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Hi I've been searching this forum to help guide my speaker selection for my new TC15. It seems like the Celestion V30 is a popular choice. I was wondering, can anyone comment on how it sounds in an open back cab, particularily in a 1-12 type setup. I'm hoping for something that will play well with humbuckers and single coils. Thanks,

Brandon

In many years on a number of amp forums and BBSs, I would say that the Celestion V30 is one of the least popular speakers out there. It has a high-mid emphasis which has often been described as nasal, tiring or annoying (although the original Made in England ones are a bit warmer). Especially, with EL84 power tubes, which are naturally bright, the high-end emphasis of V30s can be a little too much. There are lots of other speakers around however, that will sound great with your TC-15. In Celestions, the G12M Greenback or G12H-30 come to mind. Trinity is a ToneTubby dealer and an Alnico TT will also sound awesome, and give a vibe similar to a Vox with Celestion Silver Alnico speakers. Then there are equivalents of all those speakers from Eminence and WGS, which are also well liked.

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Great tones come in small glass jars!

Well, depending on the amp & situation the V30 has it's place (heavy rock with a naturally "dark" voiced amp for example), but I do agree with Phil that it's not a good match for an EL84 based amp (or any amp that's naturally bright) and especially so at higher volume when the power tubes really start cookin'.

I would agree that many Celestions will fit the bill (especially the Greenback or G12H30), with the exception of the V30 and maybe the G12T-75 (which I don't particularly like in ANY scenario). The alnicos will bring out the natural chime/sparkle a little better (but they're very expensive, if that's an issue...even the clones/inspired by products). Ideally I would say something like the Celestion Alnico Blue, Emi Red Fang, WGS G12A, W*b*r alnico Blue Dog or the alnico Tone Tubby (haven't heard one in person), or any ceramic speaker with a more open feel that's not too angry in the upper mids. I have a 2x12 with Fane "Purpleback" clones that sounds pretty nice with this type of amp (and Fenders also) - these speakers have a more "hi-fi" vibe.

I'm not saying the TC-15 will sound "bad" with V30's (I tried one through my old V30 2x12), but it's not the best match IMO.

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SG + Brit tube head = Nirvana

+1 on the G12T-75 comments. Also IMO Celestion Blues sound way too bright for any EL84 amp, possibly even more so than V30s - can you say ice pick! FYI the original vintage Vox AC 15s & AC30s, as well as Marshall 18W amps had Celestion Silver Alnicos, which had a different and much warmer sounding cone than the current Blues. Apparently the Celestion Gold Alnicos are somewhat warmer than the Celestion Blues, so they may be OK. I've not tried a Red Fang, but I've read they're also not quite as toppy as Celestion Blues, so those may be OK as well.

IMO the scooped characteristic of V30s makes them great for playing metal. So it's not too surprising that Meza uses V30s in their cabs. However, V30s can sound great paired with a G12H-30 in a 2 X 12.

Possibly those are Made in England V30s if they come from an old cab, and they've probably also mellowed somewhat with age.

Edit: I had forgotten about the open back requirement. Celestion Greenbacks can sometimes sound a little flabby in the low end in an open-backed cab. G12H-30s are a much better choice for in this case. WGS's Reaper is also a real good clone of the G12H-30.

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Great tones come in small glass jars!

Right - thanks Phil. I had forgotten that. In the meantime, I currently use a closed-back 2x12 with a Red Fang & a Greenback clone & it sounds fantastic with every amp I own. The blend of the two voicings is the trick.

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SG + Brit tube head = Nirvana

Thanks guys, there's some great responses here. I'm glad I didn't go ahead with the vintage 30s, if they are as bad as they sound why are they so hyped on Celestions website? I'm in a situation where I feel like I'm starting from scratch with my tone so I'm really trying to find the right speaker. To give you an idea where I'm coming from I previously used an Orange Rockerverb 50 through a homemade detuned 1X12 cab loaded with a scumback 75hldc. Now that I've buillt the trinity TC15 I decided to make a matching cab but this time made an open back oversized 1X12. The cab is 23" long and 15" high but only 10 1/2" deep and now I'm worried that with the narrow cab that bass response might be really week. Anyways, to make matters worse the Scumback speaker which was really nice before distorts after the transplant. Apparently these speakers were originally assembled by BBQ and now they are having reliability issues, not under warranty of course. So now I am totally starting over: Head, Cab, and speaker. I'm looking for a balanced, chimy, open kind of sound with plenty of bass. So long post over, will the G12h30 get me there?

B

One word - Marketing! But like I said before, V30s are great for metal.

I thought Scumback were now operating independently of BBQ. Is that not the case then....?? And BBQ themselves appear to be making the same speakers, but without using Scumback's name.

There are two variations of G12H-30. One with the 75Hz lead cone and the other with the 55Hz bass cone. The 75Hz lead version should give you what you want, with a real solid low end, but still good higher up the range. The 55Hz "Heritage" version can be somewhat dark sounding. So the 75Hz Anniversary G12H-30 should give you what you're looking for, and the EL84s will also provide plenty of chime.

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Great tones come in small glass jars!

I really like my lightning head played through an 8ohm (2-12) blues breaker open backed cabinet with a 15W 16ohm WGS Black and Blue Alnico and a 16ohm Canabis Rex. I bought the cabinet made out of Italian Poplar plywood from Lopoline.
It sounds very good and it's only 35lbs with drivers installed.
One of my favorite combinations.

The WGS Alnico will complement the darker tone of the Cannabis Rex in that combination. However, in this case the OP wants a speaker for a 1 X 12.

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Great tones come in small glass jars!

An old thread, I know, but one that helped me choose a speaker for a 1x12 cab Trinity built for my TC15. I ended up going with a Scumback M75, 65w. So basically a vintage greenback sound I guess. For me, the speaker is perfect! At 97 db it's not as loud as other choices would have been, and that's also something I was looking for, as the TC15 is a loud (in a very good way) amp and I have a 2x10 cab that is very loud. I was looking for something that would work in smaller venues at lower volumes but still sound good. This speaker really nails the super textured, dimensional Vox/Matchless tones of the amp. I really agonized over all the AlNiCo choices by BBQ, Eminence, WGS and others but in the end went in what felt like a weird direction, buying a (ceramic?) magnet, relatively inexpensive speaker. It sounds remarkably different than my 2x10 cab which has an Eminence Ramrod and hemp one Lil Buddy in it. It's a front-ported closed-back cab and is LOUD, punchy and smoother and just very different sounding than my new 1x12. The Scumback's highs are absolutely brilliant but never painful or harsh. I've never played an amp/cab that handles highs as lo as this one. It reproduces the brilliance of the TC15 incredibly well while keeping it in a very usable musical range. It's also a very punchy speaker but in a large, dynamic way. Highly recommended for the TTC15!!

I'm hoping for something that will play well with humbuckers and single coils. Thanks,


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Oh, look at this! I found an interesting post from the past!!!

tiny fishing

Hello Brandon! The Celestion Vintage 30 (V30) is indeed a popular choice for guitar speakers, known for its versatile sound and ability to handle a variety of musical styles. When it comes to using the V30 in an open back cabinet, particularly in a 1x12 setup, there are some characteristics you can expect that might help you decide if it's the right fit for your needs.
tunnel rush

The Celestion Vintage 30 (V30) is indeed a popular choice for guitar speaker cabinets retro bowl and is known for its versatile and dynamic sound.

In a 1x12 open back cab, the V30 tends to deliver a balanced and articulate sound with a good mix of warmth and clarity. This setup can work well with both humbuckers and single coils, providing a rich midrange that complements the tonal characteristics of both types of pickups.

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