Why do I like Celestion G12-65's but I don't really care for 25 Watt Greenbacks????????

[harddriver]

I was playing my combo amp that has a Heritage Celestion G12-65 this weekend and it just sounds killer, great punch, tight lows not wooly, great snarl nice mids and highs details and that jam session got my wallet into trouble.

I've had some of the best Greenbacks made over the years(except real Pulsonic coned greenbacks), 1978 Blackbacks, 6402 variants, UK made greenbacks, Scumback M65's and I've played EVH cabs with the EVH Heritage 20 watters and I've always preferred my vintage and Heritage 12H-30 cabinets. I know the G12-65 was essentially supposed to be a higher powered greenback but I just hear the G12-65 as different and superior for whatever reason.

So much so I ordered 2 UK Heritage G12-65's to install in my V30 cabinet on top like the Friedman cabs do with the Greenbacks. Right now the V30 cab has the new 2025 UK V30's on top and two older Mesa spec V30's on the bottom. I'm thinking the G12-65's will play nicely with the UK V-30's and I'm going to pull the Mesa Spec ones out.

I know the vintage G12-65's are supposed to be the best but I really like these Heritage ones for what they are so I said" what the hey".

 

[S̷͖͑m̵͎͂á̵̺s̸͚̈́h̴̬̑]

Probably dislike speaker breakup

 

[ChurchHill]

Might be blasphemy, but I like G12-65s better than Greenbacks, too. For me, they have better bass and smoother highs, probably due to the large dust cover.

I think I got poisoned by some of the production Greenbacks that were fizzy and thin. I think the Heritage Greenbacks and the EVH are much better, and I've got some '76 and '78 Blackbacks that are just killer.

FWIW, about 6 years ago, Celestion had the 90th Anniversary G12-35XC, which were supposed to be based on Pulsonic Greenbacks. To my ears, they are closer to G12-65s than Greenbacks, but in any case, they are incredible speakers, too.

Edit to add that all G12-65 are not the same. Some were 55Hz cones and some were 75Hz. The current Heritage are 75Hz.

 

[thegame]

Depends on the application. Relatively speaking, the less gain you throw at GBs the better they cope and vice versa.

 

[S̷͖͑m̵͎͂á̵̺s̸͚̈́h̴̬̑]

Depends on the application. Relatively speaking, the less gain you throw at GBs the better they cope and vice versa.

I was just thinking this. The only time i loved greenbacks was when another guy played through them with some lower gain crunch. Sounded phenomenal. But wasn't my favorite for metal

 

[dead-pan]

Depends on the cone also.

 

[RaceU4her]

they sound nothing alike, i cant imagine liking both for the same application

 

[ChurchHill]

Me, either, but that's how Celestion advertised them back in the day.

 

[SgtThump]

I also think it’s the speaker breakup.

I was playing my combo amp that has a Heritage Celestion G12-65 this weekend and it just sounds killer, great punch, tight lows not wooly, great snarl nice mids and highs details…

I think you may not like how the lows break up and get loose’ish on Greenbacks?

 

[Alpha Stryke]

Sometimes you feel like a nut and sometimes you don't.

 

[BABMusic]

I had V30s in my cab, then put Greenbacks in, then went back to V30s. Now, I find myself missing the Greenbacks to some degree. I guess this means I should have 2 cabs.

 

[harddriver]

I had V30s in my cab, then put Greenbacks in, then went back to V30s. Now, I find myself missing the Greenbacks to some degree. I guess this means I should have 2 cabs.

Maybe try the Friedman combination, greenbacks on top V30 on bottom??????

 

[harddriver]

I also think it’s the speaker breakup.

I think you may not like how the lows break up and get loose’ish on Greenbacks?

I've always found the Greenback lows wooly sounding/feeling until I started driving them at stage volumes which I don't really play at anymore so that may have more to do with it, I don't play at bedroom/low low volumes either. At higher volumes greenbacks are better to me but my 12H-30's are just more my taste, I have come to terms with the fact that I am just not a 25 watt greenback guy.

I'll just have to see if the G12-65 delivers what I want to hear mixed with those V30's.

 

[harddriver]

I was just thinking this. The only time i loved greenbacks was when another guy played through them with some lower gain crunch. Sounded phenomenal. But wasn't my favorite for metal

I'm the same way, I like them when other people play them for all kinds of music but they just don't do what the 12H-30 does standing in front of my amps/cabs. We ran my Cameron amp into SGTThumps Greenback cab and it killed but I still prefer my 12H-30's when I am playing....

 

[harddriver]

they sound nothing alike, i cant imagine liking both for the same application

It will be interesting if I like the G12-65's in my 4x12, I spent alot of time with it in my combo amp so I think I know what I am getting with them. Hell... I've bought almost every iteration of greenbacks so I am glad the G12-65 is different.

 

[S̷͖͑m̵͎͂á̵̺s̸͚̈́h̴̬̑]

It will be interesting if I like the G12-65's in my 4x12, I spent alot of time with it in my combo amp so I think I know what I am getting with them. Hell... I've bought almost every iteration of greenbacks so I am glad the G12-65 is different.

My favorite speakers are redbacks. But v30/h75 is nice and fane f70s cool too

 

[Hiwatts-n-Gibsons]

I was playing my combo amp that has a Heritage Celestion G12-65 this weekend and it just sounds killer, great punch, tight lows not wooly, great snarl nice mids and highs details and that jam session got my wallet into trouble.

I've had some of the best Greenbacks made over the years(except real Pulsonic coned greenbacks), 1978 Blackbacks, 6402 variants, UK made greenbacks, Scumback M65's and I've played EVH cabs with the EVH Heritage 20 watters and I've always preferred my vintage and Heritage 12H-30 cabinets. I know the G12-65 was essentially supposed to be a higher powered greenback but I just hear the G12-65 as different and superior for whatever reason.

So much so I ordered 2 UK Heritage G12-65's to install in my V30 cabinet on top like the Friedman cabs do with the Greenbacks. Right now the V30 cab has the new 2025 UK V30's on top and two older Mesa spec V30's on the bottom. I'm thinking the G12-65's will play nicely with the UK V-30's and I'm going to pull the Mesa Spec ones out.

I know the vintage G12-65's are supposed to be the best but I really like these Heritage ones for what they are so I said" what the hey".

Hope you enjoy, G12-65's are one of if not my favorite Celestions ever. I have four vintage 55hz G12-65's in a Marshall Bass 4x12 that sound amazing. I've also got my son's Lead cab here with four vintage 75hz as well, but like the 55hz a little more.

 

[Racerxrated]

Any and every Celestion needs power behind them to shine best. GBs, even at 25w per sound crisp and tight when cranked. I have 4 quads of Pulsonics, and they go next level vs even the 77 T1511 BB cab which is also killer. 6402s pale to any of these vintage GBs. They're ok...but I'll put the EVH or 20w Heritage over them. I have some 6402s here for reference. I really don't understand anyone comparing them to vintage GBs of any kind. They aren't even close.

65s are amazing and perfect for any Marshall type circuit. The Heritage version is great but if you can score the brightest version, the T3120 those are the version to rule them all. In fact any 65 cab I've had, loved every Mesa/Marshall/EVH/SLO/Naylor I've owned.

As much as I love 65s the 80s Marshall Vintage speaker is now the king over any non Pulsonic GB. I have an 8 ohm cab from 1988, and a 16 ohm cab from 87. It's kinda like a 65 mixed with a non spiky V30. Perfect.

 

[mentoneman]

speakers are weird

went rabbit holing way back when with my uberkab which i bought new in 2001 but after going from Mark III and Eggie TOL 100 heads which loved the Uber,

to Mojave which is not a T75 amp, went nuts with replacement combinations.

ended up with this outcome—
all ipswich celestions—70th gh30/greenback/v30 and 1 scumback M65



sold that cab to a buddy when I left Cali in ‘15 and he still loves it.

now have my mahalo 4x12 x pattern WGS ET65s/Invader 50s, Mesa 4x12 halfback w black shadows/EV12Ls,
orange 1x12 w china V30 and EVH 1x12 w china gh30.

aaaand just did a prez day thing….

 

[mentoneman]

besides owning an ampeg T75 2x12 and mesa 2x12 halfback w/greenback top/black shadows bottom back in the early boogie days,

also did a 2x12 open back shootout with my Carol Ann OD2r:
kerry wright w celestion G65s / THD Longhorns / Tone Tubbys H Bomb red (Jensen P12N derived) & green (celestion V30 derived) hempcone. all cool but i kept the H Bomb which also sounded great with the Peacemaker.