HempDog 12 Jazz Guitar Speaker

**MaxTwang** · 05-31-2016, 08:22 PM

Eminence has a high power 8" neo in the works too, should be out next year.

**Northenlights** · 06-01-2016, 02:45 AM

I wonder if it sounds similair to my old Eminence MS-150. Apparently it was used by Mesa Boogie in their Lonestar amps at some point in the 80s, and sounds very much like a EVM12L, but without that spikey brightness. The magnet is absolutely gigantic, about the same size as a 15" EV speaker that I own, and probably weights twice as much as regular 12 inchers, but it it by far the best speaker I have ever heard. I could probably use a recone, but perhaps I should just give this Hempdog a chance instead.

**MaxTwang** · 06-01-2016, 03:10 AM

Northern lights is that speaker the original Mesa Black Shadow? The MS-12 made by Eminence for Mesa? That is one of my favorites also, I have 2. It is like an EV12L but tuned for guitar, with a little less bottom and smoother highs. In the 80's I had one in my Mark IIB Boogie and swapped it out for an EV12L. That was a mistake!

**Northenlights** · 06-01-2016, 09:47 AM

Originally Posted by MaxTwang

Northern lights is that speaker the original Mesa Black Shadow? The MS-12 made by Eminence for Mesa? That is one of my favorites also, I have 2. It is like an EV12L but tuned for guitar, with a little less bottom and smoother highs. In the 80's I had one in my Mark IIB Boogie and swapped it out for an EV12L. That was a mistake!

Of course, it's MS-12, not MS-150! I forgot the correct name as it is rated at 150 watts. As far as I've understood, there have been three different Black Shadows; the MS-12, the EVM 12L, and the Celestion G12-80, which is currently in use. I don't know if the MS-12 was the first of the three, but that could very well be the case as they seem to be from early to mid 80s.
I got mine dirt cheap, about 30 euro. The seller had no idea of what it was, and neither had I until after some extensive googling as well as asking the folks at eminence. Big win for me! I prefer the focused sound of 1x12 cabs, and thus need something powerful to go with my 100w Ceriatone OTS. Lately, it has been starting to emit a fizzing sound after being played for about 30 minutes, therefore I think it could use a recone. However, those things can usually be fixed with some toilet paper and glue, so I will try that before doing anything else.

**Gitfiddler** · 06-01-2016, 10:39 AM

Originally Posted by Northenlights

Of course, it's MS-12, not MS-150! I forgot the correct name as it is rated at 150 watts. As far as I've understood, there have been three different Black Shadows; the MS-12, the EVM 12L, and the Celestion G12-80, which is currently in use. I don't know if the MS-12 was the first of the three, but that could very well be the case as they seem to be from early to mid 80s.
I got mine dirt cheap, about 30 euro. The seller had no idea of what it was, and neither had I until after some extensive googling as well as asking the folks at eminence. Big win for me! I prefer the focused sound of 1x12 cabs, and thus need something powerful to go with my 100w Ceriatone OTS. Lately, it has been starting to emit a fizzing sound after being played for about 30 minutes, therefore I think it could use a recone. However, those things can usually be fixed with some toilet paper and glue, so I will try that before doing anything else.

The Celestion G12-80 doesn't get as much attention on some forums, but it is a fantastic jazz/rock/blues/RnB, etc. speaker. It is the standard speaker for Fender's 'Deluxe' extension cab. In some ways I like it more than the EV12L. And it is lighter in weight.

Back on topic...Speaker manufacturers are developing new speakers and like boutique amp makers, targeting tone connoisseurs...and obviously will publish marketing materials to encourage us to buy the latest and greatest.

Personally I'd like to hear from actual users of the new Eminence Hemp Dog Speaker before passing judgement.
I currently have a Tone Tubby HempCone in my old Blues Jr. and it sounds very nice.

**DustyRusty** · 06-09-2016, 06:35 PM

Hempdog arrived yesterday. I've played it for about half an hour. Firstly, let me say that I'm a novice when it comes to messing around with speakers. I'm using a Quilter 101 mini head played into a Bugera 112TS cabinet. The Bugera speaker is made by Turbosound (a high end PA speaker company who makes guitar speakers for Bugera). I also have an old 8" speaker from a Danelectro Nifty Fifty which still works but sounds like junk. The Turbosound speaker actually sounds pretty good to my ears. Full bass, clear highs. But it's only 80W and around 97 DB.

My first thoughts on the hempdog were that it didn't blow me away. If anything is was a little underwhelming. It's not bad at all. In fact I think it's very neutral in its sound. But everything I've read on this speaker said that this was part of the purpose. But it is a bit smoother, or more subdued. The bass notes are nowhere near as boomy as the Turbosound. The highs are bright but smooth. In general this speaker sounds brighter than I expect. I'd love to upload some sound files but I think my files are too big so I have to figure out how to compress them.

The speaker is noticeably louder. It was difficult to get a volume that wasn't too loud to wake my kids if the volume pot on my guitar was turned up. I didn't have this problem before.

The speaker is also heavy. And I'm 34 and have done weight training in the past. If this were put into a tube amp, or used in a 2x12 I suspect most people would need wheels.

I should also say that hemp speakers apparently need a long while to break in. So I imagine my views on it may change over the next few months.

**Greentone** · 06-09-2016, 08:09 PM

The guys who drive the speaker market in the musical instrument business are the 15-30 year-old crowd, with the emphasis being much closer to the 15 year-old end. They all want the Digestion speaker--12" cone, ceramic magnet please--that breaks up early and often.

For years, I was that young man. I wanted the slant cabinet 1960A Marshall with the earliest Celestions I could get...and a JTM45 head. If it didn't sound like Clapton, forget it!

Then, I realized that it was insanely difficult to get a clean, jazz sound with that amp. The two channels were essentially bright and brightest, and the speakers were in maybe the beamy-est cabinet ever designed--all the sound poured out in a narrow cone right in front of the cabinet, with no dispersion at all.

I am glad that designers are designing any speakers at all for the clean end of the market. Otherwise, it's just variations on the "blue" one or the "gold" one.