'66 Pro Reverb Speaker Recommendations

[Troy T. Blues]

Hi There,

I have a MINT '66 Pro Reverb with a pair of vintage 1960 Black Frame Jensen P12N's that came with it. The problem is that these speakers are too underrated for this amp. I'm probably going to sell them and then spring for either period correct Jensen C12N's, Oxfords 12L6's, etc....OR I may even consider getting something new. What would you guys recommend?

Thank You

 

[thorny64]

Weber 12F150s - you can opt for a 25w version or a higher powered version (50w I think). Either should be great for that amp, and give you great reak Jensen C12N style tone (maybe improve the bottom end a little bit).

 

[jackaroo]

Celestions - Heritage g12H or M.

You'll have to drill the speakers, but you'll be glad you did the swap.


JD

 

[wopr]

I mixed Weber's 12F150 and the ceramic blue dog. Works well.

steve

 

[mark norwine]

Eminence "Redwhite&blues" To me, they ARE the Fender sound.

 

[surfshack]

original C12N's, you'll be amazed how much better it sounds.

 

[Troy T. Blues]

Lots of good stuff here...thanks.

I'm not a big fan of mix-matching, but I will consider it. Also, I don't know how Celestions would sound in a Fender. One guy told me that the Celestion Golds would be awesome in that amp...I just dunno, I've always associated Celestions in Marshall type amps.

I think maybe the Webers would be the best way to go. It's not easy finding period correct C12N's.

 

[revgsmall]

I use about a 77 or so Pro that was "Blackfaced" and came with an Eminence Red,White and Blue and a Texas Heat and some nice matched tubes. The problem was that the dang thing was so loud and efficient I couldn't tell the difference between it and a Twin.

I got a great deal on some Jensens P12Q reissues and now I just love it. It breaks up at about 4 1/2 just like a good Fender should. I am a working musician, and I have the amp out alot. Plenty of bottom nice Fender top end. I usually have the treble on 6 and the bass on 4. Using mainly Gretsch guitars.

 

[slider313]

The P12N's should be perfect in that amp. They were conservativly rated at 20 watts, so with two your right there. If your one to dime an amp that's a different story.

 

[Troy T. Blues]

I don't dime the amp at all slider. However, IMO these P12N's lack some of the Fender sparkle/chime. I usually use an OD in front and overall, they sound too warm & mushy to me. Somebody had told me that they were originally rated for about 14-16 watts...Being all original, the rating now would be at around 10 watts.

 

[Troy T. Blues]

Period-correct C12Ns are like hen's teeth.

What do mean by that JDJ?

 

[JDJ]

FWIW, I've got a pair of 12A150As in my low-powered tweed twin replica, and I've played the Pro Reverb through them. Not as much high end sparkle or low end punch, IMO. Ceramics in a black-face really seem to jive for me.

 

[JDJ]

What do mean by that JDJ?

If you mean the , I just felt friendly at the time I posted it.

Or, I also mean that, if you find four C12Ns, I'd buy two of them from you.

 

[surfshack]

the BF circuit is designed for ceramics, the bigger c12N magnet gives you more of everything......killer bottom-end and they'll NEVER mush out

 

[GuitarsFromMars]

I would guess a pair of Scumbacks(probably an H75-HP,and an H55-HP)would do what you need.

 

[Kurzman]

I recently bought a 1966 Pro Reverb and I didn't want to use the original speakers.

I asked David Allen what he recommended as I consider him the expert on Blackface amps (since Leo wasn't around to ask).

He recommended the Red, White and Blues from Eminence. I love them. I think they sound exactly like a Blackface Fender should.

 

[Balok]

The Webers and Eminences are much darker than the older Jensens and Oxfords IME. You can find Oxford 12L6s on Ebay, not too much $$, they sound excellent (can be hit and miss with these oldys but the good ones are awesome). I have a an old Vibrolux in a 2x12 chassis that I put one old 30 watt Utah, mixed with one much darker Fender Eminence to voice the amp to my taste.

You might also mix one reissue C12N (very bright) with one Fender Eminence, or any Eminence, for a good overall blend. If you don't care for sizzle, steer clear of the reissue C12N.

 

[Troy T. Blues]

The Webers and Eminence are darker than the old Jensens or Oxfords? Hmmm...now I'm really confused lol. If I were to go with something new, I would like them to be as close to the original type, if not even better.

Alot of good suggestions here, but as expected, but no clear cut winner.
Thanks for chiming in!

 

[ChickenLover]

IMO/IME, the Webers and Eminence are duller on top than I like. I just tried RWBs and Texas Heats and I thought they both were too dull on top and too middy/nasally.

I'm not sure if they have enough power handling for a Pro Reverb but I like Celestion G12H30 with Fenders. They don't have all those mids that many other Celestions do but they have nice sparkle.

 

[slider313]

Some of the best Jensen tones I've ever heard in Fenders came from the brown&gold Jensens. That said, when Fender was using Jensens in the Pro Reverb they were C12P's. The Vibranto series were very similar to a C12P. You may be able to find a pair as they are not as popular as the larger magnet C12N but have the same size voice coil at 1.5 in. If you want to go with new, Weber 12F150's would be the ticket with either lite doping or no doping on the cone.