Can you ID this speaker?

[pchilson]

12" 8 ohm
I can find no EIA code on it.
I have reason to believe it is from 1958 but can't be certain of that. The amp is a '58 Ampeg M-12 Mercury and I assume it is the original speaker.

What is it?

[Chuck H]

It looks like a Utah.

I looked at a bunch of images of vintage speakers and some Utah's are a dead on match for the frame and magnet cover. Still, could be a copy, right? But, more searching revealed an old Ebay listing for a vintage Utah speaker with the same cone stampings.

Similar, in appearance anyway, to the speakers used in vintage Fender and Supro amps.

[sgelectric]

+1 for Utah...............I have a Utah alnico 15 that has a very similar frame and bell.It also has an "RG" in the code although in this instance it is on top of the magnet. Steven

[pchilson]

It looks like a Utah.

I looked at a bunch of images of vintage speakers and some Utah's are a dead on match for the frame and magnet cover. Still, could be a copy, right? But, more searching revealed an old Ebay listing for a vintage Utah speaker with the same cone stampings.

Similar, in appearance anyway, to the speakers used in vintage Fender and Supro amps.

Chuck H,

You hammered that one outta the park... If this is the completed listing you were mentioning that is it.

Thank you.

Now, what is the verdict on Utah speakers?

[Chuck H]

Now, what is the verdict on Utah speakers?

Sell it for an obscene amount to someone with an old Ampeg, Supro or Fender and buy a Celestion G12H anniversary (75Hz cone) or heritage (55Hz cone) depending on your tastes and pocket the change.

But seriously, the old Utah's sound dandy. But using old speakers is a risk because the old hide glue they were assembled with gets very brittle with age. For a "working" amp (as in regular practice or gigs) I actually would suggest a replacement speaker. You should listen to the speaker and decide if you like it of course. Perhaps keep it and use it sparingly at less than high volumes. Or pack it up to re-install at the time of selling the original amp. The original Utah speaker will make it more valuable. Or if your not sentimental or otherwise attached to it just sell it.

[olddawg]

Sell it for an obscene amount to someone with an old Ampeg, Supro or Fender and buy a Celestion G12H anniversary (75Hz cone) or heritage (55Hz cone) depending on your tastes and pocket the change.

But seriously, the old Utah's sound dandy. But using old speakers is a risk because the old hide glue they were assembled with gets very brittle with age. For a "working" amp (as in regular practice or gigs) I actually would suggest a replacement speaker. You should listen to the speaker and decide if you like it of course. Perhaps keep it and use it sparingly at less than high volumes. Or pack it up to re-install at the time of selling the original amp. The original Utah speaker will make it more valuable. Or if your not sentimental or otherwise attached to it just sell it.

I trashed my 1960 Ampeg Jet speaker (Jensen) like that. It now languishes in the box that the Eminence replacement came in. I may have it reconed one day.

[mbratch]

Definitely looks like the Utah. The 8,0 ohm marking is interesting, though, in that it uses a comma for the decimal separator which is more of a European notation.

[cagamp1]

That is a Utah. From the looks of it, that is late 40's-early 50's. Utah used that nomenclature on there frames and cones. It probably has a felt cap and smooth cone. It looks to be original. You should keep it caus it won't sell for much, but I bet it may sound as good or better than a current production Celestion G12 type if it is in good shape. The magnet size and the "P" tells me it is 25-30 watts.

Those old Ampeg M-12's usually came with Jensen speakers I thought. It may have been swapped out if it had a P12R originally.

[Chuck H]

I think the OP has moved on. But FWIW you could well be right about that speaker not being original to that amp. Look at the pics. You can see tell tale marks on the frame that suggest it was mounted differently once upon a time.

[pchilson]

I haven't moved on, there just hasn't been a reason to continue the thread. I also no longer believe the speaker was original to the ampeg. More than likely a Jensen was in there from the factory and someone swapped the Utah in at some point.
It does have a felt cap but a ribbed cone. Thanks for the info you have provided.

[Chuck H]

How does it sound??? Oh, and thanks for following your thread. Some people don't. They get what they want and wander away

[pchilson]

How does it sound??? Oh, and thanks for following your thread. Some people don't. They get what they want and wander away

You're welcome.

I'm not good at describing speaker sonics like some folks can. It has a somewhat dark sound and is not very efficient. That said, I think it sounds ok and would be good in a somewhat bright sounding amp. The Ampegs of that vintage are rather dark sounding themselves so I have removed it and am running a Weber Sig ceramic in it now. Much more efficient and brightens things up somewhat.

[Chuck H]

+++ and I agree.

[cagamp1]

Ah, I was wondering about that. You said it had a ribbed cone. The markings indicate a Utah part number but man that cone looks black and clean in your pictures. Maybe it was reconed at some point with a ribbed Utah cone and different coil. I find that you can't get exact OEM parts and that affects the efficiency of the speaker, in a bad way, most of the time. I would have expected a 1950's speaker to be a little brighter, but that could explain it.

[pchilson]

Couldn't tell you if its been reconed or not. Appearances would indicate if it was it has been some time since having been done. This stamping on the cone give any indication of that?

Of the pics I've taken of the speaker, I failed to take one of the cone itself. I'll take one this evening and post it.