Jensen C12R speakers questions (Laney VC30 212)

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aestus

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I was playing my guitar through my Laney VC30 the other day and noticed something. The speakers had this high end fizzle to the sound when the amp was set to about 7 or 8. The more the speakers were pushed with the natural gain of the amp, the more the speaker had thiis really high, trebly fizz. When backed off, the speakers sound fine. Very bright, chimey, and hollow. When the amp gets naturally overdriven and when the speakers are pushed hard, the high end fizz comes back. Not a warm, speaker fuzz, but a brittle and glassy fizz in the treble thats very prominent. The speakers are Jensen C12R speakers. I looked at the speakers and nothing seems wrong. I looked up my speakers online and noticed that mine looked slightly different than the current Jensen C12R's.

Come to find out... the speakers I have aren't the newer Jensen reissues. The speakers in my amp are made back in 1967. So I have a set of 1967 Jensen C12R's in my Laney. Are these speakers known to get fizzy at loud volumes with a slight bit of overdrive? The speakers look almost mint. The cone doesn't look damaged and the coils look fine. Could the speakers be on the verge of blowing out?

Tom
 
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Re: Jensen C12R speakers questions (Laney VC30 212)

Yes. The 50's and 60's C12R speaker has a small ceramic magnet and small voice coil.
 
Re: Jensen C12R speakers questions (Laney VC30 212)

Yes? as in they are known to get bright and fizzy at loud volumes, or yes, they are on the verge of blowing out? Heh.

Tom
 
Re: Jensen C12R speakers questions (Laney VC30 212)

The "R" series was at the lower end of Jensen's 50's and 60's speaker line.

I'm doing this from memory but I believe the "R" speakers all had a 1" voice coil and smallish magnets.

Old Jensen's go through the alphebet and the top of the line would be the "N" series. They skip "O", then there's the "P", "Q" and "R". I believe there were also some really inexpensive "S" speakers too.

A P10R would be an alnico magnet 10" speaker with a 1" voice coil.

A C10R would be a ceramic magnet 10" speaker with a 1" voice coil.

A C12R would be a ceramic magnet 12" speaker...I think with a 1" voice coil.

A C12Q would be a ceramic magnet speaker with a 1 1/4" voice coil.

A P12Q would be an alnico magnet speaker with a 1 1/4" voice coil.

A C12N would be a ceramic magnet speaker with a 1 1/2" voice coil....TOP OF THE LINE in 1966. At one time, Eric Clapton said this was his favorite speaker.

Anyways, the C12R uses a small voice coil and light cone and doesn't handle much output power...15 watts, maybe. They break up easily and and are not very efficient.

If you went to a C12N you would have the top of the Jensen line and a very strong loud speaker that would make your amp sound alot cleaner and louder.

A P12Q might be nice too. Not as deep or loud as the C12N but deep, bright and plucky if you get a good one!
 
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Re: Jensen C12R speakers questions (Laney VC30 212)

Ah, thanks for the info Lew! I'm thinking about replacing these with Webers since the laney vc30 is sort of a Vox Ac30 clone.

I'm also thinking about possibly selling this amp. There is a guy in Oklahoma City who hand builds his own custom amps for fractions off what most boutique amp makers charge. He's waiting to get 20 - 30 of his amps into the hands of a few semi well known musicians before he takes on all the big boys of boutique amp makers heh. Right now, all of his handwired PTP amps cost $1200 or less. A hand wired 59 bassman clone with optional reverb, tremelo, and/or second channel with a more marshall type sound costs $850 from him.... Yep you heard right. He makes amps because he enjoys it and does not believe in over gouging prices. He is working on a hot rodded AC30 clone for a local blues artist right now.


Tom
 
Re: Jensen C12R speakers questions (Laney VC30 212)

If it's an AC 30 clone the Weber to get is the one Ted used to call the P12B. It's similar to a mid 60's Celestion G12 Alnico. The improvement in tone over what you have now will blow your mind! :laugh2: :dance:
 
Re: Jensen C12R speakers questions (Laney VC30 212)

Thanks, I'll definately check out Weber speakers now. I've always used Celestions, but keep hearing great things about Weber heh. The Laney is very close to the AC30. 4 EL84 power tubes, 3 12AX7's, tube spring reverb, treble boost, clean and overdrive channel. Runs really hot so I'm guessing it shares the Vox Class A type circuitry. Cathode biased.

ABed this amp with an actual Vox AC30. The Vox does seem warmer and perhaps gainier. The laney is glassier and treblier and a bit brittle. Almost fenderish in sound. I'd say the Laney sits right between a glassy fender and warm crunch of a Vox. Although, the brittleness of the tone could be due to the Jensen speakers and could very well change if I switch them out with Webers.


Tom
 
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Re: Jensen C12R speakers questions (Laney VC30 212)

I like Celestion 12's better than Weber 12's! If you like Celestions you should just go straight to the G12 alnico blue like Vox used in the AC 30. It's brighter and livlier and just plain better than the Weber P12B. But the Weber is a little less expensive...and still sounds really good. I use Celestion G12 alnicos myself. In your kind of amp there is nothing better.
 
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