Speakers
There are a lot "speaker misconceptions" going around regarding vintage speakers.
Speakers are commonly called the weakest link in the chain of sound. They are an electrical-mechanical device that changes electrical signal to sound waves via paper cone. Let me explain, speakers have a basket, magnet, voice coil, spider and a speaker cone as the major parts. The basket and magnet are stable parts. The voice coil as long as it is not damaged by overloading (more watts then rated for) is stable. This only leaves the cone. Paper deteriorates with age. This contributes to your over all sound, a weak cone and your bass notes will sound muddy. They will not have a tight bottom end. The treble will sound flat and lifeless. No brightness to the overall sound.
Re coning a speaker gives you a new voice coil, cone & spider but you have
the benefits of a 25/35 year old magnet with vintage speakers. Aged magnets
give you a warmer sound, removing the harsh brittle sound. This applies not
only to ceramic magnets, but also to alnico magnets. Ever wonder why Jensen
P10R speakers sound so good. Jensen last made these speakers in the very early
sixties, meaning the magnets are 40 years old. I wouldn't worry about your magnets
failing on you. They will last more than a few life times. In some cases the
magnet should be re-magnitized if it is found to be weak. This is only in rare
occasions. Let's look at one of the "speaker misconceptions". Joe Rockmeloud gets on the old speaker trip, has to have Celestion greenback 25's from 1970. I explain to Rockmeloud that putting old drivers (speakers) won't help achieve his desired sound. He looks confused. "but..but, Page, Hendrix, Clapton and Jeff Beck all used those speakers". Let's look at this situation very closely. Four major guitar players in 1970, using speakers that at the earliest time of manufacture would be 66 to 67.
ALNICO speakers are simply put, the best sounding speakers money can buy and well worth the money to re cone.
You might of heard about the Vox alnico speaker made by Celestion in England.
Alnico speakers have a great sounding breakup/distortion and in part give you the best classic sound of the late 50's early 60's. I've spent years researching players sounds, looking at music magazines, album cover(vinyl) sleeve photos and asking other players about some of the blues /rock artists they listen to and the amplifiers they use. The outcome is Fender tweed amps, early Marshall and Vox amps, hence the alnico speakers.
Rock, heavy metal players have traditionally only use Celestion speakers. Nothing on the face of the earth sounds as good as a plexi Marshall with a 4 by 12 cab, if that's your thing. Celestion has made numerous speakers some good, some not so good. The good ones, green back 25's (G12M25) little muddy in a 4/12 for my taste but still a classic. The green back's (G12H30)30 watt speaker with heavy magnet is a great speaker, was discontinued in the past, brought back in 1996 as the 70th anniversary and subsequently discontinued and brought back again as the G12H speaker. This is the speaker Jimmy Page and Hendrix used. Their are also 2 other good sounding speakers. The Vintage 30, a 60 watt attempt to reproduce the alnico sound and the Classic Lead (G12-80). Both these speakers use 50 oz. ceramic magnets, considered to be heavy magnets.
Classic Amps has tested the current Jensen speakers made in Italy and found them to be unsatisfactory. We are very pleased with the excellent Weber VST Jensen style speakers and offer them as standard equipment in our 59 Series Amplifiers.
Classic Amps "Speaker Endorsement List"
Celestion, That great British Rock Sound
WeberVST, Excellent Speakers for all applications
Classic Amps can supply new speakers buy Celestion, Weber Vst and used RE CONED JBL's & Altec's (alnico) when available.
Rob Fowler
I'll try to give you some ground parameters to work with, then you can draw your own conclusions.
The only person who should worry about original cones is a collector, who doesn't
play. Speaker cones don't all deteriorate, but lots of heavy playing, exposure
to sun both indoors and out along with air pollution will help in the deterioration
of the speaker cone. Some cones such as the JBL D120 which are heavily doped
on the edges will actually crack at the edges, due to age, heavy use or abuse.
Key point THE SPEAKERS AT BEST WHERE ONLY FOUR YEARS OLD!.. Then the fact that speakers where blown on a regular basis in the late sixties due to excessive volumes, this time frame of 4 years could be lower. Stop and think, just maybe it was a BRAND NEW 4*12 CAB on the record. The key point is that the speakers were new or almost new condition and putting 28 year old (1998) speakers today in you cabinets or combo is not going to give you the sound you are looking for.
The Jensen P series speakers were used by most of the American amplifier manufacturers throughout the 50's and into the mid 60's.
This is the sound of the classic Chicago blues sound.
Jensen speakers identify the wattage by a letter in code P12R.
P for alnico,12 for speaker size, R for wattage R=15 watts. Q=20 watts, N=25 watts.
Unfortunately Jensen cones are no longer available, hence leaving only generic cone kits.
This speaker along with the alnico speakers that Marshall was using from Celestion in the early sixties set the tone for the British Invasion. Whether it be Pop or the British blues of Clapton and Mayall the tone was defined by these speakers.
These speakers were low wattage speakers, the Vox 12" was rated at 15 watts,
the ones Marshall were using G12 between 10-20 watts.
Re cone kits for Celestion speakers are still available.
Alnico JBL's ? ah yes another classic guitar sound, just ask the ALLMAN BROTHERS Band. This setup consisted of 100 watt Marshall, 2 top cabs loaded with 4 JBL D120'S an actual Fender designation for there special designed JBL used as the optional speakers in the Black Face series of amplifiers . The cones where a little stiffer. Both DICKEY BETTS and DUANE ALLMAN used this set up. Matter of fact in June of 94 Dickey was still using the same set up. Currently the same cabs and same speakers but 1 Marshall and 1 Soldano head. JBL's, Altec, SRO(EV) all are high wattage clean sounding speakers. Great for southern rock, country players love them for there clean snappy / twangy sound.
The old Altec speakers used by Randy Rhodes prove that Altecs can Rock with the best.
In ceramic magnet based speakers the weight of the magnet has a direct relation
to how the bottom end will sound. Celestion uses 3 different weights designated
by letters. S for Light 17-25.oz, M for Medium 35.oz, H for Heavy 50.oz Heavy
magnets track the bottom end better, causing your sound to be overall tighter
and a more defined bass response.
The medium weight magnets sound good to a certain volume and then the bass / bottom end starts to run away and get sloppy and muddy. In extreme cases no low note definition.
The S weight magnets would only be used in very low wattage amplifiers and would
have all the inherent problems of the M style speaker but at lower volumes.
Other speaker companies are using some very heavy magnet weights (16lbs or 256.oz)
for even higher wattage speakers up to 250-300 watts, but there extremely heavy
and suit bass guitar or P.A. applications.
We are also very pleased with the Weber VST Blue Dog and Silver Bell a Vox /Celestion
style alnico speaker and offer them as standard equipment in our British Series
Amplifiers.
Classic Amps
© 1998/2003
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