15" recommendation

[destroyerrock]

Hey yall! Im gonna start this off by saying I LOVE 15 inch speakers. I have a 1x15 bass cab with a guitar speaker in it and a vintage amp with an eminence 1518 in it. One of my favorite speakers ever. A few days ago i picked up one of those giant 2x15 bassman cabs from the late 60s for 100$ and im looking to change the original altec speakers to something more guitar oriented. I would be very open to mix matching speakers. Ive considered a 1518 and a fullback, but im also thinking of going the weber california route for more jbl-esque cleans. What do yall think? Or any other speakers you guys love?
EDIT:
Okay, so i have found with some volume the speakers really come to life. However, i still want to replace the speakers to change the impedence from 4 ohms to 8 total so i can run my amps through it safely. i can also tell the speaker's age on some lower notes, as they can get buzzy.

 

[uriah1]

Buddy of mine had the Big Ben he liked. Don’t think they make anymore. C15k might need a look too
Wish you luck

 

[InstantCoffeeBlue]

I would look at Jupiter.

15LC - 15" 50W Vintage American Ceramic Guitar Speaker

Orders have a lead time of approximately 1 week to ship. 15" Ribbed Cone with a Large Ceramic Magnet, the replacement for C15N. Dimensions: -Diameter: 15 3/16" -Depth rear mount: 6" -Cut-out hole diameter 14" -Mounting Holes: 1/4" -Number of mounting holes: 8 -Mounting Hole Circle Diameter...

jupiter-speakers.com

 

[mexicanyella]

I like playing guitar through my cranked Peavey TKO 115S, which has a Scorpion 15” in it. At least when mounted in that particular closed-back, round-ported enclosure, I’d classify it as being on the darker/warmer end of the guitar speaker spectrum and on the brighter end of the bass speaker spectrum. At that power level (75-80 Watts) it doesn’t sound stressed with the amp cranked.

However the amp has active graphic and shelving EQ; lots of ways to get bright. Not sure what it would sound like powered by an amp with a passive TMB tone stack.

 

[destroyerrock]

Buddy of mine had the Big Ben he liked. Don’t think they make anymore. C15k might need a look too
Wish you luck

Ive heard good about the big ben, but i cant seem to find demos anywhere for it sadly

 

[destroyerrock]

I would look at Jupiter.

15LC - 15" 50W Vintage American Ceramic Guitar Speaker

Orders have a lead time of approximately 1 week to ship. 15" Ribbed Cone with a Large Ceramic Magnet, the replacement for C15N. Dimensions: -Diameter: 15 3/16" -Depth rear mount: 6" -Cut-out hole diameter 14" -Mounting Holes: 1/4" -Number of mounting holes: 8 -Mounting Hole Circle Diameter...

jupiter-speakers.com

I forget they make speakers, thanks man. Also reminded me of wgs.

 

[destroyerrock]

I think what im going to do is go with one eminence legend due to it being a personal favovite and one jbl like speaker to fill in the highs that the eminence can sometimes lack. Any recommendations for a speaker similar to a d130?

 

[schmee]

Hey yall! Im gonna start this off by saying I LOVE 15 inch speakers. I have a 1x15 bass cab with a guitar speaker in it and a vintage amp with an eminence 1518 in it. One of my favorite speakers ever. A few days ago i picked up one of those giant 2x15 bassman cabs from the late 60s for 100$ and im looking to change the original altec speakers to something more guitar oriented. I would be very open to mix matching speakers. Ive considered a 1518 and a fullback, but im also thinking of going the weber california route for more jbl-esque cleans. What do yall think? Or any other speakers you guys love?

Hmmm
I liked the Weber 15F150 50 watt I had. Never liked any of the Cali's I had. Mostly ceramic though. Just a flat response speaker, a bit like a C15K Jensen RI. Good, but no "pleasant voice" that hooks you.
I have a Fullback I love. I have an EV15B which are often reasonable priced. They are just killer guitar speakers.
Comparing those two a few weeks ago for an outdoor gig, the Fullback is a bit mid scooped, crisp highs and big lows.
The EV is mid forward, huge (clean not warm) lows, a bit less crispness on the highs, but plenty of highs. It has a "throaty" growl I love.

What Altecs are in that cab? Square magnets?

 

[destroyerrock]

Hmmm
I liked the Weber 15F150 50 watt I had. Never liked any of the Cali's I had. Mostly ceramic though. Just a flat response speaker, a bit like a C15K Jensen RI. Good, but no "pleasant voice" that hooks you.
I have a Fullback I love. I have an EV15B which are often reasonable priced. They are just killer guitar speakers.
Comparing those two a few weeks ago for an outdoor gig, the Fullback is a bit mid scooped, crisp highs and big lows. The EV is mid forward, huge (clean not warm) lows, less crispness on the highs, but plenty of highs. Just no sharp "sizzle".

Do you think a fullback and 1518 would be a good pairing where you said the celestion has more highs?

 

[schmee]

Do you think a fullback and 1518 would be a good pairing where you said the celestion has more highs?

To me that would be too harsh. But maybe the amp I had a 1518 in was a harsh amp. I dont think the Fullback has more highs than the 1518, my 1518 was a bit too much highs/harsh for me when cranked. A lot of this probably depends on the amp you are pushing them with... I prefer the Fullback to the 1518 although I usually like most Emi's.

Oh, also, if you are using that closed back cab, they can be a bit warmer or compressed sounding, so maybe those two would be fine!

 

[Telecastoff1]

Peavey Black Widow 1501-4. An excellent speaker, designed to sound like a vintage JBL D130, but capable of handling LOTS more power. My favorite 15" speaker for Tele.

 

[uriah1]

Ive heard good about the big ben, but i cant seem to find demos anywhere for it sadly

I think they came stock in some Sewell amps.

 

[uriah1]

Ive heard good about the big ben, but i cant seem to find demos anywhere for it sadly

I think here.

 

[destroyerrock]

To me that would be too harsh. But maybe the amp I had a 1518 in was a harsh amp. I dont think the Fullback has more highs than the 1518, my 1518 was a bit too much highs/harsh for me when cranked. A lot of this probably depends on the amp you are pushing them with... I prefer the Fullback to the 1518 although I usually like most Emi's.

Oh, also, if you are using that closed back cab, they can be a bit warmer or compressed sounding, so maybe those two would be fine!

Odd, ive never found the emi to be a harsh speaker, its always seemed super smooth and loud to me. One of the clearest tones with a fender amp imo, with the warmth of that cab it sounds like a really big sounding pair

 

[destroyerrock]

Peavey Black Widow 1501-4. An excellent speaker, designed to sound like a vintage JBL D130, but capable of handling LOTS more power. My favorite 15" speaker for Tele.

Seems cool but i can only find them in 4 ohms, looking for 2 16 ohms so i can get an 8ohm load and run it with most amps

 

[InstantCoffeeBlue]

I think what im going to do is go with one eminence legend due to it being a personal favovite and one jbl like speaker to fill in the highs that the eminence can sometimes lack. Any recommendations for a speaker similar to a d130?

Might as well just stay in the Eminence family and get one of their 15" pedal steel speakers like the Paul Franklin model.

 

[63 vibroverb]

I would do a pair of Webers - 15F150 and 15F150T. Both 50 watts and light doping. Weber offers all their speakers in multiple impedances so getting both in 16 ohms is easy. I love them much more than the California for cleans and everything else.

I've played a bunch of 15's and have moved away from them, but that big round bass and loose response is fun in the right setting. Big Ben is too scooped to my ears (and discontinued). 1518 is too icepicky for me, and Eminence won't make you a 16 ohm version since they closed their custom shop. Jensen C15K is not bad, but too dull and sluggish.

Have heard good things about the Black Widows and EV's, but I have not personally played them.

 

[RoscoeElegante]

Once the 1518 that came stock in my Excelsior Pro broke in, it was/is glorious. Clear, deep, round tones. Can do subtle or big or roaring. Beautiful cleans, and conveys effects just as you want it to.

 

[Dostradamas]

This Eminence sounds glorious in my Excelsior.
Open back cab

I thought about an alnico magnet but this sounds great to me.

 

[Old Verle Miller]

Peavey Black Widow 1501-4. An excellent speaker, designed to sound like a vintage JBL D130, but capable of handling LOTS more power. My favorite 15" speaker for Tele.

We used these for sound-reinforcement systems, too, partly because you can replace/repair them in the field quickly with spare parts.