celestion vintage 30

[drew_half_empty]

do you think this speaker would overdrive in a 40 watt combo?

[Jeff_H]

Re: celestion vintage 30

I think it would be great in a 40w combo. It will handle more power, but you'll love the tone. I have a pair (well, see next paragraph) in my Marshall JCM 800 combo, which is a 2x12 @ 50 watts, and they rule.

I actually have the Eminence V12's, which are clones of the V30's. I've got a V30 lying around for my next project because the V12's are just as good, if not better than the Celestions, and at 1/2 the price. I am curious to try out the new Readcoat series from Eminence, but am so happy with the V12's that I'm reluctant to mess with a good thing.

Eminence is all USA made, while Celestion has moved production from England to China....bad move for quality.

[Stratman]

Re: celestion vintage 30

I got to agree with Jeff

[drew_half_empty]

Re: celestion vintage 30

well i got interested in the v30 cuz its in the recto cabs, you say they're clones? like how close, identical? and how are they better?

[Jeff_H]

Re: celestion vintage 30

Drew, they are close enough that at one point I had 1 V30 and one V12 in the cab. I miked each one and recorded some clips, and the V12's won the test. To my ears they seem a little smoother, the highs are slightly softer, the mids are eq'd ever so slightly differently, but aht's really about it. Also, in all fairness, the V12's I bought from Kevlar, and they were already many hours into their break-in period. The V30 I bought new, and probably only have 4-5 hours on it with any kind of volume....that could play a part.

The reason that I feel they are better over all is threefold. One, the sound is so similar as to not make a difference for a guy like me, who only records at home, jams with buddies occasionally and annoy's the neighbors when I want tube distortion. Two, they are half the cost of the V30's. Three, they're made in America, and I get to help keep money in the US economy, helping US workers feed their families with my hard earned money.

To me, there isn't enough difference to justify paying twice as much.

[Jeff_H]

Re: celestion vintage 30

It's kind of like looking at Les Paul vs Heritage. Is there a visual difference? Yes, in the headstock. Is there a difference in quality, that's more subjective, but Heritage employee's have been building Les Pauls longer than those at the Nashville plant. Is there a sound difference? Close your eyes and see if you can tell.

No one will ever really see your speaker, and if it sounds amost the same for half the price....why not.

[Stevo]

Re: celestion vintage 30

I'll sell you a v30 for cheap.

[drew_half_empty]

Re: celestion vintage 30

it takes about 8 hours of really high volume playing to break in a speaker, so its kinda hard to compare a broken in speaker to a not so broken in one, and then say the broken in one is better.

[drew_half_empty]

Re: celestion vintage 30

and how cheap?

[Jeff_H]

Re: celestion vintage 30

That's why opinions are like a-holes....everyone's got one. 5 hours of break in time is enough for me to determine the sound quality of the v30, compared to the V12. I know good tone when I hear it. I just don't hear enough difference to justify the $$. It's your $$, you buy what you think is right.

[drew_half_empty]

Re: celestion vintage 30

well which one is closer to being liek a stock hrd speaker but more ballsy?

[drew_half_empty]

Re: celestion vintage 30

bump

[drucifer]

Re: celestion vintage 30

I recently installed some Vintage 30's in my 5150 4x12, and I like them a lot. My previous cab was and Avatar G212H with the V12's and I liked those quite a bit as well. I must say, though, that they didn't like the extended lows of the 5150 head; they were a bit flatulent, depending upon my settings. They were much more pleasant sounding with the Laney GH50L I had owned prior to that. If they are indeed similar - which I cannot vouch for first-hand, having not compared them directly - then you're definitely better off with the less expensive V12.

However, don't forget to consider the new Red Coat series from Eminence, specifically 'The Governor', which I hear is also pretty similar.