Grateful Dead Music Forum

A recent discussion on another forum detoured into the subject of using 15” speakers for guitar. I’ve been a 12” guy for half a century (geeesh, am I really that old!). The last couple of years I’ve tried 8” and 10” speakers with my Quilters and was pleasantly surprised. I know the former “Jerry” in a buddy’s GD band played through a 15 and sounded great. So I decided to give it a shot, checked out cabs at reverb, and found a used Weber X-Cab loaded with an Eminence 1518 that’s supposed to be similar to a JBL K130.

So, my question here is whether anyone has tried a 15” for guitar? Thoughts? Experiences? Inquiring minds want to know!

Bill, tgo

LOVE 15" speakers for guitar. Let's take the JG, BW, GD stuff aside and thin of the 15" speakers single best merit for guitar: super easy to dial when your desired tone is full, without bassy.

Most 12" guitar speakers struggle in the lower frequencies where you roll off too much and become anemic, keep too much in and are lost in the mix/fighting bass/no bite.

Best combo I ever owned was a 1964 Feder VibroVerb. Amazing amp. But needed some volume to hit magic that I never was able to use regularly.

Yah… I love 15” speakers. You’re pushing more air… producing more sound. And, if we’re talking JBL ‘s, they’re the same 4” voice coil as the 12’s.

I also like 10’s. A pair of them. Though, they are not the same voice coil, and I think it’s harder to nail Jerry precisely with them.

15” JBL’s sound great for guitar, but a 2x15 cab is so much bigger and heavier than a 2x12 cab and the 12” speakers sound great as well. Also, the 15’s are louder with the same power which isn’t always desired.

A 2x15? YIKES! My back would take me out behind the shed and shoot me! This is a relatively light 1x15 cab that will likely live in my studio. It will have to sound damn good to make it to the gigging team.

Bill, tgo

lbpesq wrote: ↑Mon Aug 30, 2021 1:09 pm A 2x15? YIKES! My back would take me out behind the shed and shoot me!

The dual showman cabs were/are lighter than a 4x12 but still not something you look forward to moving.

That’s the thing. 15’s are great, especially for clean and loud. But I like guitar… sometime not clean, and prefer multiple speakers. So… 12’s if doing Jerry, 10’s if not for me.

Great local band - Philly region - Zendog

Their excellent Bob uses a JC 120 w 15' JBL cab
Sounds great I think - check out the Brother Essau

Smolder wrote: ↑Mon Aug 30, 2021 9:40 pm That’s the thing. 15’s are great, especially for clean and loud. But I like guitar… sometime not clean, and prefer multiple speakers. So… 12’s if doing Jerry, 10’s if not for me.

One of each for me.

I don't come here often, and post less, so i just stumbled onto this thread; I hope you will pardon the necro: I was one of the principals in the thread lbpesq references in his OP, and just wanted to say that 1X15 is my favorite guitar set-up, followed by 4X10, 2X10, & 1X10. I have yet to try 2X15, but I'd need a roadie just to get it to my study (where I do almost my playing).

So, of course, my one current amp is a 2X12.............

Well howdy Coz! Nice to see hanging out in these here parts.

Bill, tgo

Howdy backatcha, Counselor!

I should have stated above - I think a 15 gives a tighter bottom, and greater....I guess gravitas is the word I seek.

And, of course (as I am constantly telling bass players who (mistakenly) think 10s are great for their needs: There is no substitute for a large air column!

Pretty sure Bobby used a 15" speaker at some point.