Speakers for a '63 Vibroverb 2X10

[Durvoid]

I am looking for help choosing speakers for a 2x10 '63 Vibroverb amp clone. I could use some help from anyone with experience playing a Brown Vibroverb. What tonal characteristics would best compliment this amp? I am looking at Alnico speakers for this amp (not the original Brown CTS).

I play blues, alt country/roots and older rock. I mostly play a P90/HB guitar. I want to be able to retain some of the clean sounds when needed, but need them to sound good with the edge of break-up and crunchy distortion sounds I usually go for.

Can I get away with a warm, lower sensitivity speaker or will I need a brighter and higher sensitivity speaker for this amp? I am looking at 2-3 different speakers within that general range of tone and sensitivity. I am considering using either matched or mixed pairs.

I would really like to hear what type of speakers worked best for you, and any suggestions you can provide. Information really helps when you aren't able to let your ears choose. Cheers.

 

[Gris]

We had an original in the studio for a long time. That amp is mid forward so what worked best for us were speakers with a balanced EQ. The what you put in you get out kind. IIRC we ended up with some high power Webers, an Alnico Michigan and the other was … hmmm maybe at TTubby 40/40 ceramic. That amp with a Tele bridge PU and LPB1 killed!

caveat: we play loud & tend to use uncolored spkrs (EV etc) with amps that we love the base tone of…

 

[Alex W]

I have two Fender Vibroverb reissue ("VVRI") amps. One of them is dead stock including the speakers, and at bedroom volumes it sounds glorious. Playing in a band with a drummer, I was not satisfied with the volume so in the other one I have one of the speakers swapped for a Weber ceramic magnet speaker. I think it's a 10F125.

I think you will get the best result for your own needs if you email Weber and they can steer you to the particular speaker in their vast lineup that would be the best match.

FWIW I have toyed around with the idea of getting a couple of Celestion Gold 10" alnicos. I like that bright, shimmery sound but that would be a departure from the original speaker type of a brown Vibroverb.

 

[Dacious]

If you don't need band volume Jensen P10Qs or C10Qs are not bad.

What you describe as wanting beautiful cleans at higher volumes I would go Emi Allesandro SC64 GA10. They do warm sparkly papery old Jensen, but don't flub out or cone cry if pushed. Paper voicecoil forners and small ceramic magnets. Very detailed.

As on outsider, the Blue Frame Emi 1028ALK speakers still available on order which came in RI Bassmans. They use the same basket as the Alessandro with alnico slug magnets.

I prefer them to the new Jensen's.

 

[schmee]

Not played a real brown VV. But if they are close to the 60-61 brown Super, mine seemed a fairly warm amp tone. (stock speakers) I wouldn't go too warm on the speakers.

 

[Nicko_Lps]

I am looking at Alnico speakers for this amp

As a proud owner of 2 celestion gold 12" i would suggest you to get a pair of gold 10" if youre willing to spend that much money on loudspeakers

 

[uriah1]

I liked the one ceramic one alnico when I had one.

 

[Durvoid]

As a proud owner of 2 celestion gold 12" i would suggest you to get a pair of gold 10" if youre willing to spend that much money on loudspeakers

Thanks Nicko_Lps, good suggestion. The 10" Golds are very nice, but I prefer more American voiced speakers. I have been looking at the WGS G10A to pair with another speaker. I have heard those are bright, but it is hard to find much other information about them. Similar magnet size and sensitivity to the Gold. What other speaker would work well paired with a Gold?

 

[Wildeman]

I would just put some P10r reissues in it and go, they're rated at 25w apiece and sound great to my ears. I had a '61 Super and it was a real warm amp, if that's anything like it, mine loved Alnico's.

 

[Durvoid]

Not played a real brown VV. But if they are close to the 60-61 brown Super, mine seemed a fairly warm amp tone. (stock speakers) I wouldn't go too warm on the speakers.

Thanks, schmee. That's why I was wondering about warm speakers. I really like the Tone Tubby's and have been thinking about the Silver Bullet. These are the 10" version of the Chicago Blue which lots of people like in tweeds and blackface amps. I think these are brighter than the TT Red and 40/40, but hemp does soften the highs a little. These are only 94-95 SPL, do you think the low sensitivity will affect the headroom too much?

 

[schmee]

Thanks, schmee. That's why I was wondering about warm speakers. I really like the Tone Tubby's and have been thinking about the Silver Bullet. These are the 10" version of the Chicago Blue which lots of people like in tweeds and blackface amps. I think these are brighter than the TT Red and 40/40, but hemp does soften the highs a little. These are only 94-95 SPL, do you think the low sensitivity will affect the headroom too much?

It can, but that amp probably has plenty of room on the dial right?
Alnicos seem to lose a little clean headroom to me and those are pretty low. But then I play blues and rock with a Deluxe Rev so you likely have plenty of range...
The Weber Alnico Blue Pups or a Pup and Silver were a popular combo for 2 x 10.

 

[Nicko_Lps]

I prefer more American voiced speakers

Im not 100% sure to what you mean here but personally when it comes to american voiced speakers i tend to think something like Twangy jensens that Leo was using and those are bright and lacking bass/mids compared to gold. I can be wrong in my definition though. Have in mind, someone in the comments mentioned that vibroverb is not your typical bright sounding fender and that he advised you to NOT pick a dark speaker combo for that amp.

I have heard those are bright

I would not call gold's bright, more like super responsive to all frequencies. I would say that P10r is bright because it lacks bass and mids that gold already has.

Beware: Im not sure if the 10" works like 12" in that subject but you really have to have an SRV picking hand if you run the 12" gold with an open back. Its very VERY dynamic and responsive and you might overwhelm your sound with the upper strings when you play open chords if you are clumsy like me on the picking hand. Running it closed cab fixes the problem completely.


Ive checked the WGS G10A website for sound clips, to me it sounds like a blanketed gold to be honest.
Specially on the cleans, hardly doubt any speaker can come remotely close to the gold's

What other speaker would work well paired with a Gold?

Perhaps this can be more of an assistance to you?



Or simply use a Gold and a WGS G10A but dont try to A/B them.
You cant go wrong with a JBL D110 but personally i wouldnt buy a used 50 years old speaker, but thats just me because people are going insane with these.

 

[SnidelyWhiplash]

A friend of mine had a VVRI many years ago. He used a pair of Emis. A Ragin Cajun & a Copperhead. Sounded glorious.

 

[ahlios]

Eminence 1058 + 1028K

 

[dannyh]

I have a 93 VVRI. It had Mojo Tone branded eminence speakers when I first got it. They were not bad, just kinda lifeless.

I tried WGS G10C’s in it. Pretty good sound but the amp got really heavy.

Next I tried two RI P10Rs. Sounded good at low volume. Pushed to band volumes they kinda fell apart. Not for me,

Settled on a pair of Eminence 1028K alnicos for a long time. Liked them a lot.

Then (on a whim) I tried some ceramic Emi Legend 1058’s.They had everything I liked about the 1028K’s going on, but with better headroom, bigger sound overall, more “girth” for lack of a better term. The amp really came alive with these. They added a little weight, but not that much. These speakers are still in the amp.

I’ve heard some folks say they like a combination of one 1028 and one 1058. While I’ve not tried that pairing, I imagine it would be a good combination.

Good luck in your search. Speakers can open up such a rabbit hole….

 

[gridlock]

I had Eminence 1058 speakers, Weber’s, Jensen P10Q’s RI’s, vintage CTS Alnico’s (probably needed a recone) and these Alessandro GA10-SC64’s in my ‘63 Vibroverb RI. The Alessandro’s were the winner and stayed in the amp when I sold it.

I had perfectly good original-vintage Oxford’s in my 1967 Vibrolux Reverb, but boxed them an put in another pair of Alessandro’s. My favorite reissue speaker for a vintage Fender SF or BF amp, but worked well also in my brown amp.

 

[Axis29]

I've had a '63 Vibroverb Reissue since 2008. It came with it's original Oxfart speakers. They were dark and mushy.

I put in a mixed set of a P10R and C10R (modern Jensens). They sounded so good, they stayed in there for more than ten years. I found that they did everything you are talking about. They were clean enough for band level stuff, but had that nice edge of breakup thing going on at reasonable volumes.

Before i moved a few years ago, I put in a newly reconed set of Weber P10Rs. They are much more punchy, much more efficient... I'm not sure I like them nearly as much. But. there is an issue with the amp I haven't had the opportunity to troubleshoot... So, the Webers aren't even broken in yet. So, I can't give a good, solid review.

I really like the idea of a 1028 and 1058 form Eminence. I love my 1028s. I love the 1228 in my 5e3, and I enjoyed the 1258 I used with my Bassman 50 and tweed Twin for a while as well.

As you can probably ascertain, I like mixing speakers in amps. I really like that mix of alnico and ceramic, or mixing American and British voiced speakers. The mix of alnico and ceramic in these amps really does do them justice, IME.

I had a single Celestion Alnico Gold 12" in my 5e3 when I bought it. I loved it at volume. It did sound like a little fire breathing Marshall. But, at low volumes it was dark and muddy. I switched over to the above mentioned 1228 and never looked back. I would be afraid of this with the VVRI as well. Although, I don't know if the G10 Golds get dark like that?

 

[benderb9]

just got a 2 x 10 cab de for an old Hammond organ amp conversion. Tried vintage CTS speakers, then a VHT 10 mixed with an AC-10 speaker and that got better. Then stuffed it with a Celestion Greenback and Creamback and that's how it'll stay.

 

[Durvoid]

I've had a '63 Vibroverb Reissue since 2008. It came with it's original Oxfart speakers. They were dark and mushy.

I put in a mixed set of a P10R and C10R (modern Jensens). They sounded so good, they stayed in there for more than ten years. I found that they did everything you are talking about. They were clean enough for band level stuff, but had that nice edge of breakup thing going on at reasonable volumes.

Before i moved a few years ago, I put in a newly reconed set of Weber P10Rs. They are much more punchy, much more efficient... I'm not sure I like them nearly as much. But. there is an issue with the amp I haven't had the opportunity to troubleshoot... So, the Webers aren't even broken in yet. So, I can't give a good, solid review.

I really like the idea of a 1028 and 1058 form Eminence. I love my 1028s. I love the 1228 in my 5e3, and I enjoyed the 1258 I used with my Bassman 50 and tweed Twin for a while as well.

As you can probably ascertain, I like mixing speakers in amps. I really like that mix of alnico and ceramic, or mixing American and British voiced speakers. The mix of alnico and ceramic in these amps really does do them justice, IME.

I had a single Celestion Alnico Gold 12" in my 5e3 when I bought it. I loved it at volume. It did sound like a little fire breathing Marshall. But, at low volumes it was dark and muddy. I switched over to the above mentioned 1228 and never looked back. I would be afraid of this with the VVRI as well. Although, I don't know if the G10 Golds get dark like that?

Axis29, Thanks for all of the info.

 

[Durvoid]

I appreciate everyone's suggestions. Lots of good options...
I am looking for American-voiced Alnico speakers. I can see there are benefits to the Alnico/Ceramic mix, but have been looking for a mix of Alnicos. One for good bottom end and one for better highs, maybe a big magnet with a small magnet combo. The 1028K is a good option for a 1" VC small magnet speaker. What would be a good larger magnet speaker to balance the overall tone?