I have sold off some gear and I'm ready to try a different speaker with my Exec. The Eminence sounds tight...thats the only way I know how to explain it...

After searching previous posts I'm thinking a Chicago Weber might be a good idea. I'm a little confused on which one would be more suitable, Alnico or Ceramic.

Someone want to give some advice before I pull the trigger?

I would think alnico would sound "warmer" and Ceramic "brighter"? I seem to remember that weber had some good reading...info. on their site...

I too didn't care for the Eminence Legend speaker in my Executive. I replaced it with a JBL D130 F, that sounded better but still didn't cut for me. So I ended up with a Weber ceramic California, (paper dust cover). So far I've been happy with the Weber.

Hey, sonnyjimslim,

Can you give us a rundown of the sonic differences among the three speakers you used in your Exec, as you hear and prefer them? I like the Eminence in my Exec, but I love what the JBLs do in other amps I own. And I have no experience with the Weber Californias.

Paul/FF909

I too didn't care for the Eminence Legend speaker in my Executive. I replaced it with a JBL D130 F, that sounded better but still didn't cut for me. So I ended up with a Weber ceramic California, (paper dust cover). So far I've been happy with the Weber.

I had a similar experience with my Executive. I connected a (reconed) JBL D130 (in a speaker cabinet) to my Executive using a speaker cable from the Exec's output jack to the JBL's cabinet input jack. To my ears, it sounded better, but there still seemed to be "something missing"....

I ended up buying a Standel 25L15 with a "new" (NOS) JBL D130 which sounds FABULOUS. With the acquisition of the Standel, I could not justify (or afford) keeping the Executive so I sold it.

In doing some tinkering with the Standel, it is VERY difficult to hear much difference between the reconed JBL and the NOS JBL. Therefore, I would conclude that (for whatever reason....) the JBL D130 is not a "perfect" match for the Executive.

I have a WGS alnico 15" which was supposed to be an upgrade for the Legend. It's in my Regal. I went to a music store to listen to a Regal with a Legend. The alnico WGS lacks mids. The Legend sounded more linear. I can't say the alnico speaker is warmer or whatever. Maybe when it breaks up but I never play like that.

Meber Wolf on TGP, also known as Opaltone on TDPRI, he had these remarks about the Legend:

The Legend has tighter, fatter lows than the original Weber-made AlNiCo (15A150B-ish) that came with my Regal. It is not as raw, however; its smooth. My favorite 15" in the Regal remains now the Altec 418B, which has more upper-mid emphasis, and thinner lows, with a nice airy liveliness.

I'd like to have a Legend speaker. Seems shipping a used one will be too expensive...

Then move to where you can get it less expensively.

Bring it to me.

Like T-Mayes I found the Eminence Legend feeling and sounding a bit tight. The JBL D130 F had some interesting mids and highs but lacked warm lows, the JBL is still original (never been reconed) but could be worn out or just not suited to an Executive. The Weber ceramic California (paper dust cover) seems to give me warm lows, nice mids and sweet glassy highs when pushed and it dosen't feel or sound tight. I have a 1967 Ampeg Gemini II, it has a 15" Jensen Vibronto speaker which was a upgrade or replacement for the Gemini II back then, it is without a doubt the best sounding 15" guitar speaker I ever heard, I never jumpered it to the Executive being that if I really liked it would never fit into the Executive unless I relocated the power tubes along with the fact that I believe the ohm rating is not 8!

So anymore input regarding alnico vs ceramic?

BTW, just fixed my foot switch. It was a short at the TRS. Weeeee. Now I get experience this popping that everyone keeps mentioning...not really a problem for me though.

Ok. +2 for the California now!

I've had nothing but good luck and tone with WeberVST speakers.

Good products and people. Ted will always be missed, but I'm sure that TA is leading the way.

Not sure if this is still available, but they used to "break in" your speaker at no charge.

Open the box, install the new/broken in speaker, and enjoy the tone instantly

Just out of curiosity, I wonder what it takes to "break in" a speaker. ?

Getting ready to pull the trigger on a Weber California ceramic with paper.

5...4...3...2...........

I just received my Weber Cali ceramic with the large paper H dome. Have not installed it yet, but will sometime later this week. I had mine pre-broken in. They play loud source material through it for 3 days non-stop.

Just out of curiosity, I wonder what it takes to "break in" a speaker. ?

It takes a while for the fibers in the cone to 'loosen up', until the cone gets its designed stiffness. Untill that has happened, the cone will be stiffer than the design target. This will make the speaker sound a little brighter and rougher.

On the vintage amp forum there was a guy who just hooked up the 50Hz or 60Hz mains through a variac to break in the speaker. Left it like that for a couple of days inside a box with lots of acoustic isolation. Others use loud music. Either will work, as long as the cone makes big movements for a couple of days.

After that it's broken in and you get the sound that it was designed to produce.

Orrrrrr you just use it as an excuse to play more..

I think it takes several month of regular playing to hear what a speaker is really gonna sound like and the only way around its been the fabreze trick, or windex and water mix that is sprayed on the cone over time to slowly loosen the fibers.. even then the rest of the speaker structure needs to see heavy vibration to loosen up. Brian Gerhard of Tophat amps feels that most alnico speakers need up to one year of performance playing for proper break in.

OK, so I just finished installing the new Weber California Ceramic (large H paper dome - warmest version) in my Gretsch Executive.

WOW ! What a difference over the Emi Legend, which I though sounded pretty darn good.

Hard to describe sound, but the Weber is not as bright as the Legend. Both the highs (crisp, clear, not at all brittle) and the lows (tight, punchy) are extremely focused giving the impression of much better clarity, quality etc.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED for your Gretsch Executive !

Glad your enjoying the Weber, Mitch.

I recieved an email from Weber a couple days ago giving me an order number but saying my payment transaction was declined and I was to try another form of payment. I sent a couple emails to reply and got nothing back from them.

...I guess I'll call them tomorrow and see what's up...

Mine took about 7 weeks from order to door...just FYI

7 weeks?! Holy cow.

I'm not in any hurry but dang!

I was browsing the Weber site just yesterday. Apparently, they don't make your speaker until after you order one. I'm really wanting to get a ceramic Michigan 15 to use with my Pignose 6L6 G40V.