Celestion model codes,what do they mean?
- Thread starter kjrocks
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jerryjg
PinkElephantologist
Re: Celestion model codes,what do they mean?
whoa. Thats a big question. ive researched that before and it gets pretty deep. There are some chassis codes and cone codes that make a large diffrence in value and desirability. Best way is just to sit down and spend the evening doing google searches.
whoa. Thats a big question. ive researched that before and it gets pretty deep. There are some chassis codes and cone codes that make a large diffrence in value and desirability. Best way is just to sit down and spend the evening doing google searches.
jerryjg
PinkElephantologist
Re: Celestion model codes,what do they mean?
No, I was just illustrating the compexity of real vinatge speaker I.D.
For yor average celestion it is real easy. Very easy. Its a chronology-timeline that the numbers/ letters represent.
I hate to go throung it buts fairly simple as i stated.
To get a brief idea, visit celestion dot com. that'll give you a general idea.
I'll try to dig up a good chronol0gy and post it.
No, I was just illustrating the compexity of real vinatge speaker I.D.
For yor average celestion it is real easy. Very easy. Its a chronology-timeline that the numbers/ letters represent.
I hate to go throung it buts fairly simple as i stated.
To get a brief idea, visit celestion dot com. that'll give you a general idea.
I'll try to dig up a good chronol0gy and post it.
jerryjg
PinkElephantologist
Re: Celestion model codes,what do they mean?
Here ya go;
I found a pretty elegant Celestion timeline. Its detailed, concise, but not entirely comprhensive.
A Celestion G12 chronology might be of help in sorting things out.
WWII- Celestion makes a 12" alnico magnet public address speaker for Royal Navy warships.
1950's- A 12" with alnico magnet called the G12 is developed from the early 12" for musical instrument amps, and quickly becomes associated with Vox amps.
Early 1960's- Marshall uses the G12, but it can't be painted blue.
About 1965- Due to the high cost of alnico, a medium weight ceramic magnet version is developed. This is the first of what will be called the Greenbacks. It is rated at 20 watts and is less sensitive (loud) than the alnicos, and with a crunchier sound. The alnicos developed 100 db's at 1 meter distance with a 1 watt sine wave, while the ceramic developed 96 db's.
About 1967 -A heavy ceramic magnet version is made available. The heavy magnet version is called the G12H, and the medium weight ceramic version is called the G12M. The first run of G12H's are rated at 25 watts. It's as loud as the Alnicos.
1968- The G12M is up rated to 25 watts and 97 db's. It becomes the standard Marshall loudspeaker for the next ten years. The G12H is up rated to 30 watts and becomes the heavy duty option for Marshall amps/cabs for the next ten years. It is strongly associated with Hendrix.
1970-Celestion moves their plant from Surrey to Suffolk, and the speakers now carry the name Rola Celestion on the sticker. Previous Celestions, or pre-Rola, are believed to sound better.
1970's- The G12M25 and G12H30 are continued, often with green magnet covers on the back. Grey, orange, and black back covers are also used. The black covers are more often used on the G12H30.
1978- The G12M25 is replaced with the G12M65 (aka the 65's). The 65 is very simlar to the 25 in sound overall, but has a tighter bass, and a later breakup. At about the same time the G12H30 is replaced by the G12H80, but it doesn't sound at all like the G12H30.
Early 1980's-The beloved 65 is replaced by the hated G12M70, and then by the not much better, but better than the G12M70's, G12T75 by about 1985. The T magnet is the modern eqivilant to the M magnet. A whole range of modern G12 models proliferate, but people want Celestion to "bring back the Greenbacks".
About 1986- Marshall wants a Vintage alnico sounding speaker for their Studio-15, but a true alnico is too expensive. This becomes the Vintage 30. Due to the clamor to bring back the G12H30; it's called the Vintage 30 in a clever marketing ploy. The Vintage 30 doesn't sound like the G12H, but is actually a ceramic alternative to the old alnico G12's, although it does use the H magnet and bass cone.
About 1989-The 70's version G12M25 green back is re-issued.
About 1991- The G12 Alnico Blue is re-issued.
About 1997- A G12H30 version is finally re-issued.
About 2003- Most production is moved to China. UK production retains the Alnico Blue and the Heritage versions of the G12M and G12H speakers. The Heritage G12M's are the G12M20 from 1965, and the G12-65 versions. The G12H30 Heritage is supposed to be the pre-rola version using the 55 hrz cone.
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Here ya go;
I found a pretty elegant Celestion timeline. Its detailed, concise, but not entirely comprhensive.
A Celestion G12 chronology might be of help in sorting things out.
WWII- Celestion makes a 12" alnico magnet public address speaker for Royal Navy warships.
1950's- A 12" with alnico magnet called the G12 is developed from the early 12" for musical instrument amps, and quickly becomes associated with Vox amps.
Early 1960's- Marshall uses the G12, but it can't be painted blue.
About 1965- Due to the high cost of alnico, a medium weight ceramic magnet version is developed. This is the first of what will be called the Greenbacks. It is rated at 20 watts and is less sensitive (loud) than the alnicos, and with a crunchier sound. The alnicos developed 100 db's at 1 meter distance with a 1 watt sine wave, while the ceramic developed 96 db's.
About 1967 -A heavy ceramic magnet version is made available. The heavy magnet version is called the G12H, and the medium weight ceramic version is called the G12M. The first run of G12H's are rated at 25 watts. It's as loud as the Alnicos.
1968- The G12M is up rated to 25 watts and 97 db's. It becomes the standard Marshall loudspeaker for the next ten years. The G12H is up rated to 30 watts and becomes the heavy duty option for Marshall amps/cabs for the next ten years. It is strongly associated with Hendrix.
1970-Celestion moves their plant from Surrey to Suffolk, and the speakers now carry the name Rola Celestion on the sticker. Previous Celestions, or pre-Rola, are believed to sound better.
1970's- The G12M25 and G12H30 are continued, often with green magnet covers on the back. Grey, orange, and black back covers are also used. The black covers are more often used on the G12H30.
1978- The G12M25 is replaced with the G12M65 (aka the 65's). The 65 is very simlar to the 25 in sound overall, but has a tighter bass, and a later breakup. At about the same time the G12H30 is replaced by the G12H80, but it doesn't sound at all like the G12H30.
Early 1980's-The beloved 65 is replaced by the hated G12M70, and then by the not much better, but better than the G12M70's, G12T75 by about 1985. The T magnet is the modern eqivilant to the M magnet. A whole range of modern G12 models proliferate, but people want Celestion to "bring back the Greenbacks".
About 1986- Marshall wants a Vintage alnico sounding speaker for their Studio-15, but a true alnico is too expensive. This becomes the Vintage 30. Due to the clamor to bring back the G12H30; it's called the Vintage 30 in a clever marketing ploy. The Vintage 30 doesn't sound like the G12H, but is actually a ceramic alternative to the old alnico G12's, although it does use the H magnet and bass cone.
About 1989-The 70's version G12M25 green back is re-issued.
About 1991- The G12 Alnico Blue is re-issued.
About 1997- A G12H30 version is finally re-issued.
About 2003- Most production is moved to China. UK production retains the Alnico Blue and the Heritage versions of the G12M and G12H speakers. The Heritage G12M's are the G12M20 from 1965, and the G12-65 versions. The G12H30 Heritage is supposed to be the pre-rola version using the 55 hrz cone.
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Lake Placid Blues
New member
Re: Celestion model codes,what do they mean?
Well basically the letters represent the size of the magnet. M means medium weight (usually about 35 oz) and H means heavy weight (50 oz). The H magnet has about the magnetic strength as Celestion's alnico magnet. T is a more modern version of the M speaker.
12 represents the diameter of the speaker of 12-inches.
I don't know what G means, but I know it doesn't mean guitar. It replaced P sometime in the 50's.
The last two number digits is the RMS power handling. So 25 means a power handling of 25 watts RMS, and 75 means a power handling of 75 watts RMS and so forth.
Well basically the letters represent the size of the magnet. M means medium weight (usually about 35 oz) and H means heavy weight (50 oz). The H magnet has about the magnetic strength as Celestion's alnico magnet. T is a more modern version of the M speaker.
12 represents the diameter of the speaker of 12-inches.
I don't know what G means, but I know it doesn't mean guitar. It replaced P sometime in the 50's.
The last two number digits is the RMS power handling. So 25 means a power handling of 25 watts RMS, and 75 means a power handling of 75 watts RMS and so forth.
