Gibson 10" + 12" Speaker Choices

[Rhodesplyr]

I've ended up with an abandoned ~1962 Gibson Invader GA-30 RVT amp matching the Epiphone EA-12 RVT schematic (5AR4, 2 x 7591, 4 x 6EU7, 12AU7), and, among other things, it's missing both speakers.

Photos online show that the original speakers consisted of a Jensen P10R and a Jensen C12R. I suppose I could use the same choices, but I'm wondering if anyone has tried other 10"/12" speaker combinations in a Gibson amp that worked well.

[bob p]

eminence legend?

[Enzo]

This is an often heard question, but speakers are a matter of taste. SO this is similar to asking if anyone has tried mayo instead of mustard on a sandwich. What I like in a speaker may not be what you like. And you can only tell what you like by hearing it.

[Rhodesplyr]

This is an often heard question, but speakers are a matter of taste. SO this is similar to asking if anyone has tried mayo instead of mustard on a sandwich. What I like in a speaker may not be what you like. And you can only tell what you like by hearing it.

All true of course. The problem is that it's hard to have $1,000 of speakers on hand to try them all in various combinations.

Plus the amp isn't yet working, so I'm not even sure exactly what its overall character is like to guide my choices.

[J M Fahey]

Then you can't go wrong with the original choice.
With 2 possible but minor changes:
1) instead of a relatively expensive P10R I´d use C10R instead.
2) to keep cost even more reasonable, I´d use equivalent Jensen MOD speakers, namely MOD 10-35 and MOD 12-35 (if it exists) or better MOD 12-50 , equivalent to C12Q which is slightly fatter and louder and sounds "larger".

Jensen MOD are very underrated speakers, basically same "recipe" as equivalent Jensen models, but not having the "reedition/vintage" stigma associated to others they are free to use somewhat more modern Technology.

As of your Gibson: most old amps originally were quite similar "under the hood", since all started by combining generic gain and power stages pulled straight from datasheets, crude tone controls, etc; onlyt later each started evolving into its own sound, now all are different.
My point being that your 50´s design Gibson amp , once you pull those pesky midrange removers, will end up being quite similar to a early Tweed Fender, or early Ampeg.
Somewhat dark, not much gain, all compared to modern ones.

And in the old days all used Jensen ... not much else to choose from .

[Mark Hammer]

I actually have a cab (not completely finished, but close) with a Weber 10" that intends to be a P10R replacement, and a Jensen C12Q. I had originally attempted to make myself a Feiten-style 2x12 cab, based on the dimensions that Fuchs had posted. I don't know if they posted erroneous dimensions, or I misunderstood them, but the baffle wouldn't support mounting two 12" speakers diagonally. So, I cut out a hole for rear-loading the 10" and front-loading the 12". The thickness of the baffle places the apex of the voice-coil of the two speakers in parallel (i.e., one is not farther from the listener than the other).

I have to make a proper back for it, but so far it sounds pretty decent to my ears. I have not used it with a Gibson amp, nor have I gigged with it.

[Rhodesplyr]

Thanks for the suggestions, Juan!

And in the old days all used Jensen ... not much else to choose from .

I've actually seen speakers from lots of different companies in 50s and early 60s amps: Rola, Cleveland, Quam, Wilder, Magnavox, Oxford, and a couple of oddball manufacturers I can't think of at the moment.

Most larger Gibson amps I've worked on used Jensens, but a Gibson Skylark had an original Gibson-labeled Cleveland in it. I remember that one because the owner wanted me to recone it.

[Enzo]

You don't need to buy a thousand dollars worth of speakers to try them, you look at what is in every amp you can and play THAT amp to get an idea what its speaker is like. Sure the amp part may be different from your amp, but the speaker character still shines through.

[bob p]

I suggested Emi because they're easy to get and they make a variety of 10" and 12" speakers in the same lines. IMO the Legend series are more traditional neutral sounding speakers than the Patriot/Redcoat series that are more "tone shaped". And the nice thing about the Legends is that it's pretty easy to match sensitivity levels between their neutral 10" and 12" offerings when creating an odd-sized pair. I think they have 3 options for 10" Legends and 4 options for 12" legends and it's easy to find one of each size that has an efficiency rating of ~100dB/1W. that's the direction that I'd go if it were me.

[J M Fahey]

Agree, just suggest you pull 2.5 to 3 dB from any EMI spec.

They measure speakers different from the standard procedure, and to boot use the infamous "LMS" measuring system which, by own acknowledgement, supplies "not measured but calculated efficiency".

Response curves are closer though, but in any case do not match the "written number".