Alnico vs Ceramic: Worth the $$$?

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soundchaser59

Reluctant Commander
I've noticed the Alnico speakers cost more, but I've never really had an opportunity to hear a side-by-side compare. Weber seems to be the only one I see who consistently offers the choice, and it's the Weber Blue Dog speaker that really has me thinking about it. The Alnico Blue Pups are not that much more, and I could easily be convinced to replace my Delta Demons with Blue Pups in my 2x10.

Anybody know if the Alnico's are better? I've heard they are not as loud, but when I'm dealing with a Twin and a Mesa, I'm sure it would be plenty loud enough anyway. I'm wondering if the Alnico really sounds different? Better? Better enough/different enough to justify the extra price??

The 10 inch Alnico Blue Pup is about $95, but the 12 inch Alnico Blue Dog is about $175..... and everybody knows how steep the price is on the Celestion Blue, which I believe is an Alnico rig....

SC
 
Alnicos sound different than ceramics--mellower and not as sharp. I am in the process of selling a cab (component by component) that had two Greenbacks and two of the Eminence alnico Red Fangs. It sounded good, and downright amazing for cleans and tones with just a little breakup, but I preferred my Mesa cab with Vintage 30s (ceramic) for high-gain tones. It had more focus. Alnico speakers are never hands down 'better' than ceramics; it all depends on what kind of tones you're going for.

Now, if I had an AC30 and I wanted to play jangly indie rock type stuff, I would not be selling those Red Fangs.
 
Jensen makes killer good Alnicos. I have both the P12Ns in a cab and those beautiful new Jets. I personally prefer alnico over ceramics.
 
I just find Alnico magnets to be more musical sounding. Sometimes that's good, sometimes not, but I definitely like them a lot. Not just in speakers, but in pickups too.



Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi
 
like everything else to do with guitar tone, it depends. neither is better. i like em both for different sounds.
 
When I had decided to purchase a Vox AC30, I was able to do a side-by-side comparison with two 2 X 12 combos - one with the Celestion Blue alnicos and the other with the Wharfedale-manufactured GFS12-30 speakers. The Alnico Blues are just incredibly musical, and even though they are expensive, they were well worth the price difference for the tone.
 
I can now say from first hand experience that the Alnicos are definitely worth the extra money. I will be saving up $$$$$$ and switching out ALL of my ceramic speakers for Alnicos!
 
Since this last post, I have tried more of the Alnico speakers. I can say categorically and unconditionally that the Alnicos are far superior to the ceramics in every way.

I started out by putting a pair of Alnico Blue Pups in my homade open back 2x10. The difference over the ceramics was immediately obvious, even without the Pups being broken in. Even brand new, the difference was striking. Not to argue with anyone, but my guitarist ears would never describe the difference as subtle in any way. Even my wife heard the difference right away in a side by side compare. Only the most inattentive and undiscerning ears would claim not to notice any difference.

That led to an Alnico 12 inch Blue Dog. Even better. Contrary to my old opinions when I first started surfing the music forums, I understand now why the 12's are better than the 10's. The 10's have their place and their uses, but the 12's are overall the better choice.

So I got curious about why Santana and Clapton and Henry Garza (Los Lonely Boys) were raving about Tone Tubbys. I sold off some ceramics (like that Tonker I swore I would never part with, and those all time favorite ceramic Michigans I said I would never get rid of) and some mics, and I decided to go in with my eyes wide shut and my ears wide open. I bought a pair of 12 inch 16 ohm Alnico Tone Tubbys to put in my Griffiths 2x12 ported cab.

I..........AM..........ABSO.......FREAKIN........LUTELY.........FLOOORED!!

With all due respect and loyalty to the great service and product we get from Mr. Ted Weber, I have to say that the Alnico Tone Tubby is the only speaker I've heard out of 3 dozen + speakers in the last 2 years that can decisively triumph over even the great sound I get from the Alnico Blue Dog. The Alnico Tone Tubbys are THEEEEEEEEEE Sound! THAAAAT Sound!

WOW! WOW! WOW! WOW! WOW!

I even cried! I've been chasing that sound for so long, and now here it is! I will recommend without reservation the Alnico Tone Tubbys to anyone! If you are on a budget, then the next best thing is the Alnico Weber Blue Dog. After that comes the Italian Jensen Jet Blackbird (would have probably been a P12K in the old days - C12K is the ceramic 100 watt) But whatever you do, know and be warned that once you hear the Alnico difference side by side with the ceramics, you will not settle until you have converted your entire collection of guitar speakers to Alnico! That's my goal.......every guitar speaker I have that plugs in to a tube amp will be Alnico within the next year or so.

One word of note.....it was pretty clear to me that this Alnico thing is best heard with an all-tube amp. I was doing all of this side by side compare stuff with a Mesa amp. But just for chuckles I plugged in my little Vox AD30 practice amp. I'm sorry to say that these great speakers do not make an average amp sound better. In fact, it is easier to hear how solid state amps diminish the sound of the guitar. Oddly, the little Vox sounds best thru the ceramic Blue Dog (or even the Tonker or the ceramic Jensen) in the closed back Earcandy cab. So it is....

Thanks for listening......now back to your regularly scheduled program!
 
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