GM12 Heritage UK Greenbacks and the China ones

reticon · Post by **reticon** » Mon Mar 13, 2006 3:08 pm

I'm a fan of greenbacks. I used to have a marshall 1960AX cab from 2001 and i don't know if my speakers were UK or China greenbacks but i loved that cab. I had to sell it, but now i can afford to buy a new cab so i don't know whether to get another one or to get an unloaded cab from somewhere and put in the new G12M heritage UK-made greenback so i wanted to ask for your help since this forum is full of people who really know good brit tone. I'd love to hear opinions from anyone willing to share.

So far i've done my own research and read on that the chinese speakers are really the same parts and quality... and that chinese employees trained in the UK factory and use the same machinery as in the UK... I don't know what to beleive. Are these UK Heritage Greenbacks really better or is Celestion just filling a gap in the market place by giving people who are willing to pay big $$$ for UK speakers a way to do so???

Thanks in advance!

r-

Bainzy · Post by **Bainzy** » Mon Mar 13, 2006 6:52 pm

I've heard that the chinese ones are the same as the UK ones (reissues). The difference in sound with the Heratige ones is not because they're built here in the UK but because they use more authentic construction techniques. I think.

reticon · Post by **reticon** » Mon Mar 13, 2006 6:55 pm

could you go more in depth with the sound differences? is it more of an EQ thing as in more bass/mids/treble a more pleasant reaction to your amps distortion?

r-

Bainzy · Post by **Bainzy** » Mon Mar 13, 2006 7:00 pm

Apparently the Heratige don't have that 'upper mid spike' that the reissues have. The original Greenbacks don't have that upper mid spike, my '74 G12M doesn't have it. There's other differences too. Ask Stan (bmf5150), he's got some Heratige ones and likes them a lot more than the normal reissues.

SB Monster · Post by **SB Monster** » Tue Mar 14, 2006 9:20 am

Heritage G12M 20 watter versus the reissue is no contest. The Heritage kicks ass. I had four reissues for a couple of years. I've got the Heritages now and they're better in every department. They bark right out at you, real 3D sound. Smoother richer warmer fatter, total heaven if you're a blues player. I don't reckon these are a hard rock speaker, they do break up quite a bit. I've also got to hear the Heritage G12 H 30 watter in a 4x12 in direct comparison with a 1972 4x12 with original G12H's. The heritages only had a few hours on them so they were a bit brighter but the similarities were impressive, they've really got that crunch of the old speakers I expect when they're well broken in they sound nearly the same as the originals. I guess what I'm saying is go with the heritage if you can afford it.

Paul

908ssp · Post by **908ssp** » Tue Mar 14, 2006 10:24 am

I second that with one modification. If you aren't wedded to getting Celestions checkout the Scumback pre-rola clones from Southbay amps. They cost a little less then the Heritage speakers and sound better to my ears. I have the real thing and Sumbacks and once broken in the Scumbacks are really close for less then half the cost of the real thing. I am talking Hs here. I do have real Ms but not Scumback Ms.

SB Monster · Post by **SB Monster** » Tue Mar 14, 2006 11:08 am

I've read about those and would really love to try them or even get to hear them for that matter. Nobody has that stuff over here, too expensive when you pay the postage and taxes.

clarkydaz · Post by **clarkydaz** » Tue Mar 14, 2006 11:24 am

yeah, nobody makes replica cabs this side either, that really pisses me off

you can try watfordvalves.com for heritages, £75 each.

SB Monster · Post by **SB Monster** » Tue Mar 14, 2006 12:49 pm

That's a right pain in the ass too. John at Stoneage checked how much it would be to send an empty 4x12 over here, it was more than the price of the cab and then you have to add taxes at this end.

reticon · Post by **reticon** » Tue Mar 14, 2006 2:11 pm

I can't thank you guys enough for all the replies this is all really great info. I just have one more question... is there any way to know if i had UK or China greenbacks in my 2001 MArshall 1960AX Cab?

I did look at them before i sold it and they said ipswitch, but i was told by dave at avatar speakers that didn't mean it was really a UK speaker.

r-

62sg · Post by **62sg** » Tue Mar 14, 2006 4:48 pm

Bainzy wrote:I've heard that the chinese ones are the same as the UK ones (reissues). The difference in sound with the Heratige ones is not because they're built here in the UK but because they use more authentic construction techniques. I think.

Also Bainzy, the materials supposedly used on the Heritage are exactly the same as the late 60's M's & H's. The Heritage were designed to recapture the 67' era in particular......as the tone of the M & H changed gradually in the mid/late 70's or so. So, Celestion went back to their roots and came up with the Heritage. I just got a few in and was absolutely knocked out from the tone of the H30's. Right out of the box they were fantastic.

Bainzy · Post by **Bainzy** » Wed Mar 15, 2006 9:17 am

reticon wrote:I can't thank you guys enough for all the replies this is all really great info. I just have one more question... is there any way to know if i had UK or China greenbacks in my 2001 MArshall 1960AX Cab?

I did look at them before i sold it and they said ipswitch, but i was told by dave at avatar speakers that didn't mean it was really a UK speaker.

r-

If they said Cerestion, they were probably chinese.

SB Monster · Post by **SB Monster** » Wed Mar 15, 2006 11:31 am

Good one Bainzy, oh we are so un PC

Carl · Post by **Carl** » Thu Apr 06, 2006 3:54 am

reticon wrote:is there any way to know if i had UK or China greenbacks in my 2001 MArshall 1960AX Cab?

r-

I bought a used 1960AX last summer which was made in 2002 and the RI Greenbacks in it had "Made in the UK" printed on them. (I bought the 1960AX becuase I needed a new nice looking cab for my 70's G12M 25w)

So I guess that yours were British too.

/Carl