Who's got a PRS Archon 4x12? Looking for info on construction/quality

[harddriver]

I currently 6 Orange PPC412s with different speaker combos, I have a couple Mesa's and I've owned dozens. I've owned Marshall 1960a's, 1960ax's, MF280's and I hated all of them. I've had a few Badcats combos and small cabs, didn't vibe with them. Friedman was extremely rude to me when I met him in a professional capacity so I want nothing to do with his products.

Mainly trying to figure out where these cabs are made and if they're half decent with good speakers. I can score one at a good price. I can't find any pictures or videos of PRS making the cabinets in house. If it's the kinda thing where they outsource to BAD or Mojotone I'm not too interested. Hoping some pictures of the inside of the cab could help me figure it out. They're supposedly solid baltic birch, but I can't imagine how PRS sells them for $999 unless they're built oversees or with some weird out of house deal.

IF they are indeed marine grade Baltic Birch construction probably the worst would be that you might want to change speakers later on if you want a matched 4x12 as you stated you like. I have not played them so I can't comment on how they sound as I own all old Marshall cabinets but I own a Mesa 2x12 Roadster and played a few Mesa and EVH cabs over the years.

I always hear great things about Bogner 4x12 cabs.

The EVH cabs are ok, kinda dark but I do tend to prefer my Marshall's.

 

[Frehley12]

I couldn't be any happier with trading in my EVH 4x12 for a Friedman 4x12 with GBs on top and V30s on bottom. The Friedman made all of my amps come alive. The EVH smothers and I agree it's a darker sounding cab. Unpleasant thin high end.

I also have a Friedman JEL 4x12 with all made in UK GBs. That cab kills too.

 

[napalmdeath]

EVH cabs are not Marine Grade Baltic Birch construction. EVH says they are Baltic Pine which to me is a play on words.

The main difference is:

• Baltic Birch: Comes from a broad-leafed tree that sheds its leaves. It produces a strong, dense, and tightly grained wood.
• Pine: Comes from a needle-leafed evergreen tree that has cones. It usually produces a softer wood that is easier to cut but dents more easily. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

Baltic Birch is usually sold as a high-end plywood. This means many thin layers of real birch wood are glued together to make a flat, strong sheet.

Which is why I think the Archon 4x12 is a better built cab, minus the speakers. Although the V-Types aren't total garbage. Some actually like them.

I think the EVH's are overrated. You get the EVH Celestions, but they dont seem as robust as other higher end cabs, and they sound kinda bland. They're workable, sure, but I just consider them average build at best. They ding/dent easy, cheap tolex, meh...

 

[The~Kid]

EVH cabs are not Marine Grade Baltic Birch construction. EVH says they are Baltic Pine which to me is a play on words.

The main difference is:

• Baltic Birch: Comes from a broad-leafed tree that sheds its leaves. It produces a strong, dense, and tightly grained wood.
• Pine: Comes from a needle-leafed evergreen tree that has cones. It usually produces a softer wood that is easier to cut but dents more easily. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

Baltic Birch is usually sold as a high-end plywood. This means many thin layers of real birch wood are glued together to make a flat, strong sheet.

This is true but pine ain't a bad wood for a cab and can offer a sweeter response.

Some amps use pine as a premium material and charge more too and with the EVH the offering it for the same price more or less vs other builds.

 

[The~Kid]

I couldn't be any happier with trading in my EVH 4x12 for a Friedman 4x12 with GBs on top and V30s on bottom. The Friedman made all of my amps come alive. The EVH smothers and I agree it's a darker sounding cab. Unpleasant thin high end.

I also have a Friedman JEL 4x12 with all made in UK GBs. That cab kills too.

I have two spare G12C/Watchtower Jimi Hendrix Greenbacks and been thinking of using one in my 212 Bad Cat Lynx cab because of this and agree.


Love my Bad Cat but the Friedman 412s with that Greenback/V30 combo sure are magic for sure

 

[The~Kid]

Hell honestly the Archon 412 probably ain't a bad choice if you dig the V-Types.


You can always pick up some V30s or G1230 70th Annis aftermarket from Avatar Speakers too or Weber, Scumback etc etc..

 

[napalmdeath]

This is true but pine ain't a bad wood for a can and can offer a sweeter response.

Some amps use pine as a premium material and charge more too and with the EVH the offering it for the same price more or less vs other builds.

Problem is, pine isn't considered "premium". Baltic birch is, when it comes to cabs. Pine is cheap, and so is Mexican labor. The only thing quality about their 5150 III cabs is the speakers.

 

[japetus]

Nah actually the best way is to get 2 rat fur ADA 2x12 cabs and load them both with JBL's and make sure to coat the rat fur with a nice high end lemon oil

 

[The~Kid]

Problem is, pine isn't considered "premium". Baltic birch is, when it comes to cabs. Pine is cheap, and so is Mexican labor. The only thing quality about their 5150 III cabs is the speakers.

I would disagree, as said pine is used on some premium amps such as the ones Fender makes and some other cab makers as it's lighter and again has a distinct tone that is rather sweet. Also a lot the EVH amps are MIM and they dont sound bad and pretty well made as well as some of the Fender Tube amps that use birch ply and even Schumacher transformers and have tube driven reverb.


You only find the pine material on special Edition models that tend to cost a bit more sometimes due to the pine aside from limited edition Tolex, Upgraded speaker etc etc.

 

[The~Kid]

I mean if you can get the Archon Cab at a discount that ain't bad. And you can always sell the VTypesat for like 50 bucks a pop and fund new speakers or upgrade two speakers and then upgrade the other two down the road.


Depending on what you're after maybe get a set of 70th Annis or Greenbacks and go from there.

 

[PiggySmallz]

The~Clock strikes again. Using Gemini answers to google searches in order to argue with people on a thread who actually have experience with cabs being mentioned. Then changing his mind 2 or 3 times about whether or not the archon 4x12 hes never played is a decent cab. We are barely 2 pages in too. Im convinced he is a professional rage baiter.

 

[The~Kid]

The~Clock strikes again. Using Gemini answers to google searches in order to argue with people on a thread who actually have experience with cabs being mentioned. Then changing his mind 2 or 3 times about whether or not the archon 4x12 hes never played is a decent cab. We are barely 2 pages in too. Im convinced he is a professional rage baiter.

And In convinced you are a MasterBaiter

 

[The~Kid]

And if you're thinking of going for the Archon may as well check out this open box with CreamBack G12H-75 speakers......

For 50 bucks more than what an Archon 412 with VTypes go and not a bad deal..... Free shipping too

 

[Speeddemon]

The~Clock strikes again. Using Gemini answers to google searches in order to argue with people on a thread who actually have experience with cabs being mentioned. Then changing his mind 2 or 3 times about whether or not the archon 4x12 hes never played is a decent cab. We are barely 2 pages in too. Im convinced he is a professional rage baiter.

Yep, and when the consensus starts biting him in the a$$, either a few more pivots, or he starts accusing others of exactly what he's being accused of as a last resort Weaksauce deflection move.

I don't care whether pine is used in some fancy ass amps; there's only three MAIN reasons it was used over some better woods back in the day for Fender combos:
Cost, weight, availability.

You want a real fancy combo with somewhat fancy woods unlike pedestrian pine? Go find one made with acacia or ebony. Sturdy AF, beautiful grain, but a bitch to process (I know since I made a side table out of a slab of acacia from a tree from my own backyard...actual experience, no Anthropic talking points here... ), but heavy, pricey and way less common.

 

[The~Kid]

Yep, and when the consensus starts biting him in the a$$, either a few more pivots, or he starts accusing others of exactly what he's being accused of as a last resort Weaksauce deflection move.

I don't care whether pine is used in some fancy ass amps; there's only three MAIN reasons it was used over some better woods back in the day for Fender combos:
Cost, weight, availability.

You want a real fancy combo with somewhat fancy woods unlike pedestrian pine? Go find one made with acacia or ebony. Sturdy AF, beautiful grain, but a bitch to process (I know since I made a side table out of a slab of acacia from a tree from my own backyard...actual experience, no Anthropic talking points here... ), but heavy, pricey and way less common.

Hey who gives a fuck.....

Pine is a wood used in premium Limited Edition Fender amp models only. Birch is only used on standard amp models and the amps using Birch cost less than their Pine counterparts......


End of story.

 

[The~Kid]

Hell if anything when it comes to amps Birch is considered lower than Pine......


As Fender uses Birch on its standard models and Pine is only reserved for higher end Limited Edition models.


Peavey also has 212 Birch cabs that cost lower than their Pine versions, both having Celestions and the main difference being the material of wood being used

 

[CarlF]

I got the PRS HDRX 4x12. It’s currently in the garage. I bought it to match the head, but I’ve been using it Marshall 1960 AX.
I do not like the PRS cab. It’s got the G12H-75 Creambacks. I hate those speakers.
And this cabinet is not made out of Baltic Birch, so somehow I doubt the Archon cabinet is made out of Baltic Birch.
If you live near Myrtle Beach, I’d give you the cabinet for a song

 

[Speeddemon]

Hell if anything when it comes to amps Birch is considered lower than Pine......

Bullshit.
We were talking Baltic birch. Definitely not cheaper or lower than pine when discussing 4x12's...you know, it's in the effin' title of the thread.
You wanna play metal on a Diezel 180W head? Good luck with a pine 4*12.

The~Clock pivot incoming in 3....2....1....

Facts:
Cost/weight/durability:
https://woodworkingadvisor.com/birch-vs-pine-plywood-ultimate-comparison-for-your-projects/

Quote:

Price Comparison​

Birch plywood usually costs more than pine plywood. This is because birch is denser and stronger. It requires more processing and care. Pine plywood is softer and grows faster, making it cheaper. Budget projects often prefer pine for cost savings. Birch is chosen for quality and durability despite the higher price.

Boom. End of story.

 

[The~Kid]

Bullshit.
We were talking Baltic birch. Definitely not cheaper or lower than pine when discussing 4x12's...you know, it's in the effin' title of the thread.
You wanna play metal on a Diezel 180W head? Good luck with a pine 4*12.

The~Clock pivot incoming in 3....2....1....

Facts:
Cost/weight/durability:
https://woodworkingadvisor.com/birch-vs-pine-plywood-ultimate-comparison-for-your-projects/

Quote:

Price Comparison​

Birch plywood usually costs more than pine plywood. This is because birch is denser and stronger. It requires more processing and care. Pine plywood is softer and grows faster, making it cheaper. Budget projects often prefer pine for cost savings. Birch is chosen for quality and durability despite the higher price.

Boom. End of story.

Amps and cabs using Pine cost more and are used on premium and higher tier amps/cabs because they sounded sweeter and way less.....


Facts. End of story

 

[Speeddemon]

Amps and cabs using Pine cost more and are used on premium and higher tier amps/cabs because they sounded sweeter and way less.....


Facts. End of story IN MY LITTLE DUMB HEAD

Again bullshit.

I showed you facts with a link from friggin' woodworkers to back it up.
You show me a mere opinion, based on fuckin' low gain 1x10 and 1x12 combo's with a serious manufacturers' upmark.... And somehow that's a fact?! And...remind me, what was this topic about again? 1x12 combo's or...? That's right, smarty pants.
And remind me, where can I buy cheaper baltic birch than pine?
Just because one end product is more expensive than another, doesn't mean the raw materials are. And this is something you've demonstrated not to understand before...
Remember our little one-two, about gas prices at the pump and you were quoting me crude oil bullshit? Yeah, this is the same thing, just the other way around.

But go ahead, do your tough guy lil' mirroring thing, 'outsmarting the experts' and whatnot. I've said my piece, most forumites know what to make of your posts.