Mesa Boogie Metal Grill 4x12???

[cyoung]

I will be picking up a metal grill 4x12. The seller said it is original and is loaded with 2 Celestion Black shadows on top and 2 Eminence on the bottom and it looks like a half back cabinet. Does anyone know roughly what year Mesa was building these cabinets so I can have a rough idea when it was made? I wasn't aware Mesa was using Eminence speakers. I always though they used Celestion and EV's.

Thanks.

 

[Audiokill]

I've never heard of Mesa ever using Eminence speakers. Either your seller is not the original owner and doesn't know what he's talking about, he's lying about it being all original, or he may somehow be mistaken about what he has. Have you seen the bottom speakers for yourself? If not, $5 says they really are EVs and not Eminence.

By the way, these metal grill halfback cabs were made throughout the 80's. Don't know whether you'll be able to determine the exact year it was made, but it's petty old. Hope this was helpful.

 

[tonejam]

Mesa most certainly does use Eminence speakers. My Studio 22+ came with a 50W Eminence (bought in 1990). I have read many posts from forum members with Eminence speakers in their Boogies.
Most of these are not labelled as Eminence, but are made by them for Mesa. My speaker was labelled as a Mesa Black Shadow.
I've since replaced it, but it was an excellent speaker.

 

[cyoung]

Thanks guys. Guess I'll just have to wait and see what is actually in the cab.

 

[Audiokill]

I stand corrected

 

[gts]

The MS-12 was an Eminence 150 watt speaker. If labeled would have "MS-12", "150 watt" as well as "Black Shadow" on the back of the magnet.
The other Eminence was the VS-12 a 50 watt speaker. If labeled it would have "VS-12", "50 watts", and "Vintage Black Shadow" on the back of the magnet.

Metal grille cabs came with these as well as Celestion C-90's and Eletro Voice EV12L's.
The cabs would have various combinations of any and all the above.
There have been other speaker that I'm pretty sure were 'stock', I've seen Celestion G12-100's and perhaps Altec-417's

Here's a 4x12 with C-90's up top and the Eminence VS-12 in the bottom

And here's an Eminence MS-12

 

[gts]

As for age. The older 4x12's had what people refer to as "knife edge" handles. The grip is sliver and labeled Mesa or Mesa Boogie.

Newer 4x12's had an all black handle and the grip is round (grip is not labeled).

 

[mikebu]

Cool gear rundown with GE Smith where he raves about these cabinets...

 

[cyoung]

gts,

Thanks for the detailed info. I will be picking up my cab tomorrow. Super excited to see what's inside. Will post some gear pictures soon.

 

[Audiokill]

So ... what was inside?

 

[cyoung]

Audiokill,

This post shows what was inside the cab.
http://forum.grailtone.com/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=63285