Marshall 1936 2x12 Cabinet

A simple word to describe this cab is AWESOME.
She's light in weight, but pushes a ton of air. I believe mine has the T75s in it. This cab was in excellent condition when I bought it a few days ago. It was priced at $430, which is an excellent deal.
I'm not certain what year it was made, but I do know for a fact it was in the '80s. It's got a single 8 ohm jack. It's got great bass and treble responses. Nice and boomy but not muddy, and this sucker can sound MASSIVE.

I have only one complaint. This sucker is incredibly thin. My Mesa Nomad head won't sit stable on top of it, so that's one point off the rating... That's really my only complaint though.

Like I mentioned before, I run my Mesa Nomad 100 head through it. I play classic rock in a cover band, and pretty heavy rock / metal. This cab is incredible. It sounds so massive, it gives that 'chunk' when you need it, yet it stays so sweet sounding when needed too. This cab sounds nothing less than extremely high quality. I prefer this cabinet to the a Mesa 212. Very British tonally.

I've only had it for a few days, but it's from the '80s so it's had to last at least 20 years. Sounds like a damn good deal to me.

Never had to deal with Marshall.

I've been playing for going on 8 years now. I also own an MG100DFX half stack, which I use for backups with my PODXT Live. My main rig though, is a Mesa Nomad head and this cabinet.

If I could find another cab that sounded this good, I would buy it right away, whether this was stolen or not!

I compared her to the Mesa 212 and Marshall 1960AV cab. Both were stocked with the V30s. This one just has a much more present sound and it kicks ass. Nice bite to it too.

I wish it had casters, and I wish the body had more depth so my Mesa could sit on top. Other than that, perfect!

Just bought this new. Mfg date is week 36 of 2008. No comment on features, it's a speaker cab with mono/stereo inputs

My reference is the other two stock Marshall cabs I own: a 1960A (G12T75s)and a 1960AV (V30s). I use Gibson guitars, a DSL 100 and JVM 410H.

This cab sounds excellent, MUCH better than the MC212 I traded in toward it. It shines for everything I play through it, whether clean, dirty, Metal, Rock, Jazz, etc. It's not overly bright or boomy, and sounds like it would sit in a live mix just about where it should, maybe more clearly than a 4x12 due to its smaller size. It handles the low end of my DSL 100's Deep switch setting, though I'm sure there's a limit at some point.

Compared to my 4x12's it sounds as I expected, perhaps even a little better.

I'd give it a lower rating, but I can't find any reason to knock any points off.

Looks built as solid as my 4x12s inside and out, read more below.

I went for this with a little apprehension because of some of the bad reviews on this board. It sounded and looked fine at the store, so I bought it and brought it home. First thing I did was open it up and have a look inside. It's made of whatever kind of ply board people say (compressed MDF or whatever it is), but it doesn't look the least bit shoddy to me. In fact, it looks very clean and solid. Models from the 80's may have been built with better wood, but I can't juat walk into a store and get an older one, especially one that hasn't been messed with. Personally, I don't care if they're made out of newspaper and glue, as long as they sound good and hold together well, and this cab sounds great.

One note on the tolex reports: the tolex is the exact same build quality as every other typical Marshall head and 4x12 cab. It's no different, at least that's the case with mine. As anyone can see, even the old Old OLD Marshall cabs are often torn to shreds.

Lastly, every Marshall speaker cab I've owned has speaker bolts that are not screwed "tight" to the baffle. That's because there needs to be some flexibility between the metal basket and the wood baffle, otherwise you run the risk of getting resonant peak frequencies. Cab sound shrill and lack bass? Did you tighten the speakers all the way down to the baffle because you thought they were loose?

Bottom line for me is that this cab isn't exactly "value priced" when you consider that its plywood 4x12 counterpart is only $$100-$170 more and comes with casters, but still this is an excellent sounding lightweight/portable 2x12 cab. For $630 it should come with casters or else it should be priced around $575.

I would definately buy it again as long as the price wasn't any higher. $630 is pushing it for MDF construction with no casters included.

This is a review for the recent, "cheap MDF" version of the cabinet, loaded with the often-excoriated 75s. Features are well described below. I will refrain from rating them.

I picked this up used, just because I was always kind of curious about these. Low expectations, honestly. I am really impressed! Sounds big, clear, punchy, and tight. I play loud frazzy punk/hard rock. Might be less impressive for jazz, I suppose.

Seriously, really surprising. I am pairing it with an Avatar cab loaded with 4 Alnico Blues, and the combination is killer. Yes, the Blues are warmer and rounder and "prettier", but the 75s in this oversized cab sound terrific. Damn - another piece of gear I have to keep, since it is too useful to sell.

I may use this cab by itself for tiny, dank rock clubs. It spews out a lot of volume for its size.

Seems decent, but no basis for a rating. The cabinet is not made from 13-ply voidless Andalusian Ironwood. It is not the typical low-grade crumbly MDF or chipboard, either. Not sure what it is, but it's lightweight, resonant, and solid. The usual Marshall green elephant skin tolex and plastic corners & handles, which in my experience hold up very well.

Never dealt with them, so no rating.

37 years of inept guitar playing, some professional, most for fun. I have owned a lot of gear, and I am surprised by how good this cabinet sounds. I won't rush out to sell my Mesa or Avatar cabinets, but I think I will keep this one.

I would hesitate to spend $600 new for this, but if you need a small, lightweight cabinet that fits in your backseat, this might work for you. Very cool sitting on top of a 4 X 12, too.

Nice and simple, one jack for mono 8 ohm input and use both jacks for 16 ohm stereo use! This one is made from MDF but the older ones were plywood.
Loaded with celestion G12T-75 speakers. Personally i like these cos i find they can handle more or less any style of music pretty well. A good hybrid speaker if you like...
It is pretty big for a 2x12 cab but that has its pro and cons. Doesnt come with castors...instead its just got some cheap platic feet! Its not difficult lift really but i soon had the feet off it and put on some decent metal braked rubber wheeled castors on which does make life that bit easier:) Much better castors than those cheap things that marshall put on as standard to 4x12 cabs.
I dont actually have this cab anymore. I had to sell it cos i have no space to keep it anymore and iv got myself a peavey classic 50 combo instead of a half stack. Still a very good cab all the same.

I used to have a marshall avt150h which i ran through the 1936. Not the greatest amp in the world but made a pretty good clean sound so i ran a pedal board through it. The cab makes all the right sounds and dispersion is ok. It can be very directional but if you set it up at the right angle/direction and most importantly, set it OFF THE GROUND...then you will be heard!
Personally, i really like the sound of this cab. Also makes a very nice combo stack if you have a decent combo amp with an 8 ohm speaker output.

I used mine for about 3 years and it sustained a fair few knocks in that time but you'd never really know it. It doesnt look damaged at first glance and its just as strong as it was when i bought it. Definately lives up to the marshall reputation of being a robust and roadworthy bit of gear.
Gig without a backup??? no problem. I did for the 3 years that i had it and it was fine.

Never had to contact marshall so cant comment.

Overall i reckon its worth having especially if you play classic to modern style rock. But it suits most styles pretty well due to the speakers being quite versatile.
The only reason i decided to sell mine was because i wanted to move to a nice combo amp and lack of storage space! If i was to play larger venues more regularly though i would be very tempted to buy another one and rig it up to my peavey classic which would make a great combo stack.
Reason for 1 or 2 less points in this rating is mainly cos of its being quite directional with sound dispersion which for a large cab you wouldnt really expect!
Other than that though, a good buy.

It's an old JCM 800 (1936) cabinet. Bought it 2nd-hand for 300,- euro. The former owner put Celestion Vintage 30's in it. The speakers are 8 ohm each and wired in series for a total impedance of 16 ohm. It's got a sturdy metal jackplate and has been wired for the mono input only...wich is perfect for me. No stereo B.S. for me.
I opened up the back and it's made of plywood and the former owner did a good rewiring. Like I already said, it's an old cabinet and has some wear. I'm fine with that...it's supposed to be used and above all it's about how it sounds...not how it looks or how it is build.

Very nice actually. It's brighter than my 1960AX with greenbacks, but does what it's supposed to do. Have not gigged with it yet. I got it for the smaller gigs. The cabinet has more volume than a typical 2x12" cabinet, so will give more bottom end. Need to play a bit more with it and if it's not quite to my taste then I will swap 1 V30 for a Greenback.

It's from the early eighties and lasted so far. The cloth in front of the speakers has a hole, but can last another couple of years. Build like a tank and ready for another century.

Never dealt with them. Very good in fixing things myself, so I think that will be a much faster (and proper) service.

My amps are 2 x Mesa Blue Angel amp-heads (1 on a 1960AX and 1 on a 1936). These amps have variable output amps: 18 watts (with 2x6L6 tubes), 30 watts (4xEL84 tubes) and 38 watts (mixture of both tubes). I mostly play on 18 watts mode, so I don't get deaf and the output tubes are driven pretty fast. These cabinets give me a detailed and very full sound. What can I say: works for me.
If it doesn't for you, try something else.

This is more of a statement than a review.
I have had this cab for 12-15 years.
Bought it new shipped from England.
It has been gigged and jammed with almost constantly.
Too many guitars to remember.
Both single coils and hummers.
I even used it as a bass cab.
2X12 for full size head.
Plastic handles and plywood.
It is indestructable.
Much better than the old heavy Marshall cabs.
75 watt Celestions sound wonderful.
Fantastic punch and bottom end.
The tolex is getting beat up especially on the bottom but it still looks good.
I play 2 different heads through it.
100 watt JMP Mk 2 and a 50 watt JCM 900 both with Mullard pre and power EL-34's.
This is a real workhorse that just keeps on sounding great.
It weighs about 45 pounds with casters and it fits in the trunk of my cars.
I have been gigging for about 40 years and I had lots of amp heads and cabs.
The only cabs that come close to it are the old Orange and Hiwatt cabs.

It features 2 12" G12T-75 speakers and a stereo/mono input. The hardware is cheap plastic, not as quality as I had expected. Overall, it can handle what I throw at it. The rating would be higher if it had better hardware.

I've had this cab for about a year and initially I liked the sound; it was a big improvment over the Fender 2x12 I was using. My tone tastes have changed over the years and I find that I prefer a much more punchy hard driving tone these days. This cabinet doesn't give me that punch I want and has a lot of "fuzzy" tone (when using distortion) on the high end; I absolutely hate that fuzziness.

Not much to go wrong but the plastic stuff could be an issue with lots of gigging. I don't gig much as I do almost entirely studio work.

Have never needed to contact them.

I've been playing for about 25 years and this cabinet would have been ideal for the style I played in the 80's. I prefer modern hard rock like Pillar, POD, Hoobastank, etc. and this cab doesn't even come close. If you're looking for classic rock tone, it'll probably work for you.

I would not replace this cab with the same type. I'm looking to replace it with a Mesa Boogie Recto cab or Road King cab.

The 1936 has two celestion speakers, mono and stereo inputs. Not sure what else you would want in this cabinet but it's nearly perfect in that department for me!

I run a Peavey Rockmaster Preamp through a Classic 50/50 Power Amp into this cabinet. Utilizing the resonace of the power amp gives this cab a nice chunk sound perfect for classic rock all the way up to metal. Clean is nice, brilliant as well

I have owned this cabinet for about 8 years. It has never given me one minutes grief!

Never had to deal with Marshall so no opinion.

This cabinet is a great sounding 2x12. I don't know about the newer ones but this one I have sounds great. If you se one used try it for yourself, don't take my word on it!

JCM 800 Lead Series, made between 1981 and 1983. Black tolex and black basketweave grille. All plywood (except the back panel, which is MDF as on all post-1971 Marshall cabinets). One mono input. Originally loaded with Celestion G12-65s. Someone had installed G12-75s, which I replaced with 65s from 1981.

Having owned an all-MDF 2000 version of this cabinet, my tone went from night to day when I got this one. Spend a few extra bucks and get an old one! They only used G12-65s for a few years, and I much prefer these to the 70s and 75s they used later, but I'm not looking for a scooped sound. I'm more in the AC/DC meets Ramones category.

Nice thick plywood. The tolex is still in good shape on mine. Marshall uses cheap plastic for the corners, handles, and jack. These need periodic replacing, but luckily the parts are still made.

I use this cabinet with a 1978 Marshall 2204, and the sound is unbeatable for what I do. Not only is this cabinet easier to carry than a 4x12, but in the small clubs where I play, I can set the master volume of the amp higher. It projects just fine. If it got stolen, I'd hunt down another.

Mine is from the 80's I think. Built solid. Stereo or mono input. I like that it's wide and stack very nicely on my 4x12. My amp also fits well on top, tho not perfectly into the grooves.

I can imagine that the newer ones are crap, but this one I have is great. Very big low end and sounds absolutely incredible when teamed with my Splawn 4x12 with V30's. Nice sounding speakers, but I might put something else in it eventually in the pursuit of perfecting my tone(s).

This thing makes classic rock and metal sounds that suit me just fine. I'm not your average metal guy tho. No scooped mids! I prefer vintage tones and all tube single channel amps. I use it with my SG std w/p90's and also a 77 Ibanez custom agent LP copy which has an original dimarzio super distortion in the bridge. Both guitars sound awesome through this cab. I go for a bassy, midrangey tone with the treble cut back a little. I play a 71 ampeg V4, which is a clean amp. I use pedals for the fuzz and dist, plus a clean boost to get my natural overdrive. My style of playing is lead and rhythm in the classic rock style and stoner/doom/heavy psych. I can't find any faults with this cab, tho I can imagine that a 2x12 could be even better. It's pretty light and easy to load and carry too.

It always works for me so far.

??

I've been playing guitar for 20 years. I own some nice stuff, but not anything extravagant or expensive. This cab I got used for $250 on my local craigslist. It was just what I needed as I was tired of lugging my 4x12 to practice.

2x12 Marshall cab with Celestion G75t's in it and stereo inputs

I play a Mesa DC-5 head through this cab and after 3 years of use, I'm not all that impressed. I have also played this though a 4x12 Marshall with Vintage 30's and the sound was great. I wanted something smaller than a 4x12 for gigging and honestly this isn't much smaller - it's very large for a 2x12. I haven't ever had any buzzing issues or anything else like others have stated, this cab is just plain dull. It has no life whatsoever. One of the other guys said it perfectly that the sound is very narrow and just shoots out at your legs.

It's a marshall cab. Solid as a fuckin' rock.

Never needed it.

If this cab were lost or stolen I would buy something else. No heartbreak. I give this cab a 6 only because its totally solid and has never shit out on me.

80's 1936 2x12 with Celestion 75's. This one is real plywood.

Single 1/4" jack for 8ohms

An extra jack would be nice but usually the amp has a 2nd jack anyhow.

Fits in the backseat with ease!

Sounds fantastic. Great low end as it's a rather large 2x12...not like the 1922.

The attack is nice and quick, and it's not boomy either.

Classic Marshall sound.

No probs...and it's an old, used 1980s unit.

Never dealt with support.

7 years. Own a mesa 1x12 recto cab, Yorkville/Traynor YCV40, custom made Vox AC-30TB clone, custom single EL84 amp, custom 18W plexi style marshall amp, and a whack of bass gear.

2x12
Mono or Stereo
etc.

I play with a Sovtek Midget 50H. (Maxed)
With a Turbo Rat and a Big Muff (also Maxed)

Wall of Sound (Noise)

I never gig with a backup.

Never needed it.

The people who have given this cab a bad review are simply deluded.

I'm sorry to judge you from your reviews but you all sound like the sort of guitarists who care more about the equipment they have than making music.

I bought this because -
I can fit it in my car.
It's a reasonable price.
Got the classic marshall tone.
Reliable.

Anyone who would play with a full (4x12 x2) marshall stack in a small venue is a penis.

Pretty standard fare. Nice build quality. 2 Celestion G12T-75's. Rugged and reliable. Typical Marshall toughness. No worries.

This cab sounds way FAT. Chunky and crunchy, smooth mids, cuts right through the mix. I was looking for something a little more portable for informal jamming with my buds and this totally delivers the goods. I use a 1959 slpx head and it will thump you in the chest at 20 feet away. It does the job. Period.

No issues whatsoever.

Never needed it!

I don't understand why these dudes wanna slam this cab. I opened mine up and it's ALL birch ply. Second, Vintage 30's and Greenbacks always sounded mushy to me when driven hard. Check Yngwie and Zakk and see what they use. G12T-75's. Now Zakk's got this deal with EV which is even more over the top. Bottom line: if you need something to drag out of the house that will kick major ass like your 4-12 cabs without the moving hassle, this is the dude. Add it to your cab collection. You'll be glad you did.

Marshall 1936 2x12
Made in 1999
Used with Marshall JCM 800 100 watt Head and also
Marshall EL34 100/100 + Digitech GSP2101

Basically ive read some reviews here where people have mentioned how cheap and crap their NEW 1936's are. I have to agree cos i borrowed one of a mate (it was 6 months old) and it sounded like shit. Any cabs over about 5 or more years old are good. The new ones from Marshall are cheaply made! Crap wood etc. I think they actually come from china now but im not 100% sure. Im pretty sure all the valvestate stuff i made there.

Never ever had a problem.

Nil

The 'OLD' 1936's are tight sounding, bassy and handle great amounts of volume. I reckon they sound better than the Marshall quads. I prefer to use 2 1936 cabs as opposed to 1 quad. If your thinking about buying one remember, the older the better but not abused obviously!

Its a 2 x 12 Cab. No real features to speak of.

Ii played a Mesa Boogie Lonestar head through this Cab, and it sounded thin and harsh. The cab buzzes at high volume. The focus of the sound is very narrow as noted by previous commenst from other users. I tried teaming the cab with a 2 x 12 Mesa recto cab, and the recto sounded better on its own. What was the point of adding this cab to my setup. I ended up returning this cheap made in China 2x12 Marshal.

This Cab is made from cheap particle board. Take a moment and open up the back, and you will be shocked at the shoddy workmanship. The G12-75 speakers are made in China under license to Celestion, and are really harsh sounding with poor low end, thin mids and harsh highs. Don't waste your money buying Vintage 30's and putting them in this cab, it makes no sense to house any quality speakers in this poorly constructed cabinet. The Handles are made of cheap plastic, held on by 4 screws. It is very light, but then again, particle board and plastic handles don't weigh very much.

I have been playing for over twenty years, with different cover bands. Shame on Marshal for using their name to rip off honest musicians.

Well, it's a 2x12 cab. It gets a 10 for actually having 2 12" speakers, and a 0 for cheap plastic handles, tolex bubbling from poor adhesive application, lead wires barely clipped onto the speakers, and oh yeah, did any of the other bazillion reviewers happen to mention - these thoroughbred pieces of crap are made (most of them) from MDF. Thats right, the world's "premiere" guitar amp manufacturer is building their precious cabinets from the same garbage used to make the cabinets under your bathroom sink. Truly despicable.

OK, I got this to use under a JCM800 2x12 combo. I really dig the original vertical input combos, and thought a half open/half closed back half stack would be interesting. The 1936 actually looks pretty cool and fits the 800 and 900 combos perfectly, so I figured I'd give it a try. I play rock/hardcore mainly on a LP Custom with minimal effects, using the amp and speakers in conjunction with my guitar to shape the sounds. This cab clashed horribly with the Celestion 65's in my combo. I figured I would swap out the g12t75's for Vintage 30's, but when I opened up the back and saw its internal construction I figured why bother. Overall, the flimsy construction and (in my opinion) tonally deficient speakers created a choked, lackluster tonality which did not do my nice 800 combo any justice whatsoever.

I can't imagine this piece of poo would last any serious working musician for any decent period of time. I haven't even tried using the handles. I started to, but the slightest pressure made it feel as if the 6 tiny screws holding it to the MDF (again, so shameful) wanted to tear right out. As I write this I'm looking over at the thing just shaking my head. When I took the jack plate off the back one of the speaker leads popped off. Are they serious with asking $550 new for these things?

Didn't own it long enough to call them.

I've been playing for over 20 years, and I will add that I can't remember the last time I sat down to write a review. I just hope I can save one more unfortunate soul from flushing their money away on a ridiculously over priced, under appointed piece of junk like the 1936. BUY A CARVIN LEGACY CAB. Their 4x12 model is the same price ($539, even less!), is made of nice plywood, has a sick steel grill/corners/HANDLES, and comes standard with Vintage 30's which, I really don't care what style of music you play - if you have a quality amp they will open up your sound and let it breathe. I am not an amp/speaker snob, but I've definitely played enough amps and cabs to know what sounds good and what doesn't. The 1936 DOESN'T. I repeat DOES NOT. peace

i got this cab new in 2003 so i assume this is a post 2000 model although i have to admit that i am not completly sure when it was made.

difficult to comment on features.. i mean... its a cab! but it does have the option to be used stereo as well as a standard cab, so i guess it gets a 10.

i use this cab with a marshall tsl 100. im playing custom jacksons, and telecasters with humbuckers screwed to them, i love the sound that i get with this setup (see my review of the tsl 100 head), a lot of the reviews here say that the sound is too directional (laser beams) but, i have actually found the dispertion to be pretty good. also with the solid back you get more volume pushed forward and don't lose it to the back of the stage.

for a 2x12 this has an awesome sound, in fact in the shop i also played the 1960 4x12, and sound wise there's not a lot in it. obviously a 4x12 is louder and has better dispertion, but the 1936 is really good, compared to other 2x12's its just astounding, the laney offer is utter crap, (i dont know what speakers they use but they're shocking... odd because i have used laney 4x12's and they've been pretty good) and the 1936 is even better then the mesa 2x12.. i guess because its physicaly bigger so you get a 'rounder' more full sound.

as i said, i use this with a 100 watt marshall head, but i have lent it to other bands at gigs and it has sounded really good with they're heads and combo's, so its not just down to marshall cabs with marshall heads! i was particually impressed with the sound one guy got with his 2 channel 100 watt laney head through my cab. (although admittidly i do really like laney amps anyway.. despite their lousy 2x12)

gets a 9 because although its really good, it would probably sound better with some better speakers, green backs or something.

had this cab for more then two years

regular gigs... (at least 1 a month, most of the time more like 3)
band practise everyweek...
gets moved a lot... (probably slides to much in the back of my car, and while i try to take as good care of it as possible, it inevitably gets banged about a bit, it was afterall bourght to be a workhorse.)
i play really loud..

and so far no problems at all. (i hope i havn't jinxed it now!!)

obviously it would be better to have a backup at gigs, however.. i can't afford one, and it wouldn't fit in my car, so i gig without backup all the time and so far no problems, i depend on it completly and i no longer worry about my lack of backup!

never had to deal! never had any problems, however came with warrenty, and the dealer/service center is fairly close... which is nice.

playing since primary school (classical guitar lessons courtesy of my parents) , but only playing seriously since i put my first rock band together, so a bit more then four years. (im 20 next month)

if it were stolen or lost i would definatly get another... well actually im a student and have no money, so what i would do is cry, then hunt down the guy who nicked it, beat him to death with my shoe, then steal his wallet and buy myself a replacement with his credit card.

the only gripe i have with this cab is that the input jack plugs are plastic, i'd be happier if they were metal.

whats really cool is that you get a real marshall sounding marshall cab, that will
A: fit in a small hatchback with the seats down, and still leave space for some more gear,
B: is easy to move, lighter and less awkward then a 4x12
and C: still looks awesome,.. a real marshall stack that you can transport without roadies!

get one!

feel free to contact me if you want to chat about gear, im no expert but i can give you my honest opinion!

Everyone's nailed the features already. One thing I will say is that my cab was made with MDF (chipboard). THis a HUGE difference than solid pine or another actual wood enclosure. For the price of the cab...it should be real wood.

The "sound" out of this cabinet wasnt bad. What I had an issue with is its dispersion. It's dispersion pattern was pretty much a laser beam coming at my knees. I had a huge problem actually hearing myself with this cab. I thought the problem was the "modern" soundign G1270s that were in there so I put in some Vin 30's. Much better sound..but still didnt solve the dispersion issue.

Didnt have an issue.

I play in a classic rock band with another guitarist and I could never hear myself. At one point I remember turning to our bass player during a song...taking my hands off the neck of the guitar and just strumming. We both looked at each other becuase we couldnt hear a thing.

Overall there are much better cabs for the money. Try Avatar for one. It doesnt say Marshall....but is a much better constructed cab much cheaper. I replaced my 1936 with an Avatar and MUCH preferred the sound. I'm also probably more of an open back kind of guy however..so keep that in mind.

You know the features already . . .

See below . . .

No worries, mate . . .

Not required . . .

This review is not just about the 1936. Harmony Central is a great forum, perhaps the best on the web, so I just wanted to post my recent experiences with all my gear - a system of systems, if you will - and hopefully assist the novice as well as the aficionado in the process.

My profile: Guitarist in a three-piece cover band (see http://milesfromclever.com). We play danceable (but never cute) rock n' roll. My style is basically power/open chords with the occasional lead fill. I need a rig that growls as well as offering some semblance of clean. I like channel switching over working the volume knob, especially in the heat of a live performance.

My history: I played in a band called The Cheaters based out of Pensacola, Florida back in the late '80s. Since that time, besides being used for the occasional video soundtrack or one-of project, my gear collected dust while I made a go of another career. I started my current band about a year ago with my old gear: a Washburn G-20 and a Laney AOR-50 as well as the normal garden variety of effects pedals. Then I decided I wanted to upgrade. Begin the journey.

The first step was a new guitar. I've always wanted a Les Paul, but didn't want to throw down two grand, so I compromised and bought a Special. I got lucky here, as mine showed up in great shape. I had it set up by my guitar tech and basically all he did was lower the action. I use Ernie Ball Regular Slinky strings and recently tried the Power Slinkys, which I like.

Next, I needed to groom the Laney. I replaced the Fane with a Celestion G12T-75 and swapped all the tubes (2xEL-34/4x12AX7). The result was replusive. Instead of swapping back, I decided to by a Marshall 1936 and borrow my bassist's Mesa-Boogie 50-cal+. That was a big improvement, but I still wasn't satisfied. I stuck Vintage 30s in the 1936. NOT GOOD. (See my Vintage 30 review under "Celestion.") Swapped one of the G12T-75 back in. A little better, but still not acceptable. Swapped the G12T-75 with a Greenback. Better still. Came into the possession of a Marshall JCM800 2205. Had it hot rodded by Doug Weisbrod of Music Technologies in Springfield, Virginia. Took some time to figure out the quirks of the Marshall head. (Generally, my lessons are given to me during gigs.) Had Doug stick 6L6s in. Result didn't work for me. Had Doug put EL-34s back in (JJs). Better. Realized the remaining Vintage 30 in the 2x12 was still barking in a way that bothered me. Swapped that with one of the G12T-75s. (That speaker has a bad rap on this site, for some reason.) Decided I needed an attenuator, which Doug generously lent me. Played a show and didn't like the sound. Blamed the Marshall. Swapped the head with the Mesa between sets. Sounded fine, but I was bummed that I'd spent so much money and invested so much time and still didn't have the sound I was looking for. Plus, sidelining the Marshall head just seemed WRONG. A/B'd the two heads the next day in my home office and realized the attenuator (Ultimate) was choking the tone in a way that I hadn't figured out during the gig the night before. Stage dynamics are different from home office dynamics (duh . . .). So I'm sticking with the Marshall (without the attenuator).

So, to review:

Speakers - There is no single answer. I fear you have to simply put the speaker in your cabinet with your effects and your guitar on your stage at your volume mixed by your sound tech through your monitors and see if you like the results. For example, I bought Vintage 30s based on the reviews and absolutely cannot stand them.

Tubes - Another process of elimination. I can say I like EL-34s better than 6L6s and prefer the 12AX7EHs over the others.

Amp heads - The most important variable of all. If you play live you need to listen to the amp at the volume you intend to perform at. This is especially true for Marshalls. Beware: New Marshalls don't like to be cranked like the ol

This is a 8 year old Marshall JCM 900 1936 2x12 cab. Being only a cab, other questions are not applicable.
It has mono - sterio choice and 8 or 16 ohms. very versatile.

This is where it get rough... The Marshall absolutely melts the competition. I have a Peavey Classic 30. All tube with a single 12 inch Blue Marvel speaker. It sits on top of the Marshall like a little dog on the porch. When I fire it up, the three speaker combo sounds like a souped up 4x12. A lot of air movement and a great sound wall. The 1936 handles all the lows and mid ranges. The peavey handles the high ends and has a good mid and low range to boot.
Together its an unbeatable couple.
I run a Fender Dlx Am 50th Anniversary Strat through this setup.
A great sound. I have a couple of pedals but the pure sound is so good, I hate to use them.

Built like a tank. I have heavey duty casters on the bottom. Bought it used and it looks great!!

Never had to use.

Great Cab - I plan to buy a Peavey Classis 50 and pair with this bad boy. Should blow the doors off most places.

Do you know what year the amp was made in?(1988?)
Is the amp versatile enough for you and the styles of music you play?(THIS BOTTOM KICKS MAJOR-ASS W/MY MARSHALL 4103.)
What are those styles?(HARD ROCK!)
Where do you use this amp?(ANY/ALL GIGS PRACTICE!)
Does it have enough power for you?(IT'S A MARSHALL BOTTOM..'NUFF SAID!)
Feel free to enter any other features (THIS BOTTOM RULES! IT SOUNDS EXACTLY LIKE A 4x12 BOTTOM IF NOT BETTER! EASY TO LOAD/MOVE. I SHOULD HAVE HAD ONE YEARS AGO! MY ADVICE RUN OUT AND GET ONE(IF YA CAN FIND ONE)!!!!)

What guitar and pickup styles are you using it with?(ALL GIBSON PRODUCTS)
How does it suit your music style (and what is that style)?(GREAT. ROCK HARD)
Is it noisy?(NEVER)
What kind of sounds can the amp make?(DNA)
How much variety?(ALL/ANY)
How brutal is the distortion?(MAJOR KICK-ASS SOUNDS! CRANK IT UP!!)

Can you depend on it?(YES)
Would you use it on a gig without a backup?(YES)

If you've dealt with the company, how helpful/friendly were they?(NEVER DEALT WITH. BOUGHT USED)
Ever try and get it repaired?(NO)
Were you able to find an authorized service center easily?(YES)

How long have you been playing?(20+)
If it were stolen or lost, would you buy it again or get something else?(I WOULD HUNT THE PRICK DOWN AND BEAT HIM OVER THE HEAD W/IT)
what do you love about it?(SOUNDS/LOOKS GREAT. EASY TO LOAD/MOVE)
What do you hate?(NOTHING)
Did you compare it to other products?(YES ALL OTHER SPK BOTTOMS)
Why did you choose this one?(MARSHALL BABY!)
Anything you wish it had?(NONE)
Anything else you'd like to share?(GET THIS BOTTOM AND BE COOL)

Mono or stereo 2 X 12 cabinet. Comes with caster holes but no casters. Traditional Marshall good looks.

As others have said here, if you're a veteran or a gigging musician looking for professional tone, the first thing you're going to want to do is rip the G12T-75s out and replace them with Vintage 30s or Greenbacks or one of each (as I did). I have a JCM 800 head and the 1936 is perfect for what I'm doing. I play small clubs with small stages and drive to gigs in my small SUV, so a 4X12 isn't a practical option. No worries. The 1936 can handle the job, and it looks great on stage.

Fine.

Never had occasion to call them . . . yet.

Overall, you might do better with a plywood or birch cab rigged with better speakers out of the box. But . . . I was a sucker for the Marshall logo. Check eBay. Once in awhile you can find somebody who's already done the work for you by putting in better speakers. Don't pay any more than $400.00, though.

8 OHM Mono and 16 OHM Stereo Inputs. Celestion GT-75s. Thats all I can say about the features of a cab..

I'm running an Ibanez SZ320 into a modded Peavey Triple X. This cab sounds great. It handles the lows extremely well and there is no distortion upon cranking the clean channel. I play a variety of rock and hardcore. I downsized to a 2x12 cab from a 4x12, and this thing is just as loud. This is what you should get if you're looking to buy a 2x12 cab. Whether its running directly from a head, or an extension from a 2x12 combo.

The construction on this thing is very nice. Very heavy-duty and sharp looking.

Never dealt with Marshall

Over all this cab is great. I've been playing guitar for seven years. This is the first quality cab I ever owned and I'm pretty happy with it. I started out with solid state combos, then i eventually got a randall rh100 head and randall 4x12 cab. Although the randall head is one of the best sounding solid states, the 412 cab sucked ass. I got the marshall cab, and it made the randall sounded twice as good. Then i ditched the randall and bought the Peavey Triple X and all hell broke loose.

2x12 closed back speaker cabinet. Can be wired for stereo or mono.

I modified my 1936 (JCM 900 version) cabinet by pulling the Celestion G12T75 speakers and replacing them with AlNiCo Tone Tubby 12 inch speakers with hempcones. Each Tone Tubby is 8 Ohms, and I had them wired in series for 16 Ohms mono. The Tone Tubbys substantially improve the sound, in my opinion. More information on them is available at the A Brown Soun website. The G12T75's are harsh by comparison.

However, since the Tone Tubbys tend to emphasize low-midrange over high-midrange, I run the 1936 cabinet in conjunction with another 2x12 open-back cabinet with an Eminence Patriox Cannabis Rex speaker and an Eminence Red Coat Private Jack speaker, which emphasizes the high-midrange.

Together with this cabinet, the 1936 cabinet rules. Utilizing two 2x12 cabinets also provides MUCH better sound projection than using one 4x12 cabinet, as they can be angled to cover different parts of the room. The ultimate "half stack".

Reliability has been good so far.

Haven't dealt with Marshall.

Even on its own this cabinet rocks.