Speaker setup and advice?

[che_guitarra]

I'm wondering what I should do... it's gonna be a winding story. Thanks in advance if you make it to the end!


I have a penchant for the brown/blonde era Fender sound. Over the last year i've been flipping through speakers to find the best 'pairing' with my go-to amp - a mongrel DIY 6G2 Princeton head. I started with a Weber 12A125A and it's a magical combo for every style I play. Six speakers later i'm still exclusively and unanimously preferring the 12A125A over all other speakers i've bought/borrowed with this amp. While i've flipped most purchases back to Ebay, I still have a Weber 12F150 and Blue Dog (30w alnico)... i'm yet to decide their fate. Both get universal praise, but I don't really feel their love (not with this amp anyway) - i'm thinking about selling either/both to finance another 12A125A for my second 1x12 cab.

The only flaw I can find with the brownface Princeton/12A125A combo is it's hard to push the volume over the top of a heavy handed drummer - the more efficient speaker route is leaving me with a tone I just don't dig, and the volume benefit is moderate at best. As such, my next amp build is likely to be a brown Super - 40W, 6L6 powered. A 'big brother' to my Princeton. But rather than a typical 2x10 arrangement i'd use the pair of 1x12 cabs already built for my Princeton.



Anyway - i'll try get to the point. I've noticed a lot of Marshall fanatics will have various heads, yet only one cab. They'll have a preference for Greenback, Vintage 30 or Scumback speakers exclusively and be happy to run all their heads through a cab loaded with this speaker type. As I have a very specific taste in Fender sounds, i'm wondering if my preference for Weber 12A125A's will suitably translate in the higher powered brown/blonde circuits? Or is it likely that sticking with one type of speaker will leave me wanting?

I'm not really a gear hoarder, thus if I can get away with only have two 1x12 cabs i'd prefer to do so. What are your thoughts on this?

 

[Chickenwings]

Re: Speaker setup and advice?

i use a princeton at a lot of gigs with a kit drummer, a bassist running 500 watts, an organist and a 3 piece horn section. No worries at all for volume. Have you tried an eminence cannabis rex? It might be an excellent complement to one of your 1x12's if you do go the super 40w option, or you may find that on its own a single 1x12 cannabis rex will still give you a great vintage tone, but with just enough extra efficiency and power (from the soft flexible cone and more powerful magnet) to get your princeton to where you'd like it when you are jamming next to that heavy handed drummer. I know the speaker is nothing like a 12a150, but its a really great speaker for low wattage fenders.

 

[che_guitarra]

Re: Speaker setup and advice?

Thanks for the suggestion. I've heard a lot about the Cannabis Rex, but truth be told i'm a bit weary of sliding back into this speaker rotation habit i've got myself into. At this point i'm thinking i'd rather have two of the same? If I do opt for another more efficient speaker I need to find something with a bit of a mid/hi-mid scoop, as the brown/blonde amps I like tend to have a bit of a mid hump (although not as forthright as the tweed mids). The Weber 12F150 for example is supposed to be a wonderful speaker in a Deluxe Reverb, but in my 6G2 it's not the right balance of frequencies for all that I play. So too the Weber Blue Dog - i've not seen a bad review, but to my ears it's all mids and a very weak low end - not at all complimentary to my amp beyond a very specific playing style. With the 6G2 and 12A125A, I can play everything from the Stray Cats to Slayer without sounding amiss.

I'm looking for a speaker/cab arrangement that I can use in a modular fashion - ie - perfectly suits 'all' my (Fender) amps of choice. But i'm finding it very hard to find a complimentary speaker for the 12A125A due to it's relative low dB rating. And i'm very weary to give up my reliance on the 12A125A as it sounds flipping brilliant and has the perfect alnico response - stick a SM57 in front of it and it needs no EQing at all... in 15 years of recording that's a luxury i've never been afforded.

Hmmm...

 

[MetalManiac]

Re: Speaker setup and advice?

Waht kind of Princeton do you use 175? Tweeds are way more round and dont get cut through the mix like blackfaces or reissues.
Seriously , I could never get the grunt I needed form a Tweed amp, I had a Bassman, and it was close, but just didnt have enough guts. I've been dreaming about an 80 watt Tweed Twin though!
Id consider a 50 watt Marshall. Plenty of oomph. I think youve reached the limits of that Princeton set up, and I think that speaker , the Weber, although pretty inefficient, is about the best you do tonewise . The Rexs' are pretty round and dark; too smooth, and I dont think thats what you need. Somrething like a Screaming Eagle or an American Patriot model with lots of brilliance and high efficinecy.

 

[Chickenwings]

Re: Speaker setup and advice?

princeton reverb II, Jerry. Here it is hard at work last thursday night.
Nice amp huh?

To the op...ive also tried an cannabis rex in a silverface princeton reverb that had a new cab built to fit a 12.
Have you ever tried a weber california? Those things are loud as hell.

 

[MetalManiac]

Re: Speaker setup and advice?

princeton reverb II, Jerry. Here it is hard at work last thursday night.
Nice amp huh?
View attachment 45814
To the op...ive also tried an cannabis rex in a silverface princeton reverb that had a new cab built to fit a 12.

What amp.I don't see any amp...

 

[che_guitarra]

Re: Speaker setup and advice?

Id consider a 50 watt Marshall.

I've actually got a 2061X build on the cards. Of all the Marshall's i've played this was no doubt my favourite, and the loudest 20W amp i've EVER played! Well, the 2204 JCM 800 is my favourite, but not really an option unless I start playing festivals or move to the countryside so I can practise through it!

I think you're on the money MM. My Princeton has reached it's limits. But I seriously play everything from rockabilly, surf, hard rock, funk, reggae, metal, R&B, punk and country... in about that order of preference. As such I think I really need a powerful Fender... cut the sentimentality but Fender's just feel 'right'. That's why i'm thinking of also building a brown/blond-era Super or Bassman. I just want to know such an option would kick ass with my 12A125A's... like I said - i'm a minimalist - I don't want 10 different cabs in my room.

 

[IM4Tone]

Re: Speaker setup and advice?

View attachment 45814

Looks like a twin to me! :naughty: