4 x12" Recto Cabs: Standard vs. Traditional

[Surfguitar!]

Long story short.....

I have a '92 Blackface Dual and a Standard Recto 4x12" slant cabinet with V30's. A buddy who just acquired a Triple Rectifier wants it. I was told my local CG had a 4x12" Traditional Recto (non-slant). If I understand correctly, this is the smaller Marshall sized Recto cab. I think it has the Black Shadow speakers...?

I can't find much info on the smaller Traditional cab, and when I bought my Standard cab people were telling me to check out the Traditional - however, I could never find one.

I plan on trying it out tomorrow or Tuesday.

I'm sure both are nice, which do you prefer? I like to play stuff like Tool and Godsmack, etc. FWIW, I do not have the luxury of cranking the amp super loud, but do run it at loud volume.

BTW, are Celestion V30's overrated? I thought the Black Shadow in my Rect-O-Verb seemed decent when I had it.

Any thoughts?

 

[recto-robbie]

I just picked up a new 4x12 traditional slant. I dont think it would be correct in saying that one cab is better than the other. They are both great cabs. I do find the traditional cabs to be a bit tighter sounding to me. Not as boomy. And the traditional comes with v30's.

 

[ibanez4life SZ!]

I think the traditionals are far superior cabs...hated the oversized...always sounded boomy and loose.

I say the traditional, ESPEIALLY with a rectifier.

 

[siggy14]

The traditional, which is now known as the stiletto cab does come with V30's. The cab is tighter with more mid's and defintly more focused then the oversized cab.

However the straight cab has a little more volume then the slanted traditional cab, so it is more of a mix between the oversized and the traditional slants.

As to your style of music, it is a tought toss up, because i think tool's guitarist used traditional cabs, where godsmack used oversized.

Long story short.....

I have a '92 Blackface Dual and a Standard Recto 4x12" slant cabinet with V30's. A buddy who just acquired a Triple Rectifier wants it. I was told my local CG had a 4x12" Traditional Recto (non-slant). If I understand correctly, this is the smaller Marshall sized Recto cab. I think it has the Black Shadow speakers...?

I can't find much info on the smaller Traditional cab, and when I bought my Standard cab people were telling me to check out the Traditional - however, I could never find one.

I plan on trying it out tomorrow or Tuesday.

I'm sure both are nice, which do you prefer? I like to play stuff like Tool and Godsmack, etc. FWIW, I do not have the luxury of cranking the amp super loud, but do run it at loud volume.

BTW, are Celestion V30's overrated? I thought the Black Shadow in my Rect-O-Verb seemed decent when I had it.

Any thoughts?

 

[Elpelotero]

With a 92 DR, you should have zero problems regarding getting a boomy sound with an oversized cab. I have the same rig and I get no boominess. With my 3ch recto, I used to get lots of boominess.

If you play Tool and Godsmack, the oversized is the way to go because they use the exact same thing (I know Godsmack 100% for sure at least). In fact, I've seen vids of Tool in 1993 where Adam had a blackface recto and a Mesa cab behind him (that appeared oversized).

 

[ibanez4life SZ!]

I know Godsmack uses oversized, but to be honest, I get a better "Godsmack tone" with my traditional cab...I can still dial in that sound...it is just overall more refined and clearer. IMO ofcourse.

Bands of that sort have immense funds to fine tune and perfect their tones...I'm a little more limited, and I find I can get a better tone with less trouble with the traditional.

 

[Silverwulf]

The traditional, which is now known as the stiletto cab does come with V30's. The cab is tighter with more mid's and defintly more focused then the oversized cab.

+1

I play metal which requires a tight and articulate sound. I've had both an oversized standard and a traditional straight. I sold the standard and have been using the traditional straight for almost 3-4 years as my primary cab. In comparison, it's tighter in the low end, and as siggy said...it's definitely more focused. While you can use the oversized cabs without them being "boomy", it takes a little more dialing in and regardless, they accentuate the lows in a way I didn't like for tight rhythm/metal playing.

 

[noodles]

I'm much more of a C90 (Black Shadow) fan, and my oversized C90 cab sounds a hell of a lot tighter than a traditional sized V30 cab. Keep in mind that the size of the cab has nothing to do with what speakers are in it--unless it was special ordered, it's going to have V30s in it.

The traditional cab is going to have a tighter, more focused midrange, while the oversized cab is going to have a greater low end response and bigger sound. If I was the only guitarist in the band, I'd definitely go with a traditional cab. However, I joined a two guitar band with a guy who already had a traditional cab. I've found that blending the two sizes gives a fuller, more complex sound. I fill out the lower end of the spectrum, while he goes for the higher end.

 

[Brentsp]

Traditional is quite a bit tighter but doesn't have the sub low end nor the thunder of the standard. Both are great IMO

I've recently been using my recto with my bogner greenback 412. Its a standard 68 marshall size with greenbacks. I have to say I'm so freaking pleased with the sound of this combo. The feel has this spring board attack instead of the concrete wall feel. Hard to explain but I love it. I still have my recto cab though :wink:

 

[CudBucket]

John Petrucci uses traditional cabs and they sound huge and tight enough for me. Plenty of low end.

 

[noodles]

Petrucci also uses basswood guitars. Basswood has a loose bottom end, which is done that wood no justice. You need an extremely tight, focused bass response to get the best results from it.

 

[siggy14]

Actually basswood pretty much has no bottem end, mostly just mid's and plenty of mids.

Petrucci also uses basswood guitars. Basswood has a loose bottom end, which is done that wood no justice. You need an extremely tight, focused bass response to get the best results from it.