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Topic: Speakers in a Twin |
Bobby Nelson
From:
North Carolina, USA
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Posted 17 Aug 2017 3:42 pm |
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| I just bought a '73 twin. I'm going to take it to my amp tech and was wondering what you fellas think the best speakers to put in it for steel. JBL-120's? Or, is there a modern, lighter spkr that does just as good a job? - At 55, weight is an issue but, not big enough of one to sacrifice great tone. Also, I see that there are some w/letters at the end (like: D-120F)- does this make a difference? |
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Paul Sutherland
From:
Placerville, California
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Posted 17 Aug 2017 4:25 pm
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I've never found anything better than JBL speakers for steel, but I certainly haven't tried all that is available today. I've tried two different neo 15s made for PSG and they both didn't sound quire right to me. A Peavey Black Widow 1501 sb sounds better than those neos, but not quite as good as the JBLs.
I'd love to hear feedback on the new Travis Toy neo 12s, but I would need to hear it from someone that was a true blue JBL user. I just don't have the money to endlessly buy speakers searching for the perfect sound. Lighter would be good if it has the sound.
On my Twin Reverb I separated out the head from the cabinet so it's two pieces. The rig is much more manageable that way. A twin with two JBLs is over 80 pounds. With a single 15 JBL it's about 72 pounds.
I have a single K130, 4 ohm Jbl in the old Twin cabinet. I made the baffle so it's a bit rustic looking. It sounds great and is fairly light, a little less than 40 pounds.
I also put two JBL K120s in an old Peavey Session 400 cabinet that has also had the head removed. I made a new baffle for that one as well. It's a bit heavier with the two speakers than the single 15 cabinet. It weights a little over 50 pounds.
Somedays I like the tone of the K120s better than the K130, but not always. Either sounds fabulous with the twin head. They both also sound fabulous when driven by a Milkman Mini.
_________________
It don't mean a thing if it ain't got that swing. |
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Bobby Nelson
From:
North Carolina, USA
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Posted 18 Aug 2017 12:16 am
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| Thanks Paul. I'm looking for a couple right now. |
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Don Mogle
From:
Round Rock, TX, USA
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Posted 18 Aug 2017 3:43 pm
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Bobby,
Check out Tim Marcus' new speaker. This will definitely fit into a Twin with no issues. Although I've not tried it, I'm sure it will be great for dual-purpose guitar/steel applications. Here's the link.
http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=317501&highlight=
I have a Twin that I use with Celestion Vintage 30s (which are in the Twin cabinet), EVM 15L/15B, PV 1201s, and TT-12s which are in separate cabinets. The TT-12s are very warm sounding. However, the size of the flange make them too big to fit into a Twin.
Research this topic on past threads and you'll find out a lot of information. Some noteworthy options for your consideration include the following:
** Eminence EM-12 (EVM 12-L clone)
** Delta Pros (reasonable on Ebay).
** Jupiter LC12 (ceramic magnet)
** EVM 12-L (heavy)
** PF-350 (heavy)
** Altec 417C
I wish you well on your search! Congrats on your new Twin. They are great amps!
Don |
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Lane Gray
From:
Topeka, KS
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Posted 18 Aug 2017 4:01 pm
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Can't see why the Telonics would be bad.
_________________
2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects |
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Bobby Nelson
From:
North Carolina, USA
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Posted 18 Aug 2017 4:40 pm
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| Thanks ya'll. I'm trying to find the pair of K-130s (?) I saw this morning. |
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Paul Sutherland
From:
Placerville, California
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Posted 18 Aug 2017 5:02 pm
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Pair of K130s??? Those are 15 inch speakers. Two won't fit in a Twin cabinet. Also, most k130s are 8 ohm. Two 8 ohm speakers run in parallel gives you 4 ohms, which is perfect for the twin, but you'd need a second speaker cabinet.
_________________
It don't mean a thing if it ain't got that swing. |
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Bobby Nelson
From:
North Carolina, USA
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Posted 19 Aug 2017 1:02 pm
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Looking at a pair of these - any thoughts?
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Dave Mudgett
From:
Central Pennsylvania and Gallatin, Tennessee
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Posted 19 Aug 2017 3:09 pm
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| Bobby Nelson wrote: |
Looking at a pair of these - any thoughts?
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IMHO, one of the best speakers ever made for clean tone in a Twin Reverb. I drug around a '71 with a pair of those for quite a while. Glorious for steel or jazz guitar. But make sure the cones are in good shape. Look for fraying or holes in the cone, and make sure the voice coil isn't rubbing at all. Gently press the cone in and listen for any faint signs of cone rub. If you hear anything at all, it needs to be reconed, IMO, and is worth a fraction of a good one. If it's been properly reconed recently, no problem. But not a bad recone or a recone with the wrong parts.
At this point, I have a blackface '66 Twin with the original Jensen C12N speakers in it. A bit lighter, but it ain't exactly light. And not quite as clean with a bit more growl than with the JBLs, and does nice double-duty with guitar.
I'm about 10 years your senior, and I have to work out to keep my back and arms toned up to deal with these heavy amps. Seriously, work on your back some (I like a rowing machine), and generous sets of curls and bench presses to keep your arms toned up - I do 3-4x/wk, it doesn't really take that long. I do a lot of reps with relatively low weights, it's not necessary to push it that hard. But that amp will probably be pushing 80-90 pounds with those JBLs. And a portable hand truck is your friend.
I have tried some of the lighter neodymium speakers. Meh - OK, but I don't think the ones I tried controlled the cone well enough to handle what a really good Twin Reverb will put out. |
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Bobby Nelson
From:
North Carolina, USA
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Posted 20 Aug 2017 1:08 am
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| Thanks Dave. I'm looking at them from a site so, I'll kinda have to take my chances & check them out when they arrive if I buy them. I've had great luck so far in that, I've never gotten a dud on anything I ordered over the web yet. If they need it, I'll just have them reconed I suppose. I always expect to have to do something to a vintage item. I'm taking the twin to my amp tech, who is Charlotte's vintage amp master, and has been doing it for everyone around here for 30 or so yrs. I'll have him go through it and be done. I don't have to worry about $$ that much these days, like I used to when playing 6-string full time haha. None of those old Fenders (40 watts and up) were ever know for their lightness. I hauled a '64 Super reverb around for 20 yrs - it was a daisy for tone but would kill you if you had to haul it up 2 flights of stairs, and the heavy-duty casters on the bottom didn't lighten it up any either. |
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Bobby Nelson
From:
North Carolina, USA
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Posted 20 Aug 2017 4:29 am
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OK, Thanks ya'll. I pulled the trigger on that pair of K-120s. I offered $200.00 less than the guy had on them and he took it w/in 10 minutes - I guess I should've went lower - they still weren't what you'd call cheap.
I may in the future be asking ya'll about where to get the best re-cone job haha.
Like I said on a post a while ago: I've gotten some very good stuff - not all I need to do is learn to play it  Thanks again for you guys good info. |
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Ken Metcalf
From:
San Antonio Texas USA
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Bobby Nelson
From:
North Carolina, USA
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Posted 22 Aug 2017 2:07 pm
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| Received the Twin Reverb today (the dude packed it in peanuts! Arrrgggh!). Looks to be in excellent shape - no cigarette burns, tears rips or anything. I hope to receive the K-120s before Thursday so I can take it all to my tube amp guy and have him go through the whole thing. I don't remember them being this doggone heavy - I guess they weren't when I was 30 haha - I don't reckon the JBLs are going to help that out much. Thanks for all the advice ya'll. |
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Bobby Nelson
From:
North Carolina, USA
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Posted 22 Aug 2017 2:15 pm
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| I just tracked the speakers. They are 16.1 lbs - just a smidgen heavier than those Green Backs - 7.9 lbs a piece. |
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Lane Gray
From:
Topeka, KS
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Posted 22 Aug 2017 2:17 pm
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My Ultralinear with two EM12Gs weighs 80
_________________
2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects |
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Bobby Nelson
From:
North Carolina, USA
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Posted 22 Aug 2017 3:04 pm
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| 80 or over is about what I've heard the'll come in at. It's all good though in search of great tone. I, to this day, have never found anything light that would perform like on of the heavy old Fenders (And now, I come to find, the heavy Peaveys). I hauled a 64 Super Reverb w/4-10s around for years and years. Nothing ever sounded better except, for surf music, a custom shop Dual Pro, which is a Twin on steroids, and is even heavier. |
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Godfrey Arthur
From:
3rd Rock
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Posted 23 Aug 2017 7:42 pm
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| Bobby Nelson wrote: |
OK, Thanks ya'll. I pulled the trigger on that pair of K-120s. I offered $200.00 less than the guy had on them and he took it w/in 10 minutes - I guess I should've went lower - they still weren't what you'd call cheap.
I may in the future be asking ya'll about where to get the best re-cone job haha.
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JBL's; you need to find a reconer who knows how to recone JBL's as they need special attention.
_________________
ShoBud The Pro 1
YES it's my REAL NAME!
Ezekiel 33:7 |
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