NSD: Electro-Harmonix 12" speakers

[Inflames626]

Not sure I agree. My Greenbacks were more wide-range than my V30's. They're spongier and rattier because of how they break up, but they're also both fatter and more sizzly. They're not modern speakers by any means, mind you, but they're not as honky either. At least IME.

I only know from plugins myself. I haven't used my Carvin 4x12 or Randall 2x15 in years.

[Phantasmagoria]

I love Greenbacks/GB clones....that's my favorite kinda guitar sound.

Unfortunately I've never owned a cab w/ Greenbacks myself though I've played through many (rehearsal space/Studio's/backline at venues etc).

My fave GB clone is the Emi Legend GB128 (though it actually has more of of it's own thing going on..but yeah, fat, spongy but a bit darker with slightly rolled back and IMO 'better'/rounder highs & bass) a very sweet musical speaker that can get pretty grindy/raunchy w/ gain....but never too hairy & fizzy on top like a pushed Greenback can...

[Rex_Rocker]

Yeah, that's another thing. I never really pushed my Greenbacks. I never ran anything higher powered than a Rockerverb 50 through my cab. And honestly, at any point, I hardly ever noticed the "speaker breakup" thing being as bad as people make it out to be. They always stayed nice and tight/bold. Maybe a little hairy, but never farty.

Maybe if pushed a cranked 100W Plexi through it. But we're past a point in time where that, glorious as it may have been back in the day, is hardly ever a reasonable option.

[Rex_Rocker]

Aaaaaand, that's also another thing. There are like 78304349739437 variations of Greenbacks nowadays.

I have 2 Chinese ones from the 2010's in my Marshall cab which sound dark and 2 newer UK-made ones that sound bright and raspy. Neither are truly "broken in" either, so it's not a matter of that.

I have also had 2 Vox-labeled Chinese Greenbacks which have a distinctly different dustcap and doping. I kept one of them in my Orange 1x12.

I also had two G12-EVH's which had a black magnet cover, but supposedly were just relabeled Heritage Greenbacks.

I also had a 10" Greenback which sounded nothing like the 12" versions, TBH. Then again, that one was 8 ohms, and all of my 12" GB's have been 16 ohms.

[Inflames626]

I don't know a lot about live sound, but mics/cabs/placement seems kind of outdated in an age when you can run an emulated out or impulse response.

Nobody hears your cab really, especially in large venues and arenas. They hear your cab picked up and then played through the sound reinforcement speakers, yet another layer of tone shaping.

[Rex_Rocker]

I don't know a lot about live sound, but mics/cabs/placement seems kind of outdated in an age when you can run an emulated out or impulse response.

100% agreed, but that doesn't take away from the fun of mic'ing a cab. At least to me.

Nobody hears your cab really, especially in large venues and arenas. They hear your cab picked up and then played through the sound reinforcement speakers, yet another layer of tone shaping.

True, but also, who's playing large venues and arenas in this forum? Certainly not me, LOL.

[Inflames626]

100% agreed, but that doesn't take away from the fun of mic'ing a cab. At least to me.


True, but also, who's playing large venues and arenas in this forum? Certainly not me, LOL.

I'm glad to be rid of that variable live, but it's fun to play w mics in software.

[Rex_Rocker]

Honestly, it's not too bad if you have a reamp box, and just a one cab and a couple of mics. I have two SM57's myself as well as a Beta 57A and a Sennheiser e609. I just never use the Beta or the Sennheinser because they sound like ****, honestly. At least for Metal guitars. One of my 57's is much brighter and higher output than the other. I like that one the best because it sounds the tightest and most up front.

Once you get to know your cab and speakers, you can sorta guess where the sweet spot would be. For me, it was always top right speaker (even if I did have quite a few different speakers in that cab) with the mic pointed at where the dustcap meets the cone, but not on top of the little blob terminals that you get on Celestions on one side of the dustcap. Those blobs tend to darken the sound a bit, and I like my mic'd sounds bright, upfront, and agressive. That, and with the mic an inch or so away from the grill cloth because right against it, things got boomy fast, especially with Greenbacks.

I guess it does get overwhelming if you're trying to come up with different sounds for different people.

[Phantasmagoria]

Personally I always thought mic'ing cab's was a huge PIA...always left it up to the soundguy at gigs ....but of late I've been kinda getting into it

Good as IR's can sound I think they're still not quite upto the real thing... it's like modeler's vs. actual amp's..

[Rex_Rocker]

Good as IR's can sound I think they're still not quite upto the real thing... it's like modeler's vs. actual amp's..

Depends on the context you're using them. I personally would have no hesitation of using them in a recording. Hell, I think I'm getting much better tones now with my HX Stomp than I ever did mic'ing my EVH and my Marshall 4x12. But I still really miss mic'ing up that amp. I'm honestly totally against "yah t00b m0jo" or "old amps just sound better", but it's also hard to have played through a raging half stack and then going back to playing through headphones and IR's. Hard to separate the romanticisim from playing guitar when playing guitar is all about emotion.

But being objective, in a full mix, especially if I'm not going to record the amp through high-end preamps and converters and in a treated room, I bet I could get better tones from IR's.

[Inflames626]

Usually tape is used on the grille to mark mic placement. Not sure that would help mic angle much but, fractions of an inch can count. It actually helps to move the mic around as you play, which is why plugins are so fun. Like a voice in a fan effect until you find the tone you want. You're basically sweeping an EQ by another means.

[Rex_Rocker]

Usually tape is used on the grille to mark mic placement. Not sure that would help mic angle much but, fractions of an inch can count. It actually helps to move the mic around as you play, which is why plugins are so fun. Like a voice in a fan effect until you find the tone you want. You're basically sweeping an EQ by another means.

I haven't tested it myself, but I heard the tape actually affects the sound slightly even if it's not directly in front of the mic. It makes sense, though. Different thickness grill cloths sound different, so you're kinda doing that to an extent with the tape.

[80's_Thrash_Metal]

I just use a sharpie and mark a dot where I like each speaker mic'd
I've never found anything off axis to be of any benefit in my humble experiences.
Usually my favorite tones are just at the inside edge of the dust caps on most speakers. I like them a touch brighter than most.

[Inflames626]

I haven't tested it myself, but I heard the tape actually affects the sound slightly even if it's not directly in front of the mic. It makes sense, though. Different thickness grill cloths sound different, so you're kinda doing that to an extent with the tape.

This made me think too. My cabs don't have cloth. They're mesh grilles.

Basically this but the straight version (even the same head):

https://www.ebay.com/itm/155808901810?chn=ps&norover=1&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-117182-37290-0&mkcid=2&mkscid=101&itemid=155808901810&targetid=1530439037171&device=c&mktype=pla&googleloc=9025989&poi=&campaignid=19851828444&mkgroupid=145880009014&rlsatarget=aud-1352894069256:pla-1530439037171&abcId=9307249&merchantid=114762585&gclid=CjwKCAiAjfyqBhAsEiwA-UdzJG99_T-GSZJVueAY3HJntyA_VaHcEpThHYIxCoGHObfirXVISEV6hRoClDQQAvD_BwE

And this but very beat up. I forgot about the silver accents. That's a nice cab.

https://reverb.com/item/40028912-randall-rs215w-warhead-2x15-speaker-cabinet

Drawback to the Carvin cab: playing it 100% volume 100% gain did blow a speaker once, which Carvin replaced for free.

As far as I know the cab dimensions closely match a 1960A/B within a half inch or so. I think it weighed 35 lbs.