True vintage Marshall cabinet characteristics

[Jofipe]

How would you describe the characteristics of a vintage pre-1970 Marshall cabinet vs a brand new one, having the exact same speakers installed?

A local shop got a really nice 69 A cab in, but it has four different speakers installed.. so Ill just put in the V30/G12H30 combo of my 2010 1960AHW and sell that one.

Thanks!

 

[Blix]

Are the speakers old as well? A 69', even without speakers are big dollars.

 

[Jofipe]

No... one of them is a pre-rola. Ill keep that one.. the rest are like t75's, and other junk.

Im just talking about the shell itself a Metro or scumback cab are way to expencive to import to EU... only choice is to stick with the real deal.

It would cost me like quite some €€ to make the swap, but if the cab is way more alive sounding than my current AHW, i'd be happy to pay for it.

One thing tho.. it has to be able to manage touring & rock koncerts.

 

[Blix]

No... one of them is a pre-rola. Ill keep that one.. the rest are like t75's, and other junk.

Im just talking about the shell itself a Metro or scumback cab are way to expencive to import to EU... only choice is to stick with the real deal.

So are you saying it's inexpensive? Even a unloaded one is worth more than you'd have to pay for a fully speced Scumback or Metro... So if so, you're about to make a killer deal!

 

[Jofipe]

In that case.. yeah, its inexpencive. He would offer it to me for 1700usd with a matched quartet of pre-rolas he has in stock. But he could also sell it unloaded... dont know the price yet for that.

Anyways... anyone has anything to add to the initial question?

Another place has a 66' B cab in stock... ripped blonde tolex.. very nice and relic looking. That one was big bucks tho.

Just want a cab I can add my speakers of liking to, and never look back. Gonna be using it with my Gower KK++

 

[lordriffenstein]

Not sure there is a huge difference in the late 60s to mid 70s cabs.
Even the late 70s cabs sound really great I think.
As you are in the EU, you should be able to find a good early 70s cab for a decent price, they pop up now and then.
The reason those old one's fetch the big prices is mostly because of the speakers.

 

[50MkII]

The Germino '68-69 Marshall spec'd 4x12 I own has 3 different speakers in it when I got it(T-75, chinese Greenback RI's, G12H30 70th Anniv). I was told the previous owner was a cabinet snob who would go through one cabinet every month or two for recording-studio purposes. Took them out and installed different ones- all the same. It is a birch-ply back panel with Russian grade birch. The vintage Marshall 70's 4x12 I own is particle back. One person who works with pros pedalboards in the LA area put it to me this way, the particle back panel is more akin to VH tone whereas the birch back panel more Clapton-Cream like in tone. I am about ready to place a particle board back on my Germino and do that comparison before I proceed.

 

[hunter]

I agree with Yoeri, you can have a '71-73 fully loaded with original speakers for less than half in the EU. Just gotta keep looking and be patient. I'm pretty sure and early 70s cab with Greenbacks (Creambacks, Greybacks, whatever) will sound better than the '69 with your V30/G12H combo.

I got my '73 straight with original speakers for 600€ (in Belgium, thanks for the hint Yoeri). It will stay with me until I will be buried deep underground, shall that time be in a long long distant future.

Oh and Riffensteins 71 slant with original 55Hz cones is quite something special, great great sounding cab, too - dark and mean!

 

[Jofipe]

Thanks allot guys! I Got a 1960BHW today to ease the searching. It was used, cheap and sounds great. Checked the 69 today aswell... It was a 66, that had been modded with handles in the sides. What a shame.

Found a blonde 70' B cab locally with original g12m25 75hz pre-rola.
But he wanted 1700euro for it. Ouch! How are those speakers compared to h30 55hz?

 

[50MkII]

Found a blonde 70' B cab locally with original g12m25 75hz pre-rola.
But he wanted 1700euro for it. Ouch! How are those speakers compared to h30 55hz?

Very different. The bottom end on the H30 55hz seemed to hold together better. Heavy vs medium magnet will give you different tones especially in the mids where the guitar sits. All depends on what you are running through it and what you want. Good luck.

 

[Jofipe]

haha..This is the cab from 1970.
it comes with a free sandwich as well... or maybe it's the other way around!
c'mon... it has allot of charm
1600€ tho.. ouch.

 

[metalmaniac93]

Nice cab!!!

 

[metalmaniac93]

I just bought a used 1960 BHW cab!! I hope I like it!!!

 

[Jofipe]

They sound huge IMO Not as tight as the AHW. they have that up front marshall thing going on.

 

[metalmaniac93]

They sound huge IMO Not as tight as the AHW. they have that up front marshall thing going on.

Are you talking about the BHW or the 1970B cab?

 

[LP Freak]

I just bought a used 1960 BHW cab!! I hope I like it!!!

Didn't get it yet?

 

[Badronald]

Eh. To me it depends on how they've been used. Old cabs get loose. Maybe that's what some guys like about them.
My buddy has some old cabs and we've been abusing them since 91 and he's had them since 81 and while they sound great I could make a case that I prefer my newer cabs....
I wouldn't pay too much money for old cabs. There are plenty of guys making amazing cabs these days with much better build quality.
Old wood on guitars is one thing for me, old wood in cabs is another.
Just an opinion.

 

[ericsabbath]

wouldn't pay that much for a 70's cab unless it was mint AND I had a mint and stock matching head from the same era
not that I care at all for finish condition, but it's just not worth the price, in my opinion
I usually love heavily reliced stuff, but never for that kind of price

glad you found a cheaper good cab

my 1960A cab with weber scumback 30w h75's and MG black dogs (similar to the weber silver bell) does the job pretty well for me
lots of punch and low mids
in the end, what counts it's how it sounds with your personal amp
I have a chinese hiwatt high gain 2x12 cab with chinese fane speakers, and it sounds amazing with my amps
don't care if it's chinese and has some shady unknown fane models
it kills on small gigs

 

[Jofipe]

They sound huge IMO Not as tight as the AHW. they have that up front marshall thing going on.

Are you talking about the BHW or the 1970B cab?

The newer BHW. Having an AHW to go with it will IMO totally complete the soundscape. The BHW is the best sounding on their own though... it ounds very big and wide, while the AHW is more focused.

I could imagine that Orange cab with greenbacks, exchanged for the '70 cab... problem is the Orange cabs sounds extremely good haha.. not with the original Vintage 30's tho. Allot of wood in the sound that seriously gives punch to the g12h30's iv installed in it. I'v put the V30's in the BHW.