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 them at 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.