What model 15" JBLs would be best for Vintage Gibson TITAN AMP- HELP APPRECIATED!

I have a 1967 GIBSON TITAN AMP (head and cabinet)

It originally was outfitted with two 15" JBLs. I believe they would have been two D130s. It's an awesome vintage piece but when we received it didn't come with JBLs as advertised. There are currently two crappy Olson speakers in it now:banghead:. So we want to either try to return it to it's original form with appropriate JBLs (D130s?) or advice on which JBL models would be best. We use it for guitar, vocals and even play some lps through a MARANTZ receiver and DUAL turntable.

I greatly appreciate your advice and help!

It's a 48 year old amp is in good condition and sounds great. The amp comes with a foot switch, casters on the cabinet and a tilt bar which swings out of the back of the cabinet so it can be angled backwards. Two isolated channels on the head. One channel features Tremolo. Players can patch the two channels together from the parallel inputs found on each channel. This way you can drive it into overdrive using channel one as pre-gain channel.

Speakers: 2 x15" JBL
Inputs: 2 on each channel
Channels: 2
Volume Controls: 2
Tone Controls on each Channel: Bass, midrange, treble
Tremolo: Depth, frequency
Reverb: No

I'm not a guitar amp guy, but here's what I know. There are D130's around from those days, but they may not be a good risk because the integral paper surround could dry out, wear and fray over time and lose integrity, especially if overdriven. On later versions the surround was doped. There are Fender versions of this driver and later JBL also made and marketed their own MI specific versions. When JBL separated consumer and Pro marketing the Pro version of the D130 was called the 2135. As you can see there are lots to choose from. Of course, since this is a musical instrument amp you are free to choose what sounds good to you. If your question goes to sound restoration authenticity, and the originals were in fact D130's, then probably the best choice would be to look for some clean later D130's or 2135's with original cones. For period perfect replacement I would look for some D130's from that time which have spent their entire existence gently used in hi fi cabinets. Unless you find them at an estate sale yourself, this will probably be the most expensive option.

The K130 has an alnico magnet, it is lighter than the E130, and it can be demagnetized by overloading it.
The E130 has a ceramic magnet, it is heavier than the K130, and it cannot be demagnetzed by overloading it.

Ruediger

Since the amp had JBLs as new, the original sound would have been "harder" and tighter than with Olsens, Utahs, Jensens and the like.

Do you play mostly with or without a lot of distortion, or clean? I don't think I can recommend a speaker(s) for distorted use, but for tight and clean the K130 as mentioned, the Electrovoice EVM 15L, or even the squeaky-clean Peavey 15" Black Widows, the majority choice of squeaky-clean pedal steelers.

I were in your position right now I would contact Eminence and ask the same question. They make probably more drivers than anyone, are OEM's to many highly regarded amp makers, have numerous guitar/musical instrument types available, and their quality has steadily increased over the years. The cost of these would likely be lower as well.

If for you it's all about the sound and not the vintage hardware, that's what I would do.

By the way I love old Gibson amps but my desert island amp would have to be the Ampeg Gemini II, a somewhat cleaner toned contemporary of the Fender Deluxe. And, the embossed pattern Tolex that Ampeg used is the ginchiest!

Regards, -D_E-

Okay ( Gibson amp related & giving way my relative age ) my first guitar amp was a ( purchased brand new ) Gibson Kalamazoo Reverb 12.

( An overview is behind the pic. when you click it ).
http://www.myrareguitars.com/guitar-...plifier-01.jpg

( long gone )

:)