New HB cabinets with green/creambacks

[Mikelamury]

Harley Benton just came out with a new line of cabs with either greenback speakers or creambacks. I have a HB 2x12 with V30's and I'm going to get one of these new cabinets but I don't know a lot about either speaker. What are the basic sounds of these 2 speaker models (creamback or greenback)
thanks in advance for the information.

 

[Mikelamury]

Here's the link:
https://harleybenton.com/amp-families/#g-plus-guitar-cabinet

 

[PFDarkside]

Man I’ve been thinking about this potential W/D/W rig again, those HB cabs are too cheap not to get!

 

[Securb]

Thanks for sending me down a GAS-filled rabbit hole.

 

[eclecticsynergy]

Ironically, the prevailing opinion is that the greenbacks sound creamier than the creambacks.
Creamback has tight lows (and tighter feel overall) with bright crisp highs.
Greenback has a bit more lows and they're also looser, while the highs are a bit warmer.

I actually favor darker Celestions. My faves are the old G12-65s.
When I switched to 2x12s, I traded away the Marshall 4x12 that I bought in 1980.
Never should've let that one go.

 

[Demanic]

Thanks for sending me down a GAS-filled rabbit hole.

A 2x12 loaded with Creambacks.
Just saying.

Sent from my SM-A115A using Tapatalk

 

[Mikelamury]

Ironically, the prevailing opinion is that the greenbacks sound creamier than the creambacks.
Creamback has tight lows (and tighter feel overall) with bright crisp highs.
Greenback has a bit more lows and they're also looser, while the highs are a bit warmer.

I actually favor darker Celestions. My faves are the old G12-65s.
When I switched to 2x12s, I traded away the Marshall 4x12 that I bought in 1980.
Never should've let that one go.

Hmmm... Thanks for the description. I read the descriptions of the speakers on the Celestion website and it says that the greenbacks are better for high gain. Do you find that to be true? I'm trying to decide which 2x12 would be best for high gain stuff.(I play punk) I already have one of their 2x12's with V30's in it, looking to get another 2x12 to go with the one I already have. Basically, I'm asking you which one you think would be better for high gain stuff?

 

[Mikelamury]

Thanks for sending me down a GAS-filled rabbit hole.

Your the one that pointed me towards my HB 2X12 With V30'S, just repaying the favor! Lol how can they make these cabs so cheap? And these cabs are better Spec'd than the one I have with V30'S. They're made from birch and you can take the back off of them. Definitely a better cab than their old ones.

 

[Rex_Rocker]

Ironically, the prevailing opinion is that the greenbacks sound creamier than the creambacks.
Creamback has tight lows (and tighter feel overall) with bright crisp highs.
Greenback has a bit more lows and they're also looser, while the highs are a bit warmer.

I actually favor darker Celestions. My faves are the old G12-65s.
When I switched to 2x12s, I traded away the Marshall 4x12 that I bought in 1980.
Never should've let that one go.

Not IME.

IME, Creambacks are darker and chunkier than Greenbacks. At least the RI ones. The EVH/Heritage Greenbacks are another story.

Not that they're really dark per se, but the RI 25W Greenbacks are pretty ratty in the high mids/highs (compared to Creambacks). That's exactly what gives them their character, especially once you start pushing them.

Creambacks are tighter, yes, but not because they've got less lows, but because they break up less are less ratty overall.

I've had them both in my old Marshall cab. Both Creambacks and Chinese and British RI Greenbacks.

I *personally* prefer the ratty character of Greenbacks, but Creambacks would by my second choice. I prefer them both to V30's. In the room, at least. Recorded, that's a tough call. V30's are THAT sound.

Compared to V30's, Greenbacks/Creambacks are more balanced. Chunkier in the low mids, not as honky in the core mids, and the higher end isn't really *more*, but it's more open-sounding compared to the V30's midspike, so they can come off as smoother, IMO.

 

[Mikelamury]

Not IME.

IME, Creambacks are darker and chunkier than Greenbacks. At least the RI ones. The EVH/Heritage Greenbacks are another story.

Not that they're really dark per se, but the RI 25W Greenbacks are pretty ratty in the high mids/highs (compared to Creambacks). That's exactly what gives them their character, especially once you start pushing them.

Creambacks are tighter, yes, but not because they've got less lows, but because they break up less are less ratty overall.

I've had them both in my old Marshall cab. Both Creambacks and Chinese and British RI Greenbacks.

I *personally* prefer the ratty character of Greenbacks, but Creambacks would by my second choice. I prefer them both to V30's. In the room, at least. Recorded, that's a tough call. V30's are THAT sound.

Compared to V30's, Greenbacks/Creambacks are more balanced. Chunkier in the low mids, not as honky in the core mids, and the higher end isn't really *more*, but it's more open-sounding compared to the V30's midspike, so they can come off as smoother, IMO.

Thanks for the description, I think I'm starting to lean more towards the greenbacks from what I'm hearing so far. I don't really play clean alot of the time and always use a good amount of gain.

 

[80's_Thrash_Metal]

I have only had experience with the greenbacks.

I found them very loose, saggy, and underpowered for my use.
They don't chug well at all. They have decent tonality, but for my application and need, they were terrible. I traded them off for a quarter of T-75's if I remember correctly.

 

[Jacew]

I have only had experience with the greenbacks.

I found them very loose, saggy, and underpowered for my use.
They don't chug well at all. They have decent tonality, but for my application and need, they were terrible. I traded them off for a quarter of T-75's if I remember correctly.

I agree with this, though my style is quite different. There's this annoying edge on high mids with them, that gets on my nerves.

 

[Mikelamury]

I have only had experience with the greenbacks.

I found them very loose, saggy, and underpowered for my use.
They don't chug well at all. They have decent tonality, but for my application and need, they were terrible. I traded them off for a quarter of T-75's if I remember correctly.

Are you playing metal? That's something I don't play. I usually punk or ska/ punk with a decent amount of gain but no chugging. I like upper mid spikes, when you say loose and saggy are you talking about the low end?

 

[Rex_Rocker]

I think Greenbacks chug alright. I overdid the bass a little on the amp on that clip, but they're pretty good for anything gain, IMO.

They are kinda saggy, true. But honestly, more than saggy, I'd call them dirty.

I think they're a perfect match for EVH and naturally tight-sounding amps. But true, they're kinda fat, so they wouldn't be my first choice for a Rectifier, for example.

Creambacks, on the other hand, have got a cleaner and slightly bigger yet more controlled low-end.

But honestly, most of the CHUNK on Greenbacks or Greenbacks come from low-mids, rather. In the grand scheme of things, they're definitely no T-75's in the low-end department.

 

[Mikelamury]

I think Greenbacks chug alright. I overdid the bass a little on the amp on that clip, but they're pretty good for anything gain, IMO.

They are kinda saggy, true. But honestly, more than saggy, I'd call them dirty.

I think they're a perfect match for EVH and naturally tight-sounding amps. But true, they're kinda fat, so they wouldn't be my first choice for a Rectifier, for example.

That didn't sound bad at all. I can definitely hear the upper mids. I would be pushing through them with my Egnater and my PRS amps. Nice playing man, that was a good sound IMO.

 

[Rex_Rocker]

Thank you! If you like V30's, they're worth a try for a different yet familiar flavor. But honestly, you can't go wrong with either Cream or Greenbacks. I wouldn't mind playing either.

 

[80's_Thrash_Metal]

Are you playing metal? That's something I don't play. I usually punk or ska/ punk with a decent amount of gain but no chugging. I like upper mid spikes, when you say loose and saggy are you talking about the low end?

Yes, heavy metal and heavier metal is about all I play.

 

[Jacew]

I think Greenbacks chug alright. I overdid the bass a little on the amp on that clip, but they're pretty good for anything gain, IMO.

They are kinda saggy, true. But honestly, more than saggy, I'd call them dirty.

I think they're a perfect match for EVH and naturally tight-sounding amps. But true, they're kinda fat, so they wouldn't be my first choice for a Rectifier, for example.

Creambacks, on the other hand, have got a cleaner and slightly bigger yet more controlled low-end.

But honestly, most of the CHUNK on Greenbacks or Greenbacks come from low-mids, rather. In the grand scheme of things, they're definitely no T-75's in the low-end department.

They do seem to work great for these types of tones. Where there isn't much highs to begin with.

I usually have much brighter tone. Personally I prefer G12-30 for that, as they naturally are brighter and tighter. The highs are much better balanced without the edge greenbacks have (It's not apparent in your recording as there isn't those high spikes in your tone.)

With G12-30 I can also dial rest of my gear darker which helps with eq balance.

 

[Jacew]

I don't have any recordings of my own with Greenbacks, but here's video from Zilla cabs.

Sounds great for most of it, but after 3:10 in video the high mid spike is very prominent, that I so much detest. It literally gives me a headache if I listen it too long.

 

[eclecticsynergy]

Hmmm... Thanks for the description. I read the descriptions of the speakers on the Celestion website and it says that the greenbacks are better for high gain. Do you find that to be true? I'm trying to decide which 2x12 would be best for high gain stuff.(I play punk) I already have one of their 2x12's with V30's in it, looking to get another 2x12 to go with the one I already have. Basically, I'm asking you which one you think would be better for high gain stuff?

I like the old ones, but have no experience with the reissues.
It occurs to me the greenbacks I've used may have been darker simply due to age.
Can't say for sure.
I don't need tight chunk myself, and do prefer a looser low end.
When I play with high gain it's for leads, no chugging.