Hi Steve,
I’m curious what you think about 1×15 cabs and the speakers therein. Is there a situation where you would only use the 1×15 cab or should they always be accompanied by some sort of 1 or 2×12 cab? What’s your choice of 15in speakers? Thanks for your input!
SK
18 Jul 2023 10:58pm
18 Jul 2023 10:58pm
I like open back 1×15 cabs, preferably no deeper than 10″, and not too oversized in any dimension. KInda like a Fender combo amp. . it’s a personal comfort zone for me. Fender anything.
So, same with the speakers. My faves these days are the older C15N Jensen or equivalent Concert Series.
I have an old Altec I like, and a giant pile of misc JBL D130 and K130’s which are good for all manner of clean sounds; steel, Rhodes, Leslie bass rotor, and misc low power modulation Magnatone type stuff just for the efficiency, but maybe not the best for distortion guitar sounds.
I think the smaller voice coils in the Jensen’s and Altec sound more natural for colorful guitar. Maybe just more familiar, but I would’t start with the JBL if you’re using 12’s or 10’s and overdrive and are relatively happy.
There seem to be enough 1960’s Jensen C12N’s circulating cheap for those to be a good starting place.
You don’t need to use a 12 or 10 with a 15 unless it’s a power handling issue.
A single 8ohm C12N like I’ve been using lately is perfect with a Bandmaster or similar 2x6L6 Fender.
I use a Jensen Concert 15 with my 50 watt Dumble and basically beat the crap out of it and it’s fine so far..
I wouldn’t gig a single Jensen of any size with a 60 watt Boogie or 50 watt Marshall loud. I’d wreck it for sure.
Anyway, I LIKE Jensen speakers, so it makes sense that I’d like the C15N, but I’m also bored to death with 12’s after 50 years of primary use.
Lots of folks think 15″ speakers suck for guitar, I’m obviously not one of them, but figure it’s fair to mention just in case.
I’m burnt out enough on 12’s lately that I’m mostly 15’s and 10’s onstage and back at the shack.
I have an old Altec I like, and a giant pile of misc JBL D130 and K130’s which are good for all manner of clean sounds; steel, Rhodes, Leslie bass rotor, and misc low power modulation Magnatone type stuff just for the efficiency, but maybe not the best for distortion guitar sounds.
I think the smaller voice coils in the Jensen’s and Altec sound more natural for colorful guitar. Maybe just more familiar, but I would’t start with the JBL if you’re using 12’s or 10’s and overdrive and are relatively happy.
There seem to be enough 1960’s Jensen C12N’s circulating cheap for those to be a good starting place.
You don’t need to use a 12 or 10 with a 15 unless it’s a power handling issue.
A single 8ohm C12N like I’ve been using lately is perfect with a Bandmaster or similar 2x6L6 Fender.
I use a Jensen Concert 15 with my 50 watt Dumble and basically beat the crap out of it and it’s fine so far..
I wouldn’t gig a single Jensen of any size with a 60 watt Boogie or 50 watt Marshall loud. I’d wreck it for sure.
Anyway, I LIKE Jensen speakers, so it makes sense that I’d like the C15N, but I’m also bored to death with 12’s after 50 years of primary use.
Lots of folks think 15″ speakers suck for guitar, I’m obviously not one of them, but figure it’s fair to mention just in case.
I’m burnt out enough on 12’s lately that I’m mostly 15’s and 10’s onstage and back at the shack.