Why I prefer 55hz Celestions, and when they may be right for you.

[Hiwatts-n-Gibsons]

Let me preface this by saying I am a vintage style speaker junkie who has owned or currently owns a buttload of speakers from the '60s through the 2000's. Personally my general preferences lean towards vintage or vintage voiced Fane and EV speakers, particularly alnco models but not limited to those.

That said I have some Celestions I really love too, both 75hz and 55hz. Out of the 75hz models I love vintage and Heritage G12H30's but strangely enough I am not a fan of the G12H30 Anniversary, the first run of Marshall OEM Vintage speakers (the OG V30), vintage G1265's (never owned the Heretige version) which are probably my favorite 75hz Celestions, and G12H100's.

However out of all the Celestions I have ever played through my absolute favorites are the 55Hz G12H30, and G1265 speakers, and here's why.

I am primarily a single coil guy who likes a full yet cutting midrange rich tone with top end sparkle and a full punchy but not wooly and woofy lowend. I mostly play through EL34 amps, and use a Treble Booster and/or a Tube Tape Echo unit's preamp to boost my signal into the amp.

With many 75hz speakers this can be a bit too much of a good thing at times, with a slightly piercing and hard edged tone that can sound thin through some 75hz speakers.

Playing through a 55hz Celestion or vintage Fane 55hz speaker is like a gorgeous viscous tonic that cures any and all harsh edges. They add lowend punch and bloom, with a nice full and sweetening lower midrange that adds thickness and grunt, paired with a clear treble that keeps the perfect amount of desired edge to my tone.

So if you favor vintage voiced pickups known for midrange kerang and stinging bite, and pair them with an EL34 amp known for its clarity and midrange forward crunch they might just be that extra bit of more mojo you are looking for. If you are playing a Strat, Tele, Gibson with P90's, a Firebird with Firebird pickups, or a LP Deluxe with Mini-Humbuckers into a Marshall, Hiwatt, Laney, or vintage Orange/Matamp type head set for a midrange rich clean, crunch, or high gain tone then 55hz Celestions will odds are pair very well with your setup and might add that extra bit of fullness and depth that some 75hz drivers lack in that scenario.

 

[J.D.]

Interestingly years ago I owned a '70s 4x12 with G12H-30 55hz and was great sounding paired with pretty much any Marshall EL34 head. Eventually paired it up with a silver jubilee. It sounded incredible: specifically playing through the "clean" channel at or near wide open and just using the guitar's vol/tone controls.

 

[Hiwatts-n-Gibsons]

Interestingly years ago I owned a '70s 4x12 with G12H-30 55hz and was great sounding paired with pretty much any Marshall EL34 head. Eventually paired it up with a silver jubilee. It sounded incredible: specifically playing through the "clean" channel at or near wide open and just using the guitar's vol/tone controls.

WOOF!

One of my dream cabs for sure.

Sorry you let her go. You'd have to lift my cold dead corpse off of a '70s 55hz Black Back loaded Marshall 4x12 before taking it from me.

 

[corpse]

I am neither

 

[Hiwatts-n-Gibsons]

I am neither

Hey, it takes all flavors, from sweet to savory to salty to bitter to sour. Not ascribing any particular flavor, just making a taste analogy.

 

[J.D.]

WOOF!

One of my dream cabs for sure.

Sorry you let her go. You'd have to lift my cold dead corpse off of a '70s 55hz Black Back loaded Marshall 4x12 before taking it from me.

50 or 100W head pushing 4x12 cab at full volume has no practical use to me at this point. This was just "used gear" at one time.

 

[Hiwatts-n-Gibsons]

50 or 100W head pushing 4x12 cab at full volume has no practical use to me at this point. This was just "used gear" at one time.

Ahhhh, practicality. I'm not a big fan.

 

[garywright]

50 or 100W head pushing 4x12 cab at full volume has no practical use to me at this point. This was just "used gear" at one time.

did someone really say this ..if nothing else I enjoy mine to flap my pant legs in its breeze

 

[ScumbackSpeakers]

I'm a fan of the old G12H's in the Pulsonic era. I've got one really killer 68 cab that has 75 hz G12H's on top, and 55hz G12H's on the bottom. Those old Pulsonic cones kick serious booty.

 

[Norton]

I've got a Bluesbreaker reissue that truly came to life when I put a pair of 55hz heritage 12s in it. Before that I was getting ready to unload it, but not sure I would ever want to sell it now.

 

[Hiwatts-n-Gibsons]

I've got a Bluesbreaker reissue that truly came to life when I put a pair of 55hz heritage 12s in it. Before that I was getting ready to unload it, but not sure I would ever want to sell it now.

Sounds like a perfect pairing. I've had my 55hz Heritage G12H's paired with two alnico Fane AXA12's in a 4x12 for years. That cab is so warm and fat in the mids, but still with plenty of clarity and chime.

 

[Hiwatts-n-Gibsons]

I'm a fan of the old G12H's in the Pulsonic era. I've got one really killer 68 cab that has 75 hz G12H's on top, and 55hz G12H's on the bottom. Those old Pulsonic cones kick serious booty.

Yes indeed they do. I have an open back 2x12 with two early Pulsonic cone Fanes wired up for stereo operation. Cranking a stereo Magnatone through that cab is about the best low wattage vintage breakup I ever heard.

 

[GlassSnuff]

I've got a thing for high powered alnicos. Scumnicos graced my last amp and they were heavenly. Currently I have a Celestion Cream that's breaking in nicely but I have to admit I've always wanted to try the 55Hz speakers.

 

[Hiwatts-n-Gibsons]

I've got a thing for high powered alnicos. Scumnicos graced my last amp and they were heavenly. Currently I have a Celestion Cream that's breaking in nicely but I have to admit I've always wanted to try the 55Hz speakers.

Have not given either of them a try, but my favorite guitar speakers ever are my four alnico Coffee Can SRO12's. I also really love my alnico Fane AXA12's. From the clips I have heard the 90 watt Cream alnicos sound a lot like my alnico Fanes.

But man those cast frame alnico SRO's are spectacular sounding.

 

[Deus91]

T1281 pair from Oct. 1967.
The information that follows is courtesy of www.bygonetones.com A very informative site for all things Celestion. Please visit.

The T1281 first appears around September 1966, and was an exclusive model to Marshall. They were used in the 100 logo 4×12 cabs (model 1982). It is regarded by many as “the Hendrix speaker” because he can clearly be seen using these cabs in old footage. The original T1281 was a 25w speaker with the white voice coil former and the pulsonic cone usually stamped ‘SP444’. Like most G12H of this period it also came with the welvic doping on both sides of the cone. Quite a different sounding speaker to the more commonly seen 30w version made late 67 onwards. They are tighter sounding and less boomy. It is this 25w version that Jimi Hendrix was likely to be using in his iconic tall pinstripe Marshall stacks, most notably during his legendary Monterey performance in June 1967. Very rare speakers to find in usable condition these days. Surprisingly, Celestion have never reissued this classic 25w G12H used by Hendrix. Note – this has been my experience with ALL pre-rola 55hz speaker models, at that time Celestion did not have separate labels made for every speaker model they produced. No 55Hz label seems to have existed then. Celestion would share labels between models and alter the information with small stickers when necessary.
Now, it is my understanding that the original impetus to up the wattage from 20W to 25W was because Hendrix kept blowing the 20W speakers when he started using the JTM45/ 100 heads.
I am very fortunate to have a nice collection of vintage Celestion speakers.

 

[Hiwatts-n-Gibsons]

T1281 pair from Oct. 1967.
The information that follows is courtesy of www.bygonetones.com A very informative site for all things Celestion. Please visit.

The T1281 first appears around September 1966, and was an exclusive model to Marshall. They were used in the 100 logo 4×12 cabs (model 1982). It is regarded by many as “the Hendrix speaker” because he can clearly be seen using these cabs in old footage. The original T1281 was a 25w speaker with the white voice coil former and the pulsonic cone usually stamped ‘SP444’. Like most G12H of this period it also came with the welvic doping on both sides of the cone. Quite a different sounding speaker to the more commonly seen 30w version made late 67 onwards. They are tighter sounding and less boomy. It is this 25w version that Jimi Hendrix was likely to be using in his iconic tall pinstripe Marshall stacks, most notably during his legendary Monterey performance in June 1967. Very rare speakers to find in usable condition these days. Surprisingly, Celestion have never reissued this classic 25w G12H used by Hendrix. Note – this has been my experience with ALL pre-rola 55hz speaker models, at that time Celestion did not have separate labels made for every speaker model they produced. No 55Hz label seems to have existed then. Celestion would share labels between models and alter the information with small stickers when necessary.
Now, it is my understanding that the original impetus to up the wattage from 20W to 25W was because Hendrix kept blowing the 20W speakers when he started using the JTM45/ 100 heads.
I am very fortunate to have a nice collection of vintage Celestion speakers.

Thanks for sharing that.

 

[Deus91]

Thanks for sharing that.

Just let me know, if you want to see anything else my collection goes from Jan '63 to March of '72.

 

[Hiwatts-n-Gibsons]

Just let me know, if you want to see anything else my collection goes from Jan '63 to March of '72.

The last thing I need is more speaker GAS, but being the speaker addict that I am yes please.

I currently have...
2x Celestion Heritage 55hz G12H-30
4x vintage Celestion 55hz G12-65
1x 55 hz vintage Pulsonic cone 25 watt Fane
1x 75 hz vintage Pulsonic cone 20 watt Fane
4x vintage Celestion 75hz G12-65
4× EV alnico Coffee Can SRO12
1x EV alnico Coffee Can SRO15
2x alnico Fane AXA12
3x vintage Fane Purple Label in a '72 Hiwatt cab with 1x vintage Fane Blue Label with aluminum dustcap.
2x vintage Celestion G12H-100
1x Fane Studio 12L
2x vintage Fane Medusa 30

The only speakers I really want at the moment are one more Coffee Can SRO15, and one more vintage Fane purple or a Rawson Sparfield Yorkshire to put in the cab with the 3 vintage Fane Purples to make it original spec or closer to it. Then I can move the aluminum dustcap Fane Blue Label to an open back cab paired with another warmer voiced 50ish watt speaker for mostly clean tones.

 

[Deus91]

The last thing I need is more speaker GAS, but being the speaker addict that I am yes please.

I currently have...
2x Celestion Heritage 55hz G12H-30
4x vintage Celestion 55hz G12-65
1x 55 hz vintage Pulsonic cone 25 watt Fane
1x 75 hz vintage Pulsonic cone 20 watt Fane
4x vintage Celestion 75hz G12-65
4× EV alnico Coffee Can SRO12
1x EV alnico Coffee Can SRO15
2x alnico Fane AXA12
3x vintage Fane Purple Label in a '72 Hiwatt cab with 1x vintage Fane Blue Label with aluminum dustcap.
2x vintage Celestion G12H-100
1x Fane Studio 12L
2x vintage Fane Medusa 30

The only speakers I really want at the moment are one more Coffee Can SRO15, and one more vintage Fane purple or a Rawson Sparfield Yorkshire to put in the cab with the 3 vintage Fane Purples to make it original spec or closer to it. Then I can move the aluminum dustcap Fane Blue Label to an open back cab paired with another warmer voiced 50ish watt speaker for mostly clean tones.

Damn! That is a nice selection you have there!!!!!!!!!! Here are a pair of G12M speakers T1220 (8ohm) from April snd Sept. of 1966. I got these beauties from a collector
in Spain. There condition and operation is Excellent. There is some discoloration/staining on the face of the cones but this has no effect on the sound. Also the spiders on both speakers
show no rotting or defects, really remarkable condition. Look at the color of the cones, dark that gun barrel gray/black. Not faded or tired looking at all. All things considered they are truly remarkable
specimens!

 

[Hiwatts-n-Gibsons]

Damn! That is a nice selection you have there!!!!!!!!!! Here are a pair of G12M speakers T1220 (8ohm) from April snd Sept. of 1966. I got these beauties from a collector
in Spain. There condition and operation is Excellent. There is some discoloration/staining on the face of the cones but this has no effect on the sound. Also the spiders on both speakers
show no rotting or defects, really remarkable condition. Look at the color of the cones, dark that gun barrel gray/black. Not faded or tired looking at all. All things considered they are truly remarkable
specimens!

Very sweet!

And thank you. It's taken me over two decades to get there. Many others have come and gone over the years, but the current line up holds all my favorite speakers I have ever played through.