Good or Bad purchase on a Marshall cab.

[Komanchy]

I'm in need to some help with some research. I just purchased a used AVT 4x12 200 watt cab from an online dealer. I tried to find out as much as I could before buying it, but there's minimal info about them online. I read that its made from birch, and then I read on a different page that its made of particle board. I know this makes a major difference in sound and Im hoping its made from brich. If not I think I might return it. Its currently being shipped to me so I can't physically look inside yet. Any info on the AVT cabs would be very helpful. Oh, and I only paid $180 for it (no tolex peeling/barely any wear on the cab). Good Price? Thanks.

 

[Australian]

Its definitely particle board(mdf). If its new, that seems about right price.


I'd return it. get a Marshall 1960 cab.
http://www.ebay.com

 

[GIBSON67]

$180 is a great price! Not the best speakers but not horrible either, and those can be upgraded, later if you don't like it. I bet you could sell it for more too, if you don't like it.

Just my thoughts.

 

[Ken]

Agree that $180 for a minty AVT cab is the right price, or even a touch cheap.

But I also agree with Australian that it's much better to pay a bit more and get a 1960 cabinet even if it's not in as good condition. Around here they sell for $300 in decent condition, with G12T-75's. The extra $120 would be the best investment you could make in improving your sound.

Ken

 

[Komanchy]

Thanks for the feedback. Well I also have two celestions I was planning on putting in, a 25 watt greenback and a hot 100. That might help. I do have a 30 day money back guarantee on it though, so I'm not sweating it. But All the 1960 cabs around here are either new and really expensive, or at a minimum of 450 used. Im just looking for a decent sound for a gig amp at a cheap(I mean cheeeeeeap) price. Sorry if I'm committing blaspheme, but are there any cabs that compare to a 1960 sound that aren't Marshall?

 

[GIBSON67]

I have a MG cab with greenbacks, and I love it. I've seen chinese GBs sell for cheap on EBAY and I can't tell the difference.

If I were you, I'd buy the cab, sell 2 of the G12S50's and your hot 100 and purchase another greenback and load the GBs in the top slots...bam it should sound great after that.

 

[Komanchy]

I think ill do that gibson67. Ill let you all know how it turns out.

 

[Georgiatec]

1960's are great...until you have to lug them about....wheels help, but don't go up stairs. You may find the smaller lighter AVT to your liking when it comes to shifting it on your own. Be careful if & when you change the speakers to put ones with the same ohm rating in (don't mix 8 & 16 ohm speakers in the same cab). If you put any greenbacks in there you will reduce the power handling to 100 watts so be careful if you are using a 100watt head, too much of the loud knob will blow the greenback.
I think you have a good buy there. Don't dismiss it out of hand...give it a listen first. If you have 30 days you could even swap some speakers in there and still return it if it's not sounding good to you.

 

[Komanchy]

I put the greenback in the top right and the hot 100 in the top left (if your looking at the front of the amp) and Im currently breaking in the new speakers. So far..... Wow those stock celestions don't even compre to the tone it get now, and I've only played on them for about 4 hours.

 

[GIBSON67]

Komanchy, I hope your speaker impedances are all the same...we don't want any mismatches happening.

 

[Komanchy]

yes they're all 8ohm

 

[V-man]

I put the greenback in the top right and the hot 100 in the top left...

Someone can correct this impression of mine if it's wrong, but my understanding is that your cab is rated by its weakest link. For example, If I have a 100w JMP and I am running 3 100 watt speakers and one 15 watt speaker, my cab is not treated as 315W but instead, 60W (15w weakest link times 4). Keep that in mind along with matching impedence.

 

[Ken]

If I have a 100w JMP and I am running 3 100 watt speakers and one 15 watt speaker, my cab is not treated as 315W but instead, 60W (15w weakest link times 4). Keep that in mind along with matching impedence.

That's correct.

Ken

 

[GIBSON67]

I put the greenback in the top right and the hot 100 in the top left (if your looking at the front of the amp) and Im currently breaking in the new speakers. So far..... Wow those stock celestions don't even compre to the tone it get now, and I've only played on them for about 4 hours.

Wait until you try 4 of the same speakers like GBs...WOW!

 

[Komanchy]

So my weakest speaker, watt wise is the greenback (25) and that would be times 4 correct? and my amp head is only 100 watts. So I'm good right? lol and I'm still breaking them in (I've got about 12 hours on them) I've used only amp distortion and I've kept the volume below 4 (I've been slowly increasing the volume on the clean channel). When do you all think I can start using my pedals and cranking that distortion?

 

[Roadburn]

If you are going to play with that GB on the drummer's level it will very likely go kaput m8... (unless your drummer plays with brushes...or very softly)

 

[Komanchy]

I've already had the volume up half way on clean and its plenty loud, and nothings gone kaput.

 

[eaglewolf]

Someone can correct this impression of mine if it's wrong, but my understanding is that your cab is rated by its weakest link. For example, If I have a 100w JMP and I am running 3 100 watt speakers and one 15 watt speaker, my cab is not treated as 315W but instead, 60W (15w weakest link times 4). Keep that in mind along with matching impedence.

Your impression is pretty much right on. Assuming that all speaker impedances (ohm value) are the same, then the output of the amp is split between all the speakers.

If the speakers are of different impedances, then the speakers could be drawing more or less power than each other. The calculations, though not overly difficult, get more complicated. It also means that you may not know the impedance your amp is going to be seeing if you don't know how to calculate it. You could put a meter on it and measure it, but not everyone has a multimeter or understands how to correctly use one.

Suffice to say it is best if you have speakers that are all of the same impedance. The wattage ratings themselves are not critical to making them work, but as stated the lowest rated speaker becomes the limiting factor on power handling.

David

 

[GorskiLP]

Personally i think this is a great cab for the $$$, i paid around the same for mine and seen them go for much higher. who ever said that they were made of particle board they were wrong. after some wear and tear on mine i could see the birch wood. the speakers are in fact celestions though. it is very good. i run a peavey 100w head through it and its screams, its definitely not a 1960 though. good choice though.


Note: lot of bottom