakers have to stay in the AVT cab if you get something else in the future.
Keep the old ones to put back in if you decide to sell it.
Unless you're looking for T-75's that's probably what you'd be getting in a standard 1960.

 

[fitz]

I'm currently using an Avatar 2x12 with V30 and Greenback. Not looking for "louder", but 4x12's just seem to sound "bigger"?

Option #2:
If you like the Avatar w/ V30 & GB - get a 2nd one for a 212 x2 stack for the SV.
Leave the AVT 1/2 stack as is.

 

[Gunner64]

I thought the avt speakers worked well with a 2204 clone..tamed the high end a bit.

I have both the a and b avt cabs.

I loaded them with 75's and v30s in an x pattern for a while and they did sound pretty good, but not really bang for buck better than the 412avt speakers imo.

The material the avt 4x12's are made of is heavy..loaded with bigger magent speakers they were even heavier.

Smaller than a 1960, but I'd bet weigh more Reloaded.

I like the cabs. Don't believe the Mdf will fall apart and you'll be sorry bullshit. Thats mostly internet drivel..Mine are over 20 years old, have been gigged, speakers changed more times than I remember and I haven't seen any catastrophic failure in the material.

 

[JPummil]

I need to dig it out of the closet and actually try it "as is" with the SV-20H. With the AVT-50H or my ENGL Ironball 20, it didn't really shine. And it IS a heavy beast with the MDF for sure...though the slightly more compact dimensions are nice.

As someone mentioned...invest in good speakers and I can always put 'em in something else if the swap doesn't work out as hoped!

 

[fitz]

And it IS a heavy beast with the MDF for sure...though the slightly more compact dimensions are nice.

A 1960 cab isn't going to be any less of a heavy beast.
Those AVT 50w speakers have some fairly small magnets.
New H or M mag speakers probably aren't going to lighten the load either.

 

[Matthews Guitars]

Speaker sound is such a huge part of the overall sound of the amp and cabinet, it should be the very first thing you look at for tonal improvement. I don't care if the cabinet is the cheapest piece of 3/4" CDX construction grade plywood cut out with a jigsaw and screwed together with drywall screws and sealed up with Liquid Nails, wired up with Romex and wire nuts, if it's got good speakers it'll kick ass!

As a matter of fact I once got a 4x12 that was exactly that. It had four reissue Greenbacks in it. I got it for half the value of the speakers.

Of course I put those speakers in one of my 1960 cabinets that was empty at the time. But even as it was, it was a good sounding cabinet,
thanks to those speakers, not due to the quality of the cabinet. (or lack thereof.)

 

[mark123]

I replaced the speakers in a Marshall MG412A with Peavey 1290s. Huge improvement and you can get them for about $20 per speaker.

 

[JPummil]

FINALLY...getting back to this project and a couple of others...

Thinking about replacing speakers with a mix of WGS Veteran 30's and a couple of ET-65's. Also thinking about replacing the grill cloth and emblem while I'm at it. I know...lots of cash to sink into an AVT cab...but I do like the slightly smaller size compared to a 1960.

All of this to complimemt my SV20H which I really like....

 

[fitz]

 

[JPummil]

Hahaha! You have my word...

 

[fitz]

I have an AVT cab re-do in progress ATM.
AVT112 getting new tolex, side cup handles and string piping.

Already did the grill.
Going to be the B cab to match the AVT100C that I butchered into a half slant A cab for my O50H

 

[JPummil]

I have an AVT cab re-do in progress ATM.
AVT112 getting new tolex, side cup handles and string piping.

I'm lucky in that my Tolex is in really good shape other than just needing a proper wipe down.

I may order some new piping (gold to match the new Marshall emblem)...I guess AVT's use the piping with a "lip"?

 

[fitz]

I'm lucky in that my Tolex is in really good shape other than just needing a proper wipe down.

I may order some new piping (gold to match the new Marshall emblem)...I guess AVT's use the piping with a "lip"?

Around the grill, yes piping with lip.

 

[JPummil]

Haha! Never a dull moment. Just popped the back off to make sure of ohm ratings before I order speakers. As expected, 8 ohms. No issues there...

BUT...4 screws holding speakers in MDF. New speakers will have much bigger magnets, thus more weight. Just add more screws, or...?

And being an MDF AVT cab, the front speaker mounting panels aren't screwed in and held with strips like on a 1960. Glued perhaps? Just curious as to how to disassemble to replace the grill cloth...

 

[fitz]

Haha! Never a dull moment. Just popped the back off to make sure of ohm ratings before I order speakers. As expected, 8 ohms. No issues there...

BUT...4 screws holding speakers in MDF. New speakers will have much bigger magnets, thus more weight. Just add more screws, or...?

And being an MDF AVT cab, the front speaker mounting panels aren't screwed in and held with strips like on a 1960. Glued perhaps? Just curious as to how to disassemble to replace the grill cloth...

View attachment 140097

Grills are front load - held on with velcro (at least my 112 & combo were).

 

[JPummil]

Grills are front load - held on with velcro (at least my 112 & combo were).

Ahhh! That may actually be EASIER than the backloaded way! I'll tentatively count that as a "win".

 

[Dogs of Doom]

but... that 412 picture above is rear loaded. You do not want to try & pry off the front grill on a rear loaded cabinet...

There should be T-nuts holding the speaker screws in place...

If so, I wouldn't worry about the bigger magnet speakers.

If not, I'd add them, which will mean a trip to the hardware store & drilling the speaker screw holes to fit the T-nuts... Then, I'd apply some adhesive to the T-nuts to help hold them in place later on, so if you need to pull the speaker, they don't come loose & just spin (there's a thread around here somewhere, where someone's complaining about that)

 

[fitz]

Ahhh! That may actually be EASIER than the backloaded way! I'll tentatively count that as a "win".

Piping is also attached to the grill's removable frame instead of the cab face frame.
To change the grill cloth, you'll need to remove the piping, about a billion staples, then change the cloth, and reattach the piping.
Not sure about easier.

 

[fitz]

but... that 412 picture above is rear loaded. You do not want to try & pry off the front grill on a rear loaded cabinet...

The speaker baffle in the 112 I just re-tolexed is fixed (glued in place & not removable).
Speakers are rear load, and the grill is on a separate front load grill frame.