# Speaker suggestions Mesa Roadster



## the-patient (May 19, 2009)

Hey guys,

So long story short, I'm picking up a Mesa Roadster Head next week, and I have a 2x12 that currently has only one speaker in it.

An Alnico 30w Weber Silver Bell, and I was wondering if anyone had any recommendations as to what I should throw in for the second speaker?

I'm pretty much open to any suggestions, but would like to keep it under $200, and that's a big maximum.

Thanks in advance!


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

WGS British Lead/Celestion Classic Lead 80/Mesa C-90 black shadow - all the same speaker pretty much, from different brands. WGS will be the most affordable.

I have 4 WGS British Leads in my Peavey XXX 412 and it sounds fantastic with my roadster. I now have a mesa 112 C-90 loaded cab as well for jamming, which also sounds great.

Since you're in London, if you'd like to try out my cab to see how it sounds you're welcome to!


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## the-patient (May 19, 2009)

Damn, at $69.00, the WGS is a great deal!

Are you still using the Roadster? Enjoying it?

Is it as versatile as everyone says it is? 

What tubes do you prefer in it? I remember you being a KT kind of guy with your JSX.

Also, was that your Sims at Matt's Music? I never got to play it, but holy shit that's a pretty guitar.


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

1. Roadster has been my rig for 13 months 
2. Every time I plug in 
3. Hell yes! You can jam anything on it: 3 modes per channel, 100/50W per channel (changes how it sounds moreso then how loud it is), bold/spongy, tube/diode rectifier.. it's a blast!

I loved the KT77's with the JSX, yes. I am unsure if I want to try EL34's or KT77's with the mesa, I'm currently using the stock 6L6's. It came with a Tung Sol (gold pin?) in V1 which is a standard swap most guys make in any amp, and it's always sounded good to me. I find it has a little more balls then I need in the low end, as I don't play bright guitars haha.

Yeah, that's my Sims at Matt's. Go look at the new red Cu24 they have in, she's a beauty! The Sims is still there if you want to giv'r a whirl, and hear J S Moore pickups in action


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## Bevo (Nov 24, 2006)

I am in London tomorrow and will check out Matts and your Sims!

I got the V-30 WGS speakers and highly recomend them or anything from Steamco.
With the speakers that cheap you could flip them if you don't like them easy.


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## Diablo (Dec 20, 2007)

I like the eminence Super V-12's.
Similar to the Celestion V30's, but more vintage-y and warm, with less ice-picky highs. Santon Audio in Markham had the best prices that I could find at the time, a little over a yr ago.


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## the-patient (May 19, 2009)

Thanks for the suggestions guys! I've got a WGS British Lead that should be arriving tomorrow, I'll update you guys on what I think ASAP!


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## Bevo (Nov 24, 2006)

Great guys to deal with eh!

That speaker you have, the Silver Bell may not work to well with the British lead. The SB will break up sooner than the BL so not the best balance, this will kill your headroom as one will be flat out and the other just getting warmed up.
Is your cab closed back or open, closed back to me has the best metal/rock tone and punch.

What was the ohm rating of your new and old speakers?
Be careful so they mix well.


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

Bevo said:


> I am in London tomorrow and will check out Matts and your Sims!
> 
> I got the V-30 WGS speakers and highly recomend them or anything from Steamco.
> With the speakers that cheap you could flip them if you don't like them easy.


If I didn't work, I'd be annoyed you didn't ask to jam/hang out .

Weeell, what did you thiiiink? PM works lol


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## Bevo (Nov 24, 2006)

Did stop by and looks good, PM sent.


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## screamingdaisy (Oct 14, 2008)

I like Recto's through V30s. Preferably in the matching Recto cab.

Recto's through MC90s is also really good. Gives a totally different character to the modern high gain sound. Not nearly as scooped sounding since the MC90 does a better job of reinforcing the low mids than a V30 does. However I find that vintage high gain pairs better with V30s for the opposite reason.

One of these days I'll experiment with mixing those two speakers...


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## High/Deaf (Aug 19, 2009)

I recently changed the V30s in my Roadster 212 combo with Soldano-voiced Eminence Legends. I got a good deal on the speakers and thought they would be worth a try. I like the change, although it is subtle and not a huge change. I find the upper mids a bit smoother with the Legends - something I didn't like with the V30s. I don't play much metal - 3 of my 4 channels are set clean or 'classic rock' distortion levels. So while it worked for me, YMMV.

There is an article out on the interweb about a guy who really didn't like his V30s in his combo and tried a lot of different speakers. He settled on a pair of G12-T100's (I think) and declared the Roadster one of the best amps ever, tone-wise. With the V30's he didn't think it was close to that, although it was very flexible. I think that article gave me the idea to try something different as my opinion of the amp with the V30's was starting to go the same way.


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## the-patient (May 19, 2009)

Bevo said:


> Great guys to deal with eh!
> 
> That speaker you have, the Silver Bell may not work to well with the British lead. The SB will break up sooner than the BL so not the best balance, this will kill your headroom as one will be flat out and the other just getting warmed up.
> Is your cab closed back or open, closed back to me has the best metal/rock tone and punch.
> ...



It's a closed back, and both speakers are 8ohm.

After trying it though, I do agree about the speaker breakup - the silver bell is breaking up far too soon for my tastes. I kind of expected it going in, but figured I'd give it a shot, since I had it in the cab already.

I've essentially suspended myself from trying it, out of fear of damaging the speaker (it's up in the FS section if anyone's interested!)

Thanks again or all the suggestions, now I'm looking for something to match up with the British Leads


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## funfun (Nov 6, 2010)

A Weber 12F150 Vintage series sounds good in every amp I've tried it with. Go with a 50 watt version and Weber will even break it in for free. The 12F150-T is the same except a bit more sparkle. Both sound vintage and organic.
Good luck.


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

screamingdaisy said:


> I like Recto's through V30s. Preferably in the matching Recto cab.
> 
> Recto's through MC90s is also really good. Gives a totally different character to the modern high gain sound. Not nearly as scooped sounding since the MC90 does a better job of reinforcing the low mids than a V30 does. However I find that vintage high gain pairs better with V30s for the opposite reason.
> 
> One of these days I'll experiment with mixing those two speakers...


Does a C90 do a better job of reinforcing the mids though? The main reason I've heard of people going for Classic Lead 80's/British Leads/C90's is because they don't have the mid spike the V30 has, which is nice for live playing.


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## SaxonCabs (May 4, 2009)

Keep the sensitivity in mind when choosing a matching speaker. You don't really want more than a 2db difference otherwise one speaker will be louder than the other.


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## screamingdaisy (Oct 14, 2008)

Budda said:


> Does a C90 do a better job of reinforcing the mids though? The main reason I've heard of people going for Classic Lead 80's/British Leads/C90's is because they don't have the mid spike the V30 has, which is nice for live playing.


IMO, the MC90 has more overall midrange than the V30, but it's not as focused in the upper mid like the V30 is.


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## screamingdaisy (Oct 14, 2008)

SaxonCabs said:


> Keep the sensitivity in mind when choosing a matching speaker. You don't really want more than a 2db difference otherwise one speaker will be louder than the other.


I mix V30s and G12Ms all the time. The volume difference isn't that big a deal.


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## SaxonCabs (May 4, 2009)

screamingdaisy said:


> I mix V30s and G12Ms all the time. The volume difference isn't that big a deal.


Because there's only a 2db difference in The V30 and G12M


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## screamingdaisy (Oct 14, 2008)

SaxonCabs said:


> Because there's only a 2db difference in The V30 and G12M


G12Ms are 96dB
V30s are 100dB

I've also mixed V30s with G12T-75s (97dB),and again the volume difference isn't a big deal. Mixing speakers is more about frequency response than sensitivity ratings.


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## SaxonCabs (May 4, 2009)

Ahh, just noticed the Heritage, 20 watt, G12M's are 96. The Classic, 25 watt, Greenback G12M's are 98. 
The 2db rule is a guideline. If you can't hear a difference and you like it, then all is good. Although one will be louder than the other, perception is everything.


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