There's a shootout I've never seen! The tone chart has volume and headroom about the same, with EQ voicing being a bit different. 6/5/6 for the Reaper HP and 5/4/7 for the G12C. I am currently running a Reaper HP and fintech it great, but too bassy. I've had a G12C/S in the past, same thing but needed more bass in that amp so it worked.
Being just "one number different" on the tone chart, will the G12C have noticeably less bass than the Reaper HP? The little less mids and little more treble would work for this particular amp, but th8se lows are my main concern. What sounds like the Reaper HP with less bass?
The chart lies! The G12C (ribbed cone) is WAY brighter than the Reaper HP ... especially in the 2-3K range that really can rip hard with single-coils!
So, if I like the Reaper HP but want less lows, and maybe tighter lows, maybe a touch more highs and a touch less mids BUT no reduction in volume and headroom, what do you suggest?
Surprised Vaughn hasn't gotten back on this. He makes such good suggestions. You could try a Retro 30, but some people find it too bright. The SLP graphs I took of the WGS samples show it has more 4~6kHz than either of those speakers, but it has the classic Greenback style "ice pick" softening ~6dB/3kHz dip. It's sort of in-between an American and British voiced speaker. Another option would be the ET90 or BlackHawk HP. Both have a bit more high end than the others as well, but with the softer ~3kHz with less ~5kHz presence than the Retro 30 (possibly from the wide felt dust cover). Either of those might be a safer bet than the Retro. I personally think the BH HP is worth the price, but needs some breaking in for the full bass and sweet high end. That's true of all speakers. Here's a 16 Ohm one you could bid on:
https://reverb.com/item/16340704-wgs-blackhawk-hp-alnico-12-100-w-16-ohm...
You can also soften the upper-mids of your pickups without affecting the highs by using 0.015~0.030" of Aluminum via tape or one or two GFS Aluminum pickguard shields. It has to do with how eddy-currents created by the paramagnetic Aluminum partially cancel the upper-mids at that thickness. I've done it on few guitars. It's sort of a "lost secret" Fender used on some pre-CBS Strats.
Retro 30 ... although as has bees said ... it MAY be a bit too bright.
And yes, next in line would be the Blackhawk if you can afford the AlNiCo ... if not, the ET90!
I personally find this whole thing a bit odd. Reaper HP with too much bass?? I'm running a pair in a closed back Avatar 2-12 and the low end on these drivers is really tight, controlled, and certainly not overwhelming. Of course tone is in the ear of the beholder but I can't imagine how your amp's EQ couldn't address your issue.
I just don't think future readers should come away thinking the HP is "too" bottom heavy.