Recommended speaker for 1x12" cab

[selmer]

I am thinking of building a 1x12" cab for my 1970's Selmer Treble and Bass 50 and was wondering if anyone could suggest an appropriate speaker to use as i am not all that knowledgeable in this area

any other cab building suggestions for a project of this type would be much appreciated!

Cheers

[Steve Conner]

Well, what sort of music are you playing and what sort of tones are you looking for? That probably influences your speaker choice more than the amp does. The amp won't really care as long as your speaker load is 8 or 16 ohms, and can handle at least 50 watts.

I had an ally panel T'n'B 50 S.V. for years, and I used it with an old Fane ceramic magnet 12" in an open back cabinet, and also with a closed back 2x12" loaded with some Eminence speakers (the previous owner pulled the labels off them, so I don't know quite what kind)

The caps and resistors in it recently started to die, so I dismantled it totally and am rebuilding it in a combo cabinet with all new caps, resistors and pots, and the Fane 12".

[selmer]

i play mostly bluesy rock, old stuff and a bit of newer stuff like kings of leon, so want a pretty warm, rich tone. i'm planning on making it an open back cabinet if that makes any difference??
cheers

[TD_Madden]

look at www.warehouseguitarspeakers.com and try each of the 12's.....cheap enough!

[selmer]

are they their own brand of speaker?? has anyone here bought one and could give some more info on the tone and such?
thanks
also, do they ship to the UK?

[Steve Conner]

For guitar speakers in the UK, you probably want to try Watford Valves, Blue Aran, Appian Acoustics,or even Maplin. They all have websites so a quick search will get you more details.

I guess you wouldn't go far wrong with one of the Celestion models rated at 50 watts or above, like the G12T-75 or Vintage 30 (though some people say the V30 doesn't sound particularly warm)

Appian has most of the Celestion range @ http://www.loudspeaker.co.uk/

[selmer]

ok great. i've also been advised to look at JBL speakers? i think that was it. along with celestions. i was also wondering if the speaker has to be able to handle just 50 watts or if it needs to be a certain amount more for the 50 watt amp?
thanks

[stokes]

I agree with Steve about the Celestions not being very warm,and I have found the JBL's to be similarly "bright".Dont know what the shipping charges would be to the UK but check out www.tedweber.com Ted makes some very good speakers,in my experience and his descriptions are pretty much dead on.You can email him and tell him what you are looking to get tonewise,and he will give you good advice.

[pdf64]

It's obviously a personnal thing, I find the classic celestions have my favourite tonal balance, which I would decribe as rich and warm with top end sizzle. A 2x12 cab with a greenback and blue is as good as it gets. For a 50w 1x12, a vintage 30would be a great choice for your amp and music, at 100dB/watt it's plenty loud and available for £35 from Watford at the moment! I'm still evaluating the celestion gold I got from there for £100. The 12T75 would also be excellent and a little more subtle.
For the cab, just knock something up that fits under the amp, open back, use 12 or 18mm plywood or chipboard, make it solid with plenty of screws and glue, paint with black gloss, finish woth some grill cloth and jack socket from maplin.
Hope that helps - Peter

[Steve Conner]

Hey Peter, have you used a Greenback and Blue together with a 50w amp? If that combination would handle 50w safely, I'd be sorely tempted, not to mention that it's cheaper than two Blues

[pdf64]

No, sorry I might have given that impression. A long time ago when I did check out a plexi marshall 45 watt I'd repaired thru my vox blues, it sounded phenominal so I get tempted and wound it up bit by bit until it was wailing. The tone was unbelievable for a minute or so, then it got raspy and fizzled out - both the voice coils on the blues had died. So I wouldn't advise it, unless you could keep it clean.
I've reconed the blues and now run one in a 50s gibson tweed deluxe type amp, and the other with a greenback in the ac30. The shimmer on the top end of the blue mixes with the smokey woodiness of the greenback.
But the new alnico gold (I got for a weber BFDR clone) is sounding great, so I've no reason to think that it wouldn't do the same. I'll work it in a bit more before I do an A/B comparisson with it against a blue.
Hope that helps - Peter

[TD_Madden]

I use an openback Avatar 2x12 cab with a Vintage 30 clone (one of the Warehouse Guitar Speakers units) and a Celestion (hellatone) G12H30.

It rocks.

[mytco]

Late but FWIW,

I really like the sound of a single Celestion Vintage 30 in an openback cab/combo. Not too crazy about a pair of them closed up but the speaker sounds great by itself.

[TD_Madden]

yes, my buddy put a V30 clone into his Blues Junior and it is VERY tasty.