J.B.L.'s in Twin Reverb

Len Ryder · Post by **Len Ryder** » 28 Jul 2002 3:28 pm

I'd like some info on replacing the stock Fender speakers in my late 70's era Twin Reverb. I don't want to start re-wiring, etc. etc. Got any info for me ??????

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 28 Jul 2002 4:03 pm

No rewiring...two 8-ohm JBL's are a drop-in replacement. But why not just one 15" 4-ohm Black Widow? It'll fit (just barely), and makes a nice package. You'll have to make a new baffle, but that's no big deal. I've heard a couple with this setup. It would be a lot cheaper, too, and a little lighter than the 2-12 arrangement. The B/W would also handle just about anything a T/R could put out!

[This message was edited by Donny Hinson on 28 July 2002 at 05:06 PM.]

Gary Walker · Post by **Gary Walker** » 28 Jul 2002 6:19 pm

These JBLs add a bunch of weight. I looked at one like that and the owner said the weight was 117 pounds. That's more than my Session 500 at about 87 tons.

CrowBear Schmitt · Post by **CrowBear Schmitt** » 28 Jul 2002 10:22 pm

i've got 2 jbl K120 8 ohms in my twin.
D120F 8 ohms are good too.
like Donny says. drop in replacement
unfortunatly, i have'nt had the chance to use 15" speakers >which is where it's at if you play C6.
1 thing is for sure tho':that's 1 HEAVY Amp !
Guess that's why 9 outta 10 are PVs
Steel love them Fenders...

[This message was edited by CrowBear Schmitt on 29 July 2002 at 04:36 AM.]

Andy Greatrix · Post by **Andy Greatrix** » 29 Jul 2002 12:11 am

Wouldn't it be easier to have a fifteen 4 ohm JBL in another cabinet and disconnect the two 12s?
It could be a closed cabinet or an open-backed cabinet. It could have a metal screen on the back and a place where you could slide a board in to make it a closed back. The female quarter-inch plug could be on the side.
You could even take out the two twelves to make the twin lighter. That way, you could split the weight into two trips or one, if you have an understanding wife and/or girlfriend.
[This message was edited by Andy Greatrix on 29 July 2002 at 01:12 AM.][This message was edited by Andy Greatrix on 29 July 2002 at 01:27 AM.]

Chick Donner · Post by **Chick Donner** » 29 Jul 2002 4:12 am

I played Twins (2 of 'em) through the late 60's and very early 70's until I got smart and went solid state. However, that aside, experience seemed to show that whilst almost any other amp on the planet sounded better for steel with a single 15, the Twin still sounded better with 2 12's. Dunno why, but seemed to be a fact.

Len, get rid of that turkey while these young guys are willing to pay 17 times what it's worth, and get yourself a Webb, Evans, or some other useful amp that you can carry.

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 29 Jul 2002 6:57 am

I ordered my Twin Reverb from Fender with JBL speakers in it. I'll put it up against anything out there for tone. You won't be disappointed. I'll have to tell you, though, the speakers are so sensitive that it passed on an amp hum. I took it to an amp guru and he took that out. I don't know what he did but it is super quit and you can't beat the good old Fender spring reverb.

Erv

Jim Florence · Post by **Jim Florence** » 29 Jul 2002 7:07 am

Hey Chick, I know you and Len go way back, but I've got to disagree with you about 2x12 sounding better. As you know I just sold two Black faced twins to a guy in Houston. One had 2x12, The other 1x15, All JBL's I also threw in the other baffle with 2x12's. The D-130F 15" JBL is a little less crisp than the 2x12. IMHO Len would be much happier with the 15" BW. Either way he's never going to get a better sound than the Twin.
Jim

Len Ryder · Post by **Len Ryder** » 29 Jul 2002 7:59 am

Thanks for all the info and suggestions. Much appreciated.
CHRIS --- Good to hear from you. As for an Evans --- I've worked through one and thought is was a "great" unit. BUT--- for a retired picker who does 99% of his playing in the family room with Band In A Box, to put an Evans SE200 in his hot sweaty hands will run just around $$2,300.00 (Canadian funds.)Sooooo -----Is that excessive: Or what ????

b0b · Post by **b0b** » 29 Jul 2002 8:06 am

Moved to 'Electronics" section

Ken Fox · Post by **Ken Fox** » 29 Jul 2002 11:47 am

Most of the time you will have to change out the speaker mounting screws, they are too short for JBL speakers, typically. Not a fun job!

Joerg Hennig · Post by **Joerg Hennig** » 29 Jul 2002 11:59 am

My Twin had two 12" JBL G 125 speakers in it when I bought it and I liked the sound right away the first time I tried it. It had a lot of hum at first but the store´s tech fixed that and put new tubes in it at no extra charge and now it´s really quiet. I can´t think of any better amp for playing live. Sure it´s one heavy sucker, my ShoBud in the case feels almost light in comparison. Try a 15" speaker? Maybe for curiosity some day with another one, but right now it´s just the sound I´m looking for - it´s mostly a matter of not fixing what ain´t broke.

Regards, Joe H.

Ricky Davis · Post by **Ricky Davis** » 29 Jul 2002 4:24 pm

My Fender Twin is lighter than a Nashville 400.....but my Twin has a all-original '68 K-130(or D-130) in it.....now the weight gets more as you plop a BW or two JBL 12's; so it really depends on what JBL's you have in your twin...that will make it heavy or not.
All Ceramic style mags. will weigh much more than old(better sounding)alnico mags.
Ricky

Ricky0ne1 · Post by **Ricky0ne1** » 30 Jul 2002 10:34 am

Len, I just finished building a twin with JBL D120's. While the weight is around 90 lbs., I don't think I could ask for more tone quality. I say DO IT! A dolly to push it around would be nice too.. a small sacrifice for the greatest tone IMHO

Steel me a Fender any day.. Rick

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 30 Jul 2002 11:11 am

On my Twin Reverb with JBLs, I put lift handles on the sides and castors on the bottom. This helps.

Erv

Brad Sarno · Post by **Brad Sarno** » 30 Jul 2002 11:34 am

My workhorse amp is a recapped, retubed '69 Twin with a single 15" 8-ohm Black Widow in it. I can't imagine anything sounding better than this setup. The Mullen and the Emmonses sound great thru it. Tubes I tells ya!

Brad Sarno
Angelfish Mastering
St. Louis, MO

Ken Fox · Post by **Ken Fox** » 30 Jul 2002 4:39 pm

Right on Brad, I have tried both combos. The 1501-4SB has got the tone and can handle the power with ease!

Kevin Mincke · Post by **Kevin Mincke** » 30 Jul 2002 6:47 pm

I've got a 1970? (master volume) twin that I put a 15" d-130F in years ago and played for a long time in clubs. Still sounds GREAT!

Ken Fox · Post by **Ken Fox** » 30 Jul 2002 7:17 pm

As the Twin is rated for a 4 ohm load, an 8 ohm JBL would not get full power out of the amp. Perhaps that is a good thing, considering a JBL can't handle the 80-100 watts a Twin can put out. A good choice would be a 4 ohm speaker that can handle the load and allow the amp to operate at full power, hence more headroom/less distortion problems. With the 8 ohm JBL, you could very well run a second 15" JBL in an extension cabinet, now that would really be a great sound!

Michael Brebes · Post by **Michael Brebes** » 31 Jul 2002 6:26 am

My recommendation would be two EVM12L's instead of the JBLs. I've used JBLs through the years but found the EV's to be better, a bit smoother than the JBL 12's which tend to have a bit too much bite. I believe that bOb uses the EVM12L's as well. Another lightweight 12 that you might want to consider are the Celestion Vintage 30's. They sound similar to the EVs but not as loud, cheaper, and half the weight. I've got EVs in my Traynor Twin and Fender Blues Deluxe, with the Celestions in my Deluxe Reverb, Mesa Boogie cabinet, and Sunn Sceptre. I also have a D130 (smooth cone 15) which always sounded good, but could never quite handle the 12s.

Brad Sarno · Post by **Brad Sarno** » 31 Jul 2002 11:59 am

I'd have to disagree about the EV's. I've used EV speakers over the years and what I find is that they lack the "sweet" top end of a JBL (or Black Widow). When you try to get the EV to be sweet up high, they get harsh. If you dont care for much top end clarity then they are a fine speaker. To their credit, the EV's are meaty and balanced sounding and can easily handle the power.

The JBL and Peavey BW use an aluminum dust cap and that thing rings like a bell. Just carefully tap on one and you'll hear it. It's sort of like a tweeter. What I find is that the JBL/Peavey will cut thru a mix an a very gentle and sweet way. I think that for steel it's nice to have that set of overtones that you hear from the aluminum dustcap. So many of the great steel recordings even back into the '50s, used a speaker with an aluminum dust cap. JBL, Altec, etc...

It's all personal preference of course.

Brad Sarno

Carl West · Post by **Carl West** » 31 Jul 2002 2:34 pm

Great sound with the two 12" JBL's but the weight is terrible. I used the Twin with the two 12" JBL's along with a Dual Showman enclosure with two 15" JBL's, a cross over network and a Universal driver. Fun setup but a back breaker!

Carl West
Emmons LaGrande

John Russell · Post by **John Russell** » 31 Jul 2002 7:46 pm

I'll reiterate what I said on another thread. You're all quite right, JBLs in a Twin is the sound, but what about all that weight and the maintenance?

I recently reached an acceptable compromise (for me) by going the rack route. I use a Tube Works Real Tube 2 preamp, a GK MLS Micro for the power amp, and a EV15 in a separate cabinet. Easy to haul around, great tone. Two lightweight boxes, the FX fit in the case with the amps.

I also use a Fender Hot Rod Deluxe for practice and on some gigs. It's so sweet I may use it on ALL gigs. Just position it close, mike it up and let the PA do the rest.

I know why you guys put up with the Twins and JBLs, it's called true love! I been there.

--JR