Peavey 212ST Cabinet

This is your basic 2x12 closed-back speaker cabinet - 4 ohms mono and 8 ohms stereo. It's not much to look at, but it's not an eyesore either. I have no idea of the RMS rating, as the only info available on this amp is right here, but I'm sure that this can handle upwards of 120 watts with ease. Judging from the other reviews here, I'm going to guess that the speakers are Peavey Scorpions. Other than that, it's got black tolex, casters, cloth grille, blah blah blah.

There aren't many features to list (how many features can a cabinet have?), but it has everything you could need.

The sound quality is as clear as a bell. I use this as an extension for my Behringer LX-1200H. I've cranked the head to its maximum and felt the floor shake underneath, yet it retained its clarity, which was what I was after. Frankly, I'm a little surprised that a cab this old (going on 20 years) could do this. I know I shouldn't be, given that it IS a Peavey, a name I've always associated with long-standing quality.

Lemme tell you folks a story. I got this cabinet from the bassist in my band. He perma-loaned me this cab because he knew he wasn't going to be using it any time soon; he got it when he was still playing guitar. Since he switched to bass, it had been sitting neglected in his parents' basement for YEARS collecting dust, dried cat food (don't ask), and other various elements. And HE got it second-hand. Anyways, he dusted it off and brought it here. First of all, this thing is HEAVY - I nearly threw out my back trying to pick it up. I plugged her in and it blasted and grinded without so much as a wheeze.






So yeah, it's kinda reliable. I'm normally a "never without a backup" kinda guy, but I think I'll make an exception here. I think this will outlive me, and in the event of a nuclear holocaust there will be four things left behind: cockroaches, Twinkies, Keith Richards, and this cabinet.

Never dealt with 'em, but I've heard good things about 'em. Honestly, I don't think I'll need to deal with them, given the quality of this cabinet.

I've been playing for nearly 17 years. You folks have probably already read some of my other reviews here on HC, so I'll spare you the blah-blah-blah yadda-yadda about me (I've reviewed the Behringer V-Amp 2, BC Rich Bich Platinum series, and the Lexicon Omega here). Anyways, I cannot, in good conscience, give this a lower rating than a 10. This cabinet is, quite frankly, amazing. If someone tried to steal it, I don't think they'd get very far without help because it's so bloody heavy - I'd probably drop it on his head repeatedly...SPLAT! Anyways, if it were lost, I'd first apologize profusely to my bassist, and then maybe get either a Peavey 412MS or a Behringer Ultrastack. Of course, if I happened upon another one of these in the meantime and I had enough cash, I'd snatch it up before anyone else could.

This is a fine cabinet. If you find one, get it. You won't be sorry.

Scorpion loaded 212 cab with standard metal feet, chrome corner covers and top carry handle. I no longer own these cabs, but if they were not already wired in stereo, then I would have changed it so that they were. The previous reviewer would probably be correct in presuming that his were also scorpions, especially if they had brushed aluminum baskets, like the ones in this pic (http://www.musicswapshop.com.au/images/stockImages/2529.JPG).

I don't know what year these cabs were made, but I'm guessing late 80's early 90's. I was using them in the mid to late 90's. They could handle lots of power, and were plenty loud. I used them live, in practice and in the studio. They had a great, consistent sound in all settings.

My rig was a rather interesting mix of old and new gear at the time...

Alvarez Dana SC electric guitar
Digitech GSP-7 valve-state stereo guitar multi-effects processor
Peavey Stereo Chorus 212 (also Scorpion loaded)
Vox 212 (ported but not tuned) vintage bass cab (slaved off of the Stereo Chorus)
2 212ST cabs, driven by Radio Shack solid-state rack amps (factory rated for 100 watts, I bench tested one at 4 ohms bridged and got a clean 640 watts!)

Ten years or so ago, I was in a band with a much more diverse range of styles and dynamics than what I do these days, and these cabs performed fantastically under all stresses and styles. The Stereo Chorus was my forst rig, and I loved the sound of that amp so much that when it was time to upgrade my rig I decided to expand upon what I had rather than replace. The vox cab came first, then the 212 ST's. Despite the impressive ammount of low end the Stereo Chorus can produce despite the fact that it's open back, the addition of the 212 ST's blew me away. These cabs produced warmer, more powerful, clearer and more precise bass than even the vintage Vox bass cab. I'm not the least bit suprised that the previous reviewer was content with the performance of these cabs as part of a bass rig even though they were designed for guitar.

I played countless shows with these cabs, and they never once failed me. They never gave me any problems of any sort. I never had to think about them, just plug in and go. Comnpletely worry free. I don;t know what the scorpions were rated for, but I was pushing them with 320 watt/ch amps, and never heard or smelled anything that made me worry. I was sold on scorpions long before I got these cabs. The cabs were good strong plywood, that never showed any sign of wear in all the years I used them.

I have dealt with Peavey only once before, and it was for something else. But they handled my question quickly and effectively.

I would definatly recomend these cabs to ANYONE. They accurately and pleasently reproduce just about anything you can possibly throw at them. They are powerfull and loud, great for live settings, but still clean and dynamic enough for recording too. These cabs may not be collectors items yet (quoting previous reviwer) but I would pidgion-hole a few of them if I came across them.

I am cursed with being in love with discontinued gear (such as these cabs) and it has been my expirence that while some of the gear we grew up on may not be of high dollar value, it is quickly becoming rare. Grab these cabs any chance yopu get.

This 2x12' cabinet has proved to be a mystery so far. I searched the web for days before I bought it in a scratch and dent sale but could find no info... it's not in Peavey's current listings but it's a sealed back, ported cab that looks to be of early 90s vintage.
After I bought it, the salesman referred to some old literature they found and told me the speakers were in fact Scorpions. I cannot verify this however, so don't quote me, as they say.
Why doesn't Peavey keep an "old products" list on line? All the stuff I've ever had from Peavey seems to last forever and this cab will be no exception. Pardon the colloquialism but it's built like a brick shithouse and weighs a ton.
One handle on top is a joke and it also makes life difficult if you have an amp on top with shallow "feet".
My 65 Deluxe Reverb sits on top of it for the moment and I'm using foam inbetween to dampen the vibration from the cabinet. Why? Because it's LOUD. I'd give this versatility category a 10 except for the IMO dumb handle arrangement.

In the sounds department, this cab has to get a 10. It sounds great used in stereo mode i.e. 8 ohms from each speaker output of the Deluxe Reverb and also at 4 ohms, which is how I most use it, as an extension cabinet for my Peavey Microbass. That's a 22W solid state bass amp with an 8" speaker. The speaker soon started to flap under serious load so I went for this cab. The difference it has made is truly amazing. It opens the sound up and has the effect of doubling whatever volume setting you have the amp at. It's projection is excellent and stays tight all the way to the back of the club.
I'm using a Squier P-Bass special (P-bass with a Jazz pickup too) and while the guitar doesn't sound awesome, the rig does - I know because several bass player friends have used it and can't believe the sound and tightness of bottom end that they get from it. Yup, satisfaction here.

Have had no problems of any description. Don't expect any. There's not a lot can go wrong with a cab this sturdy other than blowing speakers. I haven't got an amp with a power rating big enough to do that. Those two "Scorpions" or whatever they are, can easily handle 100W, I'm sure.

I tried emailing Peavey for info. Got a fellow from the service centre called Aubrey who wanted me to spell out virtually my whole life before he would offer any info on the cab or recommendation to buy it. Not impressed, guys, sorry. Two emails from a potential customer and you're still asking him for info? I thought things were supposed to work the other way so there's no chance of a 10 here.

Been playing for almost too long - 45 years plus.
All styles except jazz, which I can only busk, but mainly country, mainstream pop, R 'n B, even Smoke On The Water if it's late enough and the crowd really, really wants it.
I did compare the cab with other products - Peavey's 4x10 Classic tweed cab and their 4x12 Classic tweed monster too. I also looked at buying a whole new 30W bass amp with two 12" - A Park, Marshall's Korean made brand. I also tried a Rivera 2x12 which sounded "woolly" to my ears. Nothing came close to the old Peavey - and I mean old!
Can't vouch for their new stuff some of which also is made offshore these days. The Microbass was built in China, for example.

This is a late-`70s/early-`80s Peavey 2x12 extension cabinet, with two 12" Ram speakers, 100W handling and stereo inputs (or one jack running mono). I run it under a `77 Peavey Classic 212 50W tube combo, and based on other Peavey cabs, I'm guessing that it approximately doubles the amp's total output capacity.

Having purchased this amp 15-20 years after it was built, it is fairly good condition. The metal corner guards are somewhat rusted, and the grillcloth shows some signs of wear, but the speakers and enclosure appear intact. The only downside to the design of this unit is that it has one carrying handle on top rather than a handle on each side. I set the Classic 212 amp on top of the cab, and had to use a couple of cardboard shims to keep the amp from wobbling when resting on the handle. Side handles also would've made it easier to carry.

Because I'm using this cab in conjunction with an old amp, I was expecting it to be fairly limited. In reality, it sounds somewhat better than the combo above it. I think that the Ram speakers, although not as good as the Sheffields found in current models, are a step up from the older Peavey speakers. My poor old amp is a single-channel affair (no overdrive or gain control at all), and sound quality with heavy processor-based distortion is marginal at times. In contrast, the extension speakers sound very clear under most circumstances. Since I use this half-stack setup to reinforce a similar setup using newer Peavey gear (dedicated rhythm and lead amp/cab arrangment), it does the job quite well.

There are times when the sound is a little fuzzy, but using an old amp and cabinet with high-output humbuckers and rather extreme distortion will get similar results in many cases. Because I run all my effects stereo and split between two amps, this "rhythm" setup handles the straight signal (distortion and reverb) while my "lead" solid-state amp and cab handle any number of effects which require a clearer sound overall.

In other words, it does what I need it to do with no bells or whistles, but no problems.

I purchased this cab to have around for sound reinforcement at rehearsals and gigs, so it has to be dependable. Peavey has a reputation of making real "workhorse" equipment, and all of my experience with their gear gives me reason to trust that this cab will work fine down the road. I do wish that it had a metal grill rather than the usual cloth mesh, but I can live without. I have no reason to doubt that it will meet my needs.

Haven't dealt with Peavey as far as this is concerned, but my past dealings with them have been very favorable. The shop I bought this from (Brown's Music in New Ulm, MN) is a family business, and they were very helpful in letting me try out different equipment. Although they are about an hour away from here, I'm sure they would handle any repair work faster than any of the big "superstores" nearby. Either way, I'm confident that I would get good sutomer service from the shop or from Peavey.

In almost ten years of playing, I've owned a lot of Peavey products. I have continued to buy their amps and cabs, because they always have reasonable prices and are of reliable quality. Lately, I've been going "back in time" and buying older items like this one. I forget what I paid for this cab, but I bought it (and the amp I run through it) because afford to take with me and handle some sonic punishment!
These old Peaveys aren't going to be collector's items any time soon, but I'm glad to have it in my rig. The only other comparable products I've found are from Sonic, and I decided I might as well stick with Peavey rather than buying a generic cab from a company I've never dealt with. With brands like Crate and Rogue offering full stacks for under a grand, these 2x12 models are getting harder to come by, but I think they're the way to go if you need something powerful, portable and affordable.