Need a speaker recommendation for my new amp. :)

[Smgbad]

Kay'so I bought a pretty sweet Hughes & Kettner 25th Anniversary Edition Tube based on the reviews, demo videos, price, and the fact I'd owned a regular one and really enjoyed it. One of their big selling points is that they used tested NOS 70's Russian EL-84's, an actual chassis mounted Accutronics reverb tank (instead of the crappy board mounted one they had in the original Edition Tube), and a pretty sweet sounding Celestion G12T-100.

I found one on GC's Used website for a decent price and was told it was all original. When it got here, it sounded great, however when I opened it up to make sure it was infact all original I was greeted by an el cheapo Crate speaker (not even the right Ohmage) instead of the Celestion G12T-100. Not only that but the guy who put it in merely stuck the the wire leads through the terminal holes on the speaker. No solder. No spade terminal... Not wrapped around the terminal... just stuck through the holes... I am AMAZED one hadn't fallen off completely in shipping they were so loose.

I called the GC I had it shipped from, and they were nice enough to refund me $100 straight away. SOOO... What speaker would you guys drop in it?

 

[jwri9790]

Maybe a Celestion Gold, Scumnico or a Weber Blue Dog?

 

[Onioner]

Shoot. I'd want a fair bit more than a hundred dollars.

You're going to have to give a whole lot more information if I'm going to make any recommendation.

 

[Smgbad]

What else would you like to know?

$100 was more than cool with me. It was already priced reasonably (less than 40% of new), was in nice condition, and it appears I can grab another G12T-100 on Ebay for under $60.

TBH, it sounds bitchin with the el cheapo Crate Vintage Club speaker it came with, but I'm a bit of a gear snob, and want to do it up right.

 

[Onioner]

What else would you like to know?

What you'd like out of the speaker? Since you had a similar amp, describing what it's like would be helpful too.

There's just this huge expanse of speakers that could well work, depending on what one likes. Gotta narrow it down somehow. Maybe the conditions you play in might be a big factor? Maybe you need more volume, or want less volume? Maybe you like sharp, bright speakers, maybe you like warmer speakers. I dunno.

Edit: Oh, and for less than 40% of new (presuming retail, not MSRP), then I can see takin' the cash and calling it a day...

 

[Rockyrollercat]

If it sounds good with the Crate speaker, solder the connections and pocket the $100.


RRC

 

[Smgbad]

The amp is capable of cleans that are nice and compressed like a Blackface Fender only more detailed, and there is load of headroom. When it start breaking up is right around where the clean channel ends. Switch it over to the gain channel and it takes over where the clean channel left off, going from a bluesy (somewhat compressed) light overdrive to full on rock around halfway up gain knob. At full gain it's balls out metal.

Being an EL-84 powered amp, I find it works best at moderate volume (not too low, not blaring). I don't gig currently, and am in a few jam groups that meet weekly, so I don't ever need to dime the volume. I guess I need a speaker that is articulate (not muddy) and has the ability to go from beautiful fenderish cleans to metal and everything between. Being that it will have high gain going 40-50% of the time, I'd like something that isnt too shrill in the treble department and offers nice bass response.

Too much to ask? lol

Oh... and I don't think I can just leave the cool sounding el cheapo Crate speaker in as it's a 16 Ohm and the amp calls for an 8 Ohm. That's a no-no to leave it like that for long isn't it? I don't think the guy who swapped in the Crate speaker had it in there for any longer than it took to sell the amp to GC.

 

[Smgbad]

Or can I use a 16 Ohm speaker in place of the 8 Ohm it came with stock?

 

[Onioner]

Now that's more like it. Still lots of good speaker styles to consider. Greenbacks might work, of whatever brand, maybe w/ a 55hz cone, or maybe a bigger magnet version. Maybe a medium wattage Silver Bell, or higher wattage Blue Dog (though the latter may be too treble oriented for ya). Grey Wolf could be kinda cool too, though maybe too aggressive and harsh. V30s seem tempting, but I've had real mixed results using them. When it works, it's great, but most of the time it hasn't worked for me.

I'll throw in my new favorite speaker too, Weber's DT series. Huge low end, sweet high end, still very articulate. Kinda muted treble tones, but without feeling at all muddy overall. Lower efficiency, and a decent bit of cone breakup (which IMO is great for nice clean playing). May not have a big enough magnet to voice coil relationship for metal though. I'm just guessin' on that last bit. Not my world, but I presume you'd want tightness, especially low end tightness.

I would avoid American style speakers, which are probably too harsh and brittle for ya. I would avoid lower wattage Blue Dogs, or Celestion's Blue (or Gold), as they could be too bright and trebly.

Also, a 16Ohm speaker into an 8Ohm tap is one of those "it'd probably be ok" things, but may not sound the best, and is probably not the healthiest thing for your amp's transformer. You could use it, but I wouldn't. I just don't like messing around with mismatched Ohms. Just not worth messin' around to me. It's certainly done often enough though.

I do wonder what the characteristics of that Crate though. Maybe you could find something similar to that?

 

[Smgbad]

I do wonder what the characteristics of that Crate though. Maybe you could find something similar to that?

I wonder the same thing. Not exactly what I am wanting, but damn close. From what I've found online the E12 Vintage Club Series Crate speakers are relabeled Eminence 121293's. What that means in twerms of finding something similar, I have no clue. I do know they say "Paper Former" on them like it is supposed to mean something. Thinking of contacting Eminence.

From demos I've watched today online, I thinmk you were spot on about staying away from the American voiced speakers. The only Patriot seriesI've owned is the CF. Rex, which is great forthat compressed cleans sound I like so much, such as in a blackface application, but it has very little breakup and will not sound good with metal or even middle of the road rock.

Thinking about maybe a Private Jack, Veteran 30, or Hellatone 60. But am also cobsidering things like the Reignmaker or Governor.

 

[Smgbad]

OK... found the specs on the Crate speaker. 12 inch, 60 Watt, 16 ohm Vintage Style Guitar Speaker - 38 ounce ceramic magnet. 1 1/2" voice coil. Vintage style all paper cone.

So anything close to that in an 8 ohm?

 

[Onioner]

What's the cone look like? As in, how much ribbing? Have you pulled it off the baffle? That ribbing (or lack of) goes a long way in determining character.

 

[ekkybedmond]

Hi


In My H&K Studio 84 Guitar Combo - a predecessor of your amp - I have a Weber Legacy 40oz, 75Hz cone, Large Dust Cap speaker (65W). Is fits the character perfectly.
Also a Reinhardt R65H-SC sound very good in it. It breaks up earlier than the Weber

 

[Smgbad]

Thx ekkybedmond. I will look into those.

Onioner - It is ribbed. Has them spaced in rings about 1/4" apart from dust cap to rim.

 

[Onioner]

That Legacy could be a really good option, given all the details here.

 

[Smgbad]

Hmmm. Looking into finding a decent price on one or finding one for trade.

 

[Smgbad]

UPDATE: Decided to just go with a new Celestion G12T-100 "Hot" 100, which is the same speaker the 25th Anniversary's came with stock.