Speakers for twin reverb

[Cameron Reagin]

I've recently bought a '68 twin reverb chassis and I'm trying to decided what speaker configuration I want to go with for the new cab, 2x12 or 1x15. The main duty for the twin will be steel, but I would want to use it for guitar some as well. I know the choice of speakers for a 15 is rather limited, but that's the way I'm leaning right now. Also, the speaker of choice seems to be the JBL d130...with them being out of production, i'm having a hard time justifying spending that much on a speaker (if I can find one) without know what it's been through in its lifetime. Just looking for some input on speaker selection and the pros and cons of going 1x15 vs 2x12. Thanks!

[Erv Niehaus]

I have a Twin Reverb with the 2 12" JBL speakers, ordered that way from Fender. And I also have Vibrosonic amp with a orange frame 15" JBL D140F speaker. The Vibrosonic is basically a Twin Reverb with a single 15" speaker.
I usually wind up using the Vibrosonic for steel and letting my guitar slinger use the Twin Reverb.

[MIchael Bean]

The Eminence Double-T 12 (the Travis Toy) is my favorite speaker for everything now, not just for pedal steel. Sizzly extreme high end is chopped off, and there is a slight upper mid punch, which really cuts. I love playing Tele through it, as the ice pick highs are chopped off, leaving the twang intact. The bonus is that that are Neo speakers, so two of these in a cabinet is easier than two JBL's. I have one in a converted 15" cabinet, and I just bought a second one for my Allen Accomplice tube amp.

[Dave Meis]

I recently bought a Rick Johnson cab for my Twin (combo) with a 15" baffle. I still have the plywood cab with the 2-12's, and I have switched them back and forth a couple of times. I have a SICA neo in the 15" cab, and the Fender ceramics in the other. They both sound great..different, but great. My twin is a UL 135, so a little different from the one you have, but with the ceramics in the plywood cab, it's pushing 80#, and with the neo in the pine cab, it's 58#.
The JBL D 130 has a pretty low wattage number, 30 or so, but it's efficient..a little in is a LOT out. Lots on the web about that.. I have a K-130 that I use, and I find it's too 'bright' in the Twin, but works well with the Stereo Steel.
Lots of speakers out there!
If you put your chassis in a 'head cab', you could run any speakers you want, or if you have a 'combo' cab with a removable baffle, you could switch 'em when you wanted to.

[Josh Braun]

I have a '72 Twin, and I run a Telonics 12" 8ohm neo in it. At the moment I've pulled two tubes and run only 1 speaker (cuts down the weight slightly, and has enough power for me this way). I really like the Telonics speakers (both with my Twin and Quilters).

Of course, I also like the TT speaker - between the two there's no bad choice, just differences. But the Telonics has that classic BF sound I love - the TT is more opinionated (in a good way).

[Cameron Reagin]

Thanks for all of the suggestions so far! My other question would be what kind of tonal difference would 2 12 have vs the 1 15? The only experience I've had with a 2 12 has been a Carvin solid state combo and it never did sound great with steel...obviously it wasn't intended for steel, but it has me a little gun shy for going with 12s. I've currently been playing through a Nashville 400, so a 15 is all I've ever really known. I suppose my biggest concern is 2 12 not having the low end like a 15 would

[Josh Braun]

I can give you my own experience, though it's not a Twin vs Twin experience.

My Quilter Steelaire combo has the default 15" speaker. I think it's a variation on the Eminence EPS 15". For the last 6 months I've largely been playing out with either my Pro Block 200 and a 12" speaker cab (using either the Telonics or TT neo), or - more recently - my Fender Twin Reverb with a Telonics 12".

Since I only play an E9 neck, I haven't noticed that much difference in going from a 15" to 12". I think it'd make a larger difference with the C6 neck or an extended E9. I certainly don't feel like I lack low end, and the clarity and string separation seems as good as it does with the 15".

I'll end by remarking that I suspect a lot of us (but not all) strive after tones originally cut with 12" speakers. When I first got my Twin (found a dirt cheap one by accident), I originally thought I'd throw in a new baffle board and put a 15" in it. But remembering that so many famous recordings were done with 12"s kinda caused me to pause on the "remodel" idea. And now that I've gigged with 12"s quite a bit, I don't miss the 15"s.

YMMV of course, but that's my experience.

[Bobby Nelson]

I bought a '73 100 watt (not the ultralinear - 130 watts?). Then I lucked into a pair of K-120s that had been factory reconed in '13 but never used. I had everything checked out by my amp guy, put some new caps and some new tubes here and there. Then I took my Peavey Nashville 400 (w/a 15" Blackwidow that apparently had a substandard recone job) to him where, he installed the Fox chip and did a couple minor things and just got it back today. I thought the Peavey sounded great but, after playing the Twin for a couple weeks, I just can't explain how much better it sounds than the Peavey. This May be slightly off topic but, what I'm getting at is that if you can afford (Ks handle more power than Ds) the JBLs, the 12s sound absolutely great in my Twin. Got a lot more $$ (almost 3x) into the Twin but, it is paying it back 4x in tone.

[Chris Boyd]

I use a '69 Dual Showman Reverb which is a Twin in a head cab... As mentioned above,if you put your twin chassis in a head cab and have 2 separate cabs... a 2x12 and 1x15, you will be able to do whatever you want that night and your back will thank you! A bit more $$ up front but the choices will most likely make you very happy..

[Cameron Reagin]

Thanks for all the help guys! Josh, you made a good point I hadn't thought of regarding a 12" speaker being used for tones 'most' people are striving for. And I suppose if 12s are good enough for Travis Toy and Paul Franklin then they can't be bad I've been trying to find where to order Telonics, on paper they seem like they would be a better combination for guitar and steel guitar but I've come up empty handed. Where are you guys ordering from?

[Bob Hoffnar]

I like 12" speakers better also. Clearer midrange and more focused lows without the dip in the mids that 15's sometimes have. (keep in mind that dip in the mids is exactly what makes players like Ricky Davis sound so great. So to each his own)

For available 12" speakers I like and used Celestion classic lead 80's for years when I was doing session work in NYC. I like Jupiter 12's also. They are great speakers.

I am into vintage JBL 12"s now. I do you use a Telonics 15 in one of my amps and it works fine but is nothing special. I'll be replacing it once I get motivated enough. I did not like the Telonics 12". It may sound good on paper but was not acceptable.

If you need to go neo because of weight issues there seems to be new stuff coming out every month or so. I've heard great things about the new Celestion neo's and Tim at Milkman is on to something new also.

[Bob Hoffnar]

Cameron,

BTW: Get in touch with John Neff in Ga. He is looking into speakers now and may have some insights.

[Bill L. Wilson]

I just finished building these single 12" speaker cabs a couple of weeks ago. Each cab contains a EVM12L and they weigh in at 28lbs. apiece. I wasn't sure how they would sound, but they really cook.

I was raised in Texas, so the Texas flag still dear to my heart.