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Post by zman on Sept 29, 2006 19:19:39 GMT -7
Hi, My 66 is my MAIN GIGGING amp and I LOVE it so much I ordered a..... empty 2x12 Marshall mini slant clone type cab to be used with my 66 ONLY. I have played fulltime and traveled all over the US making music..... However, when it comes to different 12" speakers, I have little to No knowledge of what I'm looking for. I do know what I want from the speakers I seek though.... and that is low stage volume and easy speaker breakup at low volumes. I have heard some stuff about the Alnico Blue speakers and that may be a good option for me. Thanks and any help to get my speaker cabinet loaded with speakers that will work well for me is highly appreciated.
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Post by zman on Sept 29, 2006 21:32:11 GMT -7
Thanks, I'm confused by the greenback speakers off the celestion website. They make 20, 25, and 30 watt greenback speakers? ? What is the best or what is the difference?
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Post by taswegian on Sept 29, 2006 22:49:07 GMT -7
The G12M Heritage greenback is based on the "pre rola" celestions which were are the most sought after vintage celestion speaker. From all I've heard they are very close to the original and sound fantastic. With the 66 they would be very "beano" but some might think that it's too "dark" a sound but they sound like a good match for what you describe. I've been very tempted to try them and would love to find a 2/12 or 4/12 loaded with them to try out. I did think about replacing the V30 in the Z best with the G12M but I like the Zbest so much as is I don't really want to mess with it. Best bet is to try and find one somewhere to check out
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Post by John on Sept 30, 2006 6:20:02 GMT -7
Taz,
The G12M greenbacks...based on the pre rola celestions? When would those pre rola speakers been made? I have a 1971 flat front Marshall 4x12 with the original greenbacks. I'm wondering if those might be the speakers you speak of. I don't want to take the back off the cabinet just yet.
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Post by zman on Sept 30, 2006 14:11:32 GMT -7
What about the Texas Heat speakers I have been hearing of in the forums? Do those speakers break up quickly or are they efficient?
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Post by taswegian on Sept 30, 2006 20:19:40 GMT -7
There seems to be alot of confusion over the whole "pre rola" thing. I still don't know the real history and people seem to argue and contradict each other. Rola apparently bought out Celestion decades earlier but continued to make speakers independent of each other. Around late 1970 they joined and apparently moved from Thames Ditton/ Surrey to the Rola factory in Ipswich. So some people judge "pre rola" on whether the speaker is from the former factory not the latter. But then G12H were made almost exclusively at Ipswich, but a few were made in the last days of Thames Ditton, which closed completely in 74. Generally those who believe themselves to be 'in the know' would call a 1974 Thames Ditton built G12H 'Pre Rola', and a 1969 Ipswich built G12H as 'post Rola', and demand a higher price for the 1974 model. I think they stopped making the 20 watt Greenbacks in around 1968 and started making the 25 watters after that. So to answer your question whether the 71 greenbacks are "pre rola"? No idea, you could see whether they are stamped Thames Ditton or Ipswich but this isn't neccessarily definitive. Between 70 and 74 they probably just slapped whatever label was nearest them and that was that! There are even some 60's Rola labelled celestions. I'm not sure what yours are but I don't think it matters, I'm sure they sound GREAT!
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Post by taswegian on Oct 2, 2006 6:20:29 GMT -7
what kind of music are you going to be playing? At the moment I'd say go with the Celestion Heritage G12M's (Greenback 20 watters) They have a low sensitivity rating which means less volume and at 20 watts a piece they will break up quicker. I think they'd be a great classic rock pair, but might be too dark for country or other applications.
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Post by zman on Oct 2, 2006 6:24:41 GMT -7
what kind of music are you going to be playing? At the moment I'd say go with the Celestion Heritage G12M's (Greenback 20 watters) They have a low sensitivity rating which means less volume and at 20 watts a piece they will break up quicker. I think they'd be a great classic rock pair, but might be too dark for country or other applications. Thanks Tas, I'm going to be covering the bluesy rock type tones with the amp. I have heard about the texas heats.... Do you have any expierence with them? At least the guy I purchased my 66 from said to check into them because he said they were a good match for the amp. But who knows.....
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Post by taswegian on Oct 2, 2006 6:36:16 GMT -7
I would think the 12m's would be great for bluesy rock! Haven't had much speaker experience as we don't have the other manufacturers here so I'm only familiar with the celestions and some eminence speakers. I've heard the 20 watt heritage G12m's are almost spot on to the original dare I say it "pre rola" greenies. I would think they'd be very Beano with the 66. I'd love to try a pair with my amp too. The studio next to me has an old 60's marshall cab with greenies but I haven't got to try the 66 with it. Hangin' to try it through that cab though. I used to have a vintage 60's quad with greenies too. It was a straight faced one like the Marshall major cabs. So hard to get up a flight of steps but I wish I still had it...didn't know what I had!
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Post by zman on Oct 5, 2006 14:14:30 GMT -7
I'm considering just getting the same speakers that come stock in the Z-Best cab. Do you all feel that the stock Z-Best speakers are a good match for my 66.... or is that speaker combination more suited to match many different type of tube amps??
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Post by Curt on Oct 5, 2006 14:33:23 GMT -7
I really like the Texas Heat with the 66, a pair of the 25 watt greenies is "OK" to my ears. The Weber Blue Dog Alnico sounds cool too...a bit "softer", I have the 30 watter, med. dope..I've played plenty of shows with all 3 knobs on 3:00 and the speaker is fine.
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Post by taswegian on Oct 5, 2006 18:05:11 GMT -7
I'm considering just getting the same speakers that come stock in the Z-Best cab. Do you all feel that the stock Z-Best speakers are a good match for my 66.... or is that speaker combination more suited to match many different type of tube amps?? That speaker combination is fantastic, very bluesy but also pretty loud! The Z best is a very awesome cab, I think Z does something magic with it. BW still plays his stock so that's a pretty good endorsement. The V30 and the G12H are both very efficient speakers though. I beginning to wonder if a 4-12 with heritage G-M's (20 watts) running at 16 ohms might actually be quieter than the stock Z best at 8?
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Post by zman on Oct 6, 2006 3:53:11 GMT -7
I really like the Texas Heat with the 66, a pair of the 25 watt greenies is "OK" to my ears. The Weber Blue Dog Alnico sounds cool too...a bit "softer", I have the 30 watter, med. dope..I've played plenty of shows with all 3 knobs on 3:00 and the speaker is fine. For the cost difference between the Texas Heat's verses the Blue Dog Alnico's.... I may just have to go for the Heat's.
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Post by Curt on Oct 6, 2006 6:33:53 GMT -7
If you like the G-12-H with the 66 you'll LOVE the Heats !!
Shop around, sometimes you can find heats for $49/ea !! That's a steal and certainly a cheap test, you can sell 'em pretty easy if they are not for you. I have one in a 1x12 Z cab, I've tried it with 6 or so amps and liked it with all of them.
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Post by (8^D) on Oct 6, 2006 10:49:26 GMT -7
I'm considering just getting the same speakers that come stock in the Z-Best cab. Do you all feel that the stock Z-Best speakers are a good match for my 66.... or is that speaker combination more suited to match many different type of tube amps?? That's a great speaker combo for the R66! I toured with my R66 and a V30/G12H30 212 in a rock/alt country/blues/americana (artist based in Austin) - I had more guitarists/sound men ask about that setup than anything else I've ever used (before or since)...always someone trying to buy it off me every week - phrases like 'best guitar tone ever', 'completely flat', 'perfect tone' were the usual...and I'll swear it had nothing to to with me - my ear or as a player - that all happened immediately after I changed to the R66/G12H-V30 setup - just great sounding combination!
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Post by rcrecelius on Oct 6, 2006 18:44:29 GMT -7
I'm considering just getting the same speakers that come stock in the Z-Best cab. Do you all feel that the stock Z-Best speakers are a good match for my 66.... or is that speaker combination more suited to match many different type of tube amps?? That's a great speaker combo for the R66! I toured with my R66 and a V30/G12H30 212 in a rock/alt country/blues/americana (artist based in Austin) - I had more guitarists/sound men ask about that setup than anything else I've ever used (before or since)...always someone trying to buy it off me every week - phrases like 'best guitar tone ever', 'completely flat', 'perfect tone' were the usual...and I'll swear it had nothing to to with me - my ear or as a player - that all happened immediately after I changed to the R66/G12H-V30 setup - just great sounding combination! I'm tempted to go the G12H/V30 route myself...these Greenbacks sound great for the rock/blues stuff but I need more clarity/headroom for the country stuff. Were you playing your G&L with that setup? Speaking of G12H/V30...has anyone used the Hellatones from Avatar? I know its really a "broken in" Celestion but it seems appealing to me for some reason.
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Post by zman on Oct 7, 2006 5:39:49 GMT -7
Because, I have tried very few different speakers types.... and considering I'm really after the dirty grit the 66 puts out..... Rather then specifying that I need a speaker that breaks up easily... Is what I'm really after a more quiet speaker so I can play the amp louder at gigs?? Does that make sense? I guess what I'm trying to say is..... do some higher watt handling efficient speakers have a lower dB output then say a 25 watt greenback? Or did I really mess this speaker logic thing up now?
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Post by (8^D) on Oct 7, 2006 7:54:00 GMT -7
Were you playing your G&L with that setup? Speaking of G12H/V30...has anyone used the Hellatones from Avatar? I know its really a "broken in" Celestion but it seems appealing to me for some reason. Hey Ronnie, Yes, w/G&L , stock late 80's strat, couple Blade models and an older Gibson Les Paul Special/Jr DC w/P90s. Actually believe that cab is loaded w/Hellatones... Was going to get a new pair of the G12H/V30 but the Hellatones were cheaper so I went that route - I mean, they're gonna get broken in on the road anyway.
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Post by taswegian on Oct 7, 2006 7:56:50 GMT -7
Well I could be wrong but I haven't really seen any guitar speakers less efficient than greenbacks. My Celestion Heritage V35 speaker (custom) in my new 1-12 is rated at around 96/97db so it's about as low as they go, and that's why I got it. It has the tone of a greenback with a tighter bottom, it's actually kinda like a tamed Vintage 30, but it's substantially lower in volume than my ZBest which allows me to turn up the amp a little more at those quiet gigs. Maybe check out the scumbacks as they are based on (here we go again) "pre-rola" celestions and should be less efficient also.
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