Jensen C12Q - Original vs Reissue

[frails]

Has anyone experienced in person a side by side of these two? I'm having a hard time finding an original to stick in a Supro I have so I've gone the RI route. It's not BAD but it's missing something. I guess I'm looking for confirmation from someone in the know.

 

[Steppin' Wolfe]

Not the same. Ime, an Emi Legend 1258 would be closer as would the Weber Vintage ceramic series.
What Supro needs the speaker?

 

[guitar007]

I agree with Wolfe...to a degree. You're comparing a vintage, aged speaker to a factory fresh new one just out of the box. I have several vintage and new Jensens. If you're dead set on buying a new one and want it to sound like an old one (within a reasonable amount of time) you have to break it in. There are several methods available. My new broken-in Jensens sound as good as my '60s era originals.

 

[Rob s]

I strongly dislike the new Jensens.
I have tried lots of them and pulled them from every amp I own.
I like the WGS G-12C pretty good.

 

[Winnie Thomas]

Weber speakers are the best for applications like this. They also sound better when broken in. All you need to do is play then for a while.

 

[frails]

Much appreciated. It’s a ‘’66 1624T. Just love this thing! 70’s Blackback sounds the best thus far. Breaking in a new Greenback now. Thanks for the replies.

 

[EFK]

Every new Jensen I've tried, regardless of whether it's a R or Q or N, has this weird high-end "spike" that sounds buzzy or in some way like an insect boring into my brain. And, it never goes away. I don't really find them to sound anything like older Jensens. The Eminence 1258 as mentioned above is a great American-voiced speaker that is most like a C12N (big magnet) but boy is it LOUD - very efficient speaker. If your amp is a 1966 you actually might be better off with a Brit-voiced speaker as the later amps are the 6424 circuit which is brighter with more treble emphasis than the earlier 1624T amps (from which is 6424 is derived). A speaker with a slightly smoother top end and a bump in the mids actually should sound very good in your amp, although sometimes you run into some interference with the magnet bumping up against the OT.

 

[Figaro]

Has anyone that has posted done what the OP asked about?
A side by side comparison of a vintage C12Q and a reissue C12Q?
If you have, please post your comparison.

 

[skytrench]

Has anyone that has posted done what the OP asked about?.

Guitar007 did just that, saying a broken in reissue Jensen is as good as the 60s originals.

 

[Figaro]

Guitar007 did just that, saying a broken in reissue Jensen is as good as the 60s originals.

Thank you. Did he compare the C12Q model that the OP asked about?

 

[EFK]

I would respectfully disagree but we all hear things differently. I have used many, many old Jensen speakers, including many C12Q and P12Q. I do not find the new Jensens to sound remotely like them.

If you want to stick a vintage speaker in that amp that sounds like a Jensen Q, just grab an old Rola alnico with the 1.29" voice coil. They sound very similar assuming same cone types (i.e. ribbed for ribbed, smooth for smooth etc.). Look in the magnet frame and look for one with the magnet/vc sleeve (visible at the base of the magnet) that overlaps the rivet holes in the frame a bit, about half overlapping the holes. Those are the Q-size voice coils. If you can clearly see the rivet holes with no overlap at all, those are the smaller 1" VC or the same as the Jensen R series.

Stock speakers in those amps were C12R but the Q series sound so, SO much better.

BTW, the Rolas can usually be had for @ $20 even if very clean. Cheap enough so if it blows, you toss it and grab another.

Here's a pair of them, quite clean: https://www.ebay.com/itm/orig-59-RO...560933?hash=item28462598e5:g:rWQAAOSwn25aCNIJ

No relation to the seller but I have bought speakers from him previously and his descriptions are accurate. See how the vc brass sleeves (painted) at the magnet base are touching/just overlapping the rivet holes a bit? These are the P12Q equivalents. If there is a noticeable space between the sleeve and the rivet holes, those are the P12R equivalents.

 

[Humble Texan Fan]

I too don't find the Recoton Jensens anywhere near the original ones. A real Jensen is supposed to be brighter yet not as harsh, if you follow my lead. Then the lows of them are typically overblown. The special design F ones made for Fender are decent though.

If you're looking for that Jensen sound we all know and love then Weber is really where it's at. Also they do offer different cones for each type so you'd be able to find one to fit the specific era of your amp.

That said Jupiter speakers, made by WGS, may not be as vintage accurate but they are a treat to listen to.

 

[Rob s]

The new jensens seem to have a disconnected hi freq spike to them that doesn’t mellow with break in.
It’s always there.
That’s been my experience