Vertical 212 120-watt 2x12" Extension Cabinet - Vintage Review

Perfect match to my JJ Jr. 20-watt head

Finally got my hands on the Friedman vertical 212 in salt and pepper. I was previously using a Marshall 1960a 412 cab. Classic sound heard on millions of rock stages, right? Well, yeah, but I play bars and clubs. It was overkill and too heavy to cart around. I settled on trying the Friedman 212 because I purchased a Friedman JJ Jr last year and absolutely love it. Total tone matching.… read more I figured why not get the matching cab? It's smaller than my Marshall, and the matching grill cloth looks pro. But looks aren't everything, and in the tone department, the Friedman 212 vertical is a perfect tonal match to my JJ Jr. The V30s have a perfect bump in the upper midrange that sounds super musical. Some say V30s can be harsh or even ice-pick-y when brand new but I haven't noticed this at all with the Friedman vertical 212. Both at practice and at gigs, the V30s help me cut through the mix without having to increase volume. The Marshall was just a little too muddy in the midrange, and also, it was incredibly "beamy." If I stood to one side of the cabinet, the volume dropped tremendously, and if I was standing right in front, the volume and harsh upper end melted my nose hair! The Friedman cab is ported in the back, and the upper and lower speakers are angled away from each other, which fills the room more evenly. I play in a 90s grunge, punk, and alt rock cover band. The JJ Jr paired with the vert 212 helps me achieve those 90s tones, from mid-gain songs by the Gin Blossoms or Live to over-the-top gain from songs by Alice in Chains and Tool. Both my 1972 Les Paul Custom and my Fender Strat sound great through this setup.

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