What can you tell me about Vega ER123 speakers?

[scottlr]

I just acquired an old BF Bassman cab and a Laney Pro-Bass head. I was only interested in the cab, and didn't care whether it even had speakers or not. The head was just a bonus I guess, just tossed in on a trade.

Anyway, I open the cab and find 2 Vega ER123s 8 ohm SNs 17273 & 17274 inside, but not wired up. They look fine, but I haven't rewired them as of yet. Searching Google I find some reference to Duane using these in his Marshall cabs along with Celestions. I also saw a couple for sale from $175 each to $300 each. What can anyone tell me about these?

[scottlr]

Nobody?

[CharlieS]

They're sort of a JBL tone. Fender went to CVs for a time in lieu of JBL after some sort of disagreement. They morphed into the Fender PS-12, but the tone of those are a little different. The ER-123s are both smooth and bright, with a less overpowering low end than a JBL. I like them enough to keep a couple hanging around. They're heavy like the JBLs.

[scottlr]

Thanks for the reply. After doing a little search, I found a thread where there's rumor that Duane used them mixed with Celestions. Anyway, I hope they are in working order when I get to wiring them up. The guy I got it from didn't know anything about them at all, as he'd just got the cab in some sort of trade. Are these speakers still made? Any way to date them? And any idea of their worth if in good condition? I don't see anything obvious. Hopefully I'll find time to wire em up this weekend and see what I have.

[CharlieS]

The speakers haven't been made since the early 70s. They were replaced by the ER124s, but those were discontinued later on in the 70s. Cerwin Vega unloaded a warehouse full of new old stock speakers just a few years ago, including ER123s.

I put them in the same genre as the JBL and Altec 417-8H....heavy cast aluminum frame, big magnet, and clear tone. Each one has a slightly different flavor. Whether you like it will depend on your amp and your taste in speakers. Old ERs should sound pretty smooth compared to new old stock versions. In any event, they're not easy to come by. You'd have a much easier time copping JBLs than original ER123s.

[scottlr]

Ahh, so I may have stumbled onto a rare pair? I like that the SNs are one number apart, too. Matched pair?

[shakti]

CharlieS has it right on. I just scored a pair of these, and I *love* them! I have been searching for that elusive last ingredient for the Duane Allman tone, and these are absolutely, positively *it*. No ifs, ands or buts. I also have D120Fs and Altec 417-C speakers to compare with. CharlieS is right that they're all in the same "family", sound-wise. I'm sure the aluminum dustcap has something to do with that. I think the ER-123 is definitely the closest to Duane Allman's tone, though. Very sweet compression and sizzle in the top end, very crunchy and liquid, but still with some woody bass and midrange. Some people liken them to a cross between a Celestion and JBL, and I don't think that's far off the mark. I really think they are *awesome* speakers - very responsive, I don't think I've heard a speaker that cleans up so well before when you back off the guitar volume.

[scottlr]

Cool, thanks for the input. Unfortunately, after closer inspection, one of mine has a tear in the cone. I am about to attempt to repair it. Unless I hear otherwise, I plan to use Elmer's Glue and tissue paper to patch it. There is no cone missing, just a tear. I am hoping this is all the speaker needs to be put back into service.

I don't know if it has any real meaning, but to my mind, I find it really cool the SNs are one digit apart. That might mean nothing at all, but I have never run across any gear in pairs that were SN'd in series like that. Mojo? I hope so.

Do you know what the power rating on these are? I haven't owned Celestions in a long time. I used to think I HAD to have them, though. Ever since I had Marshall stacks in the 70s. The last 7 years or so, I have none at all. I have Webers in my 64 Bassman cab, and Eminence in my 67 Super Reverb. I need to schedule a long jam so I can get those Eminence 10s into break-in mode. They've been installed for almost a year, but only about a 1/2 hour play on them LOL I need to go to a loud jam with them.

[shakti]

If they have the paper surround and 2876-2A stamped on the cones, they are probably 50W each. That's what Don Butler a.k.a. Tone-Man has told me, and he used to work for Cerwin-Vega.

[scottlr]

They are mounted in the cab (back is off) right now, so all I can see is the backs. Paper surrounds for sure. The only thing I see on the cones on back is (C.) under the terminals and that sort of looks handwritten, although both are nearly identical. I'll be pulling the one soon to try to patch it. I know Don Butler from VoxTalks.com a few years ago. I guess I never realized he was The Tone Man.