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I have a 1975 Twin Reverb (100 watts) that came with Utah Speakers. Those speakers sounded tired and flat.
Since the new 65 Twin Reverb amps come with Jensen C12K speakers I bought one to try. It is a little too scooped for me. I have an Eminence GA-SC64 speaker which sounded good but that is only rated for 40 watts.
I did get one Jensen Blackbird and I really like it. It is a 100 watt Alnico speaker. I'm debating if I should get another one or something different that would blend well with that speaker. The C12K still didn't sound good with the Blackbird.
I play rock and jazz (new to jazz).
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08-22-2023 08:29 PM
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I’ve never tried them with a Silverface, but with my high power tweed twin I use Weber Ceramic California with the “large H” dome. This amp and speaker combo is my favorite of all.
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That is a JBL copy of similar, correct?
Originally Posted by ThatRhythmMan
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Yes, JBL D120F. The different dome mine have tames the high end somewhat. Originally Posted by Benson-GB10
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When mixing speakers make sure the spl is close. I’ve had great luck with Warehouse Guitar Speakers. I really like their ET90 and Blackhawk HP Alnico 100 paired together.
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A subject dear to my heart since Twins are all I gig.
JBL K120's would be my preferred speaker choice for a Twin. The best of both worlds. D series sound but higher power handling.
JBL E120's-just about indestructible
JBL D120's-the classic JBL but blows up when ridden hard for long enough especially if you are slamming power chords on "10"
EVM12L-just about indestructible
I think it would be worth trying a 2nd Alnico Jensen Blackbird in there if you like the one you have. That's probably what I would do for starters and see how it works out. Might make a worthwhile investment. If not, send it back!
Beyma makes an JBL E series copy with the Liberty. Not cheap. $320 each, but cheaper than a vintage D series right now but probably not as cheap as a used E series.
I have some older 100 watt English ceramic celestions in my current gigging Twin that have taken an absolute thrashing and sound pretty good but they aren't on par with anything JBL in tone but they are definitely usable.
I generally like loud, efficient, clean speakers that hopefully take a ton of abuse so I am biased in that direction. If you crank your Twin playing rock the K or E series are the best bet for JBL's. I have blown many D's. The tight coil gap eventually causes a failure. I am not off put by the aluminum domes. The claims some people make about them being harsh are not something I experienced. Yes, they can have bite but it's greatly exaggerated. Good luck and let me know how it works out.
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I put EV SRO's voice of the theater in my '60s Twin Reverb sometime about 50 years ago, replacing the JBLs.
It was the sweetest sound out of an amp that I can remember. But I also remember that they weighed about 25 lbs each.
That amp was killer soundwise, and physically backwise, good and bad respectfully.
Despite that, I still regret selling that amp, but it had to go in the moment. It definitely didn't have problems in a band with a Hammond B3 and 2 big 100 watt Leslie's! Those were the days that my back could almost take that kind punishment.
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So another consideration unless it’s parked somewhere is weight! I think JBL and EV can sound wonderful! But try lifting it after a gig, and you will regret it.
This is why with 100 watt lighter weight speakers is so much better if an option imo. But no doubt nothing sounds like those JBL or EV’s
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A Twin with JBL's, EV's, or other very heavy speakers is it's own anti-theft device. No one is running off with your amp, including you haha. I use a dolly with webbing straps and it's pretty easy to get around.
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I don't have a Twin, but I really like Cannabis Rex speakers in my Vibrolux Reverb. It's currently dead, though, and I can't get any repair shops around here to even answer my inquiries.
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Don't be a victim!! Take the chassis out of the cabinet and send it to someone Extremely Reliable. My best experiences have been with Andy Fuchs in New Jersey. Not only good and reliable, he loves resurrecting the classics, and PROPERLY. A real stand-up guy who understands playing and players. You can tell him I sent you. He is so easy to work with. And you can check him out (I believe in transparency) on Facebook. Originally Posted by sgosnell
I don't have a Twin, but I really like Cannabis Rex speakers in my Vibrolux Reverb. It's currently dead, though, and I can't get any repair shops around here to even answer my inquiries.
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The Beyma sounds like a good speaker but it has an efficiency of 103 vs 97 for my Blackbird. It is also 23 lbs. I have read somewhere that a thicker baffle might be needed to support a JBL / EV type speaker. Not sure if that is true or not. Originally Posted by DawgBone
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If you're transporting an old Fender w particle board baffle w JBLs, EVs or SROs better have it face down if not upright, don't lay it on its back. Originally Posted by Benson-GB10
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If your Twin has a particle board baffle I'd take some preventative maintenance and just replace it with a mojotone baffle straight out the gate if you plan on using heavy speakers. Then you'll have the original baffle for your amp in good condition. Otherwise it will fall apart. The baffle in my drip edge basically broke in two from laying the cab on it's back in the truck, as wintermoon wisely suggested avoiding doing. The particle board baffle is junk. I have a full mojotone cab on my '72 and the mojotone baffle on my '69 and they have held up great. I felt like it improved the tone as well. More resonant with a full pine baffle. Those cabs really sing when cranked up. Originally Posted by Benson-GB10
If you mixed the Beyma with the Blackbird all you'll hear is the Beyma. JBL type speakers are very loud compared to your average guitar speaker. The beauty is you can still maintain a clean tone using them in a Twin over a loud band with a loud drummer, horns, and organ/keys.
I would really try giving two of those Blackbirds a shot. That seems to be a premium Jensen model so it might really work out well in a Twin and you already have one. Like I said if it sucks, send it back. To be honest I think there are a couple dozen different speakers you could throw in there and still get great tone but you can't go wrong with JBL's or EV's either IMO.
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I thought about blackfacing my SF but I was told that it would be much of a difference that wouldn't be worth the money and one that had his tech undo the blackface mods. Everyone is different. I noticed that Steve Howe uses silverface Twins and he is the reason I got one in the first place. Originally Posted by Avery Roberts
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I had both of mine blackfaced. I dunno if it's better, different, or not but they both sound real good. Some people have said the early SF are the best blah blah. Maybe it's true. Everyone has an opinion and a different set of ears. I just like the low cost of SF Twins, the tone, the volume, and the reliability. But mostly the low cost! I see people selling JBL loaded Twins for 1100-1200. The speakers in working condition are almost worth that much! Originally Posted by Benson-GB10
I will say there is no such thing as an all vintage JBL any more. They've all been reconed and the recone kits are E kits with a foam surround and not the original paper, which naturally degraded over time. Still sound real good though! My other favorite Twin mod is a JJ ECC803s gold pin in the V2 spot. A great tube.
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If weight be damned, I’ve always loved the sound of the original Bag End 12s. They’re smooth and warm like the bastard child of EVM and C Rex. With 5+ pound magnets and seriously rigid frames, they’re built like tanks and can take whatever you can dish out with no ill effects. Bag End never sold drivers in the old days - you had to be the registered owner of a cab to buy a replacement. But they now sell replacement drivers, although the frames are lighter than the originals and the overall build is less robust.
I’m still sitting on a pair of originals that I got new in the ‘90s from a dealer whose crew managed to drop the cab off the loading dock immediately after delivery. I used them in a Bassman 2x12 cab for several years in my studio, and they’ve been in a pair of home built 1x12 cabs for the last 15 years. I’ll never use them again, since I’m closer to 80 than 70 now. They’d be great in a twin. PM me if you’re interested.
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Particle board is weak, but the problem is there's almost none of it between the speaker cutouts, otherwise they could probably handle the weight. That said I've seen baffle mounting screws rip out too.
A new baffle like nshsi suggests is a good preventative measure, you can always pop the orig back in if you were to sell the amp.
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I like various older speakers and have the good luck to use a few of them regularly: Originally Posted by skykomishone
The E-V “coffee can” AlNiCo S-R-O 12” weighs 19 lbs. It is 7 1/2” deep, and simply doesn’t fit into many speaker boxes. Fabulous sounding speaker. The Twin box is 10 1/2” deep.
The JBL AlNiCo K-120 12” weighs 14 lbs., and is quite shallow at 4 3/4”. Fabulous sounding speaker.
The Altec 417-8C AlNiCo 12” weighs 13 lbs. 6 oz., and is 6” deep. Fabulous sounding speaker.
Weber makes some great AlNiCo and ceramic versions of JBL (Cali series) and E-V (Michigan series) speakers. Like Chuck, I think the “large H” / paper domes are a useful variation and a bit warmer compared to aluminum domes.Last edited by Hammertone; 08-23-2023 at 10:05 PM.
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I don't think so. I'm not shipping it from south Texas to New Jersey. The guy I was using here was very good, but he's old like me and decided to retire. The ones I've found via the interwebz around here don't even answer emails and contact messages through their poorly-designed websites, asking basic questions like where they are located and hours of operation. But I'm in no big hurry, because that beast rarely gets let out of its cell for a few minutes of daylight. I'll find someone eventually. Originally Posted by Jimmy Mack
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I have a C-Rex in my 65 PRRI and I love it for that amp but not as much for the Twin. I think it is only rated for 50 watts too. Originally Posted by sgosnell
I don't have a Twin, but I really like Cannabis Rex speakers in my Vibrolux Reverb. It's currently dead, though, and I can't get any repair shops around here to even answer my inquiries.
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I already had a local tech replace the caps, tubes, and generally gone over so I think I'm good for now thanks. Originally Posted by Jimmy Mack
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The more I hear about the EV SRO's the more I want to try them. 19lbs each! Awesome! But they are pretty scarce. Originally Posted by Hammertone
I can vouch for the Weber Michigan. A good speaker, very neutral. I have a 15" in an old Gibson-Maestro. I thought it might be too dark for an already dark amp but it is actually better than the D-130 I tried replacing it with. Wound up selling the 130. Weber is a good company. They were really johnny on the spot when I received a less than ideal speaker and got it sorted out straight away. Great customer service.
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Wgs g12c/s. The smooth cone orange one. Terrific speaker.
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EV SRO "coffee can" (big white boxes for the magnet, they made another kind of SRO that is said to not be as good): I had one in a BFDR for a long time, it barely fit- I think I had to unmoor the transformer and swing it around or something like that. Pretty rough on the baffle, but a glorious sounding speaker. Not sure a decent recone kit can be found, I think they use the regular later EV recones for them now. Originally Posted by DawgBone
An exceptional, and an exceptionally heavy, speaker!
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