Weber 12-Speaker Shootout

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This is a shootout of 12 different Ted Weber Speakers playing the same riffs. Please use the time stamps below to jump between clips! Introduction/explanation from 0:00 to 5:38, when guitar starts.
START HERE - Rapid Fire Clips
5:38 - Vox AC15CH
6:18 - Marshall SV20H Plexi
7:14 - Mojotone 5E3 Tweed Deluxe
7:48 - Egnater Tweaker - US voice
8:47 - Trinity Triwatt
9:43 - Orange Dark Terror
By Amp
Vox AC15CH - medium overdrive - Gibson CS-336
10:10 Blue Dog
10:34 Legacy
10:59 1230-55
11:23 FC12
11:47 Silver Bell
12:11 12A125A
12:35 12A125H
12:59 12F150
13:23 12F150B
13:47 12A150H
14:12 California 12
14:36 CV123
Vox AC15CH - Top Boost - cleanish - '65 Firebird
15:07 Blue Dog
15:27 Legacy
15:47 1230-55
16:07 FC12
16:27 Silver Bell
16:47 12A125A
17:06 12A125H
17:27 12F150
17:46 12F150B
18:06 12A150H
18:26 California 12
18:46 CV123
Marshall SV20H Plexi - OD - ES-335
19:09 Blue Dog
19:28 Legacy
19:48 1230-55
20:07 FC12
20:26 Silver Bell
20:45 12A125A
21:04 12A125H
21:23 12F150
21:43 12F150B
22:02 12A150H
22:21 California 12
22:40 CV123
Marshall SV20H Plexi - cleanish - ES-335
23:02 Blue Dog
23:20 Legacy
23:37 1230-55
23:55 FC12
24:23 Silver Bell
24:30 12A125A
24:46 12A125H
25:04 12F150
25:21 12F150B
25:38 12A150H
25:56 California 12
26:13 CV123
5E3 Tweed Deluxe - cleanish - Telecaster
26:33 Blue Dog
26:51 Legacy
27:10 1230-55
27:28 FC12
27:46 Silver Bell
28:04 12A125A
28:23 12A125H
28:41 12F150
29:00 12F150B
29:18 12A150H
29:36 California 12
29:55 CV123
5E3 Tweed Deluxe - OD - '65 Firebird
30:15 Blue Dog
30:39 Legacy
31:03 1230-55
31:27 FC12
31:51 Silver Bell
32:15 12A125A
32:39 12A125H
33:03 12F150
33:28 12F150B
33:52 12A150H
34:16 California 12
34:40 CV123
Egnater Tweaker - US - '65 Firebird
35:12 Blue Dog
35:32 Legacy
35:52 1230-55
36:12 FC12
36:32 Silver Bell
36:52 12A125A
37:12 12A125H
37:32 12F150
37:52 12F150B
38:11 12A150H
38:31 California 12
38:51 CV123
Egnater Tweaker - AC - ES-335
39:12 Blue Dog
39:29 Legacy
39:47 1230-55
40:04 FC12
40:21 Silver Bell
40:39 12A125A
40:56 12A125H
41:13 12F150
41:31 12F150B
41:48 12A150H
42:05 California 12
42:22 CV123
Trinity Triwatt - Link clean - ES-335
42:47 Blue Dog
43:05 Legacy
43:22 1230-55
43:39 FC12
43:57 Silver Bell
44:14 12A125A
44:31 12A125H
44:48 12F150
45:06 12F150B
45:23 12A150H
45:41 California 12
45:58 CV123
Trinity Triwatt - Normal - ES-335
46:16 Blue Dog
46:40 Legacy
47:04 1230-55
47:28 FC12
47:53 Silver Bell
48:17 12A125A
48:41 12A125H
49:05 12F150
49:29 12F150B
49:53 12A150H
50:18 California 12
50:41 CV123
Trinity Triwatt - Overdrive - P90 Firebird
51:06 Blue Dog
51:32 Legacy
51:57 1230-55
52:22 FC12
52:47 Silver Bell
53:12 12A125A
53:38 12A125H
54:02 12F150
54:28 12F150B
54:53 12A150H
55:19 California 12
55:44 CV123
Orange Dark Terror - High gain - P90 Firebird
56:10 Blue Dog
56:36 Legacy
57:00 1230-55
57:26 FC12
57:51 Silver Bell
58:16 12A125A
58:41 12A125H
59:07 12F150
59:32 12F150B
59:57 12A150H
1:00:22 California 12
1:00:48 CV123
Gibson GA15RV - cleanish
1:01:14 Blue Dog
1:01:32 Legacy
1:01:50 1230-55
1:02:09 FC12
1:02:27 Silver Bell
1:02:46 12A125A
1:03:04 12A125H
1:03:22 12F150
1:03:41 12F150B
1:03:59 12A150H
1:04:17 California 12
Gibson GA20RVT - crunch
1:04:37 Blue Dog
1:04:57 Legacy
1:05:17 1230-55
1:05:37 FC12
1:05:57 Silver Bell
1:06:17 12A125A
1:06:37 12A125H
1:06:57 12F150
1:07:16 12F150B
1:07:37 12A150H
1:07:56 California 12
Guytronix Gilmore Jr. 1/2 Watt
1:08:18 Blue Dog
1:08:37 Legacy
1:08:55 1230-55
1:09:15 FC12
1:09:34 Silver Bell
1:09:53 12A125A
1:10:12 12A125H
1:10:32 12F150
1:10:50 12F150B
1:11:10 12A150H
1:11:29 California 12
1:11:48 CV123
By Speaker
Blue Dog
10:10
15:07
19:09
23:02
26:33
30:15
35:12
39:12
42:47
46:16
51:06
56:10
1:01:14
1:04:37
1:08:18
Legacy
10:34
15:27
19:28
23:20
26:51
30:39
35:32
39:29
43:05
46:40
51:32
56:36
1:01:32
1:04:57
1:08:37
1230-55
27:10
31:03
35:52
39:47
43:22
47:04
51:57
57:00
1:01:50
1:05:17
1:08:55
FC12
11:23
16:07
20:07
23:55
27:28
31:27
36:12
40:04
43:39
47:28
52:22
57:26
1:02:09
1:05:37
1:09:15
Silver Bell
11:47
16:27
20:26
24:23
27:46
31:51
36:32
40:21
43:57
47:53
52:47
57:51
1:02:27
1:05:57
1:09:34
12A125A
12:11
16:47
20:45
24:30
28:04
32:15
36:52
40:39
44:14
48:17
53:12
58:16
1:02:46
1:06:17
1:09:53
12A125H
12:35
17:06
21:04
24:46
28:23
32:39
37:12
40:56
44:31
48:41
53:38
58:41
1:03:04
1:06:37
1:10:12
12F150
12:59
17:27
21:23
25:04
28:41
33:03
37:32
41:13
44:48
49:05
54:02
59:07
1:03:22
1:06:57
1:10:32
12F150B
13:23
17:46
21:43
25:21
29:00
33:28
37:52
41:31
45:06
49:29
54:28
59:32
1:03:41
1:07:16
1:10:50
12A150H
13:47
18:06
22:02
25:38
29:18
33:52
38:11
41:48
45:23
49:53
54:53
59:57
1:03:59
1:07:37
1:11:10
California 12
14:12
18:26
22:21
25:56
29:36
34:16
38:31
42:05
45:41
50:18
55:19
1:00:22
1:04:17
1:07:56
1:11:29
CV123
14:36
18:46
22:40
26:13
29:55
34:40
38:51
42:22
45:58
50:41
55:44
1:00:48
1:11:48
45:23
49:53
54:53
59:57
1:03:59
1:07:37
1:11:10

[@danielwhelan4867]

This video is incredible. It's clear that a lot of time and hard work went into it. This type of thing will lead to better music being created, well done and thank you

[@ElliotGKnapp]

It was definitely a lot of hours and a surprising amount of sweat! I am so glad to hear that people are finding it useful, which means it was worth the effort!!

[@SilentJayBird]

I agree with Daniel. Thank you, Elliot.

[@johnschneider3549]

This is amazing.. I have waited for this for years!! Thank you!

[@druwk]

Really exhaustive play through. Very thorough. It’s amazing to hear the difference, and to hear when an amp is playing through a “better” match. Great Company, and so many cool speakers!

[@johnk1527]

Amazing job! I can only imagine the time and effort it took to put this all together. Thank you! I love me some good speaker shootouts, and the webers sounds really good.

[@MikeSW]

Came out the other side of this favoring the 12F150B Thanks for this. It's helping narrow stuff down quite a bit.

[@kevinobrien3888]

You have NO idea how helpful this is for me. I’m looking to go “out of the box” for my sound. I found Worshiper cabinets the other day and Weber speakers/amps just yesterday.

[@pastorkev777]

For weird tones the CV123 is a good option, look up Cleveland Alnico speakers, those has a unique sound too.

[@MentalFrizbee]

Fantastic! This needs to be higher on the youtube list

[@shaunsanders9673]

Thanks for the hard work - this is excellent.

[@starcycle1]

That Blue Dog just sounds so good and perfectly balanced. Thx 4 vid

[@tracksinthebox8323]

This is really useful. Thanks for posting!

[@76standard]

I'm a big fan of Weber speakers. Have a 2x12 open back extension cabinet loaded with 12F150s for my '69 Fender Bassman head, that works great. I also have a '77 Fender Pro Reverb loaded with two 12A150 speakers that is fabulous. I get so many really nice comments about the Pro Reverb. One of the really great things about Ted Weber speakers is their customer support. You can actually talk to real person who can guide you through the evaluation process of selecting a speaker(s). They made recommendations based on my gear, and playing style. I couldn't be happier with their recommendations.

[@rickschiller]

Holy Moses! the work that went into this video and the great organization to actually compare tones. While the video wasn't helpful to me as I wanted to hear clean Jazz tones and what the Weber "S" cone speaker sound like, I have to admire and thank the author of this work.

[@dotconnector76]

I'm all about the brutal high gain stuff, so my favorite out of your speakers is the CV123. Great in depth video which makes buying decisions simple. I like the rapid fire clips, and the extended ones as well.

[@ElliotGKnapp]

Thank you! Through the process of making the video I also developed a greater appreciation for the FC12, which is also rated for high power-I actually have it in a 2x12 with the CV123. It might not come across as much with the SM57 but the bass on the CV123 is reaaaally tight, so the low end emphasis of the FC12 provides a nice balance (in addition to benefiting from the CV’s upper mid emphasis). It’s definitely a mid-forward “character” combo!

[@dotconnector76]

@@ElliotGKnapp -It's probably good you used a SM57, as everyone uses that microphone for comparison purposes. The VS123 does sound tight, with good low end. I wonder if Weber knows you did this shootout? They should embed this video in their product pages like they did for the Tone Cvlt speakers, from the Frayle channel. Keep up the great work.

[@jeromesaragosa540]

you did amazing work, thank you

[@pastorkev777]

Awesome job! The Blue Dog, 1230-55, and CV123 were my favorites. I had a vintage Cerwin Vega and it had this huge dark tone, amazing for leads. Some vintage are brighter than others. My favorite speakers I use are vintage ribbed cone Alnico Magnavox (not jensen style), Eminence delta 12a, Panama BFB, vintage Heppner smooth Alnico, and Celestion Super 65 (G12N-65).

[@dwightpeters]

Cool to hear. Just grabbed a used CV123, and looking forward to getting it!

[@firststep7750]

Just for my reference. Marshall SV20H Plexi - OD - ES-335 19:09 - Blue Dog; 19:28 - Legacy; 19:48 - 1230-55; 20:07 - FC12; 20:26 - Silver Bell; 20:45 - 12A125A; 21:04 - 12A125H; 21:23 - 12F150; 21:43 - 12F150B; 22:02 - 12A150H; 22:21 - California 12; 22:40 - CV123

[@DeadKoby]

I've built quite a few Weber amp kits. I like their speakers too. Although I don't want to disparage ANY speaker maker, I like to support an independent US company. There's so many speakers out there, I think you've done a respectable job with this shootout.

[@nickknee-case298]

This is super impressive!

[@nickknee-case298]

Thanks for taking the time

[@leiferickson3183]

Wow! Just found this - this is truly amazing work! I would appreciate a second mic in the room to be listened to separately. I feel like there is less variability from mic placement even though the room colors the sound. I think it is better for qualitative comparison. This is so great! Keep this up for a while and your channel will become huge. I am half posting just to help you out on the platform.

[@ElliotGKnapp]

Thank you for the support! Obviously too late to add a room mic to this experiment, but I will be doing a shootout of a few additional Weber speakers (and some of these again) paired with classic Fender blackface circuits at some point and will definitely bear it in mind!

[@leiferickson3183]

@@ElliotGKnapp Yes yes, I do mean for the future of course. I feel like Weber is probably good stuff but there are so few decent examples of well done recordings like this for comparison. Right now I am thinking of getting a 15 and I am trying to decide between the Alnico Blue Dog 15 and the 15A150... There are so many options for the 15A150 it is difficult to decipher exactly what they actually mean. Do you like the Hemp speakers better, worse, or are they just different? I am thinking they might be better for recording quietly with an attenuator? I have been currently obsessed with 2 videos - 1).1953 "Fender Tweed Pro Amp Wide Panel - Jim Comparato Demo" and 2). "1964 Fender Vibroverb - Iso Lab" from John Bohlinger.

[@garrettstiles7808]

Wow what a small world -- I found this spectacular video while speaker comparing and thought I recognized the name. Turns out I have an album of Elliot's from back in college. Cool video from a cool musician!

[@ElliotGKnapp]

Garrett, nice to hear from you man--what kind of amp are you looking to pair a Weber with?

[@garrettstiles7808]

@@ElliotGKnapp Same man! I'm trying to mix a pair of Weber 10s for a 2x10 cab that's primarily hooked up to an Allen Classic 57, basically a 5F4 tweed Super. I'm nervous picking 10s based on sound clips of 12s but there's not many high quality Weber comparos out there (this vid REALLY stands out!)

[@garrettstiles7808]

Thinking of a Blue Pup and an alnico 10 with a hemp cone...

[@ejomo11]

God Bless You, Sir!! This is just off the charts helpful. I have been on a speaker quest for a few months now, and honestly, Weber speakers haven't really been on my radar. However I may be purchasing a couple of CV123's after listening to your sound samples. They just have a certain unique quality to them. Clear, and cutting through, but with personality. I am trying to define my own signature tone and, and I think I may have found it.. You Rock, My Friend!!

[@ElliotGKnapp]

Glad to hear it was helpful, hope your tone quest is successful!

[@ejomo11]

@@ElliotGKnapp Is the cab an open or closed back design?

[@ElliotGKnapp]

Closed back-important question!

[@ejomo11]

​@@ElliotGKnapp Hi Elliot. I'm just about ready to pull the trigger on a couple of CV123's and as I look at Weber's website, I see that they give you the option of what level of doping you want. Do you remember what you selected for the CV123 that you have in these samples? From the photo it looks like it's either the moderate or heavy. Do you remember? Thanks in advance.

[@ElliotGKnapp]

eric moser I always go for light doping! None and you will risk cone cry, too much and it’ll probably slow your break-in and they’ll be real stiff, but it’s all personal taste ultimately!

[@michaelandmelanieasby4378]

Great great video!!!!

[@stoutcoffee493]

I like the CV-123 the most here. Then again, I like darker voiced speakers, and the CV-123s strike a good balance with being “present” without much sizzle like some of these other speakers, especially during the high gain shootout. I’m going to be pairing mine with Weber Dire Wolves in my 4x12 when they come in the mail.

[@michaelclark5020]

So much work

[@goswo]

Respect!!!!!! 12F150 :-)

[@kevinoconnor2921]

When Ted Weber was alive, he personally picked out a 12" 16ohm "Silverbell" & a 12" 16ohm "Blue Bulldog" for a fender twin, & have been impressed with the combo since 2008!

[@Drughi22Bianconeri]

Thank you!

[@JimmyBen]

The CV123 sounds like it would work with anything. It wasn't always the best sounding, but it was never bad.

[@ElliotGKnapp]

It does work for pretty much everything, unless you want a big bottom end-it’s very tight. I have it in a 2x12 with the FC12 and they sound fantastic together.

[@dwightpeters]

@@ElliotGKnapp that sounds like it would be an amazing combination!

[@Bob.Silverstein]

Hey -- thanks for doing this -- I appreciate how much effort goes into creating a controlled experiment. I did some quick scoring of your rapid-fire clips, and was finding my ears preferring Blue Dog, Legacy, 12F150, 1230-55 scoring highest overall, though subjectively when I go back through I am not sure why I scored the 1230-55 so high, since its tonality isn't really my preference - I just think it's consistently "not bad" :) such that I gave it decent scores for that alone. I'm looking to select a speaker for a Trinity Tramp that I just built. I imagine you might be at least passingly familiar with that amp, having built a Trinity amp yourself. This amp takes a single power tube, which can be either 6V6, 6L6, or EL34, and has a few different push/pull knobs that give you everything from very clean Fender-ish tones up through Marshall crunch. I'm looking for something that can span that range, and I'll be playing through it with a range of guitars (Tele, Strat, Les Paul). So basically something versatile. Although the amp can deliver the high gain, I probably won't see myself using those settings that often, as I am much more of a clean-to-edge-of-overdrive (1970s Keith Richards being one of my favorite sounds) with an occasional urge for 1970s Aerosmith or AC/DC tones. I've already played it through my 12A100A (in my 5E3 cabinet), a Vintage 30 (in a Mesa 1x12 combo), and a custom 2 x 8" cabinet that I built with a WGC G8C + 1970s 8" Jensen Alnico. The amp sounds great through all three, so in a sense, I don't think I can go wrong... I was already considering the Blue Dog and Legacy before I came to your video, and I'm coming away thinking maybe one of those, or maybe the 12F150? Any thoughts on getting 1970s sounds + versatility from clean to crunch, when choosing among those three, from all of your experimentation? I'm also much more of a rhythm player than lead, so it is mostly chords, and almost never playing single notes high on the neck. Thanks again!

[@ElliotGKnapp]

Howdy, the Blue Dog is a pretty good all-rounder but wouldn't be my top 12" choice for a Champ-style amp. I really love the 12F150B with my Champ, and another that's not in this video that I think is stellar is the 12F150W, which is also American-voiced but with a lot more midrange, which would give you some good honk that your 12A100 probably doesn't have. Wouldn't be bad to have a British-voiced speaker around, but I wouldn't rank it highest with a Champ...but of course, your mileage may vary!

[@evankolpack]

Great comparison! The Legacy ceramic wins it for me. I've got that bright jangly Fender thing in my '66 Twin, looking for a more balanced, smooth sound that isn't flat/dull. Watched a ton of shootouts and the whole line of Webers is amazing, but particularly the Legacy ceramic. 12A125A was very nice too. I'm curious what the Legacy Alnico sounds like in comparison to those two.

[@ElliotGKnapp]

Me too! I've been veering heavily toward alnico lately and the Legacy is on my list--the ceramic 75hz was too spiky in my Plexi clone so I swapped for the 55, but I'm thinking an alnico 75 might do the trick. There's almost nothing out there about people's experience with alnico Legacy...

[@levijessegonzalez3629]

Im really liking the tone tubby hemp / alnico speakers....what Webber speakers will get me there?

[@ElliotGKnapp]

Not really familiar with Tone Tubby but Weber offers hemp and alnico on many/most of their speakers. I’d have to know which TT you’re talking about (i.e. US or UK voiced) to suggest a Weber alternative.

[@stevenpseeley1612]

Amazing Video!! To my ears, the FC12 didn't sound good with any amp. I also felt all the hemp cones were too dark and muddy unless they were driven at higher gain. The 12A125A (which Weber recommends for Vintage Tweed) sounded too week - which is maybe what true vintage was. I'm afraid it would sound too jangly if under too much power. I'm searching for a speaker I can pair with a modded 5F1 circuit. My favorites were the 12F150B and the California 12. Both of them had clarity and a touch of sparkle running cleanish, and also had the cut I'm looking for with mild gain. A close second was the 12F150, and I appreciated the pushed mids the British cone version offered. The Blue Dog was tied with the 12F150, but at almost double the price I'll stick with the Ceramic Cali or the 12F150B. Again, incredible video. The way you had the time stamps in there helped out alot. Thanks.

[@ElliotGKnapp]

Honestly, every comment that says the video was helpful is such a relief--it was a long process making it, so I'm so happy to hear it was worthwhile! I think we're hearing similar things! For my tastes (I like it on the brighter end), the hemp was mostly not to my style, although I totally agree that things get interesting when you hit them with distortion harmonics (I've had a lot of fun experimenting with that separately). I actually built a 5F1 myself some months ago and can confirm that it sounds great with the 12F150B, but the standard 12F150 might rob it of its Tweed character a bit since it's so predisposed to the that scooped BF tone. I think 12A125A would be a good pairing too, but it is indeed jangly. I actually had my least favorite hemp speaker (the 12A150H) re-coned to be a 12A150W after this video was created, and it absolutely kills--I think it's a good match with the 5F1, too, and brings more midrange content into the picture similarly to the B cone. CA12 would be physically a somewhat ironic pairing with the 5F1 since it's so dang heavy, but sounds good...as long as you like the way it sounds distorted. Blue Dogs are much more affordable with a ceramic magnet. And on the FC12--it took my ears some time to appreciate that speaker, but now it's one of my favorites. While it's not an all-rounder that works with every single amp, it's got some amazing mojo and a mid characteristic I can only describe as "juicy." It might not be as well-suited to the constraints of this comparison, since I would normally be tweaking the knobs a bit to get the best sounds out of it due to its unique tonal profile. Best of luck on your tone quest!

[@skelly8185]

@@ElliotGKnapp great input... should definitely be in the video

[@cmatte82]

First off. Ginormous thanks for doing this. I’ve always appreciated how much difference the speakers make. Most people don’t realize how much it affects the tone. This definitely shows it. Hopefully in the next couple of days I can sit down and really listen to them all on proper monitors. However for now, I just got an Egnater tweaker 15w combo. It’s open back and you said these were in a closed back cab. So I know they won’t sound exactly the same. But which would be your pick for best all around with the tweaker? I like cleanish to crunchy tones. Nothing too heavy. I have other amps for if I want that. Anyway just looking for something that is a bit mid forward. But not boxy in the lows or too harsh in the highs. But still clear sounding.

[@ElliotGKnapp]

Nice, my Tweaker 15 has served me well for many years. I’m all about the Blue Dog when it comes to the Tweaker-the alnico smooths out the transients at high volume. If you want really punchy go ceramic. I believe the speaker that comes with Egnater’s combos and extensions is more of a greenback style, so those might be worth a try too. Probably neither here nor there, but the Tweaker’s AC setting (typically my least used setting) sounds incredible with the FC12 and hot single coils.

[@cmatte82]

@@ElliotGKnapp yes it has a g12h anniversary. Which is definitely based on their older designs. And I have a Marshall 2061cx cab that had a pair of them and I love. And it honestly sounds pretty good in this amp. But I’ve always wanted to try an alnico. Just in general. So I guess my last question is. How efficient is the blue dog? Quieter is actually better for me. And it’s no doubt plenty loud haha.

[@ElliotGKnapp]

@@cmatte82 I guess I would say “medium” efficiency? Some of the speakers on this (particularly the ceramic American ones) are loud AF; the Blue Dog is quieter than those but not as quiet as the Silver Bell or 12A125H. It’s pretty hard to tell until you have 2 of them side-by side in a 2x12 and can only hear one! I wish Weber collected/posted data on this. Additionally, I had the 12A150H from this video reconed and converted to a 12A150W, which I absolutely love-it’s more American voiced but with a midrange push and without the scoop.

[@make_wave]

Thanks for a detailed and well-done video demo! I noticed on the Weber web site that there are several options available for the Blue Dog speaker. What type did you use? Ceramic or Alnico? Paper or hemp? What power wattage? And what kind of doping?

[@ElliotGKnapp]

Hi--most of the info you're asking about is on the screen while each speaker is playing. All of the speakers in this video have light dope except for the FC12 and Legacy, which both have pre-rola doping, which is a combination of heavy dope and a treatment to the speaker cone.

[@josedealva4205]

damn! nice!

[@fdgdfgvvdfvred6305]

Do you like the c1230-55 or the 12a125a more? Awesome video!

[@ElliotGKnapp]

Tough question because they're on very different ends of the spectrum...I guess I would say 1230-55, but it really depends on the amp. I wouldn't put a 1230-55 in a 5E3, and I wouldn't pair a 12A125A with a Plexi!

[@drewg3087]

What an amazing concept and the work gone into it, you deserve at least $1-2k in payment. I’m trying to decide on the 125125a vs the 125125S which is supposed to be “warmer” and have more mid range. Any chance of opinions on that or sound?

[@ElliotGKnapp]

Howdy, apologies for the late reply--I am rarely monitoring comment here. I don't have any experience with the ceramic 1.25" voice coil Webers, but I've tried most of the AlNiCo ones--I love the 12A125S--it's probably my favorite of this range. A bit smoother up top, with just the right low end control--love it in the 6G2 I built, and I could see it working really well for something like a Princeton Reverb despite the fact that it's not marketed for black panel Fenders. The "A" version is a bit more brash, as heard in this demo. If you want something brighter, the A is the way to go...even darker than the S is the H, which I also like a lot too, it's just noticeably less sensitive.

[@kenursaki1841]

Love your style of playing. Primus inspired? 👍

[@ElliotGKnapp]

Thank you! Not a Primus fan in particular but I would guess we are fans of the same artists 😄

[@KennSteinersen]

Great job Elliot. I have to ask you: were the speakers brand new (out of the box) or broken-in?

[@ElliotGKnapp]

They were all broken in by Weber (they use a variac for their break-in service) and each had varying amounts of break-in after that.

[@dotconnector76]

I really love Weber Tone Cvlt speakers. My go to Webers are 15" Werewolf and 15" Wolverine.

[@ElliotGKnapp]

I haven’t tried those, or any 15” for that matter! They are geared toward metal, yeah?

[@dotconnector76]

@@ElliotGKnapp -They sound really great with distortion and fuzz. I've had the Eminance Red Coat 15" which is a similar speaker, but doesn't sound nearly as good. I've had many Celestions as well. I only buy Weber speakers from now on.

[@ozm8642]

​@@dotconnector76I want to play bass with those speakers but through a guitar amp. Any suggestions??? 1x15 or 2x15?

[@dotconnector76]

@@ozm8642 -Weber has two Werewolf versions, one for guitar 80 watts, and the other for bass 150 watts. It depends on how much power output, and the weight of the cabinet. I think two Werewolf sounds better than one.

[@GIBKEL]

That was a revelation?

[@jaychen2000metal]

Would love to see this with an overdrive into a Peavey 6505 or Dual Rec etc

[@levijessegonzalez3629]

Can you explain what type of doping you got with these speakers? are they all regular paper cones unless otherwise specified with hemp?

[@ElliotGKnapp]

All paper or hemp as described, light dope on everything except the pre-rola speakers (Legacy and FC12), which have a wide band of dope and a specially treated cone.

[@levijessegonzalez3629]

@@ElliotGKnapp Thanks. Whats the closest to a late 60s Marshall "Hendrix" speaker they offer?

[@ElliotGKnapp]

@@levijessegonzalez3629 WOW, their speakers are expensive! It's hard to imagine any perceived sonic edge they might have outweighing the almost 2x price increase from similar speakers offered by Weber and many other brands out there. Tough to decipher their marketing language but based on the sales pitch, appearance of the cone, and specs they provide, it's probably going for something in the British-voiced territory. I would reach out to Weber and ask what they would suggest is closest (they are very helpful with customer inquiries), but my best guess is something like their 1230 with a hemp cone, or maybe the Silver Bell, although as you can hear in this demo that one is pretty smooth and dark with the hemp cone.

[@levijessegonzalez3629]

@@ElliotGKnapp Yeah they are! But even though they (T.T.) have hemp cones, there's a certain clarity to them that I'm not hearing with webber or any other hemp speaker for that matter. Although Ive not really seen any side by side comparisons, so too many variables to draw a conclusion

[@ElliotGKnapp]

@@levijessegonzalez3629 I agree, from what little I've head the TTs definitely have more top end than other hemp cones I've experienced. Ultimately, if you want more top end out of the speaker you're looking for, then hemp might not necessarily be a must-have. If you're looking for a British-voiced speaker with more low end but still some top end, the 1230-55 is a great option. Or just start saving up for one of those Purple Haze...

[@Bob.Silverstein]

Do you mind sharing your DI process you used to make the clips?

[@ElliotGKnapp]

Been a couple years so the specifics are lost to the sands of the time, but in general it's pretty simple. Guitar->500 series pre (probably the Radial Twin Servo)->Logic Pro X. Logic Pro X->Radial JCR Reamper -> Amplifier. I think I used an AEA RPQ500 as the pre for the miked amps for this one.

[@beatleme2]

Came to hear the Cali 12 if it sounds like a real JBL d120f/d131 and really to me the FC-12 sounds more the JBL in this test..edit thanks for the effort in making this video - i'll keep my heavy d120f i guess

[@ElliotGKnapp]

Interesting! I have no vintage JBL experience but if they’re big and broad then they’re more like the FC12...my CA12 is a lot brighter.

[@fdgdfgvvdfvred6305]

What's your favorite with plexi and single coils?

[@ElliotGKnapp]

fdgdfgv vdfvred Good question. You can’t go wrong with the greenback style and Marshall, but while I’d go Legacy for most combos the 1230-55 could probably fills in the bottom a bit more. The FC12 is great with single coils too, when you start cranking the gain a little it gets really juicy with the mid emphasis. I haven’t had the SV20 as long as some of the other amps so I haven’t played as much with high gain single coil sounds on it.

[@fdgdfgvvdfvred6305]

@@ElliotGKnapp right on, thanks for the reply. I currently have a 50 watt homemade plexi with a superlead tonestack and 4x12 with m style 75hz greenbacks. I think I want less midrange and more low end with my strat through it. You think the 1230 55 would do well?

[@ElliotGKnapp]

fdgdfgv vdfvred I do: the Legacy is essentially a 75hz Greenback with some doping bells and whistles, so if you compare those clips with the 1230-55 you should get an idea. It’s a bit subtle but the 55 has more low end and mellower top-they also blend well so you could potentially use a mix in your 4x12.

[@chrisgadd]

Do you know what kind of doping was on the 1230-55?

[@ElliotGKnapp]

Light dope on every speaker except the ones that get pre-rola standard!

[@paulcowart3174]

Blue Dog for me please

[@danielpguitar]

This melody gave me nightmares

[@stevencancel1727]

Geez, using a Yamaha G100 series lll (3) with 2/12 open back with a pair of Weber 12A125 alnico Jensen copies, plug a tele in this rig might be the best Black Face Fender tone on the planet guarantee your jaw on the floor tone!!

[@zAvAvAz]

56:36

[@aquanova16]

Are all these speakers doped the same?

[@ElliotGKnapp]

My standard is light dope, but some of them have pre-rola treatment endemic to the speaker model (FC-12, Legacy). You can see it pretty clearly in the pics as a big band of dope around the surround.

[@aquanova16]

@@ElliotGKnapp have you played the same speaker with different amounts of doping. I’m really curious how much the dope amounts affect the sound of a speaker. I always go for light dope as well but this is what originally led me to your shootout. Looking at the 12a125 for a 50s tweed and wanted to investigate the doping options sounds

[@ElliotGKnapp]

@@aquanova16 I have not. Based on Weber’s dope guide I’ve always considered it more of a utility constraint, and I’ve never experienced cone cry so never felt the need to go beyond the minimum. Also haven’t had any issues with light dope on either of my 12A125 variants with a cranked 5E3.

[@aquanova16]

@@ElliotGKnapp that’s how I was looking at it as well. Thanks for the replies and for the content!

[@colonelbrando]

How loud is the FC-12 ? Louder than a vintage 30 or quieter?

[@ElliotGKnapp]

No idea, sorry! The FC12 is pretty loud, at least compared to the rest of the speakers in this shootout, but beyond that I haven't compared it with other brands and don't own a V30.

[@colonelbrando]

@@ElliotGKnapp good enough, thanks for answering, weber db rating is hard to pin down. I doubt it could be under 97 which is what I was hoping. Love the tone but too loud for my bedroom lol.

[@daviddavids2884]

some late thoughts. you may realize that it is inherently difficult to evaluate the output of a speaker/driver, when it is being mic'd and heard via ANOTHER speaker/driver.! in such a cases, if a listener decides that he has a preference, he should look for Reasons/causes for that opinion. therefore, you might want to discuss, in a short companion video, the main diaphragm design VARIABLES; such as, surround type, voice coil size and the absence or presence of corrugations and their location. it should be obvious that, if a there are corrugations on part of a diaphragm and the mic is aligned with them, there is going to be an affect. googletranslate

[@johnnieguitar5724]

I would have liked to have heard them all through one amp. Each amp colours the sound, making this test ----shootout--- unscientific and useless to me, a Fender amp owner. :(

[@kevinhlavati6285]

This dude lost me at 4 mins

[@ElliotGKnapp]

Lol, as noted at the beginning: "Jump to 5:40 to skip the talking and hear the speakers."

[@dragutin.guta.jakovljevic]

Did I understand well that you used some kind of attenuation during the recording? Was it a speaker attenuator? Which one? Thanks.