What 15" speakers for Tele?

[soma5]

I am having an open-back cab made with dovetailed pine for a 15" speaker. I plan to use it for my smaller combo amps, most likely BF/SF Deluxe Reverb and Princeton Reverb. What 15" speakers do you like for these amps, with a Tele? I saw a thread on building new cabs for your smaller amps (some very cool-looking cabs there) but I'd like to be able to use the 15" speaker with any of my amps so I'm going this route.

So let me know what 15" speakers you're using to get your sound...

-soma5

[JohnnyCrash]

I'm using a Jensen reissue AlNiCo P15N with my tweed amp builds. I built a 1/3rd open backed pine fingerjoined cab for it and clothed it in tweed/oxblood.

Its got treble snap and good mids with enough mellow on the top end to keep things from getting too bright/harsh. Buttery vintage sound.

Here's an old picture... its on the bottom of that tweed stack on the right side:






I used a dead transformer's bellcover to make the speaker jack:

[Little Nip]

JohnnyCrash
That's a very clever jack plate!

[Uriah T.]

JBL D130 sounds great with Blackface amps, snap and clear bass-
Weber Cali sounds great with all amps (less high end sizzle than the JBL, also slightly less efficient)-
Weber Chicago is a great all around speaker, copping the old Jensen C15N vibe without fear of blowing it, more character and warmth than the Cali-
Old C15N and P15N speakers sound amazing, but you're going to have to recone them at some point-
The Jensen NEO sounds really good also, and the weight is great.

Out of all of these (which I was playing with a Thunderbolt), I ended up with a Chicago for gigging; it gave me the extra oomph needed with a 20-25watt amp. I will say, though, that at lower through medium volumes, old Jensens just sounded more lively. For my purposes, the JBL and Cali had too much zing, and not enough warmth. Though I've never heard a better speaker for a Vibroverb than the JBL.

[CancerLeoCam]

A well broken in Reissue Jensen P15N sounds glorious for all applications.
Weber Cali AlNiCo 15" is much more articulate and defined-ultra clean.

[WireLine]

I've got a D130 JBL in a one-off Crusty cab that actually gets/has gotten more use than any other cab around here...love it, especially with the MusicMan SixtyFive Reverb head...

Perfect for western swing, beebop, whatever on neck pup, then drop back to bridge and let her wail...

[fenderfan]

I have the Music Man amp version of the Vibroverb (1x15, reverb and trem), and it still has the original Eminence 15" alnico speaker in it, which sounds very clean and warm. I can be picky about speakers and thought that I would be changing this speaker to a Weber (which I love) but it keeps sounding too fine...

[Ringo]

I have never been much of a fan of 15" speakers for guitar, but a buddy of mine has a Fender style open back cab with an Eminence Big Ben 15" speaker

I like it a lot, it sounds great with a Tele, and works well with every amp we've tried , Marshall Plexi, Fender Tweed circuit, Dr Z Z-28 clone.

[Buckshot]

I've been running a '66 Supro Thunderbolt w/ a Weber 50 watt C15N copy and I'm scared to even try another speaker it sounds SO good. It's the best sounding Blues & Rock amp for the Telecaster I've found in 30 years of playing
Only problem is that the basket BARELY fits by the chassis - both have to be loosened to remove either part.

[jumpnblues]

I LOVE the Weber 15A150 (P15N) in my Vicky Pro. Extremely well balanced with rich, smooth, harmonic highs. Highly recommended for a tweed at least.

Tom

[Big Steve]

I have the alnico and ceramic versions of the Weber. (15A150-O and 15F150). The alnico one has the smooth cone. It is great. The ceramic has the ribbed cone and holds togther better. In general, I am very happy with both.

[Tele295]

I'm partial to the Weber Chicago