Celestion Greenback vs Vintage 30

Re: Celestion Greenback vs Vintage 30

wixedmords said:
One member likes a V30, another hates it. What conclusions can be drawn. None.
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Apparently this one,

Originally Posted by Lewguitar View Post



Players who say the Vintage 30 sounds horrible, grating, thin, to trebley, to bright, etc. are probably hearing the true sound of their own playing and touch, and probably need to learn how to use the tone controls of their amp properly and probably also need to practice more...

Lew


:smack:
 
Re: Celestion Greenback vs Vintage 30

Sorry TO,

I didn't mean to post in the middle of the banter between you and Lew. I was addressing the original post and the overall idea more.

I do agree with the polarization of opinions on the V30. I can't understand how some can listen to them because they really bother my ear, but it could be said that I just haven't found the right application for them yet. To answer that, I would have to say I have heard many V30's in many many applications and can say I can usually hear that spike, or really deficit before the spike, from across the room or hall.

There are so many that like the speaker though that there must be something that others are hearing that I cannot, or they aren't hearing the spike that makes me want to run away screaming. I do find the V30 a dark speaker overall and can see how some think they are bright because I really think that spike can be better described as "crisp" to some, but not really "bright". I generally chalk this up to everyone hearing different frequencies, and there are much brighter speakers that can be had.

I am generally more happy with the sound of a G12-65 or Lead 80. I just trying to remind everyone that nothing replaces what your own ear hears. Let your own ear be the judge.
 
Re: Celestion Greenback vs Vintage 30

Christ, clam down lads, it is a thread about speakers.

I also find the V30 a bit too biting for my style, my Marshall 4x12 is loaded with greenbacks. It is a full sounding cab that compliments my JMP 50 well. It is quiet though. The difference in volume between the 1960ax (with GBs) and the 1960a was quite surprising.
 
Re: Celestion Greenback vs Vintage 30

wixedmords said:
I am generally more happy with the sound of a G12-65 or Lead 80.
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Those are both excellent speakers. The Lead 80 was used by Eric Johnson for a time and I have the G12-65 in my JCM 800 4010. Christian described it to me as being a higher powered Greenback, and it does have a lot of the Greenback's crunch. Seems to have a stronger, deeper tone than the Greenback though.

Lew
 
Re: Celestion Greenback vs Vintage 30

Lewguitar said:
Christian described it to me as being a higher powered Greenback, and it does have a lot of the Greenback's crunch. Seems to have a stronger, deeper tone than the Greenback though.
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I couldn't agree with your statement more Lew. That grit that is in the top end of a Greenback, which IMO can sometimes be seen as fizz in certain applications (usually high-gain), is there in both the Greenback and the G12-65. The 65 does have a deeper tone, and one can see how they could be considered related. I think when someone says they want a Greenback that can handle more power I think of the G12-65, but it won't be exactly the same. It could never be exact, only close. The G12-65 would be in the spirit of the Greenback, so to speak.
 
Re: Celestion Greenback vs Vintage 30

Lewguitar said:
Players who say the Vintage 30 sounds horrible, grating, thin, to trebley, to bright, etc. are probably hearing the true sound of their own playing and touch, and probably need to learn how to use the tone controls of their amp properly and probably also need to practice more at creating and shaping a beautiful tone with their hands. Maybe they need to practice more without even plugging into an amp and work more on coordinating their picking, finger placement and vibrato and shaping the note with their own two hands, because, IMO, what they are hearing is the sound of their own inability to play smoothly and to get a fat warm tone with their own touch and technique.

Vintage 30's do seem to have a little less midrange crunch and thickness to the mids than Greenbacks, G12H30's, G12-65's etc., but none the less, there are zillions of great players who get great tones out of Vintage 30's. If a player can't get a good and acceptable tone out of the Vintage 30 it isn't the speaker's fault.

Lew
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I don't like V30's for my own tone. Perhaps you need to crunch it up a bit to hear what I hear...the grainy sizzle that hits my ear like a dimestore kazoo.

Speakers are to tone, what spices are to food. Personally, I can't stand fennel, but other people never perceive it. It does not mean that everyone else has an uncultured palette, or no sense of taste.
 
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Re: Celestion Greenback vs Vintage 30

This is an interesting thread aside from the tantrums and for what it's worth, I see both sides.

That said, i've been searching for the V30 vs. GB thing for my 4-12 and I was totally sold on a quad of GBs, until I picked up Sonny Landreth's Grant Street CD> He uses a V30 loaded 4-12 through either a Dumble or H30/Chieftain and sounds absolutely massive. Now, you have a killer guitarist through some of the greatest amps and some pedals, so then, is it really the speaker or everything else.

I can't see how one item in the user, guitar, pup, pedal, amp, cab chain can make or break your sound. I mean with all that, you have at least 3 tone controls to move, so what's the deal?? I also think it's a bit snobby to claim that someone sucks if they can't make a V30 sound good. It just doesn't make sense-Lew you know better, man!
 
Re: Celestion Greenback vs Vintage 30

Man, if you don't like fennel...:nono::flush::jester:
 
Re: Celestion Greenback vs Vintage 30

ive learned a lot from this thread... i was always under the impression that V30s were very bass and low mid heavy. but still tight. it sounds like this is wrong??? but i also thought that my gt-75s or whatever they're called were suppose to be brighter and more upper mids and fairly tight, but they're bassier than my 90 watt speaker in my mesa combo...


i f*ckin thought pickups choices were hard, lol
 
Re: Celestion Greenback vs Vintage 30

MattPete said:
Sorry Lew, but to dismiss a man's aesthetic opinion down to a lack of playing skill is a fallacious argument, if not a bit condescending.
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QFT. Quite a bit condescending, if you ask me :rolleyes:

here's an example: "Anyone who doesn't like the sound of a Les Paul just has bad ears and lacks skill with their instrument".

Sounds pretty ignorant , no?


Also, it doesn't explain why I find clips of the vintage 30 in speaker shootouts to be grating. Whether it be the Bob Savage Bogner demos, the Celestion demos, or what have you, I simple don't like the sound of vintage 30s. And I'm not the only one: Vintage 30s are very love-hate, with very few in the middle ground.
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My thoughts exactly.
 
Re: Celestion Greenback vs Vintage 30

OlinMusic said:
I think you were responding to me, no?

I use V30s with Twins, Princetons, and Marshall SLP's as well. I have also used V30s with amps "recommended" to be used with GB's and they still sound great - just a touch more hi fi, louder, and more punchy (or harsh) some would say.

BOTH speakers are AMAZING and I own both, but the V30s work everywhere, low/loud, blues/rock/metal/jazz, clean/gainy.
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Yes I was. And I agree 100%. V30's are fab speakers, but for certain things I like the GB better. I find Celestions in general don't work for me with Fender amps. I know a lot of guys like Celestions in Twins, Deluxe Reverbs etc, but I feel the Celestions suck to mush "Fender" out of a Fender amp. For a MArshall style amp (like the Bogners or my Komet) Celestions all the way. I am using a borrowed Peavy Cab with my Komet right now. Not sure what speakers are in it. It sounds great! Next year I plan on getting a Marshall 4 12" with Greenbacks! That is what I feel will work the best with the Komet!
 
Re: Celestion Greenback vs Vintage 30

I think saying that V30s are very "love-hate" is misleading.


I think the ratio of people who like V30s far outweighs those who don't. That doesn't mean that those people who hate the V30 are wrong-- I'm just saying that its a speaker that has been used on countless albums, been played in countless number of shows, by countless number of great players.


It's like a les paul I guess... a guitar regarded by many to be the epitome of guitars-- however, some people don't like them, and there are certainly room for other styles of guitars to be used by even the same player.
 
Re: Celestion Greenback vs Vintage 30

I love the v30...but I hate the **** classic leads I have. I worry about greenback being to fizzy. So I might ultimately wind up with h30. I seem to favor darker speakers.
 
Re: Celestion Greenback vs Vintage 30

MrHeavyMetal said:
I've been thinking about getting another basketweave Marshall 4X12 with the G12H-30's (55 Hz) to go along with my Vintage 30 cab. I like big bottom and tightness for all the hard rock and metal distortion. Greenbacks seem too classic warm and loose for me but I've never really given them a chance.
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I never gave them a chance as well, until now. All I can say is that the Greenbacks Sound Great for Hard Rock and Metal.
 
Re: Celestion Greenback vs Vintage 30

Stratcat said:
I never gave them a chance as well, until now. All I can say is that the Greenbacks Sound Great for Hard Rock and Metal.
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hmmmmm, interesting. well, I love my Vintage 30 cab. I think it's great for hard rock and metal. esp metal. these things can take a beating. I think the more overdrive or distortion you throw at them the better they sound. nice and tight. I want bigger bottom so the G12H-30's should help there.

The G12H-30 4X12 cab is on my wish list. I also have a 1X12 closed back I could throw a greenback in to check those out also.
 
Re: Celestion Greenback vs Vintage 30

wixedmords said:
One member likes a V30, another hates it. What conclusions can be drawn. None.
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I get what you mean, but I do like hearing from people with their "IN GAME" analyses. Meaning that I like to know how people have fared with ACTUAL USE. I think a lot of people on forums are sharing opinions based on home use. I know home use jades my opinions, vs going out live and loud or in a studio. I would liken it to shoes - where I think Converse and Puma are great, but I would never play sports without Nike Shox since I have had too many knee injuries.

I have a friend with a 70s Marshall and 70s GB cab, and its great for him and his Gretsch 6120 cranked - but he is going for the AC/DC tone. In my case, I love GB's for the gain and breakup tones, but when I need lush cleans or a bigger/tighter sound they fall quite short.

In those cases the G12H/V30 combo is great, but heck, most soundmen gimme one mic anyway lol - so its the V30. Problem with G12Hs is they dont give up the goods at low volumes, whereas the V30s will - and with some stages you don't get much choice.

BTW, I had some G12-65's that really lived up to the "smooth, high powered" GB moniker, but I sold them. I bought another old one recently and it sounds kinda nasally. Anyone else had a "nasal" 65?

Anyone wanna share their soundclips or gig experiences?
 
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