112 Cabinet For JMD 50W Head

[DrLestat]

I am interested in buying the JMD 50 W Head. I already have a 212 cabinet and am looking for a 112 cabinet to use for rehearsals and just playing in my basement. Can anyone recommend a good cabinet that would compliment the JMD. Is the Marshall Haze 112 a good choice?
Thanks

[surfnorthwest]

Welcome to the forum and congrats on selecting the new JMD1 for a amp, you are going to love it. The best bet for a 1x12 that will sound great is going to be a Avatar cabinet (linked below) just choose your favorite speaker.

http://www.avatarspeakers.com/vintage%20g112.htm

I recommend either the Celestion Heritage G12-65 or the Celestion Classic Lead 80

Remember what ever speaker you choose needs to handle at least 50 watts.

[SteveD]

Welcome to the forum Dr Lestat.

[DrLestat]

Do you think the Avatar with your recommended speaker has a better sound than the 1 x 12" Celestion G12-66 Marquee speaker in the Marshall Haze 112 cab?

Thanks

-- Sun Jul 25, 2010 1:12 pm --

Last question from an inexperienced player. Would I be crazy to buy a 412a Marshall cab for the JMD 50 Head if my only use would be in my basement and not gigging. Do you need to crank it to really appreciate the 412a or can I enjoy it just practicing?

Thanks

[surfnorthwest]

Do you think the Avatar with your recommended speaker has a better sound than the 1 x 12" Celestion G12-66 Marquee speaker in the Marshall Haze 112 cab?

Thanks

-- Sun Jul 25, 2010 1:12 pm --

Last question from an inexperienced player. Would I be crazy to buy a 412a Marshall cab for the JMD 50 Head if my only use would be in my basement and not gigging. Do you need to crank it to really appreciate the 412a or can I enjoy it just practicing?

Thanks

Yes on the speaker and cabinet. Avatar cabinets are built with the best woods and construction and this does matter to get the most out of a guitar speaker. Not that the Haze cabinet would be bad but IMO it would not be as good as the Avatar. As far as getting 412A cabinet no it's not crazy but perhaps a little over kill on the wallet. That cab would give you a nice full sound and with the JMD great tones come at bedroom levels unlike most Marshalls that need to be cranked up but honestly a 4x12 should only be considered if you plan on gigging at a later time.

I would stick with a 1x12 or a 2x12 cabinet for the 50 watt head, both will be plenty loud.

[Beck-Ola]

The thing is, that head is pretty large and it would be awkward to sit it on top of a 1x12, not that you necessarily would. And you need the power handling ability in one speaker since you aren't splitting it up between two or four.

Not crazy to get a 412A though, although maybe not practical. Sometimes it's good to be crazy. A long time ago in the early eighties I got a JCM and the cab I had at the time was a 1x12. After about a week I went out and got a 412 slant cab (w/ G12k-85s) to make a half-stack and was very impressed with the increased woompf and bigness. Probably the closed back had a bit to do with that, not to mention those speakers with their solid low end. It was like a Harley compared to a Honda, in the way you could feel the notes physically. I was playing out once a week so I was able to turn it up more in those situations. And it looked real cool. I was glad I had it and used it until a couple of years ago. So it's not totally crazy.

The impracticality is that it takes up space and is harder to move around. And as Surf said, the additional cost. Although if you love the sound the cost is always worth it. And if you don't need to move it....

FWIW, I've got three 2x12 cabs from Avatar nowadays, each with a different pair of speakers. G12Cs, G12K-100s, and a Blue Dog/G12H-30 split, depending on the mood and the amp. I'm liking the G12K-100s the best right now for the JMD because they have such clarity and good balance, and rock solid low end. Of course, one of those can more than handle anything the JMD50 puts out with ease. But they're all nice tones. The Lead 80 isn't a bad one for a 1x12 either.

[DrLestat]

What do you guys think of a Mesa boogie 1x12 cabinet with a 90Watt black shadow celestion speaker for the 50 Watt Head? Compared to the Avatar Cabinet with the recommended speakers?

Thanks

[surfnorthwest]

Mesa makes good quality cabinets so it would be on par with the Avatar cab. I have no idea on that speaker so I would be a bit skeptical about it's tone. One nice thing about Avatar is the guys that work the phones are players too and are pretty kean on recommending speakers based upon your amp and your music taste.

[DrLestat]

I have one more option for a cabinet for the 50W head.

It is a Bogner 212 One 12" Celestion® G12M Greenback speaker and one Celestion® G12H Anniversary Guitar Speaker

How will this compare to either the Carvin Legacy with 2 V30 or the Avatar?

Thanks

[surfnorthwest]

The Vintage 30s will sound great with the JMD, I would stick with the Legacy cabinet as you should be able to get a good buy on it. The G12M does NOT match up well with the G12H, the G12H will overshadow the greenback due to its SLP output.

As far as Avatar again they are great cabinets and you can select what ever speakers you want that match well. Can't go wrong with Vin 30s.