The ET10! Plus a Rundown on 10" Replacement Guitar Speaker Options

Howdy guitar slingers.  Today is one of those excellent days to be alive and playing the electric guitar.  Today is the day the awesome WGS ET10 is available to the masses!  Let’s talk about this fine lil’ filly.

First, what does it sound like?  That’s fairly easy, it sounds a good bit like it’s big sibling the ET65.  Like the ET65, the ET10 has a sweet “organic” tone that’s perfect for overly sterile, clinical, or downright harsh sounding amps.  It’s not QUITE as warm as an ET65, but it’s close.  The ET10 will join the ranks of the G10C as a great all-around 10” speaker.  It is one that will sound good in almost any amp, and music style.

I’ll try to get some head-to-head shootout vids done as quickly as possible, but for now … if you are trying to decide how the ET10 fits in to the WGS stable of ten inch speakers, here is my quick take on the field (the “new” ET10 is mentioned at the end):

The Vet 10: This is a VERY good sounding speaker … in the old CTS Alnico 10 kind of way … it’s a very light-weight speaker that is surprisingly warm, given its diminutive nature.   I do not often recommend a Vet 10 in a single 10 amp … but they really sound great in 4x10 or 3x10 configurations.

The G10C: This is the undisputed heavyweight champ in 10” guitar speakers.  Able to take on 75 actual RMS TUBE WATTS (!) … this thing seems to defy the physics of a 10” speaker … sounding downright HUGE, with lots of big, tight bottom, while still remaining extremely nimble, with a nice “Fenderesque” chime on top.  This is the BOMB in a 1x10 combo, but also sounds impeccable in an open-back 2x10 config, like a Fender Vibrolux Reverb Amp.  They do sound great in a 4x10, but these things are also VERY loud … so a 4x10 loaded with G10s will be heavy, and have very late break-up … or lots of clean headroom, if you prefer.

The G10A: (same as the G10C, but with a bit sweeter top end, especially when driven, or heavily saturated.

G10C/S:  Okay gang, this one trips a lot of folks up!  The smooth-cone does not sound much like the regular ribbed G10.  The smooth-cone is a LOT warmer/darker.  This is the speaker to turn to to REALLY warm-up an amp.  This is instant tweed-tone!  If your amps already a bit on the dark side … don’t go there!

The Green Beret 10:  This is our most “British” sounding ten.  It has a good bit of throaty growl, and with a lightweight cone, paper former and 20-watt power rating, it’s also quite easy to push into a bit of cone breakup.  In other words, this is our best 10” speaker for those who want fully authentic vintage Marshall crunch tone.

The Retro 10:  This is the 10” speaker for those of you who want a very forward tone that can cut through a loud band.  It has a bit of upper-midrange bite and top-end sparkle, with a tight bottom that is perfect for large sealed cabinets.

So, having run through the options up to this point, how does the new ET10 fit into this list?

The ET10: If you were to make an equilateral triangle, with the Big and Bold G10C in one corner, the uber-warm G10C/S in one corner, and the throaty Green Beret 10 in the third corner … the ET10 would sit right in the middle of that triangle.  The ET10 is fairly big and bold … but not as much so as the HUGE G10C; it’s a bit Britt throaty sounding, but not as much as the GB 10; and it’s a warm and organic speaker, but not as “blanket over the amp” warm as a smooth-cone G10.

So what does that mean?  It means that this speaker should be a serious consideration for anyone looking for a tone that can cover a BUNCH of ground.  This is one versatile ten folks!

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