Speaker recommendation

[George Brooks <gbrooks@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Many thanks to Jim Rossen for his comprehensive and detailed reply to my
query.  Choosing a speaker can be frustrating.  If I could try all of the
speakers I am interested in in a 4 X 10 cab, I would know what is best for
me within minutes.  As it is, it's like shooting in the dark.  

I called Weber VST yesterday and spoke to someone (not Ted Weber; the
person's nickname was T.A., I think).  He was steering me in the direction
of a P10R with a straight cone and the "H" dustcap, which seems to be a
sort of standard recommendation for harmonica players looking for a 10"
speaker.  But he suggested I email Ted, which I did.  I explained that I
was not looking for the Chicago sound but, rather, something that stayed
clean and articulate until pushed hard.  And, since I play the whole range
of the harmonica using a mic without a lot of high frequency roll-off (a
late 60s Shure 545), I was concerned that the speaker not sound shrill.

Ted's recommendation, for those interested, was a P10R with the Q-type
(ribbed and seamed) cone (Weber VST model #10A100T) and the "H" dustcap.
His comment on the P10R with straight comb (Weber VST model #10A100) is
that it breaks up early and is very crunchy at higher volumes.

By the way, the person I spoke to advised that the Signature Alnico 10
(favorably mention by Jim), although not listed on Weber VST's website, is
still available.  This, he explained to me, is a P10R (Weber VST model
#10A100) with slightly less precise tolerances.  Weber VST intended to set
up an assembly line to produce these at lower cost than the fully
hand-built-one-at-a-time speakers, but this has not happened yet.  If you
want one or more, they will build them for you to order.  The price, if I
recall correctly, is $50.00 per speaker.    

George