Mesa Cabinet Build Quality?

[glpg80]

I was in the market for two Engl Pro cabinets, but my school laptop decided to quit working after a windows update. Had no choice but to purchase another one as i need and use it on a daily basis for work and school.

Thus, im now looking at backup option two, Mesa Recto cabinets.

Any MDF in these at all? what is the baffle constructed of, and do they have center support beams? what ply are they, and does anyone know whether they are finger joint constructed?

Mesa's site does not turn up much other than outside dimensions.

Anyone played one against a 5150 cabinet? I have gigged these for years and they are road worthy, Never touched or even considered a Mesa cabinet at all so i am quite clueless here

Option three might be the Engl vs the VHT Fatbottom cabinets, it might be worth saving for this again but it will be another year

 

[AssfaceRules]

Hello,
I cant speak to all the detailed questions you ask, but Mesa can. Give them a call - they have always been very helpful when I call. I have a 2x12 vertical recto - V30's. I came from using a stock 5150 cab. I found this particular 2x12 to be more detailed than the 5150 I had, actually has more low end, and the highs, while present, dont make my eyes explode.

 

[JakeAC5253]

The side wood and baffle is Marine Grade Baltic Birch, and I believe that the back panel is MDF, which is fairly standard for back panel woods. There is a center support beam. They are fantastic cabinets and the build quality easily justifies the price. The Recto cabinet is over 100 lbs of dense high quality wood, if it falls I would be more worried that the speakers would fail from the fall rather than the wood being damaged.

 

[glpg80]

Thanks for the quick replies

they are rear loaded though, correct? As much as everyone loves front loaded for a tighter tone i am not a fan of them under a mic.

Is there anything i need to watch for like you do with their recto amps, is there anything wrong with purchasing new or is there a run of years that are better or ones to stay away from?

 

[Shiny_Surface]

No mdf backboards in Mesa cabs as far as I know, not that I'm against mdf or anything had a Marshall 4x12 with an mdf backboard and it sounded decent to me.

Here is the back of a Roadking 4x12 if you're interested, Mesa made me a full size backboard so I could convert the cab between semi-open back and sealed...

 

[glpg80]

Hello,
I cant speak to all the detailed questions you ask, but Mesa can. Give them a call - they have always been very helpful when I call. I have a 2x12 vertical recto - V30's. I came from using a stock 5150 cab. I found this particular 2x12 to be more detailed than the 5150 I had, actually has more low end, and the highs, while present, dont make my eyes explode.

glad to read someone coming from the same place as i am currently at with positive results

any reason you chose the vertical cabs over the standard 4x12, since you came from a 4x12?

 

[glpg80]

That roadking cabinet looks like its built to survive WW3. What is different between the roadking cabinets and the recto series? jesus so many options

 

[JakeAC5253]

Thanks for the quick replies

they are rear loaded though, correct? As much as everyone loves front loaded for a tighter tone i am not a fan of them under a mic.

Is there anything i need to watch for like you do with their recto amps, is there anything wrong with purchasing new or is there a run of years that are better or ones to stay away from?

Yes, the Recto cabs are rear loaded. Now is the best time to purchase Recto cabs IMO. Rear loaded, straight baffle, oversized, and if you get the straight model then you have essentially THE most brutal and tight metal cabinet on the planet. Looking back a couple of years and Mesa used to angle their baffle wood, which takes away some punch, and the names of the cabs changed twice during their life, so you may get something different unintentionally if you buy used. I bought my cabinet brand new about two years ago and never had a problem getting a good tone from my 5150 with it. You might have to spend some time dialing it in versus your old cab though. I know when I first heard the Recto cab I had a little bit of a WTF moment, but I spent some time dialing it in and I still say wow to this day, now two years later. You are going to love it, especially seeing how much you like 5150's. The Recto cab is THE cab for the 5150 series.

 

[Shiny_Surface]

That roadking cabinet looks like its built to survive WW3. What is different between the roadking cabinets and the recto series? jesus so many options

It has that internal divider board which splits the interior airspace and takes the place of a center post.

I ran a 6505+ through it for a spell and it sounded great to me, I think Mesa cabs in general seem to compliment the 5150 series well for some reason.

 

[glpg80]

That roadking cabinet looks like its built to survive WW3. What is different between the roadking cabinets and the recto series? jesus so many options

It has that internal divider board which splits the interior airspace and takes the place of a center post.

Thats a cool option

Is the cabinet itself oversized, and if so, does it experience that same oversized attitude or is that the purpose of the divider in this series? i would think this design with an oversized cabinet would make the response better by 10 fold, compared to a conventional 4x12. I may consider the roadking series then, i am skeptical against normal center post oversized cabinets because they all experience that woofy lofty amplifier swallowed attitude compared to a normal 4x12 or 4x10.

 

[Shiny_Surface]

Is the cabinet itself oversized, and if so, does it experience that same oversized attitude or is that the purpose of the divider in this series? i would think this design with an oversized cabinet would make the response better by 10 fold, compared to a conventional 4x12. I may consider the roadking series then, i am skeptical against normal center post oversized cabinets because they all experience that woofy lofty attitude compared to a tight cabinet or normal 4x12.

It's an oversized dimension but the way the interior airspace is divided cuts down on the boominess factor (imo) and is almost like 2 2x12's fused together that share a common wall.

Honestly I think any Mesa cab in today's used market is a good bang for the buck.

A regular oversized cab with a 5150 sounds great to me, the way the 5150 is voiced the oversized dimension seems to compliment it but not everyone would agree of course.

5150's and Mesa cabs just seem to naturally pair up well can't explain it.

 

[glpg80]

Thanks for the quick replies

they are rear loaded though, correct? As much as everyone loves front loaded for a tighter tone i am not a fan of them under a mic.

Is there anything i need to watch for like you do with their recto amps, is there anything wrong with purchasing new or is there a run of years that are better or ones to stay away from?

Yes, the Recto cabs are rear loaded. Now is the best time to purchase Recto cabs IMO. Rear loaded, straight baffle, oversized, and if you get the straight model then you have essentially THE most brutal and tight metal cabinet on the planet. Looking back a couple of years and Mesa used to angle their baffle wood, which takes away some punch, and the names of the cabs changed twice during their life, so you may get something different unintentionally if you buy used. I bought my cabinet brand new about two years ago and never had a problem getting a good tone from my 5150 with it. You might have to spend some time dialing it in versus your old cab though. I know when I first heard the Recto cab I had a little bit of a WTF moment, but I spent some time dialing it in and I still say wow to this day, now two years later. You are going to love it, especially seeing how much you like 5150's. The Recto cab is THE cab for the 5150 series.

Thanks for the info, and yes after 8 years of running 5150 cabinets i am ready for something new. Not that these cabinets are not great work horses, but i know the grass is greener on the other side and its time to experience the latter for the greater good.

It is true i am an avid 5150 user, i use what works. nothing more, nothing less

 

[glpg80]

Is the cabinet itself oversized, and if so, does it experience that same oversized attitude or is that the purpose of the divider in this series? i would think this design with an oversized cabinet would make the response better by 10 fold, compared to a conventional 4x12. I may consider the roadking series then, i am skeptical against normal center post oversized cabinets because they all experience that woofy lofty attitude compared to a tight cabinet or normal 4x12.

It's an oversized dimension but the way the interior airspace is divided cuts down on the boominess factor (imo) and is almost like 2 2x12's fused together that share a common wall.

Honestly I think any Mesa cab in today's used market is a good bang for the buck.

A regular oversized cab with a 5150 sounds great to me, the way the 5150 is voiced the oversized dimension seems to compliment it but not everyone would agree of course.

5150's and Mesa cabs just seem to naturally pair up well can't explain it.

I actually love that boom character - makes for a thunderous (no pun intended) type of tone, i just hate the swallowed attitude that comes with the territory, once you experience an extremely tight cabinet like a 4x10 celestion closed back for example, its hard to see the benefits of the oversized models.

It seems i may be better off doing some more research on the roadking and recto series, it seems this setback may be for the better after this topic so far

 

[hellaboogie]

I have a Mesa traditional 4x12 or what is now called the stiletto straight cab, it is a great cab no mdf to be found.

I also have the VHT/FRYETTE 4x12 fat bottom straight cab

great cabs I like them both, but let me assure you the fat bottom cab is much tighter than the Mesa

 

[guitarmike]

the only thing I would worry about a Mesa cab is the weight. I helped a guy move one once and that was enough for me! I will say the cab sounded great, tight solid thunder, if I did not have to move it, I'd own one.

 

[glpg80]

the only thing I would worry about a Mesa cab is the weight. I helped a guy move one once and that was enough for me! I will say the cab sounded great, tight solid thunder, if I did not have to move it, I'd own one.

one of the best investments i made when i decided i was going to own two 4x12 cabinets, were a set of mini-fridge industrial handtrucks and a set of ramps for my truck. i coated the whole thing in spray on rubber so it does not do any major damage, and i never have to lift them once

 

[bhuard75]

Ive got a O/S recto 412. Built like a tank. Heavy. All plywood, no MDF back. This cabinet hated My Bogners. Got very boomy with them.

 

[D-Rock]

Mesa Trad. size all the way. Bet cab I've owned.

 

[steve_k]

Thanks for the quick replies

they are rear loaded though, correct? As much as everyone loves front loaded for a tighter tone i am not a fan of them under a mic.

Is there anything i need to watch for like you do with their recto amps, is there anything wrong with purchasing new or is there a run of years that are better or ones to stay away from?

Nothing wrong with Mesa cabs. But, watch the oversize cabs. They work great for Recto's, Marks and other more modern amps. I find they sound woofy with many amps though. Marshall's and any thing like that, I couldn't get dialed in. The standard size, or whatever they call it now (Stiletto?) are probably the one to go with. If you are after something over-sized, look at Mill's Afterburners.

They are rear-loaded.

Steve

 

[glpg80]

Thanks for the quick replies

they are rear loaded though, correct? As much as everyone loves front loaded for a tighter tone i am not a fan of them under a mic.

Is there anything i need to watch for like you do with their recto amps, is there anything wrong with purchasing new or is there a run of years that are better or ones to stay away from?

Nothing wrong with Mesa cabs. But, watch the oversize cabs. They work great for Recto's, Marks and other more modern amps. I find they sound woofy with many amps though. Marshall's and any thing like that, I couldn't get dialed in. The standard size, or whatever they call it now (Stiletto?) are probably the one to go with. If you are after something over-sized, look at Mill's Afterburners.

They are rear-loaded.

Steve

I always thought the recto series was the standard size, at least when i posted this, as have many people been recommending them including lolzgreg who was kind enough to allow to do a blind ear test.

but that woofy, swallowed attitude of an oversized cabinet i absolutely hate, much prefer normal size cabinets hence why i was originally considering a pair of Engl Pro's and not the XXL's.

i guess i need to be making some phone calls to mesa and mills both, because i know mill's designed their cabinets around removing that attitude i am speaking of.

thanks for the reply Steve

need to hit up Greg again, hopefully he will reply soon.