A Guitar And Gear Support Forum

I thought this would be an interesting amp, specifically speaker topic. I defies normal convention.

Anyone who knows me, has heard "use your ears & know what you like" a multitude of times and knows I am in constant perfection of my creations. One is my AMI 'Lil Giant, a.k.a.: my 'gig rig' pictured below. I set it up to be for a wide variety of music and situations, consisting of my unique cascading circuit into a 6CA7 output section, using 1967 Bassman transformers, with tank reverb, all wedged into a 70's Princeton open-back cabinet with a 12" speaker. That would be 50w to 60w depending on the output tube selection, which can be 6L6, KT66, KT77, KT88, 6CA7, EL34 or 6550. Very pedal friendly and I run it on the edge of breakup.

I use it in two ways:
A.) Tiny gigs: the internal 8 ohm 12" with a reactive 8 ohm load in parallel, for 4 ohms load (what a '67 Bassman tranny wants to see)
B.) Bigger gigs: the internal 8 ohm coupled with the 4x10 80w closed-back cab, which contains (2) Weber Blue Pup 10" and (2) Weber 10A125.

The internal 12" speaker has always been the shortfall, especially when paired with the 4x10. It originally had a Pyle which in hindsight, was probably the best. Next was an12" EV-12L 8 ohm which spent 20 years in the amp and was very flat, but also too HiFi and rarely got used. For about a year, it has a 12" Celestion Classic Lead 80 8 ohm which is isn't warm enough, missing bass and way overpowering the 4x10.

Here is the deifying convention part. I tested Fender Eminence made Fender 12" 8 Ohm speaker (121042) that came stock in many 90's and 2000's amps, to which the internet poo-poos which leads to speaker swapping. So far the internet 'discard' sounds the best for just using internal or coupling with the 4x10. Alone, it covers the frequency range without sounding dull, the bass and trebles are lush and the mid is just present enough without sounding pokey. The speaker breaks up medium to late. The 4x10 is more scooped sounding and breaks early, which complements the Fender discard perfectly.
So now I am on the hunt for a 12" 8 ohm Fender brown sticker 121042.

The moral of this long tale: use your ears, listen to the internet with healthy skepticism, find out what you like and be happy with it even if it isn't the popular choice.

I completely agree. I keep old swapped out speakers around because they're not necessarily bad, just not a good fit for that amp at the time I'm chasing certain characteristics. They might be perfect for something else.

Friend just dropped this off, has a few small tears he wants me to fix. Most blues jr's and other Fenders have that exact speaker, shouldn't be too hard to find a stock one since many get changed out. I would try posting to Craigslist under music for a wanted speaker.

As the man said: if it sounds good, it is good. I try not to question what works.

Love posts like these. That's some rig!

What are some songs on your setlist?

The old Blue Marvel speakers that come stock in Peavey Classic 30 and Delta Blues amps, is another excellent speaker that falls prey to the internet swap advisors. They are most excellent speakers and I think they are made by Eminence as well. The ear tells the truth.

tlarson58 wrote: ↑Mon Feb 20, 2023 8:59 am Love posts like these. That's some rig!

What are some songs on your setlist?

Thanks, Tommy!

Been on a gigging lull for the last 4 years, but am planning on shaking the dust off at a local talent night that a friend of mine runs. I'll start with some covers my last band, Beertruck, played. Our active repertoire was always about 130 songs deep and the band before it,(The iNbreds) well over 400 songs. So I pretty much can get through anything Led Zeppelin, Tom Petty, Foo Fighters, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Sound Garden, STP, Bad Company, Thin Lizzy, ZZ Top, Black Crows, Live, Pearl Jam, Beatles, Stones, Bob Dylan, Cream, Clapton, Aerosmith, AC/DC, Deep Purple, Pink Floyd, tons of 80's pop rock, etc.

The trick for me will be getting my vocal endurance back, get my intervals tight for harmonizing and remembering words (or making them up on the fly to cover for not remembering).

tonebender wrote: ↑Mon Feb 20, 2023 11:12 am The old Blue Marvel speakers that come stock in Peavey Classic 30 and Delta Blues amps, is another excellent speaker that falls prey to the internet swap advisors. They are most excellent speakers and I think they are made by Eminence as well. The ear tells the truth.

I'll have to give them a shot! I see the Blue Marvel's pop up int eh MGR that I sometimes repair for. They are usually priced $35 to $50, which is a bargan.

The cabinet I bought to use with my SCX2 had one of those, it was very, very good, but it was also super broken in. I wonder if people form an opinion about gear, particularly cheap gear, at a phase where they aren't as skilled then come full circle when they realize the gear wasn't the problem.

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honyock wrote: ↑Mon Feb 20, 2023 4:21 pm The cabinet I bought to use with my SCX2 had one of those, it was very, very good, but it was also super broken in. I wonder if people form an opinion about gear, particularly cheap gear, at a phase where they aren't as skilled then come full circle when they realize the gear wasn't the problem.

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I find myself teetering on that concept once in a while and can imagine that for today's guitarist, it is a trap. Not having an hour to practice, but havening 15 minutes to search the internet for the next shiny thing that you hope takes you to the next level.

I can recall back in the 80's in one music shop that I repaired for, this guy who was a few years younger than me always buying and swapping. One day, he hear me trying out a Marshall Jubilee full stack that I ended up buying and he turned to the owner and said "that is how I want to sound!" Fred turned to him and said "practice!"

Lol, my rig always sounds better when someone else is playing through it. That is how I know I have nailed the tone.

UPDATE #1:

Bought a Fender Eminence 121042 12" 8 ohm speaker for $60, off of CL and installed. Needs to be broken in, as it does not sound like my friends broken-in model. I don't hate it - i just don't love it yet.

[quote=andrewsrea post_id=46131 time=1676911242 user_id=89

Been on a gigging lull for the last 4 years, but am planning on shaking the dust off at a local talent night that a friend of mine runs. I'll start with some covers my last band, Beertruck, played.
[/quote]

I love that name Beertruck I had an opportunity to do a southeast tour with some guys I new whose lead guitar player got busted for a bunch of weed so he was out of the band for couple of years. Anyway it was not long after I graduated high school so mid 70's and that band was called Free Beer. I can remember pulloing in a town and going by the venue and seeing the marquee say something like Saturday night only free beer.

redman wrote: ↑Wed Feb 22, 2023 1:08 pm [quote=andrewsrea post_id=46131 time=1676911242 user_id=89

Been on a gigging lull for the last 4 years, but am planning on shaking the dust off at a local talent night that a friend of mine runs. I'll start with some covers my last band, Beertruck, played.

I love that name Beertruck I had an opportunity to do a southeast tour with some guys I new whose lead guitar player got busted for a bunch of weed so he was out of the band for couple of years. Anyway it was not long after I graduated high school so mid 70's and that band was called Free Beer. I can remember pulloing in a town and going by the venue and seeing the marquee say something like Saturday night only free beer.
[/quote]

I've seen the name "Free Beer" used a couple of times. There was a band in Ardmore, PA in the early 80's that used it for a few months, but started to have trouble getting booked after the novelty wore off.

Back in the 70's I was hitchhiking from Norfolk to Danville Va and I was picked up by a Rolling Rock beer truck. He had a CB and got me a ride when we got as far as he was going. Then that person took me all the way to my front door. I would not recommend hitching rides any longer.

@tonebender back in the 70's I rode my thumb for many miles that was my transportation to many concerts in other towns before I got my first decent vehicle. I wouldn't recomend it these days either but back then it was a ligit way to get somewhere.