Marshall 2196 lead cab

This is a 2x12 cab in the same size enclosure as a full 4x12. Dimensions 30 x 30 by 14inch deep. Straight cab with a slightly tipped-back baffle board as usual with Marshall. Black elephant hide tolex plain black grille cloth and white piping. Plastic handles on the sides, one jack socket, plastic corners, plastic coasters and two shallow insets on the top.

The stock speakers in this one were by MacKenzie, in parallel 100w at 4 ohm. It is real hard work getting any good sound out of them - they kind of mush it up. Advise on replacing the speakers.

You would want this cab because it is the same size as a half stack but its that little bit lighter in weight so less trouble to cart around. It is made of 15mm birch ply with a chipboard back and braced front to back, though mine hadn't been secured on the back. Great looking cab but with second-rate speakers.

This is my first and only Marshall cab. I do have a Laney 4x12 which roars with Celestion greenbacks. This one I fitted one Celestion G12K-85, just to try out a different sound, then did a proer refit job with two Classic Leads. The G12K sounded great, just there with the back off, but I only have one of these so it was never going to work. The G12K is a real good speaker with a lot of low mids and a fantastic loud growl. They are both like the "British tone" but the classic lead has a clearer top end. The stock Mackenzie speakers sounded terrible - just muffled and not very responsive. I was just punking around with a cheaper version strat and an old Carlsbro Stingray head, and got thinking this sounds just like one of those 4th greneration really bad UK punk bands that were kicking around in the early 1980s. Then I realised that this was probably the exact same gear those bands were using at that time, being wasted urchins picking-up the cast-offs from the excess of the 70s. I like my Stingray head, so the speakers had to go. Wot a relief. With better speakers you get to appreciate the tonal characteristics of the cab, or at least the thing I noticed was that its got a bark to it. Its a bit on the boomy side. People compare the Classic Lead speaker to the Vintage 30 cos they both seem to have a bit more mid-range. I think the Classic lead is better balanced and its better on the top end when you want a bit of chime, You get a real punchy sound with the cab which is right there is the low mids. Good for choppy punk chords. The speakers are mounted one above the other right in the middle of the baffle board. The cab kind of shakes and resonates so it doesn't seem like theres only two speakers facing you.

Looks real solid. The tolex is ripped all over the place but I managed to stick the worst tears down. Been up and down 2 flights of stairs on a regular basis, but so far not gigged. Previous life was toured aroud with a gigging band and seems to have survived many years of that. The seller was embittered with a lack of success and I got it cheap. Should have changed the speakers, mate.

Never dealt with the company. They do provide a repair service should anyone need it.

Good for a starter Marshall cab. I like it. Sounded fantastic when a mate of mine paired it with his Hughes & Kettner - very good for high gain. Thats with the sonically superior Celestion speakers tho.

I have been thinking of making a different back to it with cut-outs or open back which will stop the bark, theoretically. (remembering that it wasn't so boomy it when I had the back off). Something to try.