Our go to speaker for open back cabs here at Shaw Audio is the Reaper 30 (Reaper 50 watt if you need more power). If you are looking for an Alnico, the Blackhawk 50 gets it done.
I'm pretty sure any speaker would work in an open back combo. Which speaker would work for you depends on the amp and the style of music you play. A Fender blues man doesn't wouldn't want the same speaker a Mesa Boogie thrasher would want. And I think speaker size is important too... 10" or 12" or whatever lol!
The Reaper is, in fact, a great "go-to" speaker for open back ... and the G12's sound just like you would expect from a great classic American design in an open-back cab! I've auditioned almost the entire line in my Burriss DC cab (which allows for instant changes from open to closed back), and the only ones I would NOT recomend in open-back would be the Brittish Lead and HM 75 ... although to be perfectly honest, any Britt voiced speaker seems to florrish in a closed or semi-closed cab. In the WGS demo booth they have some semi-closed back cabs with mid-sized oval ports in the back ... and they sound very good! (just a thought...)
While we're talking about open back, closed back cabs, I just traded for a NOS Mesa Electra Dyne 2x12 combo. The guy who owned it originally worked at Mesa and had 25w Greenbacks installed. While the Greenies sound great at 45w, I'm afraid that prolonged playing at the 90w setting will blow the Greenies?? I ran the ED with my Fuchs cab that's loaded with a Veteran 30 and an ET-65. They sounded good, but the wow factor just wasn't there. I really like the sound clips of the C12C 75 watters, and wonder if they'd be the best bet for the ED?? I had tried the Reaper's originally in the Fuch's, but found them a bit too clean and you guys so kindly allowed me to swap them for the Vet30 and the ET-65.....with the Fuchs, they sound great.
So there ya have it......any suggestions as to which speakers would bring my ED to it's full potential??
Yea, the ED can easily burn out the GB's. I will say this, however ... I bet it does sound good! Every (fairly) modern Mesa I have owned has suffered from the same thing: Overly stiff filtering and the resulting stiff/sterile sound and feel ... so I would say that leaning toward a speaker with earlier/looser compression and breakup, combined with nimble touch sensetivity is always a good bet in all but the earliest Mesa-Boogie's. My gut feeling is that you would probably like the G12's, especially the Alnico versions ... they have all the right stuff (especially if you like the sound of vintage Jensens). If you are fairly happy with the sound of the GB's ... and want to keep the voicing towards the Britt side, then I would recomend the Retro 30's; they have a little more of what the Mesa needs than the Vet 30's do, and can easily handle the wattage.
I have a Fender Hot Rod Deville - modified by Jim Price at Mega Amplification in S. Carolina. The amp sounds WAY better than stock (good in fact) and I am also putting in 2 TAD 6L6's and 3 JJ 12AX7's
I want to get the speakers upgraded, and then this amp is done..............
I have ordered 2 V30's and am wondering if I should mix and match 2 different speakers instead.,..
I play rock, roots, blues, etc. using mostly a '52 reissue HR Tele (with fairly hot bridge and a SD mini Humbucker at the neck) and sometimes a Strat
The sounds I like are like Doyle Bramhall II, and Dave Grissom (but I am NOT Grissom!)
If you've already got two Vet 30's on the way, then ... by all means ... give them a listen, you'll probably like them a lot. If you would like a little more smoothness and warmth, then substitute one of the Vet 30's for an ET65. If you want more brightness and articulation, then go for Retro 30's. Of course, if you actually want it to sound like a Fender ... then we're talking G12!
Our go to speaker for open back cabs here at Shaw Audio is the Reaper 30 (Reaper 50 watt if you need more power). If you are looking for an Alnico, the Blackhawk 50 gets it done.
I'm pretty sure any speaker would work in an open back combo. Which speaker would work for you depends on the amp and the style of music you play. A Fender blues man doesn't wouldn't want the same speaker a Mesa Boogie thrasher would want. And I think speaker size is important too... 10" or 12" or whatever lol!
-Tony
The Reaper is, in fact, a great "go-to" speaker for open back ... and the G12's sound just like you would expect from a great classic American design in an open-back cab! I've auditioned almost the entire line in my Burriss DC cab (which allows for instant changes from open to closed back), and the only ones I would NOT recomend in open-back would be the Brittish Lead and HM 75 ... although to be perfectly honest, any Britt voiced speaker seems to florrish in a closed or semi-closed cab. In the WGS demo booth they have some semi-closed back cabs with mid-sized oval ports in the back ... and they sound very good! (just a thought...)
While we're talking about open back, closed back cabs, I just traded for a NOS Mesa Electra Dyne 2x12 combo. The guy who owned it originally worked at Mesa and had 25w Greenbacks installed. While the Greenies sound great at 45w, I'm afraid that prolonged playing at the 90w setting will blow the Greenies?? I ran the ED with my Fuchs cab that's loaded with a Veteran 30 and an ET-65. They sounded good, but the wow factor just wasn't there. I really like the sound clips of the C12C 75 watters, and wonder if they'd be the best bet for the ED?? I had tried the Reaper's originally in the Fuch's, but found them a bit too clean and you guys so kindly allowed me to swap them for the Vet30 and the ET-65.....with the Fuchs, they sound great.
So there ya have it......any suggestions as to which speakers would bring my ED to it's full potential??
Thanx for y'all time!
Yea, the ED can easily burn out the GB's. I will say this, however ... I bet it does sound good! Every (fairly) modern Mesa I have owned has suffered from the same thing: Overly stiff filtering and the resulting stiff/sterile sound and feel ... so I would say that leaning toward a speaker with earlier/looser compression and breakup, combined with nimble touch sensetivity is always a good bet in all but the earliest Mesa-Boogie's. My gut feeling is that you would probably like the G12's, especially the Alnico versions ... they have all the right stuff (especially if you like the sound of vintage Jensens). If you are fairly happy with the sound of the GB's ... and want to keep the voicing towards the Britt side, then I would recomend the Retro 30's; they have a little more of what the Mesa needs than the Vet 30's do, and can easily handle the wattage.
I have a Fender Hot Rod Deville - modified by Jim Price at Mega Amplification in S. Carolina. The amp sounds WAY better than stock (good in fact) and I am also putting in 2 TAD 6L6's and 3 JJ 12AX7's
I want to get the speakers upgraded, and then this amp is done..............
I have ordered 2 V30's and am wondering if I should mix and match 2 different speakers instead.,..
I play rock, roots, blues, etc. using mostly a '52 reissue HR Tele (with fairly hot bridge and a SD mini Humbucker at the neck) and sometimes a Strat
The sounds I like are like Doyle Bramhall II, and Dave Grissom (but I am NOT Grissom!)
What speaker combo would you suggest ?
Best, Brad
W
If you've already got two Vet 30's on the way, then ... by all means ... give them a listen, you'll probably like them a lot. If you would like a little more smoothness and warmth, then substitute one of the Vet 30's for an ET65. If you want more brightness and articulation, then go for Retro 30's. Of course, if you actually want it to sound like a Fender ... then we're talking G12!