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

[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.

 

[harddriver]

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

Dan........................... thanks for being you!

 

[harddriver]

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.

Are you referencing the Marshall early Vintage 30 speakers from1986-1988?

 

[Racerxrated]

Are you referencing the Marshall early Vintage 30 speakers from1986-1988?

Yes sir!

A very different experience from any other V30. The first versions are not spiky like the 91-current versions, and are smoother.

 

[harddriver]

Yes sir!

A very different experience from any other V30. The first versions are not spiky like the 91-current versions, and are smoother.

I thought so, I believe SGTThump has a cabinet of those he said he absolutely loves, I think that's the cab he is using with his new Diezel VH-4 clips. I've heard great things about them from others as well. I think those were the speakers that everyone loved with the Silver Jubilee amps when those came out in 87.

I still love my 12H-30's best out of everything else I've tried over the years, it's just a preference, but there are always speakers ya haven't tried.......it never ends does it?...

On a side note... my G12-65's are out for delivery from Sweetwater today so I may get them installed this week hopefully.

 

[chumbucket]

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".

I've also owned plenty of greenbacks over the years including some of the vintage grail models, and I'll take a G12-65 over them any day of the week. I dig the vented early G12-75s too. They both seem to have increased bandwidth over a greenback and they don't start sounding uglier as you turn up the volume. I've yet to hear the heritage model 65s though.