Evans FET 500 speaker decision, YOUR OPINION PLEASE

George Kimery · From: Limestone, TN, USA

I have a 1982 Derrell Stephens built Evans FET 500. It has a Black Widow 1501-4 speaker in it. I have never been able to use my Lil Izzy with this amp. The highs just go trough the roof and I can't bring them down with the amp treble control.

I just now jumped my Eminence EPS 12-c that is in my Nashville 112 to the Evans. What a difference! I like the sound a lot better and I can use the Lil Izzy. Has anybody put the 15 inch Eminence or a 15 inch Telonics in one of these old Evans amps? And what was the result?

So now, I have some decisions to make and hope you guys will chime in and suggest what you would do. Here are my choices, as I see them:

1. Remove the 12 inch Eminence speaker from the 112 and move it to the Evans. Then replace the 112 speaker with the original Blue Marvel speaker. (the 112 has the Ken Fox mod) If I do this, I will be going from a 15 inch speaker to 12 inch speaker in the Evans. (Big low bass sound is not important to me. I am a very basic C-6 player and I don't play the low strings on C-6 and don't use the Low B string on the E-9th all that much.)

2. Leave the 112 as is and replace the Black Widow in the Evans with an Eminence 12 inch, an Eminence 15 inch, or Telonics TSNEO-15-4, or even the Blue Marvel. The last choice does not sound appealing to me, but who knows, it might sound great in the Evans.

I am concerned that the Telonics might be brighter and that is exactly what I am trying to avoid with the Evans amp.

I am hoping that somebody is using an Eminence or Telonics in one of these old Evans FET 500's. Replacing the BW would bring the weight down a bit on he amp.

Any thoughts will be very much appreciated.

Michael Dulin · From: Indiana, USA

If you have already done these changes on your nv112 I wouldn't go back. I'd consider a new MOD reverb tank for it ($20) and you'll have one of the sweetest steel amps ever. I did this to mine and it is great! Now I'm looking at a lite-wt speaker for my fet500. Maybe a SICA premium lite. I'd stay with the 15" as you have a 12" in the nv. Check with Ken Fox or Lee Beacum here on the forum. They'll give you good advice.MD

George Kimery · From: Limestone, TN, USA

Michael, I already have the mod reverb pan in it and you are right. Sweet and much better than the Accutronics that came in it. Having said that, I don't use it. I like my digital Wet Reverb better, but if it goes out on me, I certainly can live with the mod reverb until I can get the Wet Reverb going again.

I have been a busy boy for the last couple of hours. I have put the speaker that came in the 112 through it's paces with the Evans and the 112. I can live with it in the 112 as long as the 112 is a back up amp. Otherwise, I don't care for it, especially in the Evans. Can't come close to the sound of the Eminence EPS-12c.

So at this moment, my decision is to put the Eminence in the Evans temporarily so I can try it out in a band situation Friday night. Then when dollars are a bit more plentiful, I will put it back into the 112 and get a Telonics or Eminence 15 for the Evans. I really like the sound of the 12 inch Eminence in the Evans and I am just hoping that a 15 will sound better or at least as good.

Lee Baucum · From: McAllen, Texas (Extreme South) The Final Frontier

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Robbie Daniels · From: Casper, Wyoming, USA

I have an Evans 500 FET 1983 I bought new and it came with a 15" JBL which I used for quite some time and then I came across a 1975 special built JBL which Woody said was very close to a K130. I used the original JBL for about 10 years before I changed to the special JBL and only because I had two of the special JBLs and I also have an Evans SEC200 that I bought in 1999 which also had a JBL. I sold the originals when I bought the special made JBLs and about three months ago I had Woody rebuild my special JBLs to the specs of a JBL K130 and they sound terrific. I normally play through two amps and they both have the same speakers. I wouldn't use anything but JBLs but of course I was raised on JBLs. I have been playing D12 steels since 1965 and the JBLs excel on my C6 neck due to the fact that I use a low F below the C and JBLs, or Black Widows, handle everything to my satisfaction, but of course, everyone has their on preferences. Steel players are funny that way. Laughing

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Carter D12, MSA S12, 12 String Custom Made Non-Pedal, Evans FET 500LV, Evans SE200, Peavey Nashville 400, Fender Steel King

George Kimery · From: Limestone, TN, USA

Lee, thanks for the link. The post is 4 years old and was before the new Eminence and Telonic speakers, I believe. Tim Marcus was using the Sica speakers in his early Milkman, I believe, but has since switched to Telonics. And Ken Scott certainly would know a good speaker choice. I spoke to Derrell Stephens yesterday on the subject. He is using Telonics as replacement speakers in his repair business on the Evans amps that he built. With all the positive things that people have been saying about the Telonics, I am leaning towards giving one a try as soon as I can afford one.

And concerning the JBL speakers, I love them. Had two of them in my first steel amp, a Fender Twin in 1969. Way too heavy for me now. I want to go with a Neo speaker to cut down weight. The JBL's are just more weight than I want to deal with at my age.

George Kimery · From: Limestone, TN, USA

Lee, thanks for the link. The post is 4 years old and was before the new Eminence and Telonic speakers, I believe. Tim Marcus was using the Sica speakers in his early Milkman, I believe, but has since switched to Telonics. And Ken Scott certainly would know a good speaker choice. I spoke to Derrell Stephens yesterday on the subject. He is using Telonics as replacement speakers in his repair business on the Evans amps that he built. With all the positive things that people have been saying about the Telonics, I am leaning towards giving one a try as soon as I can afford one.

In the meantime, I have put the Blue Marvel back into the 112 and have the Eminence EPS-12c in the Evans. I am in pretty good shape for the time being. I will be putting the Eminence back in the 112 and getting a 15 inch Telonics for the Evans before too long.

And concerning the JBL speakers, I love them. Had two of them in my first steel amp, a Fender Twin in 1969. Way too heavy for me now. I want to go with a Neo speaker to cut down weight. The JBL's are just more weight than I want to deal with at my age.

Mike Kowalik · From: San Antonio,Texas

Years ago I had a FET500 and experienced the same problem.The amp had the stock Evans speaker in it and had a bright tone even when the treble was off. Replaced that speaker with a 1502-4 Black Widow and the tone was so good it drove me nuts!!!

I foolishly sold that amp to someone who sold it to somebody else and so on.....till it ended up up with Rick Price of Jake Hooker's Outsider's.

Sure wish I could get it back...but he ain't selling....asked him 3 times so far.
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