12" Alnico Speaker Suggestions Needed for 5F1 Champ clone

12" Weber Sig. Cheap, good. Low wattage, which I prefer for low wattage amps. Low doping, small spider and voicecoil. I've never had a 12" but the 8" version in a straight cone with an Eric Clapton Vibrochamp (that's what the FSD speaker is) and ribbed with a 78 VC.

 

Mine has a 12” Celestion Alnico Blue in an oversized cab I made.

It sounds.... absolutely glorious. It’s also quite an efficient speaker, so plenty loud.

 

Either a Weber Sig like @Dacious said, or a Rec Pro Audio Speed Shop A12Q. Both would be great. The Speed Shop is the best imaginable new-production speaker in a 5e3, in my opinion, and I'd bet it would sound great in a 5f1, too.

 

I tried to work with Jensen P12Qs in both my Deluxe and Princeton. Low efficiency, quiet in idle, and nice cleans. Unfortunately, they don't handle overdrive breakup well at all. Bass gets flabby and farty real quick. Since I play praise and worship weekly, that wasn't going to cut it, I have to use overdrive a lot.

Another poster here has the exact same PRRI I do and put a 12" Celestion Cream alnico in it and loved it. I followed suit and the speaker is perfect for that amp and my needs. Not cheap, but 90 watts (tons of clean headroom) and 100db of sensitivity. The sound is huge but not overbearing, it makes the PRRI sound way bigger than it is. Being alnico, the cleans are gorgeous, and most importantly, being a Celestion, the break up tone is gorgeous. I play this amp weekly in the big sanctuary and the sound is heavenly ethereal (pun intended). It is a lot of money for a home amp application though.

 

The EVM12L will unlock the true attributes of a 5 watt class A amp. Set the volume at 3-4, step back, dig in, and you will be astounded.

 

Clean...not fizzy...Altec 417.

 

Weber hemp

 

Another vote here for Celestion Blue. Great speaker.

 

I like P12Q RI with all Fender type amps more than Blue which I prefer with 18W TMB EL84 tube amp.

P12Q low volume sound is clearer and brighter and thats why I prefer it and other Jensen RIs with Fenders.

Blue low volume has something muffed but its loud sound is glorious and so is P12Q but its loud just is not as loud because they have about 3dB sensitivity difference. 60s voicing is present on Blue and 50s on P12Q but I like its 70s Page, SRV etc sound.

I have Blackbird 40 but I have not used it much and don't have clear opinion yet but it does not sound vintage anymore which obviously was Jensen goal to fill space between Neodyms/Blackbird 100 and Vintage alnicos.

WGS G12Q has been discussed on 5E3 loudspeaker thread recently and its vintage sound is very good with Fender amps and I can address it never sound bad! I like it with 18W EL84 amp as well but I can't use nowhere full power but G12Q colors sound good on very low volume.

 

https://tedweber.com/speakers/signature-series/12-models/

 

Another vote for the Sig. Great speaker for the price.

 

Weber Sig A
Weber 12A100

 

Worth considering, is the Fane A60. It has a very flat frequency response for a guitar speaker.
I have its predecessor the AXA12, which is no longer available. I have it in my Super Champ extension cab to compliment the EV10 in the cab. It is very much a warm, big and clean tone, more so than the Celestion, of which I don't personally know what the new ones sound like, but I do have a 1970's silverbell, which is the same thing.

 

I think of the champ as more mids and less treble & bass.
The Blue is great but adds mids to a middy amp, while also helping a bit with the bit of a lack of highs in the champ.
The Jensen P12Q RI is a non starter to me, BUT a real Jensen P12N is not fizzy, not mid forward like the champ, adds bass & treble where it seems needed, stays clear, has the articulation of the C Blue, seems to me to have fairly high efficiency, and can often be had for less than a Celestion Blue.

Blue mids are at a higher frequency than GB mids, so that's still a fine choice, and the cut it adds is nice if you want that.

I see high BIN prices on good reconed vintage P12N but when at auction they don't bring a lot, and I've seen no bids at under $100.
Of course you may not find one, or you may find a beater that really needs a recone which isn't a bad way to go.
If you use Tweed circuits you should at least try a real P12N at least once.

That's what I got to offer!

 

Beware Celestion Blues. They are raspy and brittle and harsh. I can't believe they are so popular. I know they are supposed to sound better after broken in, but I can't stand playing through them long enough to break 'em in!

Try a Celestion Gold or maybe a PVC paper cone scumback (scumnico)