Can anybody help me locate an original Rola speaker for a 1962 Twin 8 amp? I know these amps changed specs frequently and without notice... This is the "eagle eye" Twin 8 with the 7591 power tube and 12AX7 preamp tube.
Rick: Try this: rather than give out someones email or number without permission go to this Facebook page and message him. His name is Mark Grandfield (NYC) and he's mucho resourceful with such procurements. Of course you can drop my name: http://www.facebook.com/mark.grandfield.9?fref=ts Also going on the Weber harp forum might yield you something: http://www.tedsforums.com/forum/index.php?board=7.0 ---------- Facebook
The Twin 8 is in good condition for a 50 year-old amp, but needs a few things like a grounded power cable and a checkup. I played it for a few minutes; sounds great. It puts some hair on the notes...
Rick, I picked up a Premier 50 a few weeks back and serviced it myself with lots of help from Mark Burness. I ended up replacing the original filter caps (Can) with seperate Caps as well as doing a few other mods as per Marks suggestions and the amp is twice as loud and sounds awesome now. The premier twin circuits looks alot like the premer 50. :) My amp had a nasty hum before servicing. I also tested the OT and determined that 4 Ohms is what my premier 50 was matched. I saw some schematics that showed 8 ohms which is not correct.
Hemi, thanks for the info! Bruce at Mission Amps is eager to "dissect" this little bugger.
The amp does not have a hum at all, though it seems less powerful than the Marvel amp I have with a similar circuit from the same maker during the same period. I suspect the power tube and rectifier which both look original need replacement.
Hey Rick, how's the speaker search going? I was recently going to bid on a Premier Twin 8 on eBay but back off when I did some research buying 8" and 10" vintage alnico speakers (Jensen or Rola) on eBay and found out they were either way too expensive or didn't exist. It seems even when you find an old speaker, it needs to be reconed, which, I guess, is not usual, as they are as old as me! LOL!
6SN7, I'm finding the same thing. But this forum is great... a member I know contacted me about his collection of old 8" alnico speakers and he has a 4-ohm Cleveland speaker that might just be perfect. The schematic calls for two 4-ohm speakers wired in series.
If you look a the photo above of the back of the amp, I think the speaker with the bigger magnet is wrong. It looks newer. The only marking is "6071" on the frame. When I tap on the mic and listen to each speaker this one sounds off... not as loud and not as crisp.
I think you are right about the speaker, the one on the left looks like the original Rola.
I played one of these amps once at a jam. The harp player was nuts about it and letting me take it for a "spin." The problem was there was a piano, 2 guitars and a drummer and I couldn't hear the amp over them. Yeah, it as mixed up , but there was no monitors and I couldn't tell what was coming out of the mains. I was told it sounded great but I couldn't hear it.
It sounds pretty good on video, hairy is right. I have a Masco 17 but I am still intrigued by this amp. Just between us girls how is it compared to your masco?
Compared to the Masco? The Premier is not nearly as big and dark. Not the same thump and punch. It's way different. The Masco is 2x 6L6 while the Twin 8 is 1x 7591 (which is more like a 6V6.)
Yep, I can understand your jam experience. This amp is just too small for that sort of thing. Jams aren't known for stage volume discipline. I think this amp sounds kind of like a stock VHT Special 6 Combo, but with a more interesting tone.
FYI If you did,nt know already I believe,almost positive that the speaker with the larger mag on the right is a 60,s Jensen RSC alnico 10.I recognized the frame from a ceramic brown 10 that I got out of an older(60,s) Hammond organ.The ceramic brown sounds good btw in smaller low watt amps.
Last Edited by on Jan 16, 2013 3:10 PM
Not sure if you saw this but ths guy was selling some Rola speakers out of a premier twing 8 fro mthe 50's? IT did not sell so you might want to contact him if you are interested.
They sound excellent with every amp I have run through them. I have picked up lots of old rola speakers on ebay for good prices. Just takes time (sometimes) for the right ones to pop up. Had good luck with all of them. Anyway, good luck on the hunt.
Last Edited by on Jan 16, 2013 4:10 PM
shbamac, The ToneTubbys? great speakers. I think I'll rummage around looking for vintage speakers first. I was at Mission Amps a couple weeks ago and a customer had brought in a very cool old National amp with two 6x9 speakers. But... he'd shoehorned in a pair of new Webers instead of looking for old Magnavox or other vintage speakers. It was still a cool amp, but the coolness would be greater (I think) with vintage speakers.
The Twin 8 -- like the little Marvel amp -- will never be a gig rig. More of a fun recording/practice amp. Its more of a tone experiment than anything else.
Those speakers are not Tone Tubbys. The cones are hemp made by Tone Tubby. They do take a long time to break in. They sound killer new and only get better. He is very particular about the quality and true to vintage nature of his amps. He went to great lengthens to get just the right speakers for his reproduction amps. I am a Valco fanatic and nothing else (I have seen or heard) out there come even close to his amps. They might not be the best speaker for your amp. They flat out rip and kick the shit out of any speakers I have ever used in any of my Vintage amps. But to each their own...
I agree with you on the "coolness" factor. Damn, putting Webers in a National is just sacrilege
Last Edited by on Jan 16, 2013 5:42 PM
I dig hemp cone speakers for harp. The Eminence Cannabis Rex and Lil Buddy are fantastic, two of my favorite harp speakers. I know you are right about the hemp cone speakers. And I may end up there.
Hemi- thanks again for the heads-up on that eBay item. I contacted the guy and bought the speakers. I also bought that very cool Cleveland speaker from a forum member. Can't wait for them to arrive.
