** Who Makes Mojotone Speakers? Expert Guide & Tonal Review

Who Makes Mojotone Speakers? The Direct Answer

Mojotone speakers are designed and engineered by Mojotone, a premier musical instrument parts company based in Burgaw, North Carolina. While the company designs the specific tonal profiles and “recipes” in-house, they frequently collaborate with Eminence Speakers in Kentucky to manufacture their American-voiced lines to proprietary specifications.

The British Vintage series, conversely, is often sourced from specialized manufacturers who can replicate the exact vintage “paper-and-glue” chemistry of 1960s UK drivers. When you buy a Mojotone speaker, you are purchasing a product designed by American tube-amp experts who have spent decades repairing and cloning the world’s most famous amplifiers.

### 💡 Key Takeaways: Mojotone Speaker Guide * Origin: Designed in Burgaw, North Carolina; manufacturing partner is primarily Eminence (USA) for American lines. * Sound Profile: They specialize in “cloning” the best characteristics of vintage Celestion and Jensen speakers. * Build Quality: Features high-quality U-Sonics cones, hand-sewn lead wires, and heavy-duty ceramic or alnico magnets. * Value Proposition: Often 30-40% more affordable than boutique competitors while offering “broken-in” tones out of the box. * Primary Keyword Focus: Understanding who makes mojotone speakers helps users trust the E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness) behind the brand.

Understanding the Origin of Who Makes Mojotone Speakers

If you have ever opened a high-end boutique amplifier, you have likely seen the Mojotone logo. For over 20 years, I have worked with these drivers in various DIY cabinet builds and professional recording sessions. The question of who makes mojotone speakers is common because the company is world-renowned for their cabinets and amp kits, but their speakers are often the “secret sauce” in their builds.

Mojotone functions as a boutique designer. They don’t just “rebadge” generic drivers. Instead, they specify the magnetic flux, the voice coil winding, and the cone stiffness to recreate specific historical sounds. Their partnership with Eminence allows them to leverage world-class manufacturing facilities while maintaining strict control over the “North Carolina” sound.

Why Manufacturing Partnerships Matter

By partnering with Eminence, Mojotone ensures that their speakers have the highest consistency in the industry. Eminence is the largest manufacturer of guitar speakers in the USA, providing the infrastructure that allows Mojotone to keep prices competitive. This synergy means you get a “Custom Shop” design with “Industrial Strength” reliability.

The Mojotone Speaker Lineup: A Tonal Comparison

When choosing a speaker, you need to know which “family” of tone you are chasing. Mojotone simplifies this by categorizing their speakers into two primary camps: British Vintage and American Vintage.

The British Vintage (BV) Series

This is the flagship of the Mojotone line. Based on my experience, the BV-25M is the closest thing to a 1960s “Pre-Rola” Celestion you can buy today without spending $500 on a vintage unit. They use a proprietary cone that softens the “ice-pick” highs associated with new speakers.

The American Vintage Series

If you are restoring a Fender Deluxe Reverb or a Princeton, this is where you look. These drivers mimic the old Jensen P12Q and C12N models. They provide the “scooped” midrange and sparkling highs that define the American surf and blues sound.

Step-by-Step: How to Choose the Right Mojotone Speaker

Choosing a speaker is more than just matching a brand. You must follow a technical checklist to ensure you don’t damage your amplifier or ruin your tone. I recommend following these four steps:

Step 1: Verify Your Power Handling

Your speaker must be able to handle the output of your amp. A good rule of thumb I use is to ensure the speaker wattage is at least 50% higher than the amp’s rated power.

• If you have a 20-watt amp, choose at least a 30-watt speaker.


• This provides “headroom” and prevents the voice coil from melting during long sessions.

Step 2: Match the Impedance (Ohms)

This is non-negotiable. Look at the back of your amplifier. It will say 4Ω, 8Ω, or 16Ω.

1. Identify the Ohms: Ensure the speaker you buy matches the amp output.


2. Mismatch Dangers: Running an 8-ohm amp into a 16-ohm speaker can stress your output transformer. Running a 16-ohm amp into an 8-ohm speaker can lead to catastrophic tube failure.

Step 3: Choose Your “Voice” (Magnet Choice)

The magnet type defines the “feel” of the amp under your fingers.

• Alnico Magnets: These offer “natural compression.” When you hit a chord hard, the speaker “gives” a little. Great for jazz, blues, and vintage rock.


• Ceramic Magnets: These are punchy and loud. They stay tight even at high volumes. Preferred for metal, hard rock, and country.

Step 4: Consider the Weight

I have learned the hard way that a heavy speaker makes a combo amp a nightmare to carry. A Ceramic BV-30V has a massive magnet; if you are gigging three nights a week, you might prefer a lighter Neodymium or Alnico option.

Installation Guide: Upgrading Your Cabinet with Mojotone

Once you know who makes mojotone speakers and which one you need, the installation is a simple 15-minute DIY project. You will need a Phillips head screwdriver and a socket wrench (usually 8mm or 10mm).

Remove the Back Panel

Unplug the amplifier from the wall. Gently unscrew the back panel of your cabinet or combo amp. Be careful not to snag any wires.

Disconnect the Wires

Most modern amps use Faston (spade) connectors. Pull them off the speaker terminals firmly. If they are soldered, you will need a soldering iron to de-solder the joints. Pro Tip: Note which wire is positive (usually red or white) and which is negative (black).

Unscrew the Old Driver

Lay the cabinet face down on a soft surface (like a carpet) to prevent the speaker from falling and damaging the baffleboard. Remove the four or eight mounting nuts.

Mount the Mojotone Speaker

Place the new Mojotone speaker onto the mounting studs.

• Crucial: Tighten the nuts in a “star pattern” (top, then bottom, then left, then right).


• Warning: Do not over-tighten! Over-tightening can warp the speaker frame, causing the voice coil to rub.

Reconnect and Test

Slide the connectors onto the new terminals. Double-check the polarity. If you reverse the wires, the speaker will move “in” instead of “out,” causing a thin, out-of-phase sound.

Technical Deep-Dive: Magnets, Cones, and Sensitivity

To truly understand why Mojotone is a top-tier choice, we have to look at the data. Most guitarists focus only on wattage, but Sensitivity (dB) is arguably more important.

The Role of Sensitivity

The Sensitivity rating tells you how loud the speaker is at 1 watt of power.

• A Mojotone Greyhound has a high sensitivity (approx. 100dB). This makes a small amp sound massive.


• A lower sensitivity speaker (approx. 95-96dB) is better if you want to “crank” your amp to get tube distortion without deafening your neighbors.

The Paper Cone Factor

Mojotone uses high-quality paper pulp for their cones. In my testing, I found that their “ribbed” cones (found in the American Vintage series) provide more structural integrity, leading to a cleaner sound at high volumes. Their “smooth” cones break up earlier, providing that “raunchy” classic rock grit.

How to Properly “Break-In” Your Mojotone Speakers

When you first install a speaker from whoever makes mojotone speakers, it will sound stiff and bright. This is because the “surround” and “spider” (the moving parts) are brand new and rigid.

My Recommended Break-In Process:

1. The Low-Volume Soak: Play clean, jazz-style chords at a moderate volume for 2 hours.


2. The Heavy Gain Session: Turn up the bass and play heavy riffs for another 3 hours. This stretches the suspension.


3. The “Silent” Method: If you can’t play loud, hook the speaker up to a variac or a looping pedal playing a low-frequency drone while the cabinet is face-down on a rug.

Note: Most Mojotone speakers require about 20-40 hours of playing time before they reach their “sweet spot.”

FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions About Mojotone

Are Mojotone speakers better than Celestion?

“Better” is subjective, but Mojotone offers a more “vintage-accurate” experience for certain models. While Celestion produces great modern drivers, many of their standard lines use different materials than they did in the 60s. Mojotone specifically targets those vintage material formulas.

Where is Mojotone located?

Mojotone is located in Burgaw, North Carolina. They are a major employer in the region and handle all their cabinet manufacturing, pickup winding, and amp kit assembly in this facility.

Can I use a Mojotone speaker for bass guitar?

Generally, no. Mojotone guitar speakers are designed for the frequency range of a 6-string guitar. Using them for a high-powered bass amp can over-extend the cone and cause permanent damage. Look for their specific Bass or Subwoofer drivers if needed.

Who makes the magnets for Mojotone?

The magnets are sourced from specialized industrial suppliers, but the magnetic charging and assembly are done to Mojotone’s specific flux density requirements. This ensures that the “magnetic pull” on the voice coil matches the intended vintage response.

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