Very few people have so many versions of these speakers and even fewer can be bothered to make such an awesome video comparison for the rest of us to enjoy. I think your videos are an extremely valuable resource for gear hounds all over the world and sincerely hope you keep making them! Cheers.
AGREED! not only are they informative but I find myself just listening over and over. Best channel on the internet. Does Johan have a band? I'd love to have a listen!
Agreed from me, and also an other thing I like about Johan channel is that he let you to come to your own conclusion's without him injecting his thought's.
I have, or have had all of these speakers. I must say that immediately it's the 1976 G12M 55hz T1511 which grab me. That's the sound in MY head. They have got it ALL going on. All these speakers are magnificent of course. Thanks Johan.
I know this is an older video, but I really appreciate the time and effort you went through to create this video! I like them all! You definitely make them all sound great! My favorite must have been the early 70’s H 55Hz. I even liked the black backs in this video though!
I have one G12H-30 75w T1217 with a date stamp KE10V. I've narrowed it down to being made sometime during 1972. It was left to me by an old friend whom i worked with during the late 90's. I had placed it up in my loft space in 2000 or 2001 and completely forgot about it. it had been up there for over twenty years. it still works and sounds amazing.
This was great. Loved the subtle differences in the Celestions, but your playing was the highlight. Thanks for making all these fun yet quite scientific comparisons of different aspects of guitars.
Thanks for taking the time and effort to make this video!!! Very informative! One suggestion: maybe use a looper pedal and let it play the same riff(s)... Less effort and the results are (even) more consistent while comparing. Would be interesting to see how they compare to the modern greenbacks.
You are a doing the entire guitar world a public service by making these videos. Thank you so much for these as you are the only one that does it right. Thank you!!!
I have two Marshall checkerboard cabs with vintage Celestions: 73 Slant with four 1968 T1281 55hz no label Greenbacks and a 76 Straight with four 1974 T1221 75hz Creambacks. I couldn't be happier with my sound running either my 1977 2204 JMP or Trainwreck Express clone. Always fun and interesting to see these speaker comparisons Johan! Great work!
Johan, I am a full time guitar pickup maker. I find your videos very useful and also enjoy your playing. Thanks for your hard work and dedication to your work or should I say fun!!
I NEVER regretted buying, Any of the Celestions I have bought-The same thing cannot be said for the Electrovoice OR Altec, Speakers I spent big money on !!! Thanks again for confirming that Johan !
Thank you for making this video... can't wait for more speaker shoot outs... such value in these videos... perhaps the next rock and roll sound will come from someone studying these archives you are creating . Thank you always ! - Bahrum (from my various accounts)
I have most the same speakers...and the blackback 55 hz from 1978 are at the top of the pile, even over the early Pulsonics...they just have "that" rock tone. They get the mids right.Love them. Sweet, fat, crunchy! Surprised at how good the 75hz G12H sounds compared to the standard Marshall 55hz...Marshall never actually installed them....too bad. What sound! Not too crazy about the creambacks with the RIC cones. Thankfully they were short lived. Thanks again bud, and love the playing. Looks like you are having fun!
soundboy57 Thanks man, I sure do! :-) and yeah the blackback M55 and the Greenback H75s are very cool. It's indeed strange that these are the 2 least popular of the four standard G12 speakers - M75, H55, H75, M55. And these to make a good combination as well. Cheers Johan
@@sojerz1044 I like the G12M 55 much more. I have had some G12H blackbacks that sounded fine, but they are harsher and not as nice in the mids as the old Pulsonic G12H. I still prefer the G12M pulsonics over the blackbacks, regardless of my earlier comments. I had a cabinet at the time with G12M 55's from 1978 that just sounded great. Nut surely not quite in the Pulsonic camp.
Love the comparison videos, good filming, playing and recording! Im about to buy a 4x12 Cab with G12H30 55Hz pulsonics. I also enjoy the 'clipping' sound of the H30's which you describe at the end. Great thing about these old greenback speakers is that they are barely more expensive than new ones, retain their value and sound simply amazing. I plan on combining that cab with my current '81 Marshall 1960 lead with original G12-65's (1777 KM lead cone) under my JVM410H, the combination of those speakers should be great!!!
Thanks for the video. I have just been searching the marked for a nice 4x12" Marshall, and actually just bought one yesterday. I have always thought the "darker" and tighter G12H, 30w, 55hz was the right for me. But I found a 1973 cabinet with G12M, 25w, 55hz (1511), and took it home straight away! Works very well with single-coils because of the darker voicing.
Johan Segeborn Thanks! - I have been looking for the "dream-cab" for a while. So that is very nice! 3 of them is from year 1972 (3x EF25V - T1511) and one is from 1973 (FF4X - T1511) All Greenbacks. The label says G12M, 25w, 55hz. They are Rola-build, but with Pulsonic cones. The cabinet looks quite beat-up, but I kind'a like that. :) - But most important, it sounds sweet!! :)
Thanks, It's actually one of my go-to 4x12s, I usually use a stack of 2x4x12 T1281 Pulsonic and a stack of 4x12 T1217 pulsonic and 4x12 T1511 Kurt mueller. Cheers! Johan
Johan Segeborn Thanks for this shootout, very useful. Would you please please be so kind as to let us know the cone codes for each of these speakers (maybe by editing the video description)? Cheers
I prefer the 75Hz G12M Pulsonic Cone Speakers. I like how they round off the treble so it doesn't get too harsh for solos. I'm actually looking at getting the G12-65 which is supposed to be the 65W version. Have you tried that speaker?
+zurg9000 Thanks yeah, that G12-65 is a great speaker that basically is a more mellow version of the G12M25 75Hz, due to the larger dust cap. It has a more firm bass on higher volumes than the G12M25 I'd say. But it is also a bit less detailed and spatially defined. Cheers Johan
You have a video on every celestion except the one I need to hear the most LOL. Please tell me if you have one of a late 70's Blackback G12M75hz. I have seen several with 55hz. I want to know since they probably have the Mueller cones would they sound like modern classic g12m75hz 25 watters? Are the older mueller 75hz cones 1777? Thank you
I liked them all too. I have a '78 cab w/original T1511 BB's, heavy bass magnet. I like them even though they don't get the respect of the 1221's. The '76 1511's you have sound really good and clear. Are my 78's the same as your 76's? To my ears they sound very similar. Thanks.
Thanks! Yeah both the '76 and '78 are Blackbacks and sound the same. I think there was some (barely audible) change done at the end ~80 to the Blackbacks though. Cheers
I ask you does the magnet size determine the brightness of the driver, cone determine resonant frequency, and voice coil materials/construction determine power handling? I am experimenting with higher power handling voice coils(V30's) with vintage speakers to increase power handling Using the vintage frame and adding 444 cone kit gives me a vintage sound and higher power handling of the V30's spider
First of all: There are no bad sounding celestions! But going into details, personally I am with the low wattage 75Hz resonance frequency ones. The mids are dramatic, the bass is good the highs are sweet. The 55Hz ones are a little piercing to my ears during this video. Nevertheless, I like them all but when asked for favourites I come to this conclusion. My personal favourite by now are my G12C-30 which I got from ebay. You cannot buy them new. They were developed by Celestion and Marshall together for the Vintage Modern 4x12 series after a good sounding G12M. To me they sound as if someone has taken away a woolen blanket from my celestions that I own (Vintage 30, Classic Lead, G12-50, G12-65 and some others). I have no idea what resonance frequency they have. The magnets are very small. I think they are 30W speakers. They are 16 ohms. I can send you some photos if you like.
I have a g12c and it is 25 watts not 30. Its one of the best reissues out there. It really mixes well with most speakers u try it with. Its a really really great sounding greenback clone...
Hi Johan! Great videos! I like the 1970 Pre Rola G12M-25 75Hz T1221 best. It's "the Angus Young sound" for me, although he might not have used these. If you want the sound of this speaker, is it possible to buy new elements from a retailer e.g. Thomann, or do you have to buy used old ones to get this sound? Cheers!
Thanks Johan. Intersting is that all this old speakers with heavy magnets sounds more bright then speakers with medium magnets. On your video i like more G12H speakers then G12M sspeakers, but in real life i like more G12M.
Creambies - eq more stable across the board/fuller sounding/less inclined to sound nasal/can sound harsh for lack of a mid hump. Greenbies - more nasal, opened mid frequencies and less bass (partly compensated, though, in the big magnet one). Blackbies - cutting highs, opened mids and stiff bass/fuller sound with big magnet.
The 74 Rolla G12H 30 Creambacks really stood out to me. I didnt like any of the 25W speakers. They all sounded flat in comparison. Thanks for the vid Johan!
+sawdust 69 I went with 4 G12H 75W Creambacks for my two 2X12 cabs. Much finer grain distortion than the G12 100W early 90's era speakers I replaced. Trying to sell those now.
This vídeo is Very good!!!, Very important!, only this way one person can buy ecxatly the right spraker!, my favorite was blackback, 1511, and greenback and creamback, 1511 too, I think, thank you Very much for Video!!!, congratulations!!!.
Hi Johan, im Facundo from Argentina...i wAnt to ask you something, about speakers...I saw on sale a Jensen coaxial speaker of the 40s era...its like new, and searching info about if can be applied for guitar use i dont find nothing,,,Do you know about if its posible to used and if its gonna be good sounding? or if is some mod to take the tweeter off and use only the big speaker?
I think the Creambacks have the most open sound , very full, which is what I like. The Blackbacks sound thin to me. The Greenbacks have a nice warm, balanced sound, though a bit more compressed than the Cream. Thanks for the shootout.
IS it better to have the heavier magnets? So are the greenbacks with the heaviest magnets the best ones? Do they make the T1217 and the T1281 in re-issue, with the re-issue cabs?
They all sound really good, the character of each settles into your ears after a few bars, I really liked the black backs at the end with the neck pickups. and the large magnet greenbacks in the beginning. If you had to pair a green/cream/black back with a Vintage 30, what would your experience tell you? Thank you for these demos you do by the way, I am really into sonic aesthetics, I just put these videos on and listen for hours, I find it very soothing and educational at the same time.
+PHANTOM HIGH Thanks, I'm really glad to hear that! I would match a G12H30 55Z with the V30, the heavy magnet speakers are as loud as the V30, the G12M is significantly quieter. I'd use the 55Hz cone which has less mid to complement the mid heavy V30. I'd use the Greenback version. Cheers
AWESOME!! Thank you so much Johan! I am having a tube change and amp bias celebration today hahaha. Bought some secret weapon EL34's from the TubeStore.. I suspect the secret is that they are 6ca7's =P
Was the Celestion 25W 55hz used in Marshall bass cabs? Did Marshall ever use the 30W 55hz Celestions in their cabs? Was there a bass version of the Marshall 30W Celestion cab? If so what was that called
+mats andersson Yeah the G12M25 55Hz were loaded into the cabs that were marked "Bass" at the upper left corner, The G12M25 75Hz were the standard Marshall guitar speakers, the G12H30 55Hz were loaded into the cabs that were marked "lead" at the upper left corner. The G12H30 75Hz were never used by Marshall, but by Orange and Laney for instance. Cheers
How were you running that 800 combo with one 25 watt speaker. Your much braver than i. Again i went in with expectations and they were mostly satified but i like the black back more than i thought i would but you just cant beat that pre rola green back
That 1974 Rola Cream back is so warm. At 25 watts, I would slot that right in my Vox AC15. I am still not sure about the new greenback that came with it. It's ok I guess. I don't need my speaker breaking, so an extra 10 watts keeps it clean :-)
I don't know what it is but I love the Creamback H, it just sounds fuller and more bright in comparison to most speakers. I like clear brightness now I am older. I think because my hearing changed from blowing my brains out with loud music for 36 years. 😉😉But I also like the Greenback H as well. The M's sound a bit on the darker side to me.
great tones Johan ! A question..for you, are there differences in tone between a lot played or not cones ?. I have a '73 4x12 cab with Feb and March G12H Green, should be those Pulsonic ones? Thanks
+cisco Thanks, yeah the speakers differs depending on how much and how hard they have been played, climate, temperature etc You can see if they are Pulsonic from the cone stamp which should read something like 102-003, 102/03, or just 3 for lead cones and 102-014, 102/14, or just 4 for bass cones. But early 73 are probably Pulsonic. Cheers Johan
What they sound like has more to do with price point than the iteration of any one model . The difference between a 70/ 80 and any these speakers he demos is massive in their tonality and can redefine your amp. In a live mix the speaker has to seriously be lacking to even be noticed.A good speaker blends nicely . A lesser one can pull the mix down . It was cool to actually hear the a\b comp. Thanks
You calculate total wattage by the lowest rated speaker times the number of speakers, so if I used a 30w with the 1000 in a 2x12 cab, it would be good for 60 w. Using a 75w Creamback with the 100w gives me 150w, etc.
Interesting, I got a couple of 2x12" cabs from a lad who just wanted rid of them, for £20! Opened them up and there were greenbacks inside (3 of them worked), got a 1217 here I'm just putting in a 1x12" practice speaker for home, debating whether to put the other two in an Orange cab I have instead of V30s.
First of all, let me say "thank you" for your videos, I really enjoy every video in your channel! Is there a chance you can make a comparision of the Celestion Greenback, the WGS Invader 50 and the Eminence Legend Gb128? There is no video where someone compares them. Thanks again Johan -Greets From Chile :)
Hi Johan, I watched this vídeo for several times and just wanted to say a big thank you for taking your time and efforts to produce this quality work! To my likings, the best one is the G12M-25 75Hz with T1221 cone. Also, did you have the opportunity to compare this one in particular with the reissue Celestion Heritage G12M 20W? if so, what are your thoughts about it? Regards, Alex.
Hello, thank you so much for taking the time to do this! Would you consider doing a similar comparison with either the Beyerdynamic M160 or a Shure SM57 close to the grill/speaker? the Peluso is a bit bright.. Thanks again :)
Hi Johan! Can you please help me? I've got a pair of 1971 rola g12m 25W 55Hz T1511 speakers. I was wondering what to do with them on a budget, mounting them into a 2x12 cab and get an amp, or modding my current cheap guitar combo-amp with replacing the speaker. Or what do you think about installing them into a 2x12 and use the combo as an amp, like you've done with the epiphone combo. What would you do, any advices/ideas? Thank you in advance, Daniel
Using V30 recone kit on G12 H 30 55hz or G12 25 watt 75hz to increase power handling capability and maintain vintage tone from the original frame magnet
T1281 either black or greenback 55hz are my favorit G12H. More focused/straight and balanced. And T1221 or T1511 55hz for the G12M. More silky and loose.
Tjena Johan. Sitter och funderar över om jag ska ha en g12h 55hz eller 75hz i min 1x12a. Spelar bara lp och stärkaren i fråga är en Laney l20h (Vox skimmerigt ljud), tanken är hemma spelning alltså. Help me Obi Wan Johan, you're my only hope.
I like the 75 htz Pre Rola (greenback) for Classic Rock (60's-70s). But if you want a Metal sound like we all heard in the 80's a more aggressive and scooped mid is better like you get from the Blackbacks.
Now I know why the Pulsonic cones are so coveted.If anybody is gonna horde all the good vintage stuff may it be Johan,he shares with all some great demos.
I am kind of hearing that the G12H 30 75 hz speaker is the best one for the amazing late 60's plexi type tone.. Is that true? Are these the best plexi tone speakers?
Do you find much difference with the 30 watt over the 75watt version? I'm planning to mix the Creambacks with the G12H100 in two 2X12 cabs. Just concerned with the power handling if I just wanted to use one cab. I'm using a JVM410 100 watt. Would you recommend the 75's?
Hi, I dont have that much experience with the 75 watt creamback. But 150watt is probably ok. A 410 puts out about 180W at full saturation, but I usually play through 120W cabs. I'll take a look at what exactly that is required. Cheers
I think most will prefer the H and bass cones by themselves, (maybe I do too) but in a band mix, there is a reason, they aren't the most popular versions...
if i used a 100 watt JCM2000 TSL head with a speaker cab with 2x30 watt speakers would my amp blow the speakers? also the JCM2000 has a virtual power reduction switch to 50 watts, would it still blow the speakers with the virtual power reduction switch on?
+beakf1 With the power switch on you are probably pretty safe. But it's hard to know. A Super Lead which is rated at 100W puts out about 180W fully saturated. I'd go for that though. Cheers
Hei Johan! Lyckads att få tag på en en Selmer 4x12 71 mod, med T1217 pulsonics. Men en av dom har tyvärr börjat lossna i spider supporten. Vet du om det finns nån bra värkstad som kan fixa den? Annars är den i jättefint skick. Bästa hälsningar! Espen
Tjena Johan! Nu är fyrtolvan fixad och jag är i lyckohimlen:) Att de sku va såå stor skillnad imot min 1960AHW hadde jag aldrig trott! Pulsonics is the real deal, I never go back:) Nu är det 4 stk g12h30 heritage till salu:)
John are you retired and just have tons of cash? I would love it if I could just sit around all day and play on Old Marshalls and vintage celestion speakers
Very few people have so many versions of these speakers and even fewer can be bothered to make such an awesome video comparison for the rest of us to enjoy. I think your videos are an extremely valuable resource for gear hounds all over the world and sincerely hope you keep making them! Cheers.
Thanks Troy, So glad to hear that. Cheers! Johan
AGREED! not only are they informative but I find myself just listening over and over. Best channel on the internet. Does Johan have a band? I'd love to have a listen!
Thanks man! I do have a band and I will release some stuff after the summer. Really glad you like the clips! :-) Cheers Johan
troyguitarist I totally agree , I’ve watched a few of your videos ,great reference tools
Agreed from me, and also an other thing I like about Johan channel is that he let you to come to your own conclusion's without him injecting his thought's.
I have, or have had all of these speakers. I must say that immediately it's the 1976 G12M 55hz T1511 which grab me. That's the sound in MY head. They have got it ALL going on. All these speakers are magnificent of course. Thanks Johan.
green t1281 1:53 3:58 5:29
green t1221 1:58 4:08 5:35
green t1511 2:02 4:18 5:41
green t1217 2:06 4:28 5:47
Cream t1281. 4:38 5:53
Cream t1221. 4:48 5:59
Black t1511. 4:58 6:05
Black t1281. 5:07 6:12
Ty nice!
Up up up
I know this is an older video, but I really appreciate the time and effort you went through to create this video! I like them all! You definitely make them all sound great! My favorite must have been the early 70’s H 55Hz. I even liked the black backs in this video though!
Thanks for taking the time to put this up with such an extensive and detailed reviews. It take a lot of time, energy and $$ !! Cheers
Thanks Jim, Cheers
I have one G12H-30 75w T1217 with a date stamp KE10V. I've narrowed it down to being made sometime during 1972. It was left to me by an old friend whom i worked with during the late 90's. I had placed it up in my loft space in 2000 or 2001 and completely forgot about it. it had been up there for over twenty years. it still works and sounds amazing.
This was great. Loved the subtle differences in the Celestions, but your playing was the highlight. Thanks for making all these fun yet quite scientific comparisons of different aspects of guitars.
I know this is an old one for you Johan but yet again, your videos are so informative. Thanks for your enthusiasm and the time you spend making them.
+Chris ACT Thanks Chris! Glad you liked that one. I had a blast making it :-) Cheers Johan
Thanks for taking the time and effort to make this video!!! Very informative! One suggestion: maybe use a looper pedal and let it play the same riff(s)... Less effort and the results are (even) more consistent while comparing. Would be interesting to see how they compare to the modern greenbacks.
You are a doing the entire guitar world a public service by making these videos. Thank you so much for these as you are the only one that does it right. Thank you!!!
I just repeat the comments below, to appreciate your work and effort to make these vids. They are soooo useful!!!
Thanx man!!!
I have two Marshall checkerboard cabs with vintage Celestions: 73 Slant with four 1968 T1281 55hz no label Greenbacks and a 76 Straight with four 1974 T1221 75hz Creambacks. I couldn't be happier with my sound running either my 1977 2204 JMP or Trainwreck Express clone. Always fun and interesting to see these speaker comparisons Johan! Great work!
+Ian Hughes Thanks! Glad to hear it. That's a great rigg, one middy and scooped/flat response cab mixes great. Cheers Johan
Johan, I am a full time guitar pickup maker. I find your videos very useful and also enjoy your playing. Thanks for your hard work and dedication to your work or should I say fun!!
+Brandonwoundpickups Thanks, really good to hear that!
Johan is the best at what he does! Thank you for doing these videos. You are the best!!!
I NEVER regretted buying, Any of the Celestions I have bought-The same thing cannot be said for the Electrovoice OR Altec, Speakers I spent big money on !!! Thanks again for confirming that Johan !
+David Amason Thanks David, yeah for classic rock, vintage Celestion Greenbacks is by far the most important part of the sound chain. Cheers!
You should do a dedicated vid to RIC1 cone celestions. They don't get much love.
Another excellent comparison video. Many thanks Johan. Keep them coming !
+Rev-al Thanks, glad to hear it. More is coming up! :-)
Thank you for making this video... can't wait for more speaker shoot outs... such value in these videos... perhaps the next rock and roll sound will come from someone studying these archives you are creating .
Thank you always !
- Bahrum (from my various accounts)
The Creamback G12H30 55hz was my favorite . Perfect middle ground between the thicker warmer Pulsonics and the thinner more brash blackbacks
Wow thanks so much for all of your wonderful videos Johan.
+Jerry W Thanks Jerry! Really glad you like them!
Super video! I have in my Silver Series 2525c speaker G12M-25 W 75 Hz T1221 72'(V1 Mullard NOS) Super sweet tone! ❤️Love it.
I have most the same speakers...and the blackback 55 hz from 1978 are at the top of the pile, even over the early Pulsonics...they just have "that" rock tone. They get the mids right.Love them. Sweet, fat, crunchy!
Surprised at how good the 75hz G12H sounds compared to the standard Marshall 55hz...Marshall never actually installed them....too bad. What sound!
Not too crazy about the creambacks with the RIC cones. Thankfully they were short lived. Thanks again bud, and love the playing. Looks like you are having fun!
soundboy57 Thanks man, I sure do! :-) and yeah the blackback M55 and the Greenback H75s are very cool. It's indeed strange that these are the 2 least popular of the four standard G12 speakers - M75, H55, H75, M55. And these to make a good combination as well. Cheers Johan
@soundboy57 do you like the 78 G12M-55 or G12H-55?
@@sojerz1044 I like the G12M 55 much more. I have had some G12H blackbacks that sounded fine, but they are harsher and not as nice in the mids as the old Pulsonic G12H. I still prefer the G12M pulsonics over the blackbacks, regardless of my earlier comments. I had a cabinet at the time with G12M 55's from 1978 that just sounded great. Nut surely not quite in the Pulsonic camp.
@@soundboy57 Thanks good to know!
Love the comparison videos, good filming, playing and recording! Im about to buy a 4x12 Cab with G12H30 55Hz pulsonics. I also enjoy the 'clipping' sound of the H30's which you describe at the end. Great thing about these old greenback speakers is that they are barely more expensive than new ones, retain their value and sound simply amazing.
I plan on combining that cab with my current '81 Marshall 1960 lead with original G12-65's (1777 KM lead cone) under my JVM410H, the combination of those speakers should be great!!!
Thank you for this awesome comparison. I learned from it. Good demonstrative playing too 👍
Thanks for the video.
I have just been searching the marked for a nice 4x12" Marshall, and actually just bought one yesterday.
I have always thought the "darker" and tighter G12H, 30w, 55hz was the right for me. But I found a 1973 cabinet with G12M, 25w, 55hz (1511), and took it home straight away! Works very well with single-coils because of the darker voicing.
Emil Hansen Hi, a 4x12 of T1511 Greenbacks. I can't deny that I'm jealous. ;-)
Johan Segeborn Thanks! - I have been looking for the "dream-cab" for a while. So that is very nice!
3 of them is from year 1972 (3x EF25V - T1511) and one is from 1973 (FF4X - T1511) All Greenbacks. The label says G12M, 25w, 55hz.
They are Rola-build, but with Pulsonic cones.
The cabinet looks quite beat-up, but I kind'a like that. :) - But most important, it sounds sweet!! :)
I like the 1971 Pre Rola G12H-30 75HZ T1217 best... it sounds well balanced, I think
Thanks, It's actually one of my go-to 4x12s, I usually use a stack of 2x4x12 T1281 Pulsonic and a stack of 4x12 T1217 pulsonic and 4x12 T1511 Kurt mueller. Cheers! Johan
Johan Segeborn Thanks for this shootout, very useful. Would you please please be so kind as to let us know the cone codes for each of these speakers (maybe by editing the video description)? Cheers
I agree. I just read down the comments looking for confirmation.
@Laurent Cenatiempo. I have no idea, if you reads this, but here is a website that shows cone code, date code and speaker types: bygonetones.com
lol, I love this guy!
***** Thanks Adam :-)
This channel is so much awesome fun
Great as usual Johan
Just yesterday I bought a Marshall 412 cab with four of the 1271. It sounds fantastic, what a lucky guy I am....
+MW47742 Yeah, all these 4 version sound amazing. Congrats!
really tempted to try some creamback 10s in my super reverb 🤔
I prefer the 75Hz G12M Pulsonic Cone Speakers. I like how they round off the treble so it doesn't get too harsh for solos. I'm actually looking at getting the G12-65 which is supposed to be the 65W version. Have you tried that speaker?
+zurg9000 Thanks yeah, that G12-65 is a great speaker that basically is a more mellow version of the G12M25 75Hz, due to the larger dust cap. It has a more firm bass on higher volumes than the G12M25 I'd say. But it is also a bit less detailed and spatially defined. Cheers Johan
You have a video on every celestion except the one I need to hear the most LOL. Please tell me if you have one of a late 70's Blackback G12M75hz. I have seen several with 55hz. I want to know since they probably have the Mueller cones would they sound like modern classic g12m75hz 25 watters? Are the older mueller 75hz cones 1777? Thank you
Is the 1974 Rola creamback m75-25 the same speaker cone as a 78 blackback m75-25?
Epic video and I hear all the different tones Billy Gibbons got. I guess so much of the music I’m familiar with uses these different speakers.
I liked them all too. I have a '78 cab w/original T1511 BB's, heavy bass magnet. I like them even though they don't get the respect of the 1221's. The '76 1511's you have sound really good and clear. Are my 78's the same as your 76's? To my ears they sound very similar. Thanks.
Thanks! Yeah both the '76 and '78 are Blackbacks and sound the same. I think there was some (barely audible) change done at the end ~80 to the Blackbacks though. Cheers
I ask you does the magnet size determine the brightness of the driver, cone determine resonant frequency, and voice coil materials/construction determine power handling?
I am experimenting with higher power handling voice coils(V30's) with vintage speakers to increase power handling
Using the vintage frame and adding 444 cone kit gives me a vintage sound and higher power handling of the V30's spider
First of all: There are no bad sounding celestions! But going into details, personally I am with the low wattage 75Hz resonance frequency ones. The mids are dramatic, the bass is good the highs are sweet. The 55Hz ones are a little piercing to my ears during this video. Nevertheless, I like them all but when asked for favourites I come to this conclusion.
My personal favourite by now are my G12C-30 which I got from ebay. You cannot buy them new. They were developed by Celestion and Marshall together for the Vintage Modern 4x12 series after a good sounding G12M. To me they sound as if someone has taken away a woolen blanket from my celestions that I own (Vintage 30, Classic Lead, G12-50, G12-65 and some others). I have no idea what resonance frequency they have. The magnets are very small. I think they are 30W speakers. They are 16 ohms. I can send you some photos if you like.
+Uther Pendragon Hi! They are called G12C and are a recreation of a 1968 G12M 25 75Hz Greenback. Cheers Johan
I have a g12c and it is 25 watts not 30.
Its one of the best reissues out there.
It really mixes well with most speakers u try it with.
Its a really really great sounding greenback clone...
It looks as it still nothing can replace good old greenbacks? Thanks Johan.
Hi Johan! Great videos! I like the 1970 Pre Rola G12M-25 75Hz T1221 best. It's "the Angus Young sound" for me, although he might not have used these. If you want the sound of this speaker, is it possible to buy new elements from a retailer e.g. Thomann, or do you have to buy used old ones to get this sound? Cheers!
Thanks Johan. Intersting is that all this old speakers with heavy magnets sounds more bright then speakers with medium magnets. On your video i like more G12H speakers then G12M sspeakers, but in real life i like more G12M.
Creambies - eq more stable across the board/fuller sounding/less inclined to sound nasal/can sound harsh for lack of a mid hump.
Greenbies - more nasal, opened mid frequencies and less bass (partly compensated, though, in the big magnet one).
Blackbies - cutting highs, opened mids and stiff bass/fuller sound with big magnet.
They all sound good! Most new speakers just can't compete. That '71 G12H 55hz stood out though.
Hi Johan. I have two g12h t1281 greenbacks from end 73 and beginning 74 with ric1 cones. Are they recones?
The 74 Rolla G12H 30 Creambacks really stood out to me. I didnt like any of the 25W speakers. They all sounded flat in comparison. Thanks for the vid Johan!
Thanks!
+dookmann thats my pic as well,nice balance of chime and thickness
+sawdust 69 I went with 4 G12H 75W Creambacks for my two 2X12 cabs. Much finer grain distortion than the G12 100W early 90's era speakers I replaced. Trying to sell those now.
This vídeo is Very good!!!, Very important!, only this way one person can buy ecxatly the right spraker!, my favorite was blackback, 1511, and greenback and creamback, 1511 too, I think, thank you Very much for Video!!!, congratulations!!!.
+Edgar Fernandes Thanks! Great to hear it. I love 1511 too
Not exactly true. The only way is in a live situation with a drummer and a bass player at least.
Hi Johan, im Facundo from Argentina...i wAnt to ask you something, about speakers...I saw on sale a Jensen coaxial speaker of the 40s era...its like new, and searching info about if can be applied for guitar use i dont find nothing,,,Do you know about if its posible to used and if its gonna be good sounding? or if is some mod to take the tweeter off and use only the big speaker?
I think the Creambacks have the most open sound , very full, which is what I like. The Blackbacks sound thin to me. The Greenbacks have a nice warm, balanced sound, though a bit more compressed than the Cream. Thanks for the shootout.
In Gear Thanks, yeah the Creambacks was quite a revelation for me. Cheers Johan
IS it better to have the heavier magnets? So are the greenbacks with the heaviest magnets the best ones? Do they make the T1217 and the T1281 in re-issue, with the re-issue cabs?
They all sound really good, the character of each settles into your ears after a few bars, I really liked the black backs at the end with the neck pickups. and the large magnet greenbacks in the beginning.
If you had to pair a green/cream/black back with a Vintage 30, what would your experience tell you?
Thank you for these demos you do by the way, I am really into sonic aesthetics, I just put these videos on and listen for hours, I find it very soothing and educational at the same time.
+PHANTOM HIGH Thanks, I'm really glad to hear that! I would match a G12H30 55Z with the V30, the heavy magnet speakers are as loud as the V30, the G12M is significantly quieter. I'd use the 55Hz cone which has less mid to complement the mid heavy V30. I'd use the Greenback version. Cheers
AWESOME!! Thank you so much Johan! I am having a tube change and amp bias celebration today hahaha. Bought some secret weapon EL34's from the TubeStore.. I suspect the secret is that they are 6ca7's =P
G12m 55 please
Was the Celestion 25W 55hz used in Marshall bass cabs? Did Marshall ever use the 30W 55hz Celestions in their cabs? Was there a bass version of the Marshall 30W Celestion cab? If so what was that called
+mats andersson Yeah the G12M25 55Hz were loaded into the cabs that were marked "Bass" at the upper left corner, The G12M25 75Hz were the standard Marshall guitar speakers, the G12H30 55Hz were loaded into the cabs that were marked "lead" at the upper left corner. The G12H30 75Hz were never used by Marshall, but by Orange and Laney for instance. Cheers
How were you running that 800 combo with one 25 watt speaker. Your much braver than i. Again i went in with expectations and they were mostly satified but i like the black back more than i thought i would but you just cant beat that pre rola green back
Hi Johan..I most like the 76 wide range tone..maby cuz of my own style of playing..70 and 71 also sonds great in the mid range.
+Conny Blomqvist Thanks!
That 1974 Rola Cream back is so warm. At 25 watts, I would slot that right in my Vox AC15. I am still not sure about the new greenback that came with it. It's ok I guess. I don't need my speaker breaking, so an extra 10 watts keeps it clean :-)
I don't know what it is but I love the Creamback H, it just sounds fuller and more bright in comparison to most speakers. I like clear brightness now I am older. I think because my hearing changed from blowing my brains out with loud music for 36 years. 😉😉But I also like the Greenback H as well. The M's sound a bit on the darker side to me.
Nice! And the foot action is good too... lol
Jeff McLowry Thanks! and yeah, that kinda takes away from the general rocknroll impression ;-)
lol I hear you man! Keep rockin' it dude!
great tones Johan ! A question..for you, are there differences in tone between a lot played or not cones ?. I have a '73 4x12 cab with Feb and March G12H Green, should be those Pulsonic ones? Thanks
+cisco Thanks, yeah the speakers differs depending on how much and how hard they have been played, climate, temperature etc You can see if they are Pulsonic from the cone stamp which should read something like 102-003, 102/03, or just 3 for lead cones and 102-014, 102/14, or just 4 for bass cones. But early 73 are probably Pulsonic. Cheers Johan
Thanks , what about T 2324 red frame, are they G12H 30 Black Mueller ?
What they sound like has more to do with price point than the iteration of any one model . The difference between a 70/ 80 and any these speakers he demos is massive in their tonality and can redefine your amp. In a live mix the speaker has to seriously be lacking to even be noticed.A good speaker blends nicely . A lesser one can pull the mix down . It was cool to actually hear the a\b comp. Thanks
You calculate total wattage by the lowest rated speaker times the number of speakers, so if I used a 30w with the 1000 in a 2x12 cab, it would be good for 60 w. Using a 75w Creamback with the 100w gives me 150w, etc.
Sorry, 100w not 1000.
Yes, that's correct!
:-) I suspected that
great comparisons! :)
+Robert Gibbs Tanks Robert!
Interesting, I got a couple of 2x12" cabs from a lad who just wanted rid of them, for £20! Opened them up and there were greenbacks inside (3 of them worked), got a 1217 here I'm just putting in a 1x12" practice speaker for home, debating whether to put the other two in an Orange cab I have instead of V30s.
That's a good Idea, orange used T1217 in the seventies. Cheers
T1281: 2:21 2:32 3:58 5:07 5:28 6:11 6:20 7:41 7:53 10:30 10:55 14:32
Others: 2:02 5:47 6:42 8:07(for my reference)
I love the G12H-25 55Hz ones, definitely my favourite. Those and the G12M-65’s (not featured here)
1221 easy to listen to. Pleasant sounding
First of all, let me say "thank you" for your videos, I really enjoy every video in your channel!
Is there a chance you can make a comparision of the Celestion Greenback, the WGS Invader 50 and the Eminence Legend Gb128? There is no video where someone compares them.
Thanks again Johan
-Greets From Chile :)
Amazing! Which ones did Hendrix, and say, Duane Allman use?
Hendrix used Greenbacks and allman used JBL
Hi Johan...It wold be nice to hear the 76 Greenbacks 4×12 with the Fender Bassman 59..i think i wold sound amazing.
Maybe we can try it later on! Cheers
Hi Johan, I watched this vídeo for several times and just wanted to say a big thank you for taking your time and efforts to produce this quality work! To my likings, the best one is the G12M-25 75Hz with T1221 cone. Also, did you have the opportunity to compare this one in particular with the reissue Celestion Heritage G12M 20W? if so, what are your thoughts about it?
Regards,
Alex.
Hello, thank you so much for taking the time to do this!
Would you consider doing a similar comparison with either the Beyerdynamic M160 or a Shure SM57 close to the grill/speaker? the Peluso is a bit bright..
Thanks again :)
James Sandwell Thanks James! Consider it done :-)
Johan Segeborn Fantastic, i shall look forward to it!!!
Hi Johan! Can you please help me?
I've got a pair of 1971 rola g12m 25W 55Hz T1511 speakers.
I was wondering what to do with them on a budget, mounting them into a 2x12 cab and get an amp, or modding my current cheap guitar combo-amp with replacing the speaker. Or what do you think about installing them into a 2x12 and use the combo as an amp, like you've done with the epiphone combo.
What would you do, any advices/ideas?
Thank you in advance,
Daniel
+Danny H Hi Danny, those are great speakers, I'd install them in a 2x12 or a 4x12 leaving to slots open, and use your combo as an amp. Cheers
Thank you! Appreciate it!
G12M-25 55HZ Greenback for me.
They all sound stupid good
Using V30 recone kit on G12 H 30 55hz or G12 25 watt 75hz to increase power handling capability and maintain vintage tone from the original frame magnet
Hey Johan, thanks for the demos dude. Was your 4010 Combo closed back? Or was it open back?? Thanks man.
+Alex Montalvo Thanks Alex, it has an open back
T1281 either black or greenback 55hz are my favorit G12H. More focused/straight and balanced. And T1221 or T1511 55hz for the G12M. More silky and loose.
+HF1600ie Thanks!
Where would someone even find these speakers?
Tjena Johan. Sitter och funderar över om jag ska ha en g12h 55hz eller 75hz i min 1x12a. Spelar bara lp och stärkaren i fråga är en Laney l20h (Vox skimmerigt ljud), tanken är hemma spelning alltså. Help me Obi Wan Johan, you're my only hope.
+Tor Jansson Tjena Tor, jag skulle nog köra med G12H 75Hz om ljudet är Vox likt (dvs nasalt och scoopad, fast på ett bra sätt) Ha det gott! Johan
I like the 75 htz Pre Rola (greenback) for Classic Rock (60's-70s). But if you want a Metal sound like we all heard in the 80's a more aggressive and scooped mid is better like you get from the Blackbacks.
Raymond Ward Hi Raymond, I agree! Johan
Now I know why the Pulsonic cones are so coveted.If anybody is gonna horde all the good vintage stuff may it be Johan,he shares with all some great demos.
I am kind of hearing that the G12H 30 75 hz speaker is the best one for the amazing late 60's plexi type tone.. Is that true? Are these the best plexi tone speakers?
G12M25 75Hz and G12H30 55Hz are the most famous plexi speakers.
Do you find much difference with the 30 watt over the 75watt version?
I'm planning to mix the Creambacks with the G12H100 in two 2X12 cabs. Just concerned with the power handling if I just wanted to use one cab. I'm using a JVM410 100 watt. Would you recommend the 75's?
Hi, I dont have that much experience with the 75 watt creamback. But 150watt is probably ok. A 410 puts out about 180W at full saturation, but I usually play through 120W cabs. I'll take a look at what exactly that is required. Cheers
I think most will prefer the H and bass cones by themselves, (maybe I do too) but in a band mix, there is a reason, they aren't the most popular versions...
if i used a 100 watt JCM2000 TSL head with a speaker cab with 2x30 watt speakers would my amp blow the speakers? also the JCM2000 has a virtual power reduction switch to 50 watts, would it still blow the speakers with the virtual power reduction switch on?
+beakf1 With the power switch on you are probably pretty safe. But it's hard to know. A Super Lead which is rated at 100W puts out about 180W fully saturated. I'd go for that though. Cheers
Good job!
Thanks Jose!
Have you tried the new Celestion Creambacks? What are your thoughts?
+King Dilph I liked them in the Astoria. Cheers Johan
That 1970 T1511 is nice. I'll bet it would go great with the 1970 T1221 in a 212 cab...
I actually had two very two speakers in the same 2x12!
Hei Johan! Lyckads att få tag på en en Selmer 4x12 71 mod, med T1217 pulsonics. Men en av dom har tyvärr börjat lossna i spider supporten. Vet du om det finns nån bra värkstad som kan fixa den? Annars är den i jättefint skick.
Bästa hälsningar!
Espen
Tjena Espen, LN högtalarservice i Göteborg är bra, kolla med dem!
Johan Segeborn
Ska göra det. Tackar!
Tjena Johan! Nu är fyrtolvan fixad och jag är i lyckohimlen:) Att de sku va såå stor skillnad imot min 1960AHW hadde jag aldrig trott! Pulsonics is the real deal, I never go back:) Nu är det 4 stk g12h30 heritage till salu:)
Ah you needed to finda set of 1965 T-1134s the 1st greenback sorta.
Can't go wrong with any of these, really.
74 rola baby!!! 🎉
I wish we could get new cones like the old ones. Old speakers just need reconed from age and wear.
I am wondering, how all of these could sound with modern heavier sounding amps.
+Michal Sýkora I think the T1221 Greenback works great for modern metal! Cheers
Blue vs green!!
Both modern ones, aka ones we can all get easily
Blues are Alnico, Greens are ceramic, but try to include the Cream Alnico too. It is not cheap but it sounds good.
I love the hat with a crane on top. Want.
i like ur playing here compared to the bluesy stuff u did :) tq for the review
+Alex Rysham Thanks, yeah here I use mainly an Egyptian scale
cool :)
John are you retired and just have tons of cash? I would love it if I could just sit around all day and play on Old Marshalls and vintage celestion speakers
mix of G12H30 75hz and G12M25 55hz for me, thanks
+Stefan Erceg Thanks!
The 1976 55hz sounds very good !..........................Surprised !
+Lou Sekoya Thanks Lou, Yeah Blackbacks have a rougher more heavy metal like tone than Greenbacks.
personaly I like the sound of the blacks
but for my jcm 2000 tsl I use 4 celestions Hot 100
my distorsion sound was more powerfull
I liked the Fender best