New Celestion G12M-65 Creamback

[OdgeUK]

Very interested in the new release of the G12M-65 'Creamback' speaker from Celestion. Celestion say: "Less people are using 4x12's but still want the GB sounds, and the low end punch, hence the G12 Creamback. It's based on a Heritage G12M but has secret sauce to increase the power handling, plus we added the low end punch. Everyone that heard them at the NY Amp Show was floored. They are nothing like the G12-65....it is its own thing....very mellow and smooth. "



They were only released recently, so clips are a bit thin on the ground.

Here's one clip, but without any reference to another speaker, hard to tell: http://celestion.com/speakerworld/news/ ... _Amp_Show/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Another clip shows the speaker in isolation (jump to 6:26, the speaker is referred to as the "Engineering Sample") and then mixed with an Alnico Gold:
http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/21594575?lang=0" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I'm really digging my G12-65 in my 2x12 at the moment, very woody and classic, but they are sometimes too dark and I want some Greenback love in my arsenal too! Being in the UK, Scumback M75's are prohibitively expensive, so this could be the answer....

What do you guys think (other than the usual complaints about how this shouldn't be called a 'Creamback' !).

I think, from the clips, that the speaker could be a little 'fuller', but I think that's probably a characteristic of the Greenback sound anyway.

£88.00 each in the UK. A V30 by comparison is £82.00.

[jimmyride]

Just out of curiosity... have you tried Taydens?

[demonufo]

I think at Celestions current pricing since the last 30% increase, they can kiss my behind.

It's a very sad state of affairs when an individual consumer in the UK can get an arguably better pair of boutique speakers imported from the USA, INCLUDING FREIGHT AND DUTY, for less than the equivalent UK made Celestions, that still don't sound like the old ones used to.

[OdgeUK]

Just out of curiosity... have you tried Taydens?

[OdgeUK]

Just out of curiosity... have you tried Taydens?

No, but they were on my shortlist, lead guitarist in my band has a quad of Brit60 and swears by them. I keep meaning to try them out but things sound different in a 4x12 and he's soldered them all in fast now! celestions ordered today, if they don't work out I'll try Tayden next.

[jimmyride]

I wanted to try their high brit but I had to go cheaper.. and got Eminence Legend GB.

[OdgeUK]

I think at Celestions current pricing since the last 30% increase, they can kiss my behind.

It's a very sad state of affairs when an individual consumer in the UK can get an arguably better pair of boutique speakers imported from the USA, INCLUDING FREIGHT AND DUTY, for less than the equivalent UK made Celestions, that still don't sound like the old ones used to.

A pair of Scumback M75 (which is what I really wanted) is £210 at the current exchange rate then you've got to add your shipping and VAT and Import Duty. I'm guessing that you're looking at around £300+ to get a pair of M75's. Which would be about the same as a pair of Celestion Alnicos or Heritage G12H. Luckily the G12M-65's that I ordered must be made overseas as they were £180 delivered (which still feels pretty expensive!).

[demonufo]

Heritages are now around £150 mark, and I have some of the G12H-30 55Hz, and they really aren't all that great either. Very spiky. Not very creamy at all. When I bought mine they were just over the £80 mark. What the hell happened Celestion? That's nearly double the darned price. Vintage 30's used to be £45 around the same time.

I went for Scumback BM 65 watters, which seem to have a lot more of what I was after. So far, they're great, but I've yet to get them out of the house and ram them through their paces. I've yet to hear a modern Celestion that even comes close to these.

[OdgeUK]

Wow. They just arrived. Ordered economy delivery but came on Next Day. Not sure I'll get any time to try them tonight but will break these in and let you know what I think.

For info, the cones are 11914 (G12M Heritage and EVH) and the part number is T5871B and the sticker says Made in the UK.

[demonufo]

the sticker says Made in the UK.

Well that's a surprise!

[OdgeUK]

the sticker says Made in the UK.

Well that's a surprise!

That's what I thought! Wonder if they really are made in the UK, or 'assembled' in the UK just enough to qualify for that sticker. Or maybe the first run are our of the UK factory and will move overseas in time (like the G12C did). I certainly didn't expect UK made speakers at that price point.

[OdgeUK]

Well, they're in! And they certainly do sound like Greenbacks! Tommorow I will compare them directly with my G12C 25w Greenback speakers, to see exactly what the 65w brings to the table, but the overall impression to my ear is that these are atypical G12M sounding speakers.

I've spent the evening swapping speaker cable between a cab with these Creambacks in , and my gigging cab (with G12-65). The gain I'm dialling in with my Peavey JSX and 2204 is ranging from ACDC to Guns and Roses to Van Halen.

I'd say the Creambacks certainly make the G12-65's sound DARK! The Creambacks have that aggressive bite and articulation. It's not ALL one-sided though, the G12-65 has noticibly more bottom end and sounds fatter and smoother. The high end 'rasp' of the Creamback is actually quite distracting at first. It's almost nasal under higher gain.

The jury is out until the cabs are being played in a band mix. I suspect the Creamback will win out for cutting through the mix, but the drop in bass may be a show stopper, as I like that warmth from the G12-65.

The Creamback is pretty much like a higher powered version of my G12C (will be more sure about that statement tomm), which is what Celestion were going for I guess. I'm just wondering if Greenbacks are my thing. I may well be a V30 guy after all.....

[Celestion101]

Hey Guys.....the Creamback's ARE indeed UK Built. In brief, the Creamback is like a Heritage G12M, however with a big punchy lowend. It is not as dark as the Heritage 65, but it has a puchier bass to it.....you will be challenged to make it flub out on the lowend. We also put 8 holes in the chassis for the vintage Fender guys (I've been pushing for this forever). And last but not least, they map for $159, just $10 more than a V30, and a good bit less than the Heritage models. We used them in a openback 212 at the amp show and folks were surprised to hear that the cabs were openback. That said, we did not mask the mids or top-end, so they still have that 'woodyness' (sp?) to them that people like about GB's. Next will be the highpower H and then we have a few other cool things happening in the near future. Have fun!

[axeman]

How about in a standard 1960 A or B cab, what would that sound like?

[GURU1979]

Hi OdgeUK!
So?
What about your comparison with G12C?
How they compare in tone and volume?
Let we know!
Bye all!