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SurfGuitar101 Forums » Gear »

Permalink Good 12" guitar speaker for surf?

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Hey folks. I'm just tinkering for the sake of tinkering at this point, but I'm wondering what 12" guitar speakers are considered voiced well for surf guitar. Is the Jensen C12K the obvious pick?

I'm using an American Strat into a Bugera V55 head (55watts, 6L6 tubes, lots of clean headroom, so Fender-ish for sure). I'm running into 2 separate 1x12 cabs. One is an open back slightly oversized cab with a Eminence Texas Heat in it. The other is a closed back Bugera 1x12 closed back cab with whatever stock Turbosound speaker comes in it. Things sound decent as is, but I'm wondering if maybe there is something that might smooth out the top end a bit. Again, tinkering just cause I feel like it. This gear thing IS part hobby after all.

Last edited: Aug 16, 2020 17:07:59

I use a pair of Jensen P12n’s

The Eminence Cannabis Rex is great for smoother top end and a little darker, fuller tone. For super clarity without the icepick highs, a Weber ceramic California (JBL D120-like) with a paper dome would do well, sounding a bit like a "mini Showman" cab. You'll really need to break it in, though, to get the best out of it.

Last edited: Aug 18, 2020 11:14:49

I second the Weber California, but with an aluminum dome.

Here’s a second for the Cannabis Rex.

I am a big fan of Guitar Warehouse Speakers since being turned on to them by Jeff Senn. I have the 12” ET65 in my Garnet Revolution, and it really suits that amp much better than the original Marsland speaker (those who know Garnet amps will know the tribulations of the Marslands).

https://wgsusa.com/

Rev

Canadian Surf

http://www.urbansurfkings.com/

I'll tell you what is a great speaker, the Eminence Swamp Thang. It's a 150 watt speaker, rated at about 102 dB. The only reason I don't have one anymore, is because I fried mine with my 200 watt Quilter Tone Block 200.

You should check out the demos for it online, I think you'll be impressed. As for me, I had to get an Eminence 200 watt '12 speaker. So far, so good! Laughing

MooreLoud.com - A tribute to Dick Dale.

My favorites for these Fender amps or clones thereof....

Weber California Alnico with aluminum dome (Deluxe Reverb)
Electro-Voice EVM 12L (these sound killer in a Bassman or Bandmaster)
JBL D120F (Pro Reverb or Twin Reverb)
JBL D130F ('62 Pro Amp)

Jack
aka WoodyJ

The Mariners (1964-68, 1996-2005)
The Hula Hounds (1996-current)
The X-Rays (1997-2004)
The Surge! (2004, 2011-2012)
Various non-surf bands that actually made money
(1978-1990)

Last edited: Aug 19, 2020 09:35:29

.

Last edited: Aug 18, 2020 01:39:17

.

Last edited: Aug 18, 2020 01:39:41

JBL D120F

taijiguy wrote:

I second the Weber California, but with an aluminum dome.

I recommended the paper dome because the OP was wanting to get away from a shrill top end.

I have a 2x10 Cab with eminence speakers that sound tough
Especially for surf. Plenty of mids solid lows and tamed the high end shrillness

speakers are a cannabis Rex and a RF10C

mike_fried wrote:

taijiguy wrote:

I second the Weber California, but with an aluminum dome.

I recommended the paper dome because the OP was wanting to get away from a shrill top end.

I have a Ceramic California with an aluminum dome in my PRRI. It doesn't sound shrill to me. Maybe my ears are too far gone. My former DRRI had a Weber Neodymium with an aluminum dome. That was a great sounding speaker...very punchy. I wish they still made them in 10" and 12". I think they're better than the California.

Shrill-ness can easily be overcome by judicious use of the tone control(s) on the amp and/or guitar.

Jack
aka WoodyJ

The Mariners (1964-68, 1996-2005)
The Hula Hounds (1996-current)
The X-Rays (1997-2004)
The Surge! (2004, 2011-2012)
Various non-surf bands that actually made money
(1978-1990)

There is a trick to take some of the harshness out of aluminum dust caps. I came up with this some years back: Mask off the paper cone area and then put several coats of clear Krylon on the dust cap. That deadens the ring a bit and you can keep tweaking it starting with just a coat or two then adding more if needed.

I tried this with a pair of Peavy 1501-4 steel guitar speakers that I played with for a while. I fiddled with wiring them in parallel (2 ohms) and also in series, (8 ohms). Couldn't tell much difference in the sound.

I ended up with EV's in pretty much everything. There are a few EV's that were built exclusively for Fender that had aluminum voice coil covers, but they are pretty rare.

ed

Traditional........speak softly and play through a big blonde amp. Did I mention that I still like big blonde amps?

The problem with the California is the power handling. If I am playing my Quilter TB200, it won't stand a chance. Other than that, I have heard many good things about them.

MooreLoud.com - A tribute to Dick Dale.

Last edited: Aug 20, 2020 14:51:07

SixStringSurfer wrote:

The problem with the Californias is the power handling. If I am playing my Quilter TB200, it won't stand a chance. Other than that, I have heard many good things about them.

The OP said the amp he's using is 55 watts, and it's being split between two speakers. The power handling won't be an issue there, but I sure wouldn't run a 200w amp into one!

taijiguy wrote:

mike_fried wrote:

taijiguy wrote:

I second the Weber California, but with an aluminum dome.

I recommended the paper dome because the OP was wanting to get away from a shrill top end.

I have a Ceramic California with an aluminum dome in my PRRI. It doesn't sound shrill to me. Maybe my ears are too far gone. My former DRRI had a Weber Neodymium with an aluminum dome. That was a great sounding speaker...very punchy. I wish they still made them in 10" and 12". I think they're better than the California.

I agree, the NeoMag is a better speaker than the California. Sounds a little more like a JBL to me.

revmike wrote:

I am a big fan of Guitar Warehouse Speakers since being turned on to them by Jeff Senn. I have the 12” ET65 in my Garnet Revolution, and it really suits that amp much better than the original Marsland speaker (those who know Garnet amps will know the tribulations of the Marslands).

https://wgsusa.com/

Rev

Really like these as well - I had the G12C/S in my open back bandmaster 2x12 combo and liked them better than the Weber Californias with aluminum dust caps they replaced - I don't play surf, and found the Californias too shrill for me...

Had the G12C's in a closed bandmaster cab I used with a Showman head.


'65 Fender Tremolux, '74 Princeton; 77 Vibrolux Reverb; '81 Princeton Reverb
'65-66 Hilgen Basso Grande
Dr. Z MAZ 18 Jr. + 1x12 Cab
Various Telecasters and noise-making pedals
Farfisa Compact Duo

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