Jensen P12N Alnico speaker

**vinnyv1k** · 06-07-2015, 08:28 PM

Does the bell housing do anything to enhance the tone of this speaker or is it just a cover to protect the alnico magnet ? Thinking of putting one in my Tone King. Not a fan of Celestion speakers (stock in TK's). V

**spiral** · 06-07-2015, 11:16 PM

Cosmetic. Mine doesn't have one.

I'm a big fan of this speaker BTW. It sounds great in Deluxe Reverb type circuit because it cleans up the low mids. Great for clean tones on a neck humbucker. I think the reissue sounds great and not any better or worse than the Weber 12A150 that is supposed to copy it (I have that one too).

**vinnyv1k** · 06-08-2015, 10:52 AM

Thanks spiral ! Yes I am a big fan of Alnico too. I have a P10Q in my Princeton and a P12Q in my HRD. They both sound better than my Tone King and it cost more than $2K. Going for the big boy P12N in the TK. Like you said great lows & mids. I really dig that 50's 60's jazz tone and you need Alnico to get it. I have tried countless ceramics and the only one I like is the Jensen C12K for tube amps. SS amps are a different story. The stock EM Beta's sound great in a Henriksen.

**Greentone** · 06-08-2015, 01:57 PM

I have used both vintage and the reissue Jensen P12N in amps--with and without the magnet cover. I find both speakers to be great. Sometimes you will get a sad, tired vintage "N" that should just be retired to play shuffleboard in the old folks home. The ones that are in good shape should be reserved and sold to folks like "Keef" who can afford to keep running through them.

The recoton reissue of the 12N is a decent speaker. If you use or don't use the magnet cover, the speaker will reward you with quite a good sound.

And, yes, it is a tremendous sounding speaker in the Deluxe Reverb. It is super for jazz in that application.

**vinnyv1k** · 06-08-2015, 02:55 PM

Bit the bullet and just ordered one. $215 without the bell cover. Pricey but you can't worry about that when it comes to chasing down tone.

**kris** · 06-08-2015, 03:13 PM

I use Jensen 12n without the bell cover. Great speaker! https://www.jazzguitar.be/forum/guita...azz-combo.html

**Teddyfm** · 06-08-2015, 03:57 PM

Hi Vinny
Just wanted to ask how you like the P10Q?
I got a Lil Buddy in my PRRI and I like it very much. Its very smooth, but I do think its a bit mild-mannered if you know what I mean. No breakup at accaptable "at home" levels.

Anyway, hope you will like your new speaker.

Ted

**Greentone** · 06-08-2015, 04:10 PM

I have a Bassman with 4 P10Q speakers and a Bassman with 4 Weber 10a125 speakers...Weber ' s version of the same. Both are excellent. I have a preference for the Weber.

**Teddyfm** · 06-08-2015, 04:19 PM

Cant find any Webers at my neck of the woods. How would you characterize the P10Q if you dont mind?

edit: I should add I am looking at the Jensen version.

**vinnyv1k** · 06-08-2015, 04:40 PM

Teddy I love the P10Q in my Princeton. Glorious tone. Best speaker for a Princeton IMO.

**Teddyfm** · 06-08-2015, 05:04 PM

Originally Posted by vinnyv1k

Teddy I love the P10Q in my Princeton. Glorious tone. Best speaker for a Princeton IMO.

Think I will try it out. How else will I know if its the best or not?!

EDIT: On its way. Bloody enablers, the lot of you..

**Greentone** · 06-08-2015, 05:51 PM

I have a P10Q in a cabinet that I am working on, right now, for an amp I am building--a 5f10 "Harvard." I am looking forward to trying the speaker out for that purpose. If, for any reason, I am less than fully impressed, I know that I can always go with a Weber--but the Jensen should be just fine.

**barrymclark** · 06-08-2015, 07:30 PM

The only possible tone effect it might have is on the resonant frequency of the assembly... but I'd imagine this is a small difference with or without it.

My build will have a Celestion Gold. It will have the bell housing... but that is only because a) it fits and b) I think it looks just awesome. haha.

**Teddyfm** · 06-09-2015, 09:51 AM

Huh..I assumed the Webers had to be quite expensive being made to order. Pricing seems to be quite low.
Will give the incoming Jensen a thorough play test and the stock PRRI aswell. Enjoying the mix and match with the tubes and speakers. Very nerdy, but I love it...

Ted

**vinnyv1k** · 06-09-2015, 10:48 AM

Tubes and speakers can become a rabbit hole that you can never climb out of but it is a lot of fun playing mad scientist. I think I have close to every amp tube known to man. Just a quick little tech tip. Try a Svetlana 12AX7. Great for jazz and dirt cheap. $12.95 each at Zzounds. Sounds almost just like a Jan/GE 5751 which will cost you $45.

**Teddyfm** · 06-09-2015, 12:05 PM

Have a Svetlana 12AX7 and a Sovtek 5751 incoming. Looking forward to try them out. And you are also pretty excited to try your speaker I take it? Had to ask since you are after all the OP of this thread which I have so rudely hijacked. Sorry for that, but thanks for the tips.

Ted

**Greentone** · 06-09-2015, 12:41 PM

Weber has multiple lines of speakers. The Signature line is quite reasonably priced. They are "stock" speakers. The "Vintage" line of speakers--alnico and ceramic magnet lines--are made when ordered.

I don't know if Weber will do this sort of thing these days, but when Ted (founder) was alive I was able to get speaker baskets custom cut to fit in cabinets so that they wouldn't rub on transformers, etc. Ted Weber was extremely helpful...not that his successors aren't. I continue to get great speakers from them.

I generally use the alnico, vintage speakers, FWIW.

**Teddyfm** · 06-09-2015, 12:57 PM

Very sad to read of his passing. Way too young.

I was looking at this...
10A125

Dont know how much amount of dope is considered to be appropriate. No, not that kind...

**vinnyv1k** · 06-09-2015, 02:42 PM

Teddy hate to tell you this but the Sovtek 5751 in at least in my experience is not a good sounding tube. The JJ is not bad and the TAD 5751 is pretty good too but neither have the nice 3D sound of a NOS JAN/GE. You will like the Svetlana much better than the Sovtek. Now the Sovtek 12AX7LPS is also a fabulous sounding tube but it is a long plate which may or may not last long in a combo but they are dirt cheap in price too.

**Teddyfm** · 06-09-2015, 02:55 PM

Originally Posted by vinnyv1k

Teddy hate to tell you this but the Sovtek 5751 in at least in my experience is not a good sounding tube. The JJ is not bad and the TAD 5751 is pretty good too but neither have the nice 3D sound of a NOS JAN/GE. You will like the Svetlana much better than the Sovtek. Now the Sovtek 12AX7LPS is also a fabulous sounding tube but it is a long plate which may or may not last long in a combo but they are dirt cheap in price too.

No problem. Got it cheap. Was the only 5751 I could find in Europe. Did some checking up on the Svetlana whilst waiting. Sounds promising. The Sovtek 12AX7LPS also looks interesting, and cheap. Think I will be jotting down my reflections in a notepad.

Thanks for the tips.

Ted

**Teddyfm** · 06-09-2015, 03:13 PM

TAD tubes, any favourites? 12AX7A-C sounds interesting.

**Teddyfm** · 06-13-2015, 09:10 AM

Got my Jensen P10Q. Like it. Very vintage sounding. More prounounced highs but not "jangly". Feels very sensitive. To my ears it sounds like an old vintage amp, dare I say like an Deluxe Reverb. Its affecting my way of playing aswell. Have to tighten up and get rid of the lazy, sloppy playing that was more hidden with the Lil Buddy, which I like very much aswell.

Quite satisfied with the Jensen. Would like to try a Weber, but I think this one and the Lil Buddy will keep my tone chasing under wraps for a bit.

Ted

**vinnyv1k** · 06-13-2015, 11:08 AM

Glad you like it Ted. They take a few hours to break in then they sound really sweet. Like you said Alnico's are much more articulate.

**Top of the Arch!** · 06-14-2015, 05:00 PM

I was looking at this...
10A125 I have that speaker in my Rivera Clubster, it is a great choice! Love the tone, very old school. I love that I get a bit of "breakup" for lack of a better word with a good amount of headroom. With an L4 CES it has a wonderfully full tone , It did fart out with the L4 on open low string notes unless you dial down the bass. That being said, I don't play in large venues so I like that it gets just a bit of breakup at decent volume. I also have a JBL K110 ALNICO in my other Clubster and that's a whole different animal, the clarity and overall volume increase along with the tonal improvement over the WGS speaker it had when I bought it is something that has to be heard. I like the Weber more out of the two, I don't think you can go wrong with one, and its not like its $300 like some ,so if you don't wind up liking it ,its a fairly easy sell. Just in case the Jensen doesn't pan out. Bob