Great deal on guitar cabinets!

[Katastrophe]

I was just lurking over at the Agile forum, and found a thread relating to speaker cabinets by Drive. Eminence speakers, and CHEAP, sold at Music 123.

No affiliation, yadda, yadda. Here's a link:

http://www.music123.com/Amp-Cabinets-Guitar-Amplifiers1.Music123

I wonder how good they sound?

[warren0728]

wow....that is cheap....even if the speakers sucked the cab should be worth the price...

ww

[Spudman]

wow....that is cheap....even if the speakers sucked the cab should be worth the price...

ww

I've been reading reviews on the Legend speakers in them and can't find anything bad. If you are looking for Fender crisp highs though these speakers won't do that. They roll off the high end around the 4-5k mark.

[just strum]

If anyone buys one of these, what are you thinking about getting?
The 1x12 and 2x12 are free shipping and the 4x12 is an extra $70. I wonder if you ordered two 2x12 if they would still give you free shipping (sorry, just thinking out loud).

I don't know a hel! of a lot about these things, but it certainly is a low risk buy.

[TS808]

I had read somewhere that some Drive amps were manufactured by Fender, but I'm not sure if that is still the case. The Drive cabinets pretty much look like the Crate VTX series cabinets.

[LagrangeCalvert]

if the 2x12 is closed back I will buy it and swap the speakers out....cause I want one of the classic series peavey closed back 2x12. I want a closed back 2x12 to go with my Delta Blues 1x15.

I read and couldn't tell if they were open or closed back.

[Spudman]

LC
They are ported. So my guess is that the backs are closed but they have a port in the front baffle.

[LagrangeCalvert]

why cant they just post pics of the back? This makes me not want to buy it cause I don't know for sure (but I am assuming your guess is right) and I want a closed back cab!

:reallymad: :spank: :reallymad: :deadhorse:

[Spudman]

Just give them a call then and ask if they are open or closed.

[LagrangeCalvert]

Just give them a call then and ask if they are open or closed.

I e-mailed them.....if I dont get a response within a day or so I will call them... thats a steal I cannot pass up!

[duhvoodooman]

Wow--a 2x12 cab with Eminence speakers and free shipping (a major savings on a 52 lb. item!) for $79?!?!? :eek: :eek: :eek: Unless it's total junk, it's gotta be worth that much. Very tempting....

EDIT: Have been looking into this further. If these cabinets contain 12" Eminence Legend speakers, they must be THIS MODEL (http://www.wwbw.com/Eminence-Legend-V12-Guitar-Replacement-Speaker-i55986.music), which sells for $70 new, because this is the only model that matches up with the 120W stated power rating. Which means that you could buy one of these cabs, take the speakers out, sell 'em as new on eBay for $50 each, and clear $20 profit. Not that I'd want to, but this leads me to my point, which is....

At this pricing level, it looks to me like Drive must have a deal with MF/Music123/ et al. to basically "buy market share" for this new product by an initial offering at a ridiculously low price. I'm sure these cabs are made in China, and this is a pretty common business strategy for Far Eastern companies where short-term profitability is not nearly as important as it is for US corporations. Grab market share now with a killer deal and work on profitability later.

At this pricing level, it would seem to be a virtual zero-risk purchase. If the cabinet itself is junk, you just remove the Eminence speakers and use 'em in something else or put 'em up on the 'Bay for $50 each. I think I may grab a 2x12 while they're still available....

[Brian Krashpad]

Wow, that's nuts!

Note, they also have a 1x15 bass cab for $80:

http://www.music123.com/Drive-Elite-B115XT-1X15-Bass-Speaker-Cabinet-600569-i1372233.Music123

http://images.miretail.com/products/full/Drive/633289723567871048.jpg

If I didn't already have an open-back 2x12 cab w/Celestions I'd be all over that red 2x12 cab like white on rice.

[duhvoodooman]

Oh, man! Music123 strikes again. I ordered the 2x12 cab and my order was accepted, but now the website shows the item out of stock. My guess is that it was gone when I ordered it. Since they were gobbled up by MF, the service from this reseller really seems to have tanked.... :(

EDIT: Well, now it shows as in stock again, so who the %!@#*&$?! knows what's going on?!? :reallymad:

Guess we'll just have to see if it shows up on my doorstep in a few days....

EDIT #2 (next day): I had an e-mail notification this morning that the cab had shipped, so I guess that OOS message was just a glitch. Looking forward to seeing if this thing (1) has decent build quality and (2) sounds any good. If yes/yes, this deal would border on grand larceny....

[mrmudcat]

MF. has the same deals and the amps to match just as cheap!! Other places have the stuff at full retail prices(not msrp) for a hell of alot more I ordered a full stack elite$430 plus $140 extra shipping charge!! $570 total insane:beer:

[mrmudcat]

you have to use search function and enter drive amps on M.F. site:deadhorse:

[jasongins]

I found a PDF of the Drive amp catalog right HERE (www.switchmusic.com/pdfs/drive_amps_catalog.pdf).

Page 34 shows each of the footswitches, which amps they go to, and what the switch functions are. Is it possible this stuff is not junk?

[mrmudcat]

Well here is the regular price on the cabs I got 2 for $300 +$170 shipping total=$470 the head was $130 free s.h.

http://www.instrumentalley.com/Drive-Elite-G412X-Guitar-Enclosure-p/g412x.htm

http://www.instrumentalley.com/Drive-Elite-G200H-Electric-Guitar-Head-p/g200h.htm


Seems only guitar center(And the companies it owns) are blowing these out at this price!

[Spudman]

I ordered the 1x12 Elite. I'll let you know hopefully before the sale is over how it sounds.

The Elite cabinet is much deeper than the red ones, but the red ones are ported so the bass response might be just as good. (shrug):confused:

[mrmudcat]

The cab you ordered says its ported also .

[Spudman]

The cab you ordered says its ported also .

Good. I love a good Port.:D

[SuperSwede]

Good. I love a good Port.:D

Ahoy there Matey! A good port can be really nice! :beer:

I just wanted to chime in and tell you guys how jealous I am! I cannot get a Boss pedal for 79 usd here, and you can order a 2x12 cab with eminence speakers??? Time to emigrate I think :whatever:

[Spudman]

I do feel for you SS. We really do have a pretty easy time acquiring gear over here. Sorry.

If you make it over I've got a place for you to stay and I'll even play bass if you come. How much will they let you carry back on the plane? :)

[SuperSwede]

I do feel for you SS. We really do have a pretty easy time acquiring gear over here. Sorry.

If you make it over I've got a place for you to stay and I'll even play bass if you come. How much will they let you carry back on the plane? :)

Thanks Spud, I might just take up that offer some day! :)

I think I could store a couple of guitars in the back if I ditch the co-pilot. I could probably hang some guitars under the wings as well?

SAAB Jas 39 Griffin
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/europe/images/jas6.jpg

[duhvoodooman]

The Drive MRG212L 2x12 cabinet I ordered came today. Here are some very preliminary impressions:

First of all, contrary to my fears, this is very definitely not a piece of cheap trash. It is very solidly put together, and while the workmanship isn't stunning, it's very respectable. The tolex is tight and wrinkle-free and all the hardware fits well and is snug. The piping around the grille is pretty well fitted, and the grille cloth is nice and tight. The seams in the tolex covering at the corners of the grille aren't perfectly butted together, but you have to be pretty close to notice it. All in all, not a bad job of cabinet construction at all.

The back of the cabinet is closed and contains two 3" diameter black plastic ports. These are centered on the speakers laterally but offset about halfway down the speakers vertically. See pics below. The camera flash makes the tolex look lighter, redder and shinier than it really is.

I've only played through the cab for a few minutes at this point, but the speakers sound very good to me so far. Frequency response sounds fairly flat, and they have good clarity and a nice tight bottom. No buzzes or rattles than I can hear. I really need to play through them a lot more to adequately judge them, but thusfar I am quite stunned at what I got for a mere $80, delivered! Too bad Music123 and MF are both sold out of them already. But I'm sure it was their intention to move them quickly at this price!

http://duhvoodooman.com/miscimages/musical/2x12_cab/Drive_cab_front.jpg

http://duhvoodooman.com/miscimages/musical/2x12_cab/Drive_cab_top.jpg

http://duhvoodooman.com/miscimages/musical/2x12_cab/Drive_cab_back.jpg

[Robert]

Ooooh, that red tolex looks really good! What a steal.

[tunghaichuan]

duhvoodooman,

What is the cabinet made of? Plywood? Particle board? Combo of both?

tung

[Spudman]

Voodoo scores! :Dude: I'm very hopeful now. Mine might be here tomorrow.

[Tone2TheBone]

You dogs I wanted one of those red ones. Congrats Voo and Spudster. :)

[duhvoodooman]

They still have the red ones in the 1x12 ($50) and 4x12 ($130) versions, and you can get the 2x12 in black for the same price I paid ($80). Free shipping for the two smaller models, but not for the 4x12, due to its 92 lb. weight.

Here's the page link again:

http://www.music123.com/Amp-Cabinets-Guitar-Amplifiers1.Music123

[duhvoodooman]

Two more photos, showing the inside of the cab and a close-up of one of the speakers. Definitely genuine Eminence Legend speakers in there, so the speakers alone are worth considerably more than what I paid for the cabinet. Construction appears to be 3/4" particle board throughout, but it's very sturdily made. Certainly not just thrown together. Wiring is nice and tidy, too.


http://duhvoodooman.com/miscimages/musical/2x12_cab/Drive_cab_inside.jpg http://duhvoodooman.com/miscimages/musical/2x12_cab/Drive_cab_speaker.jpg

[Katastrophe]

Congrats, Spud and DVM! If I didn't have to be dealing with a busted heating unit, a clogged sewer line (which needs replacing from my house to the street), and Ms. K's and my recent trips to the hospital, one would be sitting in my house right now.

November's been a great month.:messedup: :reallymad:

On the upside, Baby Kat turned 1 Thursday, and we had her party today. That was a bunch of fun!:AOK: :D

[duhvoodooman]

Yikes!! :eek: Hope the rest of the month is an improvement, Kat. Sounds like it almost has to be! And plant a big ol' birthday Voodoo kiss on the baby for me! :AOK:

[sunvalleylaw]

Yikes!! :eek: Hope the rest of the month is an improvement, Kat. Sounds like it almost has to be! And plant a big ol' birthday Voodoo kiss on the baby for me! :AOK:


Ditto! Enjoy that 1st B-day with your wee Kat-girl!

[Spudman]

I will say that these are a very good deal.
Mine has a carpet finish not tolex like the red or other black ones. So far I've just played it with the Valve Jr. and it sounded very rock and roll. I really got this specifically for the Crate Powerblock. No doubt it will handle the output and the voicing is a smooth upper mid-range that I'm sure will get even sweeter once the speaker is broken in. It even came with an 8 foot speaker cable. The even bigger bonus is that it comes with two stout side mounted handles as well as a top strap handle. It also has a tough metal grille that doesn't rattle. :AOK:
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w149/srspud/amps/SpudSteves001.jpg
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w149/srspud/amps/SpudSteves.jpg

[Spudman]

After A/B ing it with a Lopoline cabinet of very similar size I have to say that this box puts out way more bass and is generally much louder than the Vintage 12 equipped Lopoline. It has a little more presence in the upper mids as well. The top end comes out nice and sparkly. It's bright but not unpleasant.:Dude:

Generally I like it a lot. I can tell that it will cut through on stage nicely and handle the Crate Powerblock's power. I've got it turned up to 11 and it ain't farting out. I give this box high marks for value and sound quality.:AOK:

[mrmudcat]

Sorry ive been late to follow up.Xmas presents are hard to play / hide and get away with it! The speaker cab/cabs sound really good .I feel the ems are punchy with good bass and pretty good mids and highs.I will add some follow ups after xmas.

[Bloozcat]

In a way I'm really glad I didn't see this thread until just now. Another speaker cabinet would have been really hard to explain, and I'm about out of hiding places!

However...if I had seen it earlier, I might have been able to persuade Mrs. Santa (a.k.a., Mrs. Bloozcat) to give one a good home under our Christmas tree...:rockon: