15" speaker in a Super Reverb

Steve Spitz · Post by **Steve Spitz** » 22 Dec 2011 6:03 pm

I would like to try a 15" speaker in a super, and I`m wondering how to match the speaker (4 ohms). Looks like someone was selling one of Tom Brumleys Supers recently (Rolene?)and it had a 15.
How could this be done ?

Steve Hinson · Post by **Steve Hinson** » 22 Dec 2011 6:21 pm

Seems like a Bassman output transformer would work in a Super...I've seen 'em in Pro Reverbs and that is basicly the same amp...that would give you an OT that wants to see a 4 ohm load...the stock Super is looking for a 2 ohm load.You might want to google this...

Steve Spitz · Post by **Steve Spitz** » 22 Dec 2011 6:41 pm

Thanks Steve,
I suspected it needed to see a 2 ohm load, and was hoping there was a way to get it without changing the iron, not wanting to mess with a nice blackface Super. So if I see a super with a 15, I should assume it`s got a different tranny or a mismatch ?

Steve Hinson · Post by **Steve Hinson** » 22 Dec 2011 7:01 pm

Steve,I would think so...you actually could use a 4ohm speaker with the stock OT,I guess,and lose about 1 notch of volume,as they say...like if you ran it on 4 with a 2 ohm load,you'd maybe run it on 5 with the 4 ohm load...I think that's right,anyway...maybe Ken Fox or somebody else could help us out here...as I said...maybe you can Google"Super Reverb with a Bassman OT"...Waylon Jennings had a Super with a 15" JBL that sounded great with his Telecaster...it can definitely be done!Good luck!

Raybob Bowman · Post by **Raybob Bowman** » 23 Dec 2011 2:07 am

You can always get a Weber Z-Matcher, to get the correct impedance.

http://taweber.powweb.com/store/zmatch.htm

Steve Hinson · Post by **Steve Hinson** » 23 Dec 2011 4:19 am

Never saw one of those before!Anybody tried one?

Brian Herder · Post by **Brian Herder** » 23 Dec 2011 5:56 am

I have had a 15" Weber California 4ohm in my 74 SR (non-master)for at least 10 years. At the time I switched speakers I was concerned about the mismatch because I was reading too many internet articles. I asked George Alessandro about maybe doing an changing to a Bassman OT when he was doing a blackface mod and he said he would do it if I wanted, but it wouldn't make that much difference. I also have an all original Sept 67 silver panel SR. The 2 amps differ in sound because of the speaker configuration, but are very similar output-wise. "Back in the day", we used to mix and match Bassman heads and 50w Marshalls with 2x12 Fender and 4x12 Marshall cabs all day long and never gave a thought to matching impedences. Everything always worked and sounded great (especially a black panel Bassman and a Marshall 4x12). Of course that was for regular guitars and the amps were usually cranked. Anyway, I stated in another thread that I use my SR with the 15" with steel and regular guitar and more often than not it is too much. If I were just using it as a steel amp, I would have sold it with the 4x10s and bought a Bassman head to either make a small combo, or use with a speaker cabinet.

Steve Hinson · Post by **Steve Hinson** » 23 Dec 2011 10:55 am

I've been using a blackface Twin with an 8 ohm D130F for several years...just switched to the Eminence 4 ohm 15 steel speaker...can't tell any difference in the tone of it but it is louder,set on the same volume number.

Lane Gray · Post by **Lane Gray** » 23 Dec 2011 4:22 pm

If it needs 2 Ohms, do you have a second 4 ohm 15? Two in parallel would give you 2 Ohms and move a lot more air