Favorite speaker for 5E3?

[Rhodesplyr]

I've read a bit about speaker preferences for 5E3 builds in this sub-forum, but I thought it might be useful to focus a thread on the question.

I finished debugging the amp build on a kit-built 5E3 a client of mine bought at about three degrees of separation from the original builder, but we're not entirely happy with the speaker in it, which is a 1960 Jensen P12P with a whizzer cone (out of some Hammond Organ Co. organ or cabinet). It produces some harmonics he doesn't like that may be artifacts of the whizzer cone.

I have some extra speakers in the shop, including a 1960 Jensen P12N and a Jensen F12N field-coil model The F12N was his favorite, but he's not sure about a speaker that needs a DC supply (in addition to the fact that it's not really for sale). He also liked a '66 CTS ceramic 12" sitting in a Gibson cabinet.

So he seems to prefer the slightly fuller sound of the speakers with 1.5" voice coils, but he preferred the ceramic and field-coil magnet speakers over the Alnico.

[Bruce / Mission Amps]

Just my opinion but when it comes to AlNiCo speakers, pound for pound, the best 12" speaker I consistently have heard in the 5E3 is a Celestion AlNiCo Blue (yes the classic VOX speaker) .... followed by a real, late 50s-early 60's dead stock Jensen P12Q... then followed by Adam's, Tungsten Amps T12Q from Weber VST.
Those are the top 3 and I mean the top 3!! All are stellar.
If you have time to seriously break in a WeberVST speaker before giving up on it, you could pick up their 20w or 25w, 12A125 and work it hard for about 25-40 hours... it will blossom into a wonderful sounding speaker.

[Rhodesplyr]

Thanks, Bruce!

My client happened to find a mid-1990s Mojotone M12B extension cabinet on craigslist and bought it. The Eminence 12" in it gives him the exact sound he wants, a throatier tone than some of the vintage speakers we tried, so, last night, we swapped that speaker into his 5E3's cabinet. I agreed that it was instant synergy. He's off with it to record a new album with his band.

I've had a bit of a bias against Eminence because I've heard some really terrible-sounding speakers made by them, but they seem to be able to make nice ones, too. This one looked to me like a clone of a ~1970 ceramic magnet Utah.

I'll make a note of your recommendations. This situation tends to confirm for me that the best speaker in a guitar amp is the one that suits the player's playing style and the sound he wants.

[Bruce / Mission Amps]

...
I'll make a note of your recommendations. This situation tends to confirm for me that the best speaker in a guitar amp is the one that suits the player's playing style and the sound he wants.

100% correct!