Kurtus Richter
Member
Much of your sound is shaped by speakers, also called "drivers", whether it's a single driver in a combo amp or all of the drivers in a full 8-driver stack. So, changing speakers can have a huge impact on your tone, because different drivers have different characteristics. For instance, I knew a guitarist who preferred 12" JBL speakers commonly used in PA systems, instead of speakers typically preferred by guitarists, because they gave a cleaner tone in his ears (he has very sensitive hearing). I knew another player using a MESA combo-amp who was not satisfied with the tone he was getting from it. But on my recommendation, he read the promos for different speakers that are on the market, ordered one, and I helped install it. He said his sound was much better than before, and even produced exactly the sound he was looking for.
Thus, under the heading "Upgrading", instead of changing something on your guitar if you are not happy with your sound, consider changing your speaker(s) first. For the most part, descriptions of the way different guitar-speakers sound in promos are fairly accurate, if you look only at well-known brand-names like Celestion and Eminence, and perhaps also the latest contenders with them, such as ToneSpeak, Avatar, and Fane. Then there's the vintage market, including Jensen, Electro-Voice, etc., and hand-made custom guitar-speakers from Ted Weber, at https://www.tedweber.com . Unfortunately, Gerald Weber, maker of Kendrick Amplifiers (high-end custom boutique amps), who also made vintage-voiced drivers, is no longer with us, but his amps and speakers (now collector's items) are still available online (search "Gerald Weber Kendrick Speakers For Sale").
For a wide selection of Celestion, Eminence, and ToneSpeak drivers, I recommend Parts Express. https://www.parts-express.com Click the "Speaker Components" heading at upper left onsite, then click "Guitar Speakers". If you've never been there before, you'll be impressed. Each driver has a description of its tone, along with complete technical specs.
And even if you had not previously thought of changing your speaker(s), what's the harm in looking into it? Also, another way to investigate a speaker you already use is to look up the same type (or exact model) on the Parts Express site (or generally online), to see by comparison if it lives up to your expectations. Example: I have a Fender Mustang III amp with a Celestion that I looked up and was pleased to find that it is proprietary, made exclusively for Fender, with exactly the specs and sound I would be looking for anyway. Go Fender !!!
Thus, under the heading "Upgrading", instead of changing something on your guitar if you are not happy with your sound, consider changing your speaker(s) first. For the most part, descriptions of the way different guitar-speakers sound in promos are fairly accurate, if you look only at well-known brand-names like Celestion and Eminence, and perhaps also the latest contenders with them, such as ToneSpeak, Avatar, and Fane. Then there's the vintage market, including Jensen, Electro-Voice, etc., and hand-made custom guitar-speakers from Ted Weber, at https://www.tedweber.com . Unfortunately, Gerald Weber, maker of Kendrick Amplifiers (high-end custom boutique amps), who also made vintage-voiced drivers, is no longer with us, but his amps and speakers (now collector's items) are still available online (search "Gerald Weber Kendrick Speakers For Sale").
For a wide selection of Celestion, Eminence, and ToneSpeak drivers, I recommend Parts Express. https://www.parts-express.com Click the "Speaker Components" heading at upper left onsite, then click "Guitar Speakers". If you've never been there before, you'll be impressed. Each driver has a description of its tone, along with complete technical specs.
And even if you had not previously thought of changing your speaker(s), what's the harm in looking into it? Also, another way to investigate a speaker you already use is to look up the same type (or exact model) on the Parts Express site (or generally online), to see by comparison if it lives up to your expectations. Example: I have a Fender Mustang III amp with a Celestion that I looked up and was pleased to find that it is proprietary, made exclusively for Fender, with exactly the specs and sound I would be looking for anyway. Go Fender !!!