Vintage alnico hifi speakers...should I bother trying them for guitar

[Pixel]

The weather is nice so I'lll be starting in on my speaker cabinet today. I like to do my sawing outside so the lawn can eat the dust. The cabinet will be pine, big enough for a 1x12 combo but just hold a speaker for now.

So, I have some vintage alnico hifi speakers just sitting around. Kapok cones, rated at only 6W. Is it worth playing around with them at all? Maybe at bedroom amp levels?

[Leo_Gnardo]

Kapok cones, rated at only 6W. Is it worth playing around with them at all? Maybe at bedroom amp levels?

Kapok??? There's an unusual material for speaker cones. Lightweight, all right. 6W rated, yes better keep 'em at bedroom volume all right. I wouldn't be surprised if those speakers - in good working condition of course - would catch some $$ attention on ebay if you chose to flog 'em. Some hi fi nut might recognize them as valuable at some level.

Just for our entertainment, hows about a picture? TIA!

[J M Fahey]

Mmmmhhhh, my crystal Ball run out of batteries, can you please post some pictures instead?

[Pixel]

[Leo_Gnardo]

Wow, very nice & thanx for the photos. I'm at the same place, you could sacrifice 'em to the guitar beast, or try for some $$ on ebay or reverb. Coaxial - assuming the tweeter's working, they might sound good for clean guitar tones. With any kind of distortion, the ear-unfriendly frequencies tend to go to the tweeter making for harsh listening and burnt-out tweeters.

[Chuck H]

Notice the convex, bell shape to the cone. And the built in crossover under the magnet box. That's probably a full range speaker that leans a little woofer-y. Could be good in a Champ type build with an 8 ohm OT if you remove the crossover and HF driver. But why when there's other, purpose made speakers available. Is the motivation related to the alnico mojo? I don't put too much into that. It may be real in some small way as some theories go but, eh. You could always try it and see if you like it. Sell it if you don't.

[Pixel]

Notice the convex, bell shape to the cone. And the built in crossover under the magnet box. That's probably a full range speaker that leans a little woofer-y. Could be good in a Champ type build with an 8 ohm OT if you remove the crossover and HF driver. But why when there's other, purpose made speakers available. Is the motivation related to the alnico mojo? I don't put too much into that. It may be real in some small way as some theories go but, eh. You could always try it and see if you like it. Sell it if you don't.

Who me? Seduced by Alnico Mojo? Never. But it is a hot day and it surely wouldn't hurt to at least taste the KoolAid, would it?

I'm too cheap to buy a new alnico guitar speaker and if there is a difference don't have the ears to be able to tell the difference.

So I won't risk hurting this speaker by goofing on guitar through it. The speaker does sound pretty good to me just playing mp3s even though its not in a cabinet.

[The Dude]

Just pointing out, it does say Max 15W on the speaker. Where did the 6W rating come from?

[Enzo]

Same label. It says 15W max 6W nominal.

[The Dude]

Ha! Thanks Enzo. I looked again. There is/was a dirt spot on my monitor right over that spot on the picture, so I didn't see it. I guess I need to clean my monitor more often.

[Enzo]

And pick up your dirty clothes and put them in the laundry.

Lawn needs mowing too...

[The Dude]

I saw the dirt spot right away, but thought it was part of the picture. Only after you replied did I realize it was my monitor and not the picture.
I did laundry last night, but my lawn will need mowing soon.

[Pixel]

Same label. It says 15W max 6W nominal.

Sorry bad photographer.

That is indeed where the 6W came from.

Which is a better number to go by? I thought the 15W might be a bit of a lie, what the marketing department would say as opposed to the engineering department. Can you guess which department I am from?

[Enzo]

I'd take it to mean it is a 6W speaker that will withstand the occasional 15w peaks.

[Leo_Gnardo]

The speaker does sound pretty good to me just playing mp3s even though its not in a cabinet.

See, the speaker knows what it wants to do. "Play music thru me - hi fi that is - not too loud." Would prob'ly make a nice pair around the computer with a rudimentary stereo amp driving them. Keep looking at old tossouts, curb finds, craigslist giveaways & such. Nice old Jensens & Utahs & such are to be found there - much more suitable for your gee-tar. For instance, Magnavox hi-fi's from the 50's & early 60's often had Jensen P12R's hidden inside, a prize for sure if you happen to run across 'em.