Marshall Speaker Cabinet Opinions

[jtpal25]

I've recently acquired JCM 800 1960a 4x12 cabinet. I have 2 good 1981 Celestion G12-65s that I've put in the cabinet. I have 2 of the same 1981 Celestion G12-65s that need to be reconed.

Here's the dilemma.

Would you...

A. Get those 2 Celestions reconed by Weber for $75 each.

B. Order a 75 watt Blue Dog and a 75 watt Silver Bell from Weber to change up some tones in the cabinet @ $112 each.

 

[Monotremata]

Get the 65s reconed!!!

 

[telemnemonics]

+1 recone the 65s.
Weber can put cones in that will give you whatever different sound you might want, or just make them as close to original as possible.
I haven't liked the 65s when I tried them, but they get a lot of love, and probably work best with the right amp.
If you spend some time with the good pair, you can tell Weber what you want more or less of from the recones.

Nothing wrong with getting different speakers though...

And it's worth having Weber break them in for you.

 

[Tle4]

I would re-cone the 65's. You should check out Miller Sound in North Wales Pa. They have a lot of the vintage cones in stock and can possibly put in cones from the same era.

I had him do a 65 for me and 4 alnico 10" speakers from a 71 super and they all sounded great. I believe he charged around $50 a speaker depending on the size, the price varies some. He gave a discount when I did the 4x10"

 

[jtpal25]

Thanks, I'll check them out. I didn't realize that Weber can change the tone of the speaker when they recone. That's intriguing.

 

[dmoss74]

Get the 65s reconed!!!

x2. i have those in my 4104 50w jcm800 combo, and they are probably the best marshall speakers i've ever heard...and i've heard pretty much all of 'em.

 

[telemnemonics]

Thanks, I'll check them out. I didn't realize that Weber can change the tone of the speaker when they recone. That's intriguing.

The cone is actually where most of the tonal character and response curve is created.
I don't know all the models and their magnets, but for many years of Celestion production they used two magnet sizes, all with the same 1.75" voice coil size, and made numerous different models by changing the cone, surround, VC material and doping.
Weber also has basic frame and magnet models, cone types, voice coil types, and assembles them for a huge range of different sounding speakers.

The hardest part is getting a vintage speaker reconed to sound original, which is a good reason to go with vintage original parts if the exact original sound is important to you.

I have had quite a few reconed vintage Celestions that did not sound "right", but there has been improvement in cone reproduction over the last 10 years or so.
Even Celestion spent years trying to make a cone that sounded right when they reissued the Blue, because the original cones were outsourced, and the old recipe was lost...

 

[jtpal25]

I read something about that; the place they were getting their cones from caught on fire.

Good info, I didn't know that about the cones.

I wonder if I want all 4 speakers to sound the same, or to have different characteristics in a couple of them. I've never played out of a 4x12 before. My whole life I've been playing combo amps.

 

[gridlock]

Reconed.

I have two G12-65's in my JCM800 1936 cab and two in my 1981 JMP combo.

Great speakers.

 

[telemnemonics]

I read something about that; the place they were getting their cones from caught on fire.

Good info, I didn't know that about the cones.

I wonder if I want all 4 speakers to sound the same, or to have different characteristics in a couple of them. I've never played out of a 4x12 before. My whole life I've been playing combo amps.

Mixed can be great, sometimes even preferable, as long as the efficiency is close, a good recone shop should be able to get that right.

I like a Greenback G12H30 combined with a G12M20 better than either speaker paired, and better than a pair of G12M25s.

The 65s will always be worth money, so if you don't end up liking them you won't lose money.
What amp are you running into the cab?

 

[Paul G.]

RECONE!!!

 

[jtpal25]

It's a 1981 JCM 800 100 watt Super Lead. I run it right at the point of where it starts to break up.

 

[Wayne Alexander]

Depending on where you live, Orange County Speaker does really superb reconing work on Celestions - they redid a Celestion Blue for me which came out at least as good as new, possibly better. http://www.speakerrepair.com/