Which Sica speaker?

Dave Meis · From: Olympic Peninsula, Washington, USA

I see a lot of people like these, but they never say which one! Smile

There's LOTs of them on the Sica site. Info? Opinions? Thanks!!

Dave Meis · From: Olympic Peninsula, Washington, USA

anybody? model number? Is this in the right folder? Sad

Lane Gray · From: Topeka, KS

I'd ask Tim Marcus which one he used to use.
I love mine that I bought from him.
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2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects

David Nugent · From: Gum Spring, Va.

The Sica high power neo bass speakers seem to be the popular choice. Ken Fox used them in his 'Fox Vintage Amp' and they sounded great. Some Forum members reported replacing them with the Eminence or Telonics 15's, I installed the Telonics and almost immediately reinstalled the Sica, to my ears it was better suited to that particular amp...FWIW: Recently placed the 250 watt 12" version in my Nashville 112 and really like the result (thanks Marty!).

Dave Meis · From: Olympic Peninsula, Washington, USA

Thanks guys! I appreciate your help. Smile

Douglas Schuch · From: Valencia, Philippines

I have a Sica and Black Widow, and have flip-flopped several times over which I prefer. You should know, though, that Sica does not use the same bolt pattern as other builders, so it is not a straight swap-out for other speakers. You will have to drill holes for it. I think it is the same number of bolts, but a slightly larger radius? So if you might switch around, just stagger the holes.
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Bringing steel guitar to the bukid of Negros Oriental!

Dave Meis · From: Olympic Peninsula, Washington, USA

Thanks Doug! I did not know that! Smile

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

I replaced the stock speakers that came in my Evans FET-500LV and my Fender Steel King with SICA speakers and they dropped right in. The bolt patterns were identical.
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Lee, from South Texas - Down On The Rio Grande

There are only two options as I see it.
Either I'm right, or there is a sinister conspiracy to conceal the fact that I'm right.

Williams Keyless S-10, BMI S-10, Evans FET-500LV, Fender Steel King, 2 Roland Cube 80XL's,
Sarno FreeLoader, Goodrich Passive Volume Pedals, Vintage ACE Pack-A-Seat

Dave Meis · From: Olympic Peninsula, Washington, USA

Thanks Lee...I've been looking for the bolt pattern for the JBL K 130 that's in there now, and can't find it on the web. The Sica is listed at 14.64". All my JBLs are mounted up right now, so if I can't get the info, I'll have to take one out... Sad

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

Here is a link to an old topic.--->Click Here

Dave Meis · From: Olympic Peninsula, Washington, USA

Thanks Lee...I'd seen that, and that's what got me thinking about it in the first place. I got a new Rick Johnson cab for my Twin w/ a 15" baffle, and installed a K 130 I got from G.D. Walker..sounds glorious, but I didn't lose much weight over the 2 Ceramic 12's that were in there, so I thought I'd try a Neo. Did you use the Premium Lite 250 watt w/ the 2.5" VC? Thanks for your help! Smile

Douglas Schuch · From: Valencia, Philippines

I went strolling through old threads, and I might be mistaken - I found where Ken mentioned the Sica 12" neo has a different mounting configuration. I could not find anything that mentions the 15". Apologies if I was mistaken.
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Bringing steel guitar to the bukid of Negros Oriental!

Douglas Schuch · From: Valencia, Philippines

I think US standard is 14.56" diameter bolt pattern. So, perhaps the Sica IS slightly larger, which is what my (getting old and sketchy) memory is saying....
_________________
Bringing steel guitar to the bukid of Negros Oriental!

Dave Meis · From: Olympic Peninsula, Washington, USA

Thanks for the follow up, Doug! That would only be .05 on a side. It seems so many people had done it with no mention of moving the studs I thought I might try it myself! Smile

I'm still hoping to get a model number or description of the speakers they used.

David Nugent · From: Gum Spring, Va.

When installing the Sica in my Nashville 112 the hole placement was indeed slightly off from the studs. I simply placed a 1/4" deep socket over two of the studs and after bending them slightly, the speaker dropped right in.

Dave Meis · From: Olympic Peninsula, Washington, USA

Thanks David...I had to do that when I first installed the JBL. The studs just needed straightened, and I used a piece of steel tubing and just 'eye balled' them straight...went right in. Smile

Douglas Schuch · From: Valencia, Philippines

David, I used the Sica 15 in., 4 ohm 250 watt neo speaker with the steel frame - the model Ken Fox used in his amps I believe: 15B3P. The "B" stands for Bass speaker as this was built as such. This was the "standard light" model (steel frame). I do not see it in Sica's current catalogue, nor at the place I purchased it:

http://www.tubesandmore.com/products/P-A-SL15B3P

They do have this same model, but with the aluminum frame, called the "premium light". For reasons I do not recall, Ken preferred the steel frame model. That one is here:

https://www.tubesandmore.com/products/speaker-sica-bass-15-neodymium-pl15b25s-250w-aluminum

However, Ken also sold the 350 watt version of this speaker. This had a bit more high end according to the charts. His opinion was that some amps needed that, some did not. Antique Electronic Supply still carries this model in either 4 or 8 ohm.

https://www.tubesandmore.com/products/speaker-sica-bass-15-neo-sl15b3p-350w-steel-4

The 8-ohm model is a B-stock special, found here:

https://www.tubesandmore.com/products/speaker-15-sica-bass-neo-350w-8-ohm-steel-b-stock

If you search here, limiting to "electronics", no time limit, "sica" as the search item, and "ken fox" as the author, you will find a number of comments on these speakers by him that may help you select what you want. However, I think the two speakers I mention were the ones most people where using, at least a few years ago.

Good luck!
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Bringing steel guitar to the bukid of Negros Oriental!

Morton Kellas · From: Chazy, NY, USA 1

Dave, I just purchased a Sica premium lite Neodymium 250 watt model PL15B25S, which I believe is the speaker Ken used according to his past posting on Jan 4, 2010 on the forum. He may have also used a few steel frame speakers at one time. The premium lite has an aluminum frame. I purchased it from "Amplified Parts" at a very reasonable price. The bolt patterns are the same on the 15" speakers. Check them out.

Dave Meis · From: Olympic Peninsula, Washington, USA

Thanks guys! Just the info I was looking for! I love me some forum! Smile

Thanks again to ALL who participated..all good stuff!

Ken Fox · From: Nashville GA USA

Sometime after I built my amps I test the stamped steel frame speakers. I found they were more like 1501-4SB and the Premium Lite that I used in my amps acted more like the 1502-4SB speakers. The less expensive stamped steel frame speaker does have more high end.

Morton Kellas · From: Chazy, NY, USA 1

I really liked the match up of the Sica premium lite in the amp I purchased from Ken. If you are having a problem with high end shrillness, the Sica premium lite does a good job at taming it and you still have nice smooth highs. Ken made a great amp and a good speaker choice which matched his amp very well.

Dave Meis · From: Olympic Peninsula, Washington, USA

Thanks again, guys. I ordered a Premium Lite that should be here Friday. Looking forward to trying it in the Twin for a few weeks. If I don't like it there, I'll move it into a cab and use it with other amps. Smile

Morton Kellas · From: Chazy, NY, USA 1

Just put one in a Steelaire last night and am liking the added lows which were missing and the less harsh highs. The highs are now tamed down and much more to my personal liking. The high end issue may have been a combination of my gear contributing to it, but it was less costly to change the speaker than my gear and the added lows make me like the amp even more. I can't wait until the speaker is broken in. I may run my drum machine through it for a few days, that should definitely accelerate the break in process.

Ken Fox · From: Nashville GA USA

That speaker worked well to tame the highs in the older Evans amps as well!

Dave Meis · From: Olympic Peninsula, Washington, USA

Got in the Twin about 30 min. ago..sounds good already. I'll be 'breaking it in' for the next couple of weeks or so, and looking forward to how it settles in. I think I can actually get the twin in the car now! Smile

The JBL K-130 I had in there for the last 3 weeks was starting to sound good, too. It took about a week for it to lose that 'too bright' sound, and has continued to improve to the point I could actually use some of the 'treble' knob! I was playing it last night thinking 'damn, this thing sounds good...wish it wasn't so heavy', but if the Sica breaks in nice, I'll be proud to have the JBL in my extension cab! FWIW, UL Twin w/ 2 ceramic 12" was 77Lbs, with the Sica, 57Lbs. With the JBL Alnico, about 65 Lbs. That's on a bathroom scale, with accuracy traceable to the National Bureau of Fish Genetic Resources..and you KNOW you can trust them.

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