[Staemius]

Howdy friends - anybody happen to have experience with a Telonics neo speaker? They're geared towards pedal steel players but are modeled after a K120. Looking at past posts, I know there's been a couple here at least who have tried it. I'm also considering the Celestion Copperback - I know Jon here really liked it at one point. Jon or anybody else still digging that speaker?

[lbpesq]

My Quilter Aviator Mach 3 came with a Copperback Neo. I like it a lot. Nice for clean tones. Not as sweet as my JBL K120s, but close enough and a LOT lighter. I also have an old Jensen Neo 12-100 loaded in an SSP cab that approaches K120 territory at a lighter weight. Great speaker, if you can find one.

Bill, tgo

[Staemius]

Thanks Bill - yep, those Jensen neos are being considered!

[Slewfoot2000]

There is also the Tone Tubby ‘Purple Haze’ speaker. I played one and compared it to my JBL. Definitely some similarities. Not quite as crisp, but the same ballpark. And certainly lightweight.

Here’s what good ol’ Brad Sarno had to say about them back in the day:

“ I'm a HUGE K120 and D120 lifer, always will be. The Purple isn't a total replacement in general, but for guitar amps or low powered steel amps under 40 watts, it is very interesting and nice sounding. Regardless of how it relates to the JBL's, it's a real nice speaker in its own right. They DO take a lot of break in time. I think it has to do with the hemp paper. But after they've been beat up a bit, then that's the sound.

Recently, Trey Anastasio consulted with me on some gear advice as he prepares to take the role of Jerry Garcia for these farewell Dead shows. I turned him on to the Purple Haze speaker, and he fell in love with them. I think he's bought 6 of them so far and is loading his main cabinets up with them and will be using them for these Dead shows. They were a nice shift away from his traditional Celestion Vintage 30 and Celestion Alnico Blue and more towards a Garcia-esque, JBL-esque tone without going full on JBL which seemed to have been too big a shift for him when trying out a K120 he recently got. The Purple seems to have a lot of what people like in an alnico JBL, but without the things some people dislike.”

[strumminsix]

Weber makes a Neo speaker that's in the JBL neighborhood.

[Staemius]

Thanks for the tips all! I actually gigged with a Purple Haze for a year or so a while back and it was quite good (may need to reconsider that one). Have long been tempted by the Weber neo but have never liked demo's I've heard (or many reports of it being sub-par).

[strumminsix]

Thanks for the tips all! I actually gigged with a Purple Haze for a year or so a while back and it was quite good (may need to reconsider that one). Have long been tempted by the Weber neo but have never liked demo's I've heard (or many reports of it being sub-par).

Where are you at? I'm in the NW burbs of Chicago and you can test out my 1x15 or 2x12

[Staemius]

I'm in NC but appreciate the offer. I pulled the trigger on a Telonics - so, we'll see!

[Jon S.]

I'm also considering the Celestion Copperback - I know Jon here really liked it at one point. Jon or anybody else still digging that speaker?

Sorry I'm late responding. I see you already made your selection. But FWIW, with the caveat that I'm no longer riding the "copy Jerry precisely" merry-go-round (not that there's anything wrong with this if it's your cup of meat), yes, I'm still digging my Copperback. I have it in a SSP 1X12. My other SSP 1X12 still has its JBL K120. The K120, as others have noted, is in a class by itself. This being said, I've not regretted selling the E120 that was previously in the Copperback's cab. The weight reduction is a pleasure. Judge the Copperback for itself ("comparison is the thief of joy") and it's a fine sounding speaker in its own right, as well as, it seems to me, in the JBL ballpark (if not safe on first).

[Staemius]

Hey thanks Jon - and I'm with ya, chasing a bit of my own sound now and woodshedding with a lighter speaker in my 112. Almost just went with a Jensen as I've really enjoyed my Tone Master Twin, we'll see!

[Jon S.]

Hey thanks Jon - and I'm with ya, chasing a bit of my own sound now and woodshedding with a lighter speaker in my 112. Almost just went with a Jensen as I've really enjoyed my Tone Master Twin, we'll see!

You might like the discontinued Jensen Neo 12-100 (EDIT: I see above that Bill's recommended this one, too). A great, lightweight speaker. To be fair, it may be more EV-like than JBL-like but, in my experience, it's well balanced frequency-wise, clean, and hangs together well when pushed (especially the low end).