Vintage Rectifier 1x12 Closed Back Cabinet - Opinions Needed

[Monsta-Tone]

Does anyone here remember the small, but deep 1x12 Rectifier cabinet with Vintage 30 speaker?
Do they sound good as an extension cab for a combo?
I remember having one years ago with a Rev. G Rectifier head. It seemed small sounding and kind of stuffy.

A friend of mine wants to sell me one to go under my Rectoverb 25 combo. The amp sounds incredible, but definitely needs more bass!

Would I be better off getting the newer Widebody Ported 1x12 cab?

I don't play metal, but I do use lots of heavily overdriven tones as well as lots of clean tones.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[elvis]

IMO, any extension cab is an improvement. However, I had a pair of the recto 1x12 cabs and they were awfully boxy. JP cals them "focused", but not my bag.

I'd go Thiele or wide ported if you want lows. Alternatively, you might re-amp with a 6L6 power stage (50/50, Fryette power station, etc.). The EL84 doesn't make all that much low into ANY cab.

 

[Monsta-Tone]

Thanks Elvis! I should have thought to just email you about them.

Think I'll hold out for the new ported cab then.

I'd love to step up to 6L6's, but the 25 watt range is perfect for most of the venues here.
We'll see. Maybe the new Triple Crown will peak my interest.......

 

[elvis]

My pleasure!

I went thru the same thing when I had the RV25 combo. I wish I had stuck a Thiele under it before I traded it. It's a sick amp. And perfect for gigging.

 

[GJgo]

I use that cab in a number of little comparo videos I did, all high gain though. Personally I really like it, but I like all the oversized Recto cabs. More tonal depth than the smaller cabs IMO.
https://www.youtube.com/user/fast13b/videos

 

[Nicklotsaguitars]

Recently tried a thiele and a widebody of a friends.
They're incredibly directional. More so than a non-ported 1x12 seemingly.
As soon as you move off axis the benefit of the port disappears. So the sound changes quite drastically.

In all reality you probably don't need any more bass than the amp gives in a band situation. Spread is always going to be better from an open backed cab. FWIW an amps tone stack is more than capable of getting over an EL84's inherent high mids anarchy. I modded my 18watt with 1000v cathode bias capacitors or the same farad rating. It was instant Marshall Superbass sound. My Class 5 is bassy to the point of being unusable. Both are EL84 based amps.

 

[Monsta-Tone]

Thanks guys.
I wound up getting the cab for $150. I figure it won't hurt to have an extra cab laying around......


Nicklotsaguitars:
I fully understand what you're saying. I'm usually the first one to mod a Mesa.
I have not modded the ROV25 very much at this time, but even after doing so, I would use an extension cab with the combo. I just like the sound of 2x12's much better.
I really like the sound of an open back and a closed back cab together.

If I read your post correctly, you said that you modded your 18watt amp with 100v cathode caps of the same value and it increased the bass?
I just might have to try that!

 

[Nicklotsaguitars]

It's a self built 18watt. And I used 1000v caps on V2. Just two of them. Same 0.1uf capacitance, just a higher voltage handling capability. 400v were spec'd.
Be warned, it turns the amp into a bass amp, that's the only way I can describe it. I ended up changing back.

 

[Monsta-Tone]

Were the standard caps and the 100V caps the same brand? Same series from the brand?

I'll have to experiment with this a little.
My ROV 25 sounds great, but needs just a tad more bass for what I use it for. I don't need over the top, I'll use a different amp for that.
My Maverick 112 combo seriously needs more bass too.
I've always used lower V caps for cathode bypass......interesting........Thanks!

 

[Nicklotsaguitars]

The guy who put me onto it was an old Carlsbro designer who now rewinds transformers and builds ultra-linear PA amps. If you've an amp easily modded, try it. That 18watt TMB is a very basic affair. I love mine for it's simplicity. I ended up switching back to the lower voltage capacitors. They were same value. I don't know about brand. It was probably just whatever I had lying around