Best 10" Speaker options for '59 Fender Bassman LTD?

[Groberts]

I just scored a beautiful '59 Fender Bassman LTD amp in pristine condition. It has the reissue Jensen 10" Speakers which I am finding to be rather harsh and edgy sounding in the upper mids and highs. I am well aware they will sound better once broken in. Regardless, I have searched for 10" speaker replacement suggestions on The GearPage and haven't found much.

What are some good choices for 10" Speaker replacements in a '59 Bassman LTD?

Options:
WGS 10" Veteram
WGS G10C/S (Probably the S)
Weber Signature
Celestion G10 Greenbacks
Celestion Gold
Eminence Rajin cajun
Eminence Legend 105
Eminence 1058

What would the best 10" speaker to install?

 

[vanguard]

the celestion g10 gold is always the best 10" option. that speaker is off the hook. due to price, i'd probably go 2x gold and 2x g10 green. if you can swing it, all gold baby!

 

[dmagalhaes]

Look no further..

http://angela.com/fenderspeaker108ohm30wattvintagebluealnico.aspx

 

[zzzezums]

I think a combination of 10's may work. I have 3 different speakers in my vibroking that sing beautifully together - 2 alnicos (Fane AXA 100, Weber 10A150) and 1 ceramic (Weber 10F150T). Just somehing to think about...

 

[Tonesmiths]

You may need to only change out 2 speakers to round things out. The WGS ceramics look to be a great option and should combine well with the Jensen alnicos. If you still find it harsh, then swap the P10Rs for G10 Golds

 

[sideman]

I loved the Jensen RI P10Rs in my Victoria Bassman. Great for guitar and harp.

 

[sabby]

I'd go with Legend 1028K or AlNiCo Sigs for classic tones. That said, I love every WGS I've come across. My gut would stear me to the WGS 10" Veteran for moderate volumes and a mix of 2 WGS G10C and 2 WGS G10C/S for big, brawny, fat loudness.

 

[rhythmrocker]

All these suggestions are great - buy them all and try them out! Then Flip em.

Love the Celstion Gold 10, Weber 10F150 series, and the Fane AXA10.
There is another newcomer (NOS) = the 10" EV Force 10 sounds great with the Fane AXA10 - they compliment each other very well, unlike others (e.g. Fane AXA10 and Celestion Gold10 = noooo).

 

[Groberts]

Does anyone know for sure what the right impedance is for each speaker in a '59 Fender Bassman LTD? I am guessing they are 8 ohms because I believe the amp has a 2 ohm transformer. Is 8 ohm per speaker correct?

So what about mixing something like a pair of Celestion Golds or Fane AXA's with a pair of other speakers? I would think all speakers need to have a very similar efficiency, otherwise the louder speakers would dominate the tone.

If I try a pair of Celestion Gold 10's in my Bassman, what would be a perfect match for the second pair of speakers? I am tempted to try Weber 10A100's of some flavor that are period correct. They are very cost effective.

 

[ReddRanger]

Does anyone know for sure what the right impedance is for each speaker in a '59 Fender Bassman LTD? I am guessing they are 8 ohms because I believe the amp has a 2 ohm transformer. Is 8 ohm per speaker correct?

So what about mixing something like a pair of Celestion Golds or Fane AXA's with a pair of other speakers? I would think all speakers need to have a very similar efficiency, otherwise the louder speakers would dominate the tone.

If I try a pair of Celestion Gold 10's in my Bassman, what would be a perfect match for the second pair of speakers? I am tempted to try Weber 10A100's of some flavor that are period correct. They are very cost effective.

Correct, it's 8 ohms per speaker.

 

[rhythmrocker]

Does anyone know for sure what the right impedance is for each speaker in a '59 Fender Bassman LTD? I am guessing they are 8 ohms because I believe the amp has a 2 ohm transformer. Is 8 ohm per speaker correct?

So what about mixing something like a pair of Celestion Golds or Fane AXA's with a pair of other speakers? I would think all speakers need to have a very similar efficiency, otherwise the louder speakers would dominate the tone.

If I try a pair of Celestion Gold 10's in my Bassman, what would be a perfect match for the second pair of speakers? I am tempted to try Weber 10A100's of some flavor that are period correct. They are very cost effective.

At this point i don't think you will know till you try. When you combine speakers, be sure to have a second set to compare to, or you will have no referenece point for "better sounding in my opinion".

I wasn't happy with the Golds and the Fanes together because they "overlapped". Certain speakers, combined, are bigger than the whole as was the case when I paired an EV Force 10 with a Fane AXA10 = great sounding combination that had a lot of what we call around here "comlexity", i.e., lots of different "nice" sounds coming out, some of each and some combined effects. All for now.

 

[Schroedinger]

I'm very interested in this thread- this weekend I'm trading for a 59 LTD Bassman reissue. It's a 2003 and has been gigged so I'm hoping that the factory P10R's are well broken in; they really are great speakers after break in, it just takes a long time.

One thing to think about is efficiency; the Jensens are only 95 dB, if you replace half of them with a more efficient speaker (Eminence comes to mind), you will probably drown out the Jensens.

If I find that the Jensens are too bright for me, my next step will be to trade out two of them for G10 Greenbacks. They are 95 dB's like the P10R's, so the loudness should be comparable. I once had a 2x12 with a P12Q and Greenback, it sounded great. Where the Jensen was bright and snappy, the Greenback was warm and smooth. They really complimented each other well.

 

[Groberts]

I located some Blue Frame Eminence Alnico's. A quad set of them will cost me roughly $280. Wondering if they are better than Weber 10A125's? or a combination of two 10A125's and two Ceramic 10F series Webers?

If I find that the Jensens are too bright for me, my next step will be to trade out two of them for G10 Greenbacks. They are 95 dB's like the P10R's, so the loudness should be comparable. I once had a 2x12 with a P12Q and Greenback, it sounded great. Where the Jensen was bright and snappy, the Greenback was warm and smooth. They really complimented each other well.

But if you mic the amp for recording, which speaker do you mic? Both of them I suppose? Gets a little more complicated when recording or mic'ing when you have different drivers in a single cab. Not a huge deal to me, just pointing that out.

 

[rburkard]

The Celestion 10" greenbacks are awesome. While not very efficient at around only 95db, they let you turn up the amp and enjoy it how it was meant to be.
Rene

 

[Groberts]

The Celestion 10" greenbacks are awesome. While not very efficient at around only 95db, they let you turn up the amp and enjoy it how it was meant to be.
Rene

Do you have a Bassman LTD with C10 Greenbacks? Or is your feedback based on other experience with Greenbacks? Just curious. I play 85% clean, the rest of the time, edge of break up and use OD pedals for searing lead solos' (Timmy and EP Boost mostly)

 

[Fenderosa]

The Weber 10A100s are not period correct for a '59 Bassman. You would want the Weber 10A100T for a late 50's tweed amp. The 10A100s are period correct for early 50's Tweed amps. They would break up really early in a RI 59 Tweed bassman. You could also use the Weber 10A125s and be period correct for a '59 Bassman.

Of the speakers you listed in your original post, The Weber Signatures would be in the ball park of traditional tweed sound. Also, tweed amps traditionally use alnico rather than ceramic magnets. Ceramic speakers can sound good in a tweed amp (Victoria is currently using Eminence Ceramics in some of their tweed replicas) but it isn't as traditional.

I have played Victoria tweeds with both the Eminence Ceramics and the Jensen Reissues and I prefer the Jensen Reissues.

I believe it is the alnico that adds a certain qulity that makes it sound like what I think a tweed should sound like. When playing with a band, this difference isn't as noticeable, but when its just me and the amp, I notice it right away.

If you can't wait it out to break in the Jensens, I would go with the Weber 10A125s. I have a quad of them in my Super Reverb, and they have beautiful clean tones. Unfortunately you will have to break in these speakers a little bit too.

 

[Groberts]

The Weber 10A100s are not period correct for a '59 Bassman. You would want the Weber 10A100T for a late 50's tweed amp. The 10A100s are period correct for early 50's Tweed amps. They would break up really early in a RI 59 Tweed bassman. You could also use the Weber 10A125s and be period correct for a '59 Bassman.

Of the speakers you listed in your original post, The Weber Signatures would be in the ball park of traditional tweed sound. Also, tweed amps traditionally use alnico rather than ceramic magnets. Ceramic speakers can sound good in a tweed amp (Victoria is currently using Eminence Ceramics in some of their tweed replicas) but it isn't as traditional.

I have played Victoria tweeds with both the Eminence Ceramics and the Jensen Reissues and I prefer the Jensen Reissues.

I believe it is the alnico that adds a certain qulity that makes it sound like what I think a tweed should sound like. When playing with a band, this difference isn't as noticeable, but when its just me and the amp, I notice it right away.

If you can't wait it out to break in the Jensens, I would go with the Weber 10A125s. I have a quad of them in my Super Reverb, and they have beautiful clean tones. Unfortunately you will have to break in these speakers a little bit too.

Maybe I should ride it out and see how the Jensens do. Thing is, what I hear from them is very similar to a harsh edginess that never went away with a Jensen Reissue C12N I had for a couple years. It too overdrive like cr*p. Sounded OK clean, but once I heard a better speaker, I gave up on that Jensen Reissue. So I assume I am not gonna like the these Jensen P10R Reissues any more. They are Ok. Don't get me wrong. But the tones I hear in the upper mids and lower treble are irritating and this finding seems pervasive and common among Bassman LTD owners. The same does not see to be true for the Eminence Blue Framed Alnico's from the earlier Bassman RI of the 90's.

I had not sufficiently researched the Weber Signature series or Classic Series to determine which 'exact' model number is the most accurate substitute. So thanks! 10A125S it is. ..>Then again, are they better than the Emi Blue Frame Alnico's in a Bassman LTD?

 

[Fenderosa]

I've played a well broken in Bassman LTD with Jensen P10Rs and thought it sounded really good. I also have Jensen RI P10Rs in my Victoria 35310 and they too sound great. I bought the amp second hand, so I never heard the speakers when they were new. I could easily put my Weber 10A125s in the 35310, but feel no need.
If after some break in you still find the Jensens too harsh, I would go with the Emi Blueframes rather than the Webers. I suspect you will like the overdrive with the Blueframes better. The Webers may sound a little harsh with overdrive.

I usually play a Strat or Tele on the bridge pickup with the amp clean or with a little bit of hair. I only use the Bright Channel with Humbucker equipped guitars.

 

[sabby]

I located some Blue Frame Eminence Alnico's. A quad set of them will cost me roughly $280. Wondering if they are better than Weber 10A125's? or a combination of two 10A125's and two Ceramic 10F series Webers?

I would jump on the Blue Frames. I believe the Weber analog would be the 10A100T, not the 10A125. The Blue Frame vs. 10A125 is an apples/orange comparison.

I heard the 10A100T+10F125 is a nice mix, fwiw.

 

[Binaural]

The combination of two Celestion Golds and two Greenbacks in an X pattern is sweet