Mesa/Boogie 4x12 Recto Cabinet

Features? It's a cab! Ok, it's got stereo inputs.

EBMM Axis w/ Bareknuckle Nailbombs instead of the lifeless stock "custom" DiMarzios -> T-Rex Mudhoney Distortion -> EHX POG 2 -> EHX Deluxe Memory Man -> Soldano Hotrod 50+ -> the cab under discussion

This cab was given to me by a (very good) friend. When I got it, I was playing in a 6-piece band with 2 brass players, and it was way too much for the overall band sound to handle. Eventually - reluctantly - I went back to my old 70s tall Marshall cab, which is way tamer and allowed me to fit in better with the band.

Currently I'm playing in a prog/post-punk trio. Eventually I figured that now there should be enough space for this beast to tote its muscle - and muscle is what it is all about. It's brutally clear. One of my main sounds is the pickup switch in the middle position with a generous amount of distortion from the foot pedal into the already-crunchy "clean" channel of the Soldano, for a grinding, low lead sound. The Marshall tended to fart out on the lower notes, the sound kind of collapsed, so I had to cut back on the bass on the amp.

Then I tried the Recto again. Now I can even add a suboctave from the POG and it still delivers everything I feed it with precision and clarity. Amazing dynamics and low end, with no compromise on the mids and highs - huge.

I wouldn't call this cab's sound "warm" per se. It's like a slab of granite, doesn't cushion anything but just, well, reflects. Amazing for cleans, too. You can get a warm sound, just don't count on this cabinet to provide it.

Oh, and it's very loud.

I wouldn't know how to break it. It's 15, 20 years old and has seen some rough handling, as evidenced by the tolex. No functionality issues ever.

No idea.

Great cab if you want a big, rude sound. It suits my current needs perfectly, but I wouldn't use it if I were playing in a funk band.

MESA RECTO CAB OVERSIZED. HAS JACK ON BACK FOR STEREO AND CHAINING 2 CABS TOGETHER. AMAZING CASTERS THAT ARE WAY BETTER THEN ANY CASTER ON THE MARKET HANDS DOWN.

I DONT KNOW WHY ANYONE WOULD BASH THIS CAB OR VINTAGE 30'S. SEEING HOW MOST OF THE CABS OUT HAVE THESE SPEAKERS IN THEM.DIEZEL EVEN USES THESE SPEAKERS. THIS CAB COULD BE HIT BY A SEMI AND IT WOULD STILL BE IN ONE PIECE.SOLID WOOD NOT PARTICLE BOARD OR ANY OTHER CRAP THAT MANY CBAS ARE BEING MADE OF. THE SOUND IS AMAZING. PEOPLE SAY ITS TO BRIGHT OR FIZZY.WELL MAYBE YOU HAVE YOUR PRESENCE OR YOU STUPID *** TUBE SCREAMER SET WRONG. I USE A MESA 2 CAHNNEL TRIPLE AND I DONT HAVE THIS PROBLEM. IT SOUNDS DEEP AND FULL. THE LOWS ARE AWESOME AND THE WAY THE HIGHS AND MIDS WORK ARE AMAZING. I HAVE USED OTHER CABS WITH EMINENCE OR EV SPEAKERS. AND THEY DONT HAVE THE CRUNCH AND BITE THIS CAB HAS. I CANT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH IT. HANDS DOWN THE BEST CAB BUILT.

ITS A MESA.THESE THINGS ARE INDESTRCUTIBLE. AND THE CASTERS ARENT THE CHEAP *** CASTERS THAT COME OFF IN A WEEK. I HAVE NEVER HAD A PROBLEM WITH IT.MY OTHER CABS I HAD TO KEEP GETTING NEW CASTERS AND THE INPUT JACKS ON THE BACK WOULD ALWASY HAVE AN ISSUE WITH MISSING NUTS AND ****.FROM MOVING THEM ALL THE TIME.FOR A TOURING MUSICIAN. THESE CABS CANT BE BEAT.

ONE PHONE CALL AND I AM SPEAKING TO SOMEONE.NOT A MACHINE. AND THEY ARE VERY HELPFUL.

HANDS DOWN THE BEST CAB YOU ARE GONNA GET.YOU CAN SPEND MORE ON A CAB THAT MIGHT LOOK COOLER OR HAVE A BETTER NAME.BUT IF YOU WANT VALUE AND FUNCTION. THIS IS THE CAB. FOR TOURING MUSICIANS I CANT STRESS HOW AWESOME THIS CAB IS. I HAVE HAD ENGL,VHT,MARSHALL,AND MANY MORE I DONT FEEL LIKE MENTIONING.AND THIS CAB IS UP THERE WITH THE BEST OF THEM.

2000 model, 8 ohm mono, Dual 4 ohm stereo, signal through for daisy-chaining a second 4x12. Ubiquitous Vintage 30's. Oversized, 5/8" marine grade baltic birch plywood construction. Handles just about anything you throw at it.

It's had a broad array of guitars played through it, USA Strats, Les Pauls with Burstbucker Pros as well as EMG's, Peavy Wolfgang, to name a few. Played a Mesa rackmount Dual Rec through it, also a Mesa Studio Pre/Simul 295 Stereo rack system, and lately, been fooling around with a '67 Fender Bassman transition Silverface. With the the Vintage 30's, I believe that it is a very versatile amp, delivers bone crushing-deep bassy-mondo distortion, but does well with cleaner amps put through it. I have a smaller, traditional sized Mesa "Road Ready" 4x12 that sounds a bit more focused in the critical mids, but loses some "breathability" and some low end in the bargain. Built for the Dual Rec, and at certain times, the buzziness annoys me, but when it's dialed in, it's one of the best high gain sounds ever created. More a critique on the amp than the cab, though.

This is one bit of a sore spot for me. I'm a Mesa loyalist, however two issues have surfaced with this amp: an intermittent short in the mono jack, and a weird problem with the internal brace for this amp. The short occurs every now and then, and seems go in and out if you wiggle the phono connector. I've taken it apart, cleaned with contact cleaner to no avail.
Regarding the brace, it butts up against the middle of that vast piece of plywood that caps off the back of the cab, per industry standard for back loaded 4x12 cabs. The problem is that for some reason, the brace was cut fractionally too short, maybe by a few hairs, and doesn't fit tight up against the back panel, but instead is a bit "untight" if not loose. So, whenever you hit a note that matches either the cabs "fs" or natural resonant frequency of the back panel, and it makes an ugly, noticeable "honk" or sound of a vibrating 1x3 piece of wood vibrating against the back panel. Mesa's solution was to send me a piece of medium density foam to slap on the end of the brace to create a tighter fit between the back panel and the brace. Every six or seven months, the problem will return and I'll have to scrape off the old foam (now very pancaked or compressed) and replace it with a new, springier piece of foam. Pain in the a*&, eh? But whenever the short abates, and the foam on the end of the brace is fresh, it's a killer cab.

Okay, the crappy foam fix notwithstanding, Mesa is a huge company that hasn't forgotten what it's like to offer personal, Mom and Pop-type service. Imagine being able to go back in time to speak to Leo Fender about issues concerning your Concert amp, well this is possible just call up Mike Bendinelli and talk shop about your particular Mark series amp to your heart's content. Good people swarm this organization.

I'll admit, I'm more of a bass player, and my guitar skills are fair to poor, which is why I gravitate towards high gain amps, a bit more forgiving than a sparkly-clean Fender. But it is what it is, on paper, the standard, must-have cab for the nu-metal/alternative rock revolution. It can be a bit boomy, but that goes along with it's raison de etre- what it's supposed to do, that is hit you in the chest with the bass response. I love the bone-crushing annihilating tone, don't like the back panel/brace issue. The Taurus covering is a tad chintzy, but hey, spring for custom croc, or leather or suede if that's an issue. If it were stolen, I think i'd try a front loaded Diezel or Bogner Ubercab, but I'd probably come back to the Standard Recto Cab.

It has celestion vintage 30's speakers and is really solid. It is so heavy, don't lift this one on your own, your back will kill you !
It has 8 Ohm mono and 4 Ohm stereo so it's not big deal. You can also connect other cabs on this one.

Wow ! The best cab I ever played ! I play a Triple Rectifier and modern metal. This cab is so great it has a lot of deep bass but doesn't sound boomy. It also can get you really stinging highs. It is just a great cab ! Every amp played on this cab sounded better, everybody woho used it was really excited about the sound improvement of his equipment.
On the other hand I played my Triple Rectifier on a Marshall 1960s and Behringer 412H but they can't get the sound I wanted.

I played many gigs with it always providing it for all the other bands playing with us. It never disappoited me. Only the covering has get some cracks and marks but hey, that's Rock'n'Roll. And this doesn't touch the sound.

Didn't need the support.

I play the box for I think 3 years now. I would definitely buy this again.
It's just all about the sound. I don't know anything better for now !
Just the price is really high ! But that's Mesa. :-)

not much to verify here, its got 4 vintage 30s' closed back, 8ohm mono 4ohm stereo, speaker out to daisy chain. The cab is built solid as hell i'm sure it could double as a bomb shelter for your pets
better eat your wheaties take your vitamins and find a good chiropractor...I carried this thing up and down 3 flights of stairs twice a week for 2 years I have a permanent hernia in my ass. The only weakness on the features is the sensative tolex covering.

the best cabinet on the market my friends...you can't go wrong here the soud is severely brutal..set this cab next to any other cab out there,.it'll melt em' like napalm..now, of course, this isn't your dad's old fender blues box thiscabill scare the shit out of children,conformative citizens, blues players, and some hippies, but hey thats what it's made for...and please be aware to get the most out of this demononic offspring you have to crank your amp volume or you'll get too much bass..yeah this cab is meant to deliver sound from a stage and travel distance..not for bedroom.

This cab has seen its share of beer bottles, rain, subzero weather, survived lightening strike, it's never missed a note.

one time I called them and left a message, and they called me back elpronto.

been playing for 8 months, no really since,1983 if you can remember those days of marshall stacks...seriously though this cab really is the force that will conjur up a demonic plague whenever you plug into it. just something about these cabs everything that comes out sounds so evil. beware I say onto thee.

Bought this cab new 2006. The cab is built like a tank, weighing 106 lbs with tarck lock casters. Other features already mentioned

I run a Lonestar 100 Watt Head through this cab, where I previosly had a Marshal 1936 twin cab with GT12-75 speakers. I sold the Marshal which was made of particle board with plastic handles. I could not get a decent sound out of those G12-75 Celstion speakers.
The Mesa Recto 4x12 is the bomb. Clean sparkling highs, and brutal lows with gobs of distortion. The tone of this cab is simply astounding with the Lonestar head. Everything I need for Rock, blues, and old school Metal. The tone of the Vintage 30s is warm and responsive. The cab is amazingly loud with a nice broad dispersion.

Built like a tank with metal handles and 13 ply birch. The construction and workmanship on the Mesa Cabs are simply the best. No buzzes or vibration.The back panel fits in snug with a gazillion screws. Quality through and through. The 106lbs is a challenge to move around. I have tried picking it up myself to take up and down stairs, but it needs two people. The leather finish is awesome, but scuffs easier than Ticker Tolex on other cabs. I prefer the leather, but you have to be a bit more careful to avoid scuffs and dings. This cab is a keeper.

Dunno.

Buy this Cab. You will not be sorry. If you get the opportunity, test your head through the cab at the guitar store before you shell out the big bucks that these cabs cost. They are well worth the extra money. Its not often you find these cabs used in guitar stores, because most people keep them once they have bought one.

okay, this thing has "celestion Vintage 30's" meaning this is the best type of speaker for distorted tones, and its also great for dirty and clean tones you can run it stereo or mono. the cab is built over-sized so you get a "big sound" this thing is built like a tank!!!

here's my set up:

* ibanez RG 320dx guitar with EMG pick-up's 81/B 85/N
* the guitar is runing into a VOX AD120VTH
* and the Valvetronix is running into the boogie cab

(i hate taking too long to set up when playing live, "simple is pimple")

okay, first i'd like to say my vavletronix sound really good with a cheap create cab, but when i got the boogie cab, my tone just went over the top awesome. the low-end is just "BOOMING!!!" it can take any amount of bass you crank into this thing and it wont fart like a cheap cab. the highs are crisp and clear, they pierce but dont hurt the hears. the mid-range is so creamy and punchy, its great for lead tones. the best thing this cab does for you tone, is that it make its louder, i dont have to crank my amp as loud at practice to cut through, and this thing sounds better the louder you get.

a million other artist could agree more, that this thing can take punishment and still put out great guitar tone. this thing was built to last, they are known for touring around the world and able to take the abuse.

i didnt buy direct from mesa/boogie, i bought it at guitarcenter.

this cab isthe best cab to own, its great for recording and built to last, you can play bee-bop jazz with style, or extreme heavy styles of music like metal or nardcore, this thing can handle any amp and make it better. i love it so much, that i vow to only play mesa/boogie cabs from now on... forever!!!

2004 recto cab with stock V30s. Visually very appealing. The input options are adequate.

Using les pauls into the Dual recto 3 channel with a few pedals. I found this half stack for sale used without a scratch. Had to buy it. I play in a rock cover band so the versatility of the 3 channel head suits me. The cabinet sounds good enough. No complaints there. However, I've switched back to my Marshall 1960a...more on that later.

Based on the construction I see here, this is the most reliable piece of gear I own.

Haven't dealth with them.

Playing about 20 years...professionally for about 3. I love the classy look of this cab and I believe the sound faithfully reproduces what I'm sending...especially well matched with the characteristics of the dual recto head. I own a Marshall 1960a as well and opened the backs of both cabs one day. Except for the speakers, the quality of materials and construction is not even remotely comparable. The inside of the mesa is a brick house. I know this because it weighs more than a brick house...a full 40 pounds heavier than the 1960a. With the quantity of gigs I play, I can't justify lugging this thing around. If you have someone who can always help you, that's fine. Make no mistake...this thing is beyond heavy. This position is admittedly "weak" but hey, this back has to last me another 50 years.

I have the standard recto cab with the straight sides. I'm not sure what year this cab was made. I bought it off my roommate and it looks like it's seen some shows. I'd guess it's a 2003 or 2004 model. The features are pretty basic. I just wish it could run at 4 or 16 ohms mono. I was hoping to use it with another Marshall cab and I can't run them together because the ohms don't match up.

So, as I indicated above, this cab has made my Marshall cabs obsolete, in more ways than one! But I'll get to that in a second. I play heavy music mostly. I'll bust out some blues and jazz chops every now and then but when the day is done I'm a metal/hardcore kinda guy. I use an Epiphone Les Paul Custom and a Schecter C1+ both loaded with EMG 81/85 pickups. I play in Dropped C. My effects: Boss TU-2 chromatic tuner, Dimebag Crybaby From Hell, Robert Keeley TS-9, Boss Super Chorus and a Boss NS-2 Noise Suppressor. My head is a Peavey 5150 Block Letter head with Electro Harmonix tubes. Everything is connected with Monster 500 cable and Monster 1000 speaker cable.

I've played through Mesa cabs before and never liked them. They always sounded lifeless and flat to me. However, for some reason this particular one has made me a believer. It's the perfect compliment to the 5150 and the EMG's. I tried the cab out once in practice and then used it immediately the next night for a show. I couldn't use the Marhsalls for the above reasons. I fell in love with it that night. First of all this thing is loud!! It's a monster too. With the head on top of it the amp almost comes up to my chest!

The tone is absolutely what I've been waiting for. It captures that Bury Your Dead, Throwdown, Unearth, Shadows Fall tone with ease. The bass is tight and punchy. The mids are incredible. Very well defined, crunchy and articulate. The highs are also very crisp without being harsh and overbearing. I've read some people complaining about the mids this cab delivers. I can understand that. When I'm playing alone in the practice room the cab can sound a bit nasally. However, and this is important for anyone who plays live professionally, those mids help your guitar cut through any mix. With the Marshalls I could achieve what I thought was a good tone but in a live setting the leads just weren't cutting through. People would always come up to me after the show and say they couldn't hear the leads very well (even with the mids on the 5150 always cranked). After the last show with the Mesa I got alot of compliments on the sound and my leads as well. I can't even describe what this has done for my lead tone! I just kept smiling during the show because the sound is so thick and rich it's not even funny. For the first time I could hear every note (every mistake too). I wasn't ready for that. At first I was upset about not being able to use the Marshall cabs along with this but now I could care less. With it's volume, projection and robustness I don't really need another cab. I'm selling those bitches!!

About the clean tone. I don't really like the clean tone very much of this thing. It's taking some tweaking with the amp to get a full clean sound out of it. Ironically, the cleans are just kind of bland and flat. Fortunately, I don't use the clean tone enough in our music to have it make a big difference.

One other thing I love about this cab is it's durability. As I've said this one was used and had been through some shit already. However, it's still standing solid and sounds great!! As of now I also have two Marshall 1960 Cabs and wihin a few weeks of playing shows the casters began to break off. The Handle one one of the cabs had to be replaced as well. Marshall uses cheap plastic parts on their cabs to reduce the cost of shipping from Britain. The result is an inferior product. Mesa uses all metal parts and quality components on and in their cabs. This thing aint going anywhere.

I'v never had to deal with them.

My roommate let me have this cab at $425. At that cost I've gotten the deal of a lifetime. I don't think I'd have paid $850 for a new one. Moral of the story, if you can find one used. . . get it. It's worth it!! I love this cab. It's improved my tone and my playing by leaps and bounds. I can hear myself without having to turn up. The cab responds perfectly to the 5150 head and EMG's. If you play metal and want that huge, chunky, punchy, tight, articulate distortion look into one of these cabs, especially if you have a 5150!!! Sure, try one out at the store but also give it enough time so that you can see what it does for your sound in the context of your band. Then you'll see the true beauty of this thing. Mesa knew what they were doing. I'll say that much. I'm still giving it a 9 because I don't like the cleans and I wish it had more wiring options so I could use it with other cabs.

2000-2001 Recto tall all features mentioned.

Totally unnatural one trick pony. This is a follow-up to my prior review from 2003. I see some players agreed to subjectively review the cabinet and considered the limitations of the V-30 Celestion in their reviews. I am amending my review to include some further V-30 bashing. The cone doping and resultant damping in the volumetric Recto cabinet work but only as a the aforementioned one trick pony. IMHO the V-30 is a pre-Celestion G30H abortion project. Celestion spent too much money and time trying to design a "modern-vintage" driver and it failed. They tried to pull the plug but had to sell the unwanted motherload of crap to Mesa who had the marketing muscle to hype it in the Recto product, mainly nu-metal one hit wonders, appealing to teen-agers with deep wallet parents. Black Shadows did not a MESA make. Neither do V-30s.

I'm sure some of you are offended now my apologies. BTW the mids I speak of are unnatural due to the doping. The freqencies I measured with a meter and tone generator were off the 4-6khz that you hear in every great guitar recording ever made from the beginning of time. It is a very artificial mid and not WARM at all. Think of it as a Solid State tranistor tone that is accurate at some frequencies (like "doped" bass and edgy mids) but sterile. Using Mesa's unmusically overpowered flat sounding heads with scooped out mids works. Using anything else and you will not like it.

Totally dependable.

Good folks but please offer speaker options and get out of bed with Celestion V-30s please.

Good, Bad & Ugly depending on how used. For new metal (full of Bass and deafening drop B notes or barred chords) it's good. For rock (drop D and standard tuning)it is bad sterile. Listen close to the doping you dope and stop smoking it. For old school rock it is just plain ugly and unmusically related to anything guitar-god produced in the last 30 years. That is why my guitar gods will never use this speaker for anything relevant but "noise" reinforcement.

I keep this around until I decide on G30H or Greenbacks for it. Heck the 75 which is popularly criticized still sounds warmer to me but can get as boring.