Avatar vs. Mesa cabs?

[Virgil.]

Hey guys,

I know there's a lot of Mesa Boogie users on here, so I thought I'd get some opinions before purchasing a new cab...

I have a guy wanting to sell me his Avatar 4x12 (The Traditional G412 http://www.avatarspeakers.com/g412.htm) locally for $280... 2 of the speakers are G-12 Vintage 30's and the other 2 are Special Edition 70th Anniversary Vintage 30's. And then I have another opportunity to buy a Mesa 2x12 rectifier cab for $400. Both are in excellent/mint condition. I'm not that familiar with either, so I'm not sure which is a better deal.

Any recommendations?

Thanks!

 

[006]

Which Avatar is it though? Is it the one that is built like the Orange cabs or their other "regular" cab design?

 

[Virgil.]

Which Avatar is it though? Is it the one that is built like the Orange cabs or their other "regular" cab design?

Sorry, I just updated the OP with the info.

It's the "Traditional" G412 http://www.avatarspeakers.com/g412.htm

Here's the ad with a pic if that helps identify it... the logo looks different (more straight and square) than the newer cabs they are selling nowadays (At an angle): http://phoenix.craigslist.org/nph/msg/2402743817.html

 

[006]

Hmm, tough call. I would venture to say the Recto 2x12 will have more pronounced low-end than that Avatar cab. Otherwise \_()_/

 

[Fvlt]

$400 seems a little high for a used Recto 2x12. I'd try to talk him down to $350.

 

[Virgil.]

Hmm, tough call. I would venture to say the Recto 2x12 will have more pronounced low-end than that Avatar cab. Otherwise _()_/

Haha, yeah, that's what I was thinking too. But since I've never messed around with either, I wanted to be safe and at least ask you guys. From the picture and the specs of Avatar's traditional cabs, they don't seem very sturdy or look like they are solid enough to provide a good low end. And the last thing I want is any rattling in the cab to interfere with the speaker movement.

$400 seems a little high for a used Recto 2x12. I'd try to talk him down to $350.

I thought so too, but he claims it's "new". I'm going to actually go look at it and play on it through a recto tomorrow and have a closer look/listen to it all around. Even if it's used, they are still selling new for $600 here... so I figure if it's in good condition it might be worth it. There is another guy selling his used 2x12 that has been gigged and has a small tear in the tolex on the top for $350 tho.

 

[Loren Littlejohn]

$400 is alright if it's not beat up at all.

 

[acalaf]

Mesa for sure. The avatar traditional is not really a metal cab. The speaker configuration of v30s and g12h is also not metal and will give you too many mids. I owned an avatar traditional and swapped it for a mesa oversize 4X 12 and have been happy ever since.
I have played through a mesa 2 X 12 and it is a tight setup.

 

[Virgil.]

Thanks guys!