Speakers for '72 Fender Twin Reverb

[Robert Delahunt]

Hi all. Today I got some good news (sort of). One of my speakers was broken this whole time, which is why the amp seemed to be at half volume all the time. I never noticed it because I was still reading and learning about tube amps, I guess.

Anyways, so I need to get new speakers. I was wanting to pick y'all's brains on this. I'd prefer a sound that's going to be close to what a '72 Twin Reverb sounded stock, or "should" sound like. I'm going to ask Weber, Celestion and Eminence soon, but I'm hoping I can get a good speaker that's reliable and doesn't seem to color the sound excessively. Still, I like how those reissued Twin Reverbs sound, but I don't want to copy them either. Let me know what you guys think. Thanks!

 

[jeremy]

Re: Speakers for '72 Fender Twin Reverb

if it were me i would get a mismatched pair of webers, one alnico and one ceramic in the jensen vein

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: Speakers for '72 Fender Twin Reverb

Stock speakers in that were more than likely Oxfords or Utahs but to be honest the Oxford speakers sound like crap...their nickname is oxfart for a reason! The Utah's are not much better IMO.

Webers are hard to beat IMO, the new Eminence stuff is great too...

What kinds of stuff do you do with the amp, I ask because it depends on the type of speaker I would suggest.

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: Speakers for '72 Fender Twin Reverb

if it were me i would get a mismatched pair of webers, one alnico and one ceramic in the jensen vein

I guess I could have shortened my answer and said this!!!

 

[ES350]

Re: Speakers for '72 Fender Twin Reverb

If you want the BF tone---get some C12N types. Emi and Weber both make good versions...and they are made in the US.

 

[SirJackdeFuzz]

Re: Speakers for '72 Fender Twin Reverb

if it were me i would get a mismatched pair of webers, one alnico and one ceramic in the jensen vein

+1 . . . that is what i would like to do if i get a 2x12 cab (for what ever amp).

Kinda the best of both worlds !
Someting like a treb-sensitive sp & a more bottom heavy one, so that they can compliment one another, AND cove a slightly bigger tonal spectrum.


Or maybe i am running after something that is not worth running after !??

 

[flank]

Re: Speakers for '72 Fender Twin Reverb

Eminence Texas Heat

 

[Robert Delahunt]

Re: Speakers for '72 Fender Twin Reverb

if it were me i would get a mismatched pair of webers, one alnico and one ceramic in the jensen vein

Specific models? I hate to ask that but I'm such a speaker newbie.

For everyone else asking how I use it, I apologize for not specifying this. I use it for everything from jazz and virgin-clean-sounding stuff all the way to metal. However, I depend on my Boss ME-50 multieffects unit (that does NOT do amp modelling, thank God!!!) to color the sound. If I play metal, for example, I switch to Metal Zone MT-2 pedal effect, etc.

My ideal clean sound would be a lot like the Fender amp and settings that SD used for the clean audio clips.

Thanks a ton, guys!!

 

[jeremy]

Re: Speakers for '72 Fender Twin Reverb

if it were me id use a 12A150A 50w and 12C150 50w

 

[Stevo]

Re: Speakers for '72 Fender Twin Reverb

I agree with Jeremy about the Weber ceramic (I have not tried the alnicos). The F150 is very similar to the Jensen C12n.

I have owned 2 Twins from that era and my favorite speaker is the JBL d12f. Great glass and wide tonal spectrum. That speaker might be a deviation from you request for the original sound though.

 

[Robert Delahunt]

Re: Speakers for '72 Fender Twin Reverb

Got the response from Weber:

I would use one 50 watt 12F150 and one 50 watt 12F150B, lightly doped. That will give you the original tone.

Thanks, you guys rock! You were right on about what idea to use: one ceramic and one alnico.

As for mic'ing the amp, which side should I mic now?

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: Speakers for '72 Fender Twin Reverb

Got the response from Weber:
Thanks, you guys rock! You were right on about what idea to use: one ceramic and one alnico.
As for mic'ing the amp, which side should I mic now?

-First, both the 12F150 and the 12F150B are ceramic speakers.

-Second, No Twin Reverb from the 70's came stock with ANY type of Alnico speaker...they were all Ceramic by that point.

-Third, Im not sure why Ted suggested the 12F150B as is has a Brittish cone and sounds very little like a stock Twin woudl have sounded in 1972

If you wanted to do an alnico/ceramic mix then go for it...I highly suggest it!!! just remember it didn't come like that in 1972, if you want ti to be as close to stock as you can get it and you still want to use Webers then use a pair of 12F150's and be done with it...the ceramic/alnico mix is grat...that would be one 12F150 and one 12A150. If Ted suggests the 12f150/12F150B mix then it must be a good one...Ted has been around and tried a lot of cool speaker combos. As for which speaker to mic in a mixed speaker set up I tend to try both and see which one sounds best that night!

Good luck!

 

[Robert Delahunt]

Re: Speakers for '72 Fender Twin Reverb

-First, both the 12F150 and the 12F150B are ceramic speakers.

-Second, No Twin Reverb from the 70's came stock with ANY type of Alnico speaker...they were all Ceramic by that point.

-Third, Im not sure why Ted suggested the 12F150B as is has a Brittish cone and sounds very little like a stock Twin woudl have sounded in 1972

If you wanted to do an alnico/ceramic mix then go for it...I highly suggest it!!! just remember it didn't come like that in 1972, if you want ti to be as close to stock as you can get it and you still want to use Webers then use a pair of 12F150's and be done with it...the ceramic/alnico mix is grat...that would be one 12F150 and one 12A150. If Ted suggests the 12f150/12F150B mix then it must be a good one...Ted has been around and tried a lot of cool speaker combos. As for which speaker to mic in a mixed speaker set up I tend to try both and see which one sounds best that night!

Good luck!

Oh well, I tend to trust people like that. I trusted SD with the hot rodded combo and I've never been unhappy . I don't know where I got "alnico" from that selection either lol, but anyways, cool, thanks!

 

[Robert Delahunt]

Re: Speakers for '72 Fender Twin Reverb

I didn't understand why Ted Weber recommended those speakers, so I emailed him back. The one is for a "Tweed Twin" and the other is BF/SF but with a british twist. I was looking around and found the California 12, and it specifically says:

"For BF and SF Twins, replaces JBL D120F
12", 40oz AlNiCo magnet boosted with ceramic, 60 watt, 2" voice coil, curved cone.
Loud, smooth, uncolored, compressed at higher volumes. Available with paper, aluminum, or the large H screen dome for more warmth."

I'm thinking that this should be a better speaker (albeit more expensive as well) for the sound, so I emailed him and asked him.

I'm against Celestions right now because if I can buy an American-made speaker for the same quality or better, compared to chinese-made, I'll buy American. However, I've yet to hear back from Eminence.

Am I hallucinating, or are my concerns valid? :smack:

 

[Stratman]

Re: Speakers for '72 Fender Twin Reverb

My 1964 uses JBL D120F

My 1967 uses Jensen C12N SA

The JBL speakers in the 1964 twin is much louder and brighter than the Jensen speakers and yes I have tried using the different amps/speaker combinations to rule out if it's the amp.

I use Weber Blue Dog and Silver Bell in my Little Jimi and that combination is a mix of alnico/ceramic speakers that results in a really lush tone.

Bottom line, trust good old Ted Weber. (BTW where is his actual post?)

 

[Robert Delahunt]

Re: Speakers for '72 Fender Twin Reverb

Here it is:

Sirs,

I am interested in replacing the speakers in my 1972 Fender Twin Reverb.
What speaker would give me the closest to stock sound from this amp? I play
everything from jazz to metal on this amp, but I use pedals to modify the
tone (no amp modelling or simulations).
Thanks!

Robert
--
" ... and are endowed by their CREATOR with
certain unalienable rights ... "
-- Declaration of Independence

Hi,
I would use one 50 watt 12F150 and one 50 watt 12F150B, lightly
doped. That will give you the original tone.

Thanks very much,

Ted
Weber Speakers
1308 E. Hoffer St.
Kokomo, Indiana 46902
765.452.1249
Fax 765.452.6228

Reconing: http://www.webervst.com/recone
Amp Tech Parts: https://amptechtoolscom.secure.powweb.com/index.html
Forums: http://www.webervst.com/vstbbs/bbs.html

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: Speakers for '72 Fender Twin Reverb

TR, You hae gotten me confused with all these long posts...

What are you looking for? At first you said you wanted what would be correct for a 1972 Twin Reverb, by the SF era Fender had stopped putting JBL's in Twin as they were very costly.

If you want period correct the closest thing Ted sells would be a pair of 12F150's. If you want what thte JBL tone Ted sells a clone called the California...be warned they are bright and loud speakers...you can get a different dust cap to help with the treble. Also be warned they will make your amp VERY heavy. You could also go with the ceramic/alnico mix that was suggested, if you do the 12F150 and 12A150 would be the best set up for that IMO.

If you actually want a Celestion type tone get the Brit series Ted offers...he offers copies of Greenbacks, Blues, G12H30's, Moderne leads, and vintage 30's. If you want to go with Eminence speakers, those are fine too.

If you really want to keep it vcorrect search Ebay for a set of the Oxfords, or Utahs...those amps were also sold in the 70's with Rolad speakers and some of the later 70's ones came with Gauss speakers...but,to be honest I would prefer a new Eminence or a Weber to any of those 4 speakers!

 

[Robert Delahunt]

Re: Speakers for '72 Fender Twin Reverb

TR, You hae gotten me confused with all these long posts... What are you looking for? At first you said you wanted what would be correct for a 1972 Twin Reverb, by the SF era Fender had stopped putting JBL's in Twin as they were very costly. If you want period correct the closest thing Ted sells would be a pair of 12F150's. If you want what thte JBL tone Ted sells a clone called the California...be warned they are bright and loud speakers...you can get a different dust cap to help with the treble. Also be warned they will make your amp VERY heavy. You could also go with the ceramic/alnico mix that was suggested, if you do the 12F150 and 12A150 would be the best set up for that IMO. If you actually want a Celestion type tone get the Brit series Ted offers...he offers copies of Greenbacks, Blues, G12H30's, Moderne leads, and vintage 30's. If you want to go with Eminence speakers, those are fine too. If you really want to keep it vcorrect search Ebay for a set of the Oxfords, or Utahs...those amps were also sold in the 70's with Rolad speakers and some of the later 70's ones came with Gauss speakers...but,to be honest I would prefer a new Eminence or a Weber to any of those 4 speakers!

I want to be period-correct, but their description of 12F150's seems to be for a different amp, and the California 12's seem to be for mine, based on descriptions of course. I trust what he said, but still, it got me doubting for a bit.

I don't want Celestions (made in China issue...): my order of preference would be Weber, then Eminence. I was looking on Eminence's website and couldn't figure out which one I should use, maybe the Commonwealth 12?

Also part of my confusion is being new to tube amps and my amp not being "correct" when I got it. What speakers came stock in the 1972 Fender Twin Reverb?

EDIT: the only reason I mention the '65 reissue is because I have no clue what speakers mine originally should've came with, so I'd have to go online and look at the product description for the '65 reissue and then look at what speakers Ted Weber has for directly replacing those....

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: Speakers for '72 Fender Twin Reverb

Well...the stock speakers in a Blackface Twin Reverb would have been either Jensen C12N's or Oxford 12T6's...the Oxfords are just not very good speakers. JBL's were an option that if you ordered a TR new and wanted the JBL's Fender would ship one out...CBS Stopped offering the JBL's for the most part because they were too costly, by the SF era CBS had even cutout the Jensen speakers due to cost. In the SF TR's would have seen either the Oxford 12T6's, Utah 12's, Rolad 12's or Gauss 12's...none of these IMO are speakers that I woudl use but they are period correct.

If you want something that is VERY close to period correct AND a killer speaker go back to the BF period and get the Jensen C12N (the Weber 12F150 is a clone of the C12N) and be done with it. The Weber clone is a much better speaker and much more "corrct" than the reissue Jensen. The Weber Cali's are clones of the JBL's and are killer speakers...Twin Reverbs and JBL 12's are a classic combo...lots of people bought them, used them and still use them...Eric Johnson still tours with 2 BF Twin reverbs with JBL speakers...just be warned they are loud and can be bright (this is why Ted offers them with 3 different dust caps...it helps cut down on the brightness). They are also very heavy speakers...

 

[Robert Delahunt]

Re: Speakers for '72 Fender Twin Reverb

Well...the stock speakers in a Blackface Twin Reverb would have been either Jensen C12N's or Oxford 12T6's...the Oxfords are just not very good speakers. JBL's were an option that if you ordered a TR new and wanted the JBL's Fender would ship one out...CBS Stopped offering the JBL's for the most part because they were too costly, by the SF era CBS had even cutout the Jensen speakers due to cost. In the SF TR's would have seen either the Oxford 12T6's, Utah 12's, Rolad 12's or Gauss 12's...none of these IMO are speakers that I woudl use but they are period correct.

If you want something that is VERY close to period correct AND a killer speaker go back to the BF period and get the Jensen C12N (the Weber 12F150 is a clone of the C12N) and be done with it. The Weber clone is a much better speaker and much more "corrct" than the reissue Jensen. The Weber Cali's are clones of the JBL's and are killer speakers...Twin Reverbs and JBL 12's are a classic combo...lots of people bought them, used them and still use them...Eric Johnson still tours with 2 BF Twin reverbs with JBL speakers...just be warned they are loud and can be bright (this is why Ted offers them with 3 different dust caps...it helps cut down on the brightness). They are also very heavy speakers...

Thanks, I'm starting to understand. So, if I read this right:
12F150 <- like stock Jensen, sort of "showroom floor"
Cali 12's <- like JBL option or "upgrade my speakers" option back in the day

And the Cali 12's would be the better of the two speakers.

Ok, what about the dust caps? Which should I get? (I'm an amp newbie) I would just want them to be "correct" for the time period JBL. Yes, I want the Cali 12, then, if it's the better one, just don't know which dust cap to get.

EDIT: Oh, and THANKS!