BF Vibro Champ 10" speaker fitment

[Spexicola]

I've recently acquired a 1964 Vibro Champ, and I'm considering removing the baffle for safe keeping and making a new baffle for a 10" speaker. This is both for sound, and the amps good condition. I've got a small child and the thought of her taking markers or what not to the original cloth is not appealing. I intend to have the original speaker reconed and mount it back into the original baffle for when she's a bit older and an agreement can be reached between her and I about how daddy's amp is pretty just the way it is.

I'm looking at the Weber 10A125, but the magnet cover looks a bit large to me. Does anyone know if this speaker will fit inside the cabinet? If not, I know other options have been discussed elsewhere, including this one. From what I've found however, the discussion was more theoretical. As in, "This would be a good speaker to look at and would sound nice." Not, "I've tried this and it works.'

Feel free to recommend other speakers that you may know of that work in this application. My tonal preferences are more airy cleans to nice crunch, not fully saturated dimed tweed mayhem. I have a 5E3 with a Cannabis Rex for damaging my hearing with searing overdrive.

Cheers!

 

[FenderLover]

I'll try and find a pic and post it, but I made a new baffle and offset the 10" Weber towards the logo side to get it to fit. So yes, it can be done.

 

[King Fan]

The 10A125 is a 'big' speaker in size *and* sound. It might be a bit beefy, stiff, or unforgiving in my VibroChamp — to *my* ears. YEMV…. Also, you’ll know the VC tone is (very roughly) half tweed, half BF. Speakers I love in my tweeds aren’t always perfect in my BFs — again, that’s just me.

FWIW my VC came with the original dinky Jensen alnico, which sounded awesome but soft. At 8”, I stored it and replaced it with a Fat Jimmy ceramic which sounds perfect; their 10” is also a great mid60s speaker and quite shallow in size. For 10” alnico, I’d suggest an Emi ALK 1028, a speaker that IME sounds great in amps from the 50s thru 70s.

All the above assumes you can get ’em in 4-ohm versions. A problem with all Champs and our usual “I'll try it and sell it on if I don’t like it” is that 4-ohm 10” speakers don’t have a huge market.

 

[schmee]

Some used to love the Weber 8F150 speaker, which they make in 4 ohms, for that purpose. A huge sounding speaker with no baffle change. But that is probably not to your "airy" liking.
IIRC correctly from the old Weber Forum days depth was an issue for some of the alnicos in Champs. There is probably a ton of info still on that board if you can find it.

 

[Spexicola]

All the above assumes you can get ’em in 4-ohm versions. A problem with all Champs and our usual “I'll try it and sell it on if I don’t like it” is that 4-ohm 10” speakers don’t have a huge market.

That's a great point. I want a lot of opinions, so I don't end up rolling them out repeatedly and getting bathed on the resale.

That said, I have a build of Rob's Micro Bassman that I'm collecting parts for, which I would have some latitude with the OT secondary impedance on. 22.5k:4R would be doable, or even put in a switched output. I could move the 10A125 to that if I find it starchy. I'm a big fan of Emi speakers, however they tend to be loud as all hell in my experience. Great for my 5E3, but maybe not so much a VC.

Totally understand on the tonal blend of the model. You've given me something to think about. Thanks!

 

[Spexicola]

Some used to love the Weber 8F150 speaker, which they make in 4 ohms, for that purpose. A huge sounding speaker with no baffle change.
IIRC correctly from the old Weber Forum days depth was an issue for some of the alnicos in Champs. There is probably a ton of info still on that board if you can find it.

The baffle change won't be just for size. It's to protect the pristine original cloth from the wrath of a toddler.

 

[FenderLover]

My picture and amp disappeared, but it was a custom project with swapped transformers and 8 ohm OT.

For new speaker fitment on any amp, remove the baffle, lay it face down over the top of the new speaker and assess the depth and position needed. Hopefully, if you can size it up using a speaker with a large magnet (ceramic), it will provide assurance for anything smaller.

 

[Spexicola]

FWIW my VC came with the original dinky Jensen alnico, which sounded awesome but soft. At 8”, I stored it and replaced it with a Fat Jimmy ceramic which sounds perfect; their 10” is also a great mid60s speaker and quite shallow in size. For 10” alnico, I’d suggest an Emi ALK 1028, a speaker that IME sounds great in amps from the 50s thru 70s.

Are the Fat Jimmy's significantly different from the WGS models they're based on?

 

[JeffBlue]

I have a 68 Silverface Vibro Champ that I had resized the baffle for a 10 inch 4 ohm Peavey Scorpion speaker. The squared-off sides, top and bottom of the speaker helped with the fitment. The speaker fits beautifully and the sound is outstanding.

 

[King Fan]

Are the Fat Jimmy's significantly different from the WGS models they're based on?

Good question. I don’t know what the secret sauce is, but it seems real. My Veteran 10 is a fine all-around speaker, but it's lookalike Fat Jimmy cousin, though shipped in an identical box straight from WGS, sounds bigger, richer, beefier, and somehow more vintage all at the same time.

 

[Willie Johnson]

Low watts/big efficient speaker is like a Double Stuffed Oreo. I dig it.

 

[JeffBlue]

Much louder than the smaller, less efficient 8 inch original.

 

[archetype]

The 10A125 may or may not have the tone and response that you want, but you can find the dimensions on the Weber site for calculating fit. The bell cover can also be removed.