Hi all, I'll try to make a long story short.
I'm having a 30w Dumble clone built and would like a WGS speaker in it : I put a WGS c12S in a Koch Twintone II and it turned this amp into a dream.
1) The ET65 seems the obvious choice ... but I once installed one in a Fender and didn't like it. (I know it ain't the same amp, yet, I'm reluctant.)
2) The Blackhawk (I can afford alnico) might be the one but ist it a wise choice for a Dumble clone?
3) What about the Reaper?
Sound I'm after is mostly clean or light crunch. Robben Ford solo would be my maximum gain. I REALLY dislike it when highs drill holes in my ears. (That's probably why I love the C12S so much.)
So I'd like sweet highs (but not dull either), punchy mids, great lows (but do not need infra-bass).
Thanks a lot for all the help, I can get.
I totally agree with your assessment:
1. Blackhawk ... PERFECTION!
2. ET65 ... a VERY good choice.
3. Reaper HP, a nice thick, juicy choice.
Also... search!
https://wgsusa.com/search/node/dumble
I'd think the Blackhawk HP would be more Dumbly than the standard Blackhawk, unless you get an EL34 D-style clone. Robben Ford uses Celest G12-65's, so the ET65 would cover that. I'd get the BH HP if you find the ET-65 lacking in clarity. The WGS12L is also great. It has deeper bass than the others and a bit more aggressive midrange. Mick from That Pedal Show uses the WGS12L with his Two Rock Classic Reverb. It is an awesome combo. Use it for that deep clear 80's Dumble tone as in Larry Carlton's Hill Street Blues solo. Maybe get a BH HP and swap out the WGS12L in the Koch for the BH HP.
Ohhhh ... I generally agree with Narco ... but not with this. The 100-watt Blackhawk HP really sounds bright, stiff and sterile compared to the 50-watt version unless it's driven quite hard, and 30-watts just ain't ever gonna open that girl up. Even my 40-watt 2-6L6 Bogner, or my blackface Bassman or Bandmasters can't make a BH HP sound anything much more than acceptable ... but a regular BH sounds utterly glorious with all those amps :-)
The BH HP does sound like a very tight speaker. The 50W BH is a sweet speaker for sure, but I do hear the stronger 4~5kHz+ presence in the sample clips (as seen in my SPL graph compared to the BH HP graph). The BH HP, WGS12L & ET65/90 all have a dip in the 4~5kHz range. I associate the softer papery high end sound with a Dumble, but there are no absolutes. The 50W BH would be a nice alternative, and the lowered plate voltage 30W amp section should sound darker than the 50W version. As for "tightness", the GNFB can be easily altered via a resistor change to tighten or loosen the low end. It's a big part of an amp's character. FI, you could try less GNFB with a BH HP and more with an ET65. A 3-way GNFB switch is an easy mod you might ask to have done. You can run the Dumble clone into the WGS12L right in the Koch cab. Of course, it will sound deeper and tighter in a sealed cab. You might prefer the cab back partially open with either speaker.
Thanks a lot for your accurate answers, gentlemen. I doubt I'll go with the BH HP for a 30W (2x6l6) amp. I like it when a speaker "works". I once had a Thiele Mesa Boogie 200w Electro Voice that I didn't like much. I suspect it was because it was waaaaay to powerfull for my amp. The BH HP was also suggested in case the ET65 lacked clarity...While, for my ears, it had too much. (If there is such a thing.) I plan to yabe an oval opening in my cab such as in a Two-Rock.
And... what about my beloved G12 cS?
I find the smoothie too dull for MOST amps all by itself ... but with bright amps it can REALLY be the perfect Rx!
If you already have one ... give it a try, for sure!
My head is spinning! I have tried an et65s before but had a really hard time liking it in a DrZ Maz 18jr ... it had very shrill high end at times. But it sounds pretty good in a Princeton Reverb (my only other experience with the et65)
I have a Fuchs 50w ODS Classic combo on the way, and I know it comes with an et65 stock ... So I am holding my breath on that as, to make matters worse, I am kind of prejudiced towards alnico! I'll not be playing concert halls, just primarily home studio use, lots of blues, some country and rock, mostly single coils and P-90s. Sadly, I've already begun the internal debate on what I might want to replace the et65 with. Blackhawk 50, Blackhawk HP? Celestion Cream Alnico 90?