What is the "Best" 4x12 cab Bogner, Diezel, Mesa or Marshall

The Bogner cabs always seem to deliver... I would also add just about any Marshall cabinet 70's thru the 90's. They say the construction methods are the same with the new Marshall 1960's but I have not played anything new from Marshall except a 90's 1936 2x12 cabinet which was 100% MDF and it sucked balls, it was a dead sounding woofy cabinet.

My 1990's JCM900 straight 4x12 (13 ply birch with MDF back) sounds and feels like my original 78 and 79 4x12's when loaded with the same speakers, Heritage 12H-30's 55hz and 75Hz.
 
My Friedman 4X12 is amazing. Best sounding cab I have ever owned. It makes every amp I pair it with just sound killer. I love the mixture of 25w Greenies and V30s. I will also add that the construction is top notch.
 
Fret-Shredder said:
My Friedman 4X12 is amazing. Best sounding cab I have ever owned. It makes every amp I pair it with just sound killer. I love the mixture of 25w Greenies and V30s. I will also add that the construction is top notch.
Click to expand...

I'm pretty sure the same company that makes Bogner cabinets makes Friedman cabinets as well, no doubt that the Friedman cab are primo cabs as Dave is all knowledgable about vintage Marshalls and I sure his cabs are as good if not better than a vintage Marshall construction and soundwise but they are spendy compared to used newer Marshalls. Vintage Marshall are still in the stratosphere pricewise.....

I do like my Mesa Boogie Roadster 2x12 for a 2x12, the mesa V30 sound so much better that a standard Celestion V30 IMHO.
 
EXPcustom said:
I know it is an objective question but in terms of quality and in terms of modern era. When I ask this question I am talking about cabs made from 1990 to today.

I love my Diezel cab and I just picked up a Bogner Uber 4x12. I heard really good things about the Bogner 4x12s so when a Uber cab came up for sale for 600 dollars I could not refuse. The probelm is my rack is getting reading to be sent off so I wont have a chance to try my Bogner cab for a little while. :cry:

I have heard the quality of Mesa and Marshall 4x12s has gone slightly downhill in recent years any thruth to this?

I am looking at purchasing in the future a Wizard cab along with another Diezel but I want to hear opinions on the Mesa and Marshall stuff how it compares before I consider those. I do have a 80s Mesa metal grill cab with a half back and 2v30s with black shadows and I love it.

:rock:
Click to expand...
Late to the party...this is a very "subjective" question

Personally, best cabs for quality, longevity and tone are Bogner and Diezel with a MASSIVE MASSIVE NOD of approval to Fryette/VHT cabs 100% of the way... Diezel and Bogner cabs tend to like a specific few speakers in 'em, K100s, V30s, Uber75/30, G12H - they like what they come stock with.

The thing I've really grown to appreciate about Fryette cabinets is not only their flawless production (I mean, these are fkn amazing cabs!!), but they take all manner of different aftermarket speaker swaps without issue. The only reason I think people tend to not speak about them is either they're not expensive enough to garner attention; or those who know are simply busy playing guitar and not hanging out on forums LOL

Peace!!
V.
 
Crunchtime said:
Best I have played is my VHT D412 that I have added a center brace to connect the front and rear panels.
Click to expand...

VHT cabs are great when broken in. Like, holy shit good. Bought mine after hearing a bro in my band's sister band, but sold it before it broke in. Eminence take FOREVER it seems.
 
Crunchtime said:
Best I have played is my VHT D412 that I have added a center brace to connect the front and rear panels.
Click to expand...
D412 is the bomb - love those cabs - and ya, they are more thunderous than the FatBottom much to many peoples surprise.

Nigel said:
VHT cabs are great when broken in. Like, holy shit good. Bought mine after hearing a bro in my band's sister band, but sold it before it broke in. Eminence take FOREVER it seems.
Click to expand...
That's the notorious P50e speaker, not so much the cab. P50e are love/hate; once they're broken in, they sound really fkn good. But if ya don't like 'em, there's a great aftermarket sale for them (I've sold a few quads of P50e in the past and they went fast on Reverb/CL, etc) and the D412 LOVES Creams, Greens, V30s, G12H, Alnico Golds, etc. Amazing cabs. I haven't had a chance to spend a lot of time with the Fane loaded 412s, but Ive heard amazing things.

Fryette make some of the best cabs on the market today - flawless craftsmanship, design, airtight, impeccable finish, and no, I don't work for them or get endorsements.

Mo
 
I've been rocking an EVH 412 the last 3-4 years and it is tits. Awesome construction, fit/finish, and tone. Sounds great...tight, punchy, articulate, with a touch of compression/smoothness, but still very aggressive sounding.

Last week I finally received my F70 loaded Fatbottom 412 after waiting 14 months. And so far I'm impressed. It is a touch darker to my surprise when compared to the rear loaded EVH. The EVH has more bite in the highs. The FB is a touch more open/crunchy/gritty where the EVH is a bit smoother/more compressed sounding...but both are equally aggressive IMO. The FB lows are slightly more extended than the EVH, but both cabs are tight with the FB being a maybe a smidge tighter...really splitting hairs. I think the mids are more prominent with the FB and in a way I have a hard time describing....maybe like there's a hint of that V30 in there...but not anywhere near as vocal as a V30. Might be why the highs seem a bit shelved off to me...might be the lows and mids slightly dominate the voicing.

Based on what I've read and comments from forum members here, I expected the FL FB to be worlds apart from the RL EVH...my experience has not matched others perceptions. Everyone said how much more tight and aggressive a FL cab would be...not to my ears. They are different, but both these cabs are very tight, aggressive, and articulate. I've run the EVH with about 20 different amps and every one sounded great through it. I won't get that opportunity with the FB412, but I can't imagine it would sound bad with most amps.

I'd like to try a D412 loaded with F70 or F90s.
 
Last edited:
Ventura said:
D412 is the bomb - love those cabs - and ya, they are more thunderous than the FatBottom much to many peoples surprise.


That's the notorious P50e speaker, not so much the cab. P50e are love/hate; once they're broken in, they sound really fkn good. But if ya don't like 'em, there's a great aftermarket sale for them (I've sold a few quads of P50e in the past and they went fast on Reverb/CL, etc) and the D412 LOVES Creams, Greens, V30s, G12H, Alnico Golds, etc. Amazing cabs. I haven't had a chance to spend a lot of time with the Fane loaded 412s, but Ive heard amazing things.

Fryette make some of the best cabs on the market today - flawless craftsmanship, design, airtight, impeccable finish, and no, I don't work for them or get endorsements.

Mo
Click to expand...
Man, I couldn't return the D412 I had FAST enough. Ugh, not good and that was when I had both a D60 and a D120....stock P50 speakers too..soo many raved about it. It must have been worn out; it had seen better days. Opened up the back and everything was stock; ohms tested right. Maybe if I had loaded it up with different speakers.
Bogners, Diezels, Rivera, Mesa all make killer cabs. I didn't care much for V30s until I played one of the previously mentioned...they sounded killer through all of them.
 
Racerxrated said:
Man, I couldn't return the D412 I had FAST enough. Ugh, not good and that was when I had both a D60 and a D120....stock P50 speakers too..soo many raved about it. It must have been worn out; it had seen better days. Opened up the back and everything was stock; ohms tested right. Maybe if I had loaded it up with different speakers.
Bogners, Diezels, Rivera, Mesa all make killer cabs. I didn't care much for V30s until I played one of the previously mentioned...they sounded killer through all of them.
Click to expand...
Kind of the same experience. While it was arguably one of the best constructed cabs I have ever owned, I had a Free Peavey MS412 with the mdf wooden back loaded with V30 x 75 and it knocked the socks off the D412 I had.
 
maddnotez said:
Kind of the same experience. While it was arguably one of the best constructed cabs I have ever owned, I had a Free Peavey MS412 with the mdf wooden back loaded with V30 x 75 and it knocked the socks off the D412 I had.
Click to expand...
I had one with the K85s; as far as cost vs tone, it was 200 bucks and sounded pretty killer..esp for heavier stuff.
 
I got a Marshall MF400 that I love. However it’s not exactly a great “every amp works with it” cabinet. I like some of the Friedman stuff I’ve tried. I think that’s the next cab I’d get.
 
Mr. Willy said:
I’ve yet to play a 4x12 as good as a Bogner straight 4x12.
Click to expand...

I’m going to be horrible at describing this., but here we go.
The Bogner cab has this unique trait of really melding the frequencies together, adding additional low mids and projecting it all in a warm, rich way.
The old Diezel NYC cabs are the same.

You have to turn it up and have the speakers working hard to make this happen, at volume the cab just comes alive.
It isn’t the most suitable for all out metal, but for any other style and recording it rules.

I’ve had / have Wizard, Diezel FL and Mesa cabs they don’t do this in the same way the Bogner cab does.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top