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Disclaimer: I am not a big fan of Mesa amps. I have owned a couple and they always went back to the store after no more than 2 weeks.

I bought this cab the other day in attempt to down-size a bit. My Genz-Benz 4X12 (Cele 75s) is heavy and really won't fit in my car. I bought it at GC and my first disappointment started before I got out the parking lot- when I was walking accross the parking (lugging this little beast!!) I noticed the cab had a tear on its top. I wasn't going to pay $529 for damaged gear. The manager said go ahead and take it home and exchange it in a few days when another comes in.

I immediately plugged up my VHT 100CL and thought it sounded pretty nice. I jammed for a couple hours yesterday including a few minutes of ear damaging volume levels. No farts or weird noises at any volume. Tonight I A/B it along side my Genz-Benz 4X12. The biggest difference is volume. The GB is a slant and those speakers aiming at your head make a big difference. For tone, I think I do prefer the Mesa with Vintage 30s. It is a very warm and satisfying lead tone that is really nice. I still haven't decided if it is worth $529 ($570 w/tax)!! The Mesa is really a tank though. I like its size. The Bogner 2X12 is fantastic but is just slightly smaller than a 4X12. I need something about 1/2 the size of a standard 4X12 and this fits the bill.

Overall, THUMBS UP. Haven't decided whether its a keeper yet.....

Nice, helpful review mate!

Is your mesa cab an closed back or open back?
By the way, $570 dollars for such a nice cab ain't expensive. I paid about $1000 just in parts buliding my own ..... but then again it's top quality (to my standards atleast )

Cheers,
-Erlend

I believe all of the Recto stuff is closed back. Here is a pic-- Not a bad little rig.
Originally Posted by Erlend_GBy the way, $570 dollars for such a nice cab ain't expensive. I paid about $1000 just in parts buliding my own ..... but then again it's top quality (to my standards atleast )

Cheers,
-Erlend

In '98 I paid $600 for a full Marshall stack. Used but in decent condition. This was the first new cab I have ever bought and $570 for 2X12 was pretty painful bro...

Ooooh, looking at that stack is giving me a boner ! Thats just pure amp porn mate, i love those VHT's!

By the way, if you're curious, here's the specs of my homemade 2x12:-Two Celestion Century 12quot; Speakers
-1 1\5quot; thick MDF construction (not sure what MDF is called over there, but it's some kind of super hard, laminated cardboard)
-On\Off switchable low\high pass filter designed by my uncle, cuts below 100 hz and over 6000 hz, for a more focused tone when turning up .
-Third order bandpass construction, which gives the cab a very nice bottom end, and smooths out some of the spiky midrange found in most 12quot;.
-The cab is filled with speaker dampening foam, and has a couple of stiffening rods inside to ensure resonance free performance.
-Four jack connections to use the cab in: Stereo 8ohms, mono 16 ohms or mono 4 ohms.
-Sturdy metal handles, wheels and corners.-Erlend

You know what will make a great deal of difference in the projection of that 2x12? Sit it on one of those amp/combo stands. They slant the cab back at like 20-30 degrees, like the top of a 4x12 slant. I have my 2x12 combo on one of those stands, and it makes a big difference. I can't stand to have it flat now.

A $25 stand may make all the difference, although I'm with you, I think $570 with tax is TOO much. You can get an unloaded Splawn 2x12 for $399....I think that's the better deal.

Yeah, I'd try the Splawn as well before deciding on the Mesa, although I have to say the VHT on top of it looks damned deadly!

I'd suggest the amp stand as well, although I can't quite figure out of the tilting of the cabinet would cause the amp to fall off the cabinet when on the stand? If it doesn't, I'll be all over it. Untill then, I'm fine with my cabinet vertical. The problem I had with having it on the floor was I could EQ to sound fantastic from where I was, but the people in the audience would get blasted with an icepicky sound.

You would be able to sit the head on top IF you wanted too. The stand I bought has a telescopic rod that raises out the top....to allow for amps of different sizes. It would only have to stick up 6quot; or so above the cab to securely hold your head.

Otherwise, you can sit the head on the ground or on a table....somewhere.

I actually like not having it right in my face! I think I'd keep it flat on the ground. Jamming with a drummer may be a different story but for casual playing I like it flat....

I really like their vertical stacked 2x12

that mesa cab is really nice, ive been wishing i had got a 2x12 now, my Marshall 4x12 is just too big to take anywhere, its not often that i do a gig when the guitar amps arent mic'ed up anyway. that makes me think about people with Marshall Mode4 amps, the cabs for them are even bigger lol.

hmm that custom cab sounds nice too, but hmm a 14 year old with a $1000 cab, thats just madness, i wish i could afford that when i was 14, though i was just starting out then lol.

I had a recto 2x12 for a couple of years, and for bottom end and sheer projection it was excellent. With the closed back option (you should get a half/back panel with the deal) it is very narrow in it's sonic throw, so a stand may suit better for gigging. Very well built, too. that cab is twice as thick as an equivalent marshall.

Years ago when I bought a Mesa Tremoverb head,I bought the matching horizontal 2x12 V30 cab...This cab was loose sounding with the Tremoverb and a bit dark but the cab had great tone and thumping lows...When I tryed using this cab with my ole 50 watt 1987 Marshall however,it wasn't tight enough and it made the Marshall almost seem muddy...The fix for the Marshall in my case was to buy the A/V 4x12 cab(Which I still own) I've been currently using this 4x12 cab with my Vox VTH 120 head...I also hate lugging a 4x12 around except for the occasional outside gigs and yesterday I bought the matching Vox AD 2x12 cab....So now I still have my 4x12 and a very lightweight and great sounding 2x12 to cover my amp head needs...

The Recto 2x12 is a great cab,but I found it to be more specific to the amp you run with it..It's not as forgiving as other cabs,but it's extra weight and depth give it real good bass and a bigger sound than most 2x12 cabs I've tryed....

John