Any insight - Eminence 10" blue frame alnicos

[toneman335]

Eminence made an 10" alnico speaker that has a medium blue frame. These speakers were used by Fender in the early reissue Tweed Bassman and the early Vibro king amps.
As far as a vintage style alnico speaker is there anything special tonally about these speakers?
What do you think is as good or perhaps better sounding speaker for a vintage alnico speaker goes?

[toneman335]

anyone?

[Mitch Roberts]

That was pretty much the same speaker Mojotone sold at the time under their own label. That was before Weber came along and raised the bar on Jensen copies. They are a relatively low-watt speaker, but they do - I believe - have a modern kapton former, so they can take the heat. At the time, they were considered THE speaker for vintage Jensen applications. Sort of equivalent to the P10R. A very nice sounding speaker, but not all that much power handling and volume capability. Hope that helps. Oh, and I think Angela still has a stash of them NOS.

[Thin Slices]

The blueframe speaker has now been reissued.

I have written an email to both eminence and fender asking if the new blueframe speaker is the exact same speaker at the one used in devilles and bassmans in the 90'ies.

Eminence and Fender can not (or will not provide) an answer to my question.

Too bad as I would like to buy four of them for my super reverb if and only if they are identical to the ones I have experience with.

Best regards

[slider313]

The ones Fender used were blue frame 102K's and do have a kapton former. I believe these were considered a 35 watt speaker. They (Eminence) also made the more common black frame version of this speaker as well as a 102P which had a paper former and was considered a 20 watt speaker. Both versions are great sounding speakers. I had four black frame 102K's in a '61 Fender Concert and they sounded perfect.

[Griz]

From what I understand, the Emi blue frame alnicos are a warmer sounding speaker than the Jensen reissues.

My buddy has an early reissue '59 Bassman, bought in 1991, and it has those speakers. Eighteen years down the road, they still sound great. Clear and detailed for cleans, and they sound wonderful when the amp grinds.

[jayn]

Originally Posted by Mitch Roberts

That was pretty much the same speaker Mojotone sold at the time under their own label.

I asked the owner of Mojotone, at the time, it's since been sold, about that. He said that his was just voiced a little darker than the Fender/Eminence. Both were made by Eminence.

I love that Fender speaker in amps where there is more than one speaker. They used it in the Vibro-King too which is/was a great sounding amp.

[3th3r]

I have them in a 2x10, 1/3-open-back cab, and they sound great with my self-built AC4-ish amp. Fender sells them, Eminence makes them (says so on a sticker); here is the description from the Fender webpage:

"10", 8 ohm, 30 watt, Blue Frame Alnico Magnet Speaker"

[MikeNiteRail]

Any idea as to how efficient? They sound appealing...but they'd need to be louder than Weber's Sig stuff.

[CthonicEwes]

Weren't they used in tweed Pro Jrs, too?

[Catoogie]

Originally Posted by CthonicEwes

Weren't they used in tweed Pro Jrs, too?

Yes

[teXum]

Originally Posted by MikeNiteRail

Any idea as to how efficient? They sound appealing...but they'd need to be louder than Weber's Sig stuff.

can't really say I remember too accurately, but more efficient than the Weber 10A100 (p10r) I replaced them with. I remember that I was very satisfied with the upgrade, the Webers were warmer, broke up earlier and nicer, but had less/softer bottom end, I think. Overall they helped bring my BMRI to a more manageable level. Wont say more, as I really cant remember what the exact differences where. But I do believe the Weber alnico tens are better for most applications.

[GenoBluzGtr]

I have an early Bassman RI that is fitted with it's original Emi Blue Frames. They are absolutely perfect for that amp. My BMRI has been PTP converted, but the primary tonal advantage the amp has are those speakers. I don't think I could ever replace them.

[teXum]

Originally Posted by GenoBluzGtr

I have an early Bassman RI that is fitted with it's original Emi Blue Frames. They are absolutely perfect for that amp. My BMRI has been PTP converted, but the primary tonal advantage the amp has are those speakers. I don't think I could ever replace them.

Which other speakers have you tried in that amp?

[TheAmpNerd]

Originally Posted by slider313

The ones Fender used were blue frame 102K's and do have a kapton former. I believe these were considered a 35 watt speaker. They (Eminence) also made the more common black frame version of this speaker as well as a 102P which had a paper former and was considered a 20 watt speaker. Both versions are great sounding speakers. I had four black frame 102K's in a '61 Fender Concert and they sounded perfect.

Hey Slider,
I assume that when you are talking about the blackframe verson of the
speaker you mean that it is the ceramic magnet version?

The black frame speakers from EMI, the Legeng 10s, are a great sounding
speaker, very similar to the vintage vaunted Jensen C10Q.

Yes EMI did also make the 102P with the paper former...those are pretty
rare from what I understand and are very old school.