Cheap, but good quality, 2x12 cabs- anything I'm missing?

[dave_mc]

Hi everyone,

I've been thinking what I really need (!) is another 2x12 cab to use with my Laney GH50L and Marshall 18 watt clone. I already have the Laney Lionheart cab which I use with it, but sometimes it's a bit dark (it has those 55hz g12h30s) and it also can be a bit crunchy in a 70s sort of way. I want something that more suits classic rock and 80s rock and metal tones- slightly more conventional rock guitar tone, basically. Greenbacks should work ok for that, right?

Deal-breakers:

- no mdf or particleboard guff. Must be ply (or solid wood, i guess, but normally marshally-type cabs are ply i think).

- either has greenbacks or similar stock or is cheap enough to retrofit them.

- good quality. it's a false economy if i cheap out and it sounds like cr@p. It doesn't need to be Mills Acoustic quality but I want it to be a "good" cab.

- closed back construction

Not deal-breakers, but would be a bonus:

- option to switch between open-and closed-back construction

- cool colour

- enough wattage to also use with my 100 watt engl

So far I've come across the Traynor IronHorse DHX212 2x12 cab for ~£280/335 euro. It's made in Canada, has two greenbacks already loaded, and has the option to switch between open-  and closed-back. Colour's a bit boring, but at least it doesn't look horrible. And it's only 50 watts, but that wouldn't be the end of the world- I rarely crank my Engl anyway, plus I could set it to triode mode if I really cared.

I'm not seeing anything much to beat it on price/value- anything I'm missing? Has anyone actually tried this Traynor cab? The Traynor stuff I have tried has been pretty nice, but I haven't tried this cab.

----

TL;DR: Are there any better-value closed back 2x12 cabinets available than the Traynor Iron Horse DHX212 2x12 cab which is £280/335 Euro?

Thanks in advance for your help. :drink: and sorry for the length (I did try to keep it short :oops: ).

[d1dsj]

I spied this earlier and nearly pulled the trigger, looks like it could be a winner but I have some family stuff to sort before I can get a 2 x 12. Hope this link works... Oh, great price and colour too
 http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/290650080809?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

[MDV]

Zilla fatboy.

I dont often say this but

/thread

[dave_mc]

^ ^ thanks, i've never heard of them before. will take a look. EDIT: holy cack they're cheap! I can also get them in red (which will sound better, of course). Are they any good, though? :lol: EDIT #2: Just noticed that the cheaper one has smaller dimensions... but the dearer one would work out at a similar price to the traynor. Which at least is another option, if nothing else. Thanks very much, I'd never have thought of them. Have you tried them, by the way?

^ thanks mark. i'd thought of zilla, but they seem to be more like £400 loaded with speakers (maybe even slightly more). Not that I'm saying it wouldn't be a nice cab, just i'm trying to keep the price down.

though someone on UG said that they often have ex-demo stock at teh price i'd like to pay, so i might email them to see.

:drink:

[MDV]

Yes. I've tried a fatboy (Blankplanks). Its a superb sounding cab. We should all rue the day that Mr Zilla figures out that by the quality of them he could get away with charging much, much more for them. Tight, clean, very big sounding and punchy for a 2x12, smooth, thick, articulate. Kicked the living shite out of my orange 2x12 with a very similar loadout (swamp thangs in both, a jensen c12k in the orange and legend in the fatboy).

It kinda sounds like a mini Bogner Ubercab (my main cab), which is about the highest praise I can give to it.

[dave_mc]

yeah i know they do have a pretty good rep. just they're pretty dear- compared to what i can get for cheaper, anyway. i'm well aware that if they're as good as you say they are that £400 is still pretty good value.

[BlankPlank]

If you can stretch it, I would most certainly recommend the Fatboy. It really brought my entire rig alive. You can get it unloaded and get the speakers later on if you so wish. I'll be getting another this year for definite. I paid £400 for mine which included speakers, recessed handles as well as a top strap handle, and castors. Literally the only thing I didn't choose was the dimensions (technically I did, because I picked a Fatboy, but heh), and Paul was fantastic to work with every step of the way. Build time is about 2 weeks I think.

[d1dsj]

Hey Dave, I haven't tried those cabs on Ebay or even heard of them before but for that money, ply construction I doubt you could lose assuming the final build is good.

[shobet]

My zilla was an empty ex-demo stock studio-pro which i subsequently put a swamp thing and a wizard into. It's worth talkig to him directly as he may have something that suits and he's also a nice guy to deal with.

[Brow]

I have an older 90s Marshall 1936 (fullsize) 2x12 from when they still made them here for sale if you'd be interested? (worth a try on my part I guess!  :lol:)

[dragonfire709]

There seem to be some Jet City cabs on ebay at good prices at the moment. I think they may only be 4x12's though. Are thy much cop or rubbish?

Cheers

Roy

[dave_mc]

thanks for all the replies :drink:

BlankPlank: thanks. yeah I suppose i could get it unloaded, that's a good point. though it wouldn't sound too great until i got speakers into it :lol: And I'm guessing it might be marginally cheaper letting them load it (as postage to NI on speakers can add up very quickly!).

d1dsj: thanks. that'd be my feeling, too. Of course, if the build quality is rubbish, all bets are off. that's sorta the gamble, unfortunately. :(

shobet: thanks. i probably will email zilla just to see what they have. someone on anotehr forum mentioned getting an ex-demo cab from them at a pretty great price so it's probably worth an email, if nothing else.

Brow: I'd really rather go new, but thanks for the offer. Apart from anything, in my experience shipping to Northern Ireland if you don't go with Royal Mail is ridiculously expensive (and even if you do is still a fair bit). good luck with the sale.

dragonfire709: thanks. yeah i'd noticed them before, but they only seem to have the 4x12s and 1x12 now. And while a good price if you're leaving them stock, i don't think i'd be saving a whole load if i were buying it solely to upgrade the speakers.

Don't think i missed anyone there. Thanks again for the info and replies everyone :drink:

[juansolo]

MR box... That wouldn't be a lightsaber per-chance would it?  8)

[shobet]

Aherm...

[stonevibe]

I was going to say Jet City 2x12 cabs, but someone already beat me to it. I own one and they are great sounding cabs for the money and sound great at gig levels.

However if you have the money hit Paul at Zilla cabs up for a FatBoy 2x12 cab as they are fantastic value for money and beautifully made. Try and buy British whenever I can, but besides that Zilla are a great company to deal with.