Author Topic: Model T...what speakers do you prefer? 412L is not my cup of tea.  (Read 7632 times)

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Offline thehornedone

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For model t owners out there...what speakers have you used with a model T and which ones did you like/not like?  

I have used mine with a vintage 412L w/ original sunn speakers, a reissue model T 4x12 w/ celestion g12t-75s, and a marshall 1960a, which has the same speakers as the reissue sunn cab.

I eventually found that I despise the pairing of the model T with the 412L speakers.  Compared to g12t-75s, the 412L sounds shrill, hollow, excessively scooped, stiff, and sterile.  The marshall cab and reissue sunn cab that I used make for a good combo.  The model t plays through those cabs with a huge, full sound.  I'm sure if I swapped out the speakers in the 412L, it would sound great.

For the record, I am a guitar player and I use both a standard LP, and a baritone LP through my model T.

Has anyone tried a model T with greenbacks, vintage 30s, or anything else with successful results?  


I'm sure g12t-75s are far from the ideal speaker for a guitar player using a model T, so I'm trying to find out what might be, besides the obvious:  the original 4x12 cab with JBls, which are prohibitively expensive and hard to find.
« Last Edit: March 07, 2011, 10:02:41 am by thehornedone »

Offline pombagira

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Re: Model T...what speakers do you prefer? 412L is not my cup of tea.
« Reply #1 on: March 07, 2011, 01:24:14 pm »
well for my sunn model ts I use 80s Celestion G12-65s in my two JCM800 cabs, then in another two G12-65s and two 80s G12-100s. I manage to get from them a massive sound. I found my model ts ripped through G12-75s like they were going out of fashion. 

Offline thehornedone

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Re: Model T...what speakers do you prefer? 412L is not my cup of tea.
« Reply #2 on: March 07, 2011, 01:57:59 pm »
You mean, you rattled G12T-75s to death with your model T?  I haven't had that result yet, but sometimes they sound so overblown, I'm afraid it's going to happen. 4 are rated at 300 watts, so they should be able to handle it...

Offline Walt-Dogg

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Re: Model T...what speakers do you prefer? 412L is not my cup of tea.
« Reply #3 on: March 07, 2011, 02:20:27 pm »
You mean, you rattled G12T-75s to death with your model T?  I haven't had that result yet, but sometimes they sound so overblown, I'm afraid it's going to happen. 4 are rated at 300 watts, so they should be able to handle it...
Unless your speakers have some age on them, the T will rip them apart from not being worn in and pliable yet. My friend did it to his oversized Mesa 4x12.

Also, that's strange about the 412L, mine was incredibly bassy with the original speakers and was too heavy sounding at the time for me since I was playing punk 'n' roll instead of sludge.
Gibson Les Paul Special
Electra X260
Squier Precision Bass MIJ
Science Hellhawk 100w
Ampeg VT-22/V-4
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Mojotone Bluesbreaker 2x12
Mojotone British 4x12
Ampeg SVT 810

Offline thehornedone

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Re: Model T...what speakers do you prefer? 412L is not my cup of tea.
« Reply #4 on: March 07, 2011, 02:53:32 pm »
You mean, you rattled G12T-75s to death with your model T?  I haven't had that result yet, but sometimes they sound so overblown, I'm afraid it's going to happen. 4 are rated at 300 watts, so they should be able to handle it...
Unless your speakers have some age on them, the T will rip them apart from not being worn in and pliable yet. My friend did it to his oversized Mesa 4x12.

Also, that's strange about the 412L, mine was incredibly bassy with the original speakers and was too heavy sounding at the time for me since I was playing punk 'n' roll instead of sludge.

My 412L was definitely bassy, but the highs were just ice-picky and shrill. Overall, the sound seemed very unbalanced.  Good tip on using new speakers.  Both cabs I've used with G12T-75s were well broken in before ever plugging in the model T.  And both of them have been played at maximum volume for hours on end with no noticeable damage to the speakers.  So maybe that's the key...age them before you let the model T put its full weight on them.

Offline Walt-Dogg

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Re: Model T...what speakers do you prefer? 412L is not my cup of tea.
« Reply #5 on: March 07, 2011, 03:17:33 pm »
You mean, you rattled G12T-75s to death with your model T?  I haven't had that result yet, but sometimes they sound so overblown, I'm afraid it's going to happen. 4 are rated at 300 watts, so they should be able to handle it...
Unless your speakers have some age on them, the T will rip them apart from not being worn in and pliable yet. My friend did it to his oversized Mesa 4x12.

Also, that's strange about the 412L, mine was incredibly bassy with the original speakers and was too heavy sounding at the time for me since I was playing punk 'n' roll instead of sludge.

My 412L was definitely bassy, but the highs were just ice-picky and shrill. Overall, the sound seemed very unbalanced.  Good tip on using new speakers.  Both cabs I've used with G12T-75s were well broken in before ever plugging in the model T.  And both of them have been played at maximum volume for hours on end with no noticeable damage to the speakers.  So maybe that's the key...age them before you let the model T put its full weight on them.
Actually, you're right! I remember that problem at lower volumes, the highs just sucked. And at high volumes it was all bass. You're welcome, common knowledge needs to be common  knowledge! There should be warnings that you will kill the speakers in your brand new cab if you crank your amp the first time you use it. I forgot where I read it but there's a company that makes versions of G12Ts and Vintage 30s and they break them in in the factory so you get full sound and reliable from the speakers the day you start using them. I'm really excited to get a T in the near future and run it with my Marshall 4x12, it's one of the best sounding one's I've ever had, definitely aged a bit.
Gibson Les Paul Special
Electra X260
Squier Precision Bass MIJ
Science Hellhawk 100w
Ampeg VT-22/V-4
Science Mother
Mojotone Bluesbreaker 2x12
Mojotone British 4x12
Ampeg SVT 810

Offline cosmic erosion

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Re: Model T...what speakers do you prefer? 412L is not my cup of tea.
« Reply #6 on: March 07, 2011, 05:58:16 pm »
I always liked my model t with 15s, my fave being an old marshall jcm800 2x15. Vintage 30s were pk, too much mids, at the time. I dig em now w my coliseum pa. I hated emi tonkers, gnar freq that hurt my head. Vht p50s were just sterile. Emi manowars were awesome, smoother t75s. Emi swamp things, huge bass but dull. My fave cab 12 inch cab with my t was a music man ported 2x12. Omg. Granted I went thru a ton of tube changes and cabs with my t before I realized I just didn't like the head. Also, lotta od pedals and 3 guitars. Moved on and am happier for it.

Offline thehornedone

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Re: Model T...what speakers do you prefer? 412L is not my cup of tea.
« Reply #7 on: March 07, 2011, 06:16:20 pm »
I always liked my model t with 15s, my fave being an old marshall jcm800 2x15. Vintage 30s were pk, too much mids, at the time. I dig em now w my coliseum pa. I hated emi tonkers, gnar freq that hurt my head. Vht p50s were just sterile. Emi manowars were awesome, smoother t75s. Emi swamp things, huge bass but dull. My fave cab 12 inch cab with my t was a music man ported 2x12. Omg. Granted I went thru a ton of tube changes and cabs with my t before I realized I just didn't like the head. Also, lotta od pedals and 3 guitars. Moved on and am happier for it.

Thanks for the response. Those manowars sound enticing.  I've never tried them with a model T.  What amp did you move on to, out of curiosity?

Offline stanner

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Re: Model T...what speakers do you prefer? 412L is not my cup of tea.
« Reply #8 on: March 07, 2011, 06:21:50 pm »
>concur< have always loved my T's w/ 15s. Sunn 200S-Marshall 2X15 JCM 800s-Sunn 215BH-Sunn 215B
AMPSSOUNDBETTERLOUDER

Offline pickinatit

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Re: Model T...what speakers do you prefer? 412L is not my cup of tea.
« Reply #9 on: March 09, 2011, 10:29:30 am »
You mean, you rattled G12T-75s to death with your model T?  I haven't had that result yet, but sometimes they sound so overblown, I'm afraid it's going to happen. 4 are rated at 300 watts, so they should be able to handle it...
Unless your speakers have some age on them, the T will rip them apart from not being worn in and pliable yet. My friend did it to his oversized Mesa 4x12.

Also, that's strange about the 412L, mine was incredibly bassy with the original speakers and was too heavy sounding at the time for me since I was playing punk 'n' roll instead of sludge.

My 412L was definitely bassy, but the highs were just ice-picky and shrill. Overall, the sound seemed very unbalanced.  Good tip on using new speakers.  Both cabs I've used with G12T-75s were well broken in before ever plugging in the model T.  And both of them have been played at maximum volume for hours on end with no noticeable damage to the speakers.  So maybe that's the key...age them before you let the model T put its full weight on them.
Actually, you're right! I remember that problem at lower volumes, the highs just sucked. And at high volumes it was all bass. You're welcome, common knowledge needs to be common  knowledge! There should be warnings that you will kill the speakers in your brand new cab if you crank your amp the first time you use it. I forgot where I read it but there's a company that makes versions of G12Ts and Vintage 30s and they break them in in the factory so you get full sound and reliable from the speakers the day you start using them. I'm really excited to get a T in the near future and run it with my Marshall 4x12, it's one of the best sounding one's I've ever had, definitely aged a bit.

Avatar sells "broken in"  Cellestion speakers that they call Hellatones.
I can't speak for a model T  but I have them in the 2 X 12, open back cab that originally came with my Sunn Solarus and I love the sound
( one Vintage G30 Hellatone  and one G12H30 Hellatone )  They sounded great right out of the box  IMO

Check here: http://www.avatarspeakers.com/celestion%20replacements.htm

Offline cosmic erosion

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Re: Model T...what speakers do you prefer? 412L is not my cup of tea.
« Reply #10 on: March 09, 2011, 07:38:22 pm »
I moved onto a sunn studio pa and then a coliseum pa. Both of which I love very much. I just sold my sceptre. It was cool, but I wasn't using it. I just wanted its matching 4x12 cab. Its loaded with wgs et65s and vet 30, which are ok. Lil grainy for me. I dug my scumback h75s I used in an old marshall 4x12 with my studio pa for a bit. Sold those speakers due to money probs. Id love to try some old purple back fanes or goodmans with my coliseum. Esp those goodmans. Love a 4x12 filled with each. One day......

Offline thehornedone

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Re: Model T...what speakers do you prefer? 412L is not my cup of tea.
« Reply #11 on: March 10, 2011, 11:51:07 am »
Anyone have any experience with G12K-100s?  They're said to have huge lows and low-mids.  I think they're the heaviest, most powerful guitar driver Celestion makes.  I bet these would sound great for a model T.  I found some high-quality demos of a guy on a Peters Chimera amp on v30s, greenbacks, g-100s, and more.  The 100s sounded the beefiest and most "open", which I think would mate perfectly with a model T.