Mesa/Boogie 2x12 Tuned 3/4 Back Cabinet

the good : Mesa Boogie makes excellent cabinets this ones no different sturdy and compact with I sound to suit .the bad: My expectation was to buy a cabinet to play practice Jazz music and various tone driven generes not the cabinet to do so I lacks sonic spectrom to deliver to the ear of a jazz musician and recording engineer. I used this with the Orange head it did not compliment the juicy sound that the orange amp has

I would discribe it as basic and possably flat. I believe it's more suited for shreaders and rock players. Not for jazzmen

here's where its great very sturdy ,I don't believe it would be a ratterler at all. It's heavy if I liked the sound it would be gray to curry on gigs .

great guys out there in Cali

Built tonka tuff.no I would not return to this 2-12 I would try anoter brand I my search fore true tone.I'm comparing this with the THD 2-12 which is my choice against my 8 years of guitar playing and my engineering ears.

Great build quality and pretty versital with the 3/4 back. A nice compramise between a closed back and open back cabinet.

I use this cab with a Mesa Boogie DC-10 and Stiletto Duece head. Both 100 watts. For such a little cabinet this thing sound huge. I like it better than a fully closed cabinet because I can hear it better on stage. Closed back are so directional they can be harder to hear a short 2x12 cabinet. Not such a problem with a 4x12 since it higher up. Works well with the variety bands I play in and fits in my truck without a problem. I like the speakers but that is subjective. If you want a different speaker change them out. The cabinet it's self will work with many different speakers.

Solid. I've owned a lot of Mesa Boogie gear and it's all top notch and high quality. It's a heavy cabinet for it's size but I don't think it will ever develope a rattle.

They are always very helpful. Never had a problem.

If you're looking for a big open sound with plenty of bass in a small package you should give these a listen to. The 1x12 3/4 back is great also but I needed more power handling capibility.

you know the features of this thing. Besides its getting late, I don't feel like typing away on this stuff. It is versatile I can tell you that. I can do anything from blues,jazz, pop, rock you name it.

these speakers are just so HUGE sounding. Bigger than the Grand Canyon in my opinion. The just have a really nice warm, fat round tone to them that I love. Not at all trebly or harsh. I had the 2*12 recto cab for about 2 days, and didnt like that at all. Were as this cabinet was open, and airy sounding, with nice bottom end without being boomy. The recto was muddy sounding with this weird high end sound. Almost like a acoustic guitar was doubling it? It sounded like some one was choking the tone right out of it. The cleans are just beautiful as well. It just drips with tone.

Well as usual this is were it kind of goes down hill. I was chugging along one day, and all the sudden it lost something. I couldn't quit pin point it, but it turned out that one of the speakers was bad. So they replaced it,and now it sounds great again. So far my experience with Mesa is this. They are great amps and cabs, when they are WORKING! Hopefully all that is behind me, and I can go on making music.

I am not going to get into it, but I got a mind blowing response from a customer support guy on the phone, about my Mesa product. For this I give it a 1. Luckily the guys at the Hollywood store redeemed Mesa and did every thing they could to help me out and fix my problem. So for this I give it a 10. The grand total added up will be

This is just a really nice big, vintage sounding cabinet that can really do it all, with the exception of maybe death metal, but who cares about that crap anyway. Thats what the recto cabs are for. If your really into great warm tone, than this cab is IT. I am not going to give it a perfect score because of the tech problems that I had, but like I said hopefully that's behind me :)

2x12 Mesa Boogie 3/4 close back cabinet with Black Shadow/Celestion 90 Watt speakers wired to 8ohm mono use or 16ohm Stereo. horizontal cabinet.

I had been using Boogie Wide body 1x12's fitted with the Shadow/Celestion 90 Watt speakers for many years with a Rivera S120 and been very very happy. I recently Purchased A Road king and decided to get two of these 2x12 cabs based on how happy I had been with the previous cabs. I've now used these for about six months with both the Rivera and the Road King in Funk, Rock and Jazz blues situations with 4 ,5 and Six piece units. With the Road King I found the speakers to be a little too dark and muddy for my liking - very heavy on the bass. They were warm but just lacked that sparkle that the 1x12's I mentioned above had(fitted with the same speakers). This does change if you drive them hard, but in my situations it's not possible to drive to that volume regularly. In 1x12's I think they're a wonderful speaker but in 2x12's just too muddy for me. When I used these with the Rivera things felt better. Very warm, and Quite a 'smokey' tonality to them that I really really liked. If you own the guitar arena in your band you can get some lovely sounds, but I found if you have a dominant bass player and additional guitarist around then it can get hard to cut through with the extra bottom end. I had to reduce my bass settings a lot to cut in these situations and struggled for a while. As a result of this I've replace both cabs with Celestion G12 Century neodymium drivers, and for me this works well. I do miss that 'Smokey' tonality, but I can cut through all the playing situations beautifully now with both heads. Jury's still out on this long term I may eventually mix and match these speakers - one Centuary and one Black shadow in each to retain some of that 'smokey sound' I liked. If you have a 'Bright' head or combo where you need more warmth and nice bottom end then these might be the perfect choice for you.

Well it's a cab. It feels well made. Not keen on the Leather corners but saying that the 2x12's have stood up to a lot of abuse over the years and survived intact. I've not doubt the 2x12's will too. The 1x12's did suffer with loose Speaker Jack inputs after a few years. Kept tightening them and next gig they would be loose. Who knows these may turn out the same but it's no big deal and it could be easily corrected with some sealant or thread lock.

Mixed opinions about this. I have mailed the company several times over the years and never received a response. I'm not so sure the company values it's customers as much as it once did. Sure they probably get a ridiculous amount of mail, and some pretty daft questions, however if you offer support and truly value your customers then that's something you just have to put up with. By contrast I've mailed Rivera and always got a response. When I had the S120 tweaked for 6L6's etc my technician even spoke personally to Paul. Different guys will have different views but for me personally I'll never buy another 3-4K Boogie head. Still a boogie cab - well what can really go wrong?

I'll Give these cabs a 9 as I do think the cabs are great, I just feel the speaker choice for me just didn't always work. Against other 2x12's they do sound great and are far less directional than other cabs I've tried. If you want the bottom and a less directional sound with character then these could well be for you.

2x12 horizontal guitar cab. runs mono with a paralell jack for connecting another speaker. however i hooked it up to run in stereo. using each jack for a single speaker.has two 90 watt black shadow celestion speakers.black tolex.

im using a U.S ash Tele and Gibson les paul classic. through a marshall jmp-1 into an intellifex and then into a mesa simul-class 2:90. this cab sounds amazing . at first i really wanted a rectifier 2x12 with the closed back, because i wanted the big bass response.(ive been using 4x12 marshall cabs and im sick of lugging it around.) but i still wanted that big sound. and this cab delivers. i was really impressed with how big it sounds. because the thing is kinda puny lookin. it has great bass response and better throw than my 4x12.and really helps me cut through the mix of my 5 piece band.its a little dark sounding at lower volumes. but once you crank it up it brightens up a little.its so much better having that wide sound throw when compared to my closed back 4x12.

its a mesa......... there legendary ...!

never had to call but ive heard great things so more tens.....!

I love it. it sounds great. and smokes my buddys marshall 2x12.i play top forty clasic rock and ive been playing in clubs for the past twenty years. full time for 15 of them.i compared this with the marshall , and a traynor 2x12. theres no comparison. the build quality and sound were miles above both of these.of course you pay for it. cause its a mesa. but you get what you pay for......so get out your cash if you wanna sound good!

This is a 2003 2x12 Mesa Boogie 3/4 close back cabinet with Black Shadow/Celestion 90 Watt speakers. It is a horizontal cabinet. It has 8 ohm mono with a serial link to add further cabinets if needed. It is 64 lbs, approx 17 x 26 x 12 (smaller than a 2 x 12 Mesa Recto Close back cabinet). It does all types of music very well.

jazz, blues, rock, alternative, metal. This is an incredible cabinet which can perform all styles without difficulty. I played it with a Mesa Boogie Nomad 55, F-50, and Rectifier.

Low: It is smaller than a 2 x 12 Mesa Recto, so it doesn't go as low. Although, the low end thump is definitely present. It is great for power chords. If you love that low end chunk, it is in there! It is on par with a 1960a Marshall 4 x 12 closed back.

Mids & highs: At bedroom volumes, the mids definitely sound very scooped. In addition, the highs do not project as well. This makes the overall sound very, "dark." This may be secondary to the custom 90 (more balanced speaker) & the heavy cabinet construction (birch plywood). Typically a vintage 30 is used with closed back cabinets, since they compressed the sound & are midrange heavy. In fact, the V30 is a midrange, honky speaker; that distorts rather easily. The combination of the compressed sound & the honky midrange will brighten any close back cabinet.

At gigging levels (i.e. power tube distortion), this 3/4 cabinet opens up, and becomes another beast!!! I am sure a lot of the reviewers who have played this cab, probably did so at bedroom levels. There is no way you can experience a tube amp at bedroom levels. Unless you prefer preamp tube distortion. You have to push the power amp to get that classic power tube & speaker interaction!!!

At gigging levels, you will notice beautiful balanced mid and high range frequency projection. They are perfectly balance with the low end chunk. The cabinet no longer sounds dark. It is more open than a close back, but has much more low end chunk than an open back. You will not get that compressed, distorted, honky midrange sound of the V30. The custom 90 is a balanced speaker. It will interact with your amp & your dyanamics of your playing.

If you want over the top low end chunk (i.e. metal), go for a closed back cab. This speaker cab is much more versatile. It is great for lead guitar. The blues & jazz sounds are incredible. In fact, the cleans aren't as "flabby," as some 4 x 12 & 2 x 12 close backs I have heard. Great for funky jazz chords, open country chords, blues. It has incredibly projection.

Solid birch plywood with impeccable construction. Very beautiful, compliments all my amplifiers. I have owned and gigged with it for about 6 months, and have not had a problem. It is relatively light, and can easily be hauled around. Solid construction! There is no particle board here. I feel sorry for the idiot who purchased a 2 x 12 3/4 MB open back clone. Get real, learn about birch/Oak plywood construction!!!! I would definitely gig without a back up. This product is for real.

Called and inquired about a 2 x 12 closed back with custom 90's. They were very nice and explained the different types of sounds I could get with the custom 90s in a closed back. In fact, they were willing to custom build a new back panel for my 3/4 2 x 12 to get that versatility. Very prompt, responsive, friendly, and helpful.

If you play different styles of music that range from vintage clean to heavy, distorted sounds, this cabinet will work. Definitely made for the gigging guitarist who needs versatility; clear, balanced open sounds without losing the low chunk. If you buy this as a practice amp & play at bedroom levels, expect a dark sound!!!

2x12, Black Shadow/Celestion 90 Watt speakers, 8 ohm mono. I don't use a stereo setup (at least not through one cabinet), but some might like a switch to separate the speakers. Bought each of them used (2), but they looked nearly new.

I play classic rock, blues, and country. I use a variety of standard guitar sorts (Les Paul, Strat, Carvin DC200) through a Mesa Nomad 55 head with TC Electronics effects. The cabinets (I use two) sound full, approaching closed back bottom, but have a clearer top end with clean sounds. All that being subjective, I will just say I like it. It reminds me of the older Fenders, in a way, but will do a reasonable approximation of a Marshall tone with the Nomad's channel two. Very versatile, which means it sounds pretty damn good most of the time, and never sounds poor.

Like has been said often... it's a speaker cabinet. Even cheap ones (which this isn't) seem to last and last. Well made, braced, and even sealed rear panels give good impression of lasting quality. I read another review that suggested particle board was in the cabinet. I've had the speakers out of one (testing other speakers for tone) and saw no particle board anywhere in mine. As you'll hear me gripe about often, reliability would be enhanced with an included cover. Most amp manufacturers used to offer those standard, but it's a $50.00 option these days. Lose one point...

I've been playing on Boogie gear since 1989, and never had anything break at a gig or otherwise. The Boogie guys have always been helpful via email, the site has manuals and such available. Warranty is adequate, service centers are available nearby.

I've played through more gear than anyone would want to see here, including lots of different speakers. I have always favored EV 12L or 12S speakers, because nothing else would get as loud cleanly. Neither will these, but they do get as loud of a clean tone as I am using these days (read: I'm not Townshend), so I am satisfied. The distortion tones are cool, and the cabinet sounds open, though not as unfocused as a truly "open" cabinet would. For the price (new) you would think there would at least be a cover included, but I haven't seen that on a variety of other cabs. I must like it... I bought a second one! (Makes the rig more scalable to the gig at hand) Overall, not perfect, but as good as you can get with any real capability of variety.

2x12 Cab with Black Shadow speakers. Very solid and well made. I use the cab with a Peavey XXL head. Cab also has a parallel out jack which is nice.

I run a Jackson Custom V into the Peavey XXL, Boss EQ in the effects loop, and then into the cab. The sound of the cab suits my style very well, (hard rock, heavy metal, Satch, Vai,etc). It has good bottom end for a 2x12, maybe slightly less than a quality 4x12 but that might have more to do with the tuned open back. What I like about it is that it is not as one directional as a 4x12. It really is more colorful than a closed back cab. That is the best way I can describe its airiness. Like others have said, the Black Shadow speakers are a touch dark sounding but that sound suits my style quite well.

This cab is heavy. Built like a tank!!

I have been playing for 6 years. This is the best cab I have owned so far. If it was lost or stolen I would buy it again if I could find it at a used price. Mesa gear is expensive!! If you are on a tight budget and need something heavy but can't afford a 4x12, I think this cab would be a good choice for most people. Just try it out first.

This cab isn't covered in buttons or switches, but what cab is??? it's got your 16 ohm input, and a paralell connector so you can daisy chain cabs. I don't know what more I could really need in a speaker cabinet...? Good for many types of music (more on that later)

I am using this cab with the following setup:

Carvin dc125 with emg 81 OR PRS ce22 --> Boss tu-2 --> Line 6 DM4 --> MESA BOOGIE DC-5 head --> effects loop send --> Line 6 MM4 --> effects loop return --> Mesa 3/4 back 2x12 cabinet. This setup is very versitile. I play metal, punk, and classic rock with the carvin, and blues and jazz with the PRS. This cab is good for them all. I am playing in a worship band right now, and this cab smokes for that.
I'll give it a 9 because It sounds BASICALLY like I want it to. It's a tad dark, due to the celestion 90's I think, but that could be a number of things...

This cab has worked great for me, and I gig without a backup. This cab has never broken down, the speakers show no wear after many months.

Mesa took forever to ship the 1x12 3/4 back cab I was going to buy, so I just bought this one instead, as it was in stock at the store at the time. slow slow slow. Also, mesa refused to let a cab be shipped from Long and Macquade in edmonton to L&M in calgary. A 3 hour drive. Instead, they were going to make me wait a month. bastards.

I have been playing a few years now, and I like this cab better than my old marshall 4x12. The mesa is not too small, not too big... nice.

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I'VE SOLD MINE AND I WAS REALLY SHOCKED WHEN THE PERSON I SOLD IT TO TOLD ME THAT THE CAB WAS MADE OF CHEAP COMPOSITE ( IE SAWDUST AND GLUE) RATHER THAN PINE OR BIRCH PLYWOOD. DON'T HAVE TO MENTION THAT I HAD TO DROP THE ASKING PRICE...

WHAT THE HECK ARE YOU PLAYING AT RANDALL?????