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Are they drastically different at low volume? I'm considering a dedicated jazz amp and I've noticed many are offered with a 15 inch speaker. I play six string not seven if that is a consideration. I've heard the 15's can be a bit boomy, but that's all I've learned thus far. I do have an Ibanez Wholetone but it sounds terrible and I can't base a purchase decision on my experience with that amp. I'm looking mostly at the Rivera Jazz Suprema right now.
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01-13-2014 11:06 AM
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I had a Deluxe Reverb reissue with the standard 12" speaker. One day I unplugged the head from that speaker and plugged it into a Weber California Ceramic 15 I had on hand. It made such a dramatic difference that I started looking for ways to incorporate a 15 into the DRRI. When I heard Fender was going to release the head-only version of that amp I sold the combo and bought the head.
To compare the two: the Weber has a sweeter top end, a fuller bottom (not boomy) and a present midrange. Right now I am playing a Fender '51 Precision reissue bass in a small combo with two female singers, a percussionist and a guitarist. He is using the combination shown in the photo, which is the DR head/Weber cab with a Carvin SH550 with Seymour Duncan Antiquity II Jazzmaster single-coil pickups. So far it has been used only in our small music room with unmic'd vocals and acoustic snare drum/congas etc and it sounds very good. I don't expect to play any where that a whole lot more volume would be needed. We do '30s and '40s pop material (Route 66, Java Jive, Dream a Little Dream of Me) and the amp puts out plenty of loudness. If we ever were to play a large venue I'd just put a mic on the amp.
I recently bought a Fender Excelsior amp, which also has a 15" speaker, but I haven't had a chance to give it a work out yet (I bought it for harmonica). Size doesn't determine boominess necessarily. For what it's worth, my bass amp is a Mesa/Boogie Walkabout plugged into a pair of Genz-Benz 10T speakers.
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They do sound great when played clean and jazzy. I demo'ed a guitar today and I was plugged in to a Peavey Delta Blues with a 15" speaker and it sounded nice and full.
Might by overkill if you're just playing low volume at home, but as a club amp, I think they sound great. In fact I was quite taken with that amp today. I'd forgotten how good the Peavey Classics and Delta Blues can sound.
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Thanks for the input Sean and lp deluxe, I appreciate it.
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I use a 15" Big Ben in a cab with a couple of heads. Love it!
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The nicest 15" combo I played a few years back was a Victoria Regal. Absolutely stunning sound. Out of my price range at the time but the combination of tremolo and 15" speaker was magical.
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Can't compare with 12', but having a 10" Ragin' Cajun, might try to say that:
my Delta 15A (15") plays more subtile, with lower end and smooth medium compared to the dramatic sound of Ragin' Cajun. Tried it even with a H&B CG10X amp, actually a SS 10W amp, containing a parametric eq, and the 15" sounds very jazzy with, so I dare tot gig with that anytime, if no big volume will be necessary.
Final statement:
15" for jazz,
10" or 12" for blues/rock
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Looks like a great match and my old Carvin SH550CEB
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Many years ago, I had a heavily modded Fender 75 with an old Fane Studio Colossus 15inch, the weigh was colossus, not just the name, but a great sound for both high and low frequencies. A big valve amp, with a big 15inch speaker, has a big weight, but a great big sound.
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Yup. Waiting for Mambo to make a 15" combo, if only to read the warning they give to it on their web site.
Originally Posted by guitarmikey
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Hi Mark, Originally Posted by mark105
Did you finally purchase a Rivera Jazz Suprema amp?
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As is true with a lot of things, I think the devil's in the details. A 15" speaker can be boomy and muddy, but it ain't necessarily so. I think a lot depends on the individual speaker and the cabinet design.
I've had some amps with 15s that I've really liked, even for pop and rock. Stevie Ray Vaughn used them in his Vibroverbs. I don't think the difference is drastic in any case, but they can have a nice full satisfying sound. Worth a try.
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Love me a 15 in a polytone!!! Oddly enough, thought I hated 10's until i got a BF Super Reverb. They sound amazing!!!
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I have a Jazz Suprema I ought from Lou at Guitars and Jazz. No need to look at any thing else.
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Im not sure the move to 15's for jazz by some is actually a good move. I think although in theory should be great for Jazz players 12' seems to be about the sweet spot.
15's can be too boomy, bass heavy, and bland in tone (imo). I like the way trebles can behave through them but thats about it.
Im sure there are some great 15 cabs but I've never found one.Last edited by Archie; 04-26-2015 at 08:42 AM.
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It's as much personal taste as anything else. Me, I love 15" speakers. Had a pine cab for years, sounded so fine with several different speakers.
To my ears, the difference between 12" and 15" speakers is not in the bass as much as the mids and top end. Hard to describe what I hear ... a wider sound with more depth from my favorite 15" speakers. (weber cali ceramic, big ben, wgs g15c). The reaction is slower with a 15". If you're playing very fast runs, multiple 10" speakers would probably be a better choice.
MD
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I have a 15' in my Polytone, and for playing solo and duo it sounds huge! Great to play basslines and lots of depth.
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I was looking at that one. Specs sound good. This is the upgraded version that Lou designed, right? Originally Posted by LyleGorch
Wonder how it stacks up against a 12" like the new Benedetto Carino 12.
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I like 15" and 10" but don't like 12".
I love the sound of 15", hate the weight
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This thread ignores the fact that size is not everything (yes, some girls will disagree
). An efficient 10 inch speaker in a ported, sealed cabinet can have more bass response than an inefficient 15 inch speaker in an open back cabinet.
Getting the right jazz tone is an individual preference. It takes the right guitar with the right strings played through the right amp into the right cabinet with the right speaker. Not a simple process to dial in! Even the right pick and the right cable should be considered....
The quick solution is to find a player whose tone you like and copy his gear down to the last detail, including his amp settings, though be advised that amp settings need to be adjusted to each room. The more interesting solution is to experiment with lots of different gear until you figure out what works for you....
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Yes, it's Lou's.
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I hear the mids more clearly in a 15. Me like that!
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