Replacement for Celestion G12P-80?

[JBjr]

Hi all

I recently got a Kustom QUAD 65DFX for practice and small gigs. Pretty happy with it but really not sure about the speaker which is a Celestion G12P-80 (I think theyre sometimes called a seventy 80 and are an OEM model).

Seems a bit trebly/harsh/brittle (not sure how to describe it)...I can't seem to dial it out using the EQ without losing the top end sparkle...always found celestions to be a bit harsh to my ear. Maybe they don't suit my style of playing/music.

Would appreciate any suggestions on something that might be a bit less harsh/warmer?- good for blues and jazz sort of tones (and won't break the bank)

Cheers..JB

 

[Tony474]

The G12P-80 (Seventy-80) is a very reasonable budget speaker and pretty efficient too at 98dB/1W/1m. But it can be a little harsh in the upper mids. I replaced the one in my Tech 21 Trademark 60 with a G12K-100, which is a tad more efficient yet, and once broken in properly is stronger in the bottom end with smoother mids and plenty of sparkle at the top. Doesn't cost a fortune either (at least here in the UK - though like the G12P-80 it's manufactured in China these days) and may provide what you're looking for without shredding your wallet.

 

[JBjr]

Hey thanks Tony

Don't really know a whole lot about speakers (yet) . Everybody comments on what a great sounding amp the Kustom is....but its just those upper mids which hurt my ears I think....bit like Marshalls always make me cringe (I think we've had this discussion in another thread).

JB

 

[Tony474]

Hmm... I know what you mean about Marshalls. If that kind of tonality is inherent in the amp there's a limit to the benefit a speaker swap will provide, although you can probably improve on what the Seventy-80 does. Fiddling around with the amp's EQ might help, though I gather you've tried that. I don't know what the speaker market's like in Oz price-wise, but, without having experienced one myself, I've heard that hemp-coned speakers like the Eminence Cannabis Rex or the Tone Tubby warm things up considerably. Possibly, however, at the expense of top-end sparkle - others may care to add their own comments.

 

[JBjr]

actually went through the eminence website and listened to all their clips...and the cannabis rex and legend 1218 sounded the best to me...will have to look into the tone tubby too

I've seen some talk about a local company (Lorantz) making Celestion Greenback copies which are pretty good. but don't know what Greenbacks are like anyway!

 

[Tony474]

My Roland BC-60 Blues Cube 1 x 12 has what's supposed to be a Greenback copy made by Eminence. Sounds fine to me; presumably the real thing is as good or better...

 

[JBjr]

I really quite like the speaker in my Roland cube 20x...not harsh and breaks up quite nicely. Doesn't start crapping itself until about 3'oclock...

I know its not politically correct - but I think quality mosfet ss amps sound better than valve amps.

There, I said it, its out there. I feel much better now...

 

[Tony474]

I know its not politically correct - but I think quality mosfet ss amps sound better than valve amps.

There, I said it, its out there. I feel much better now...

Just between you, me and the gatepost, I wouldn't be at all inclined to disagree - at least for the clean tones I generally favour. Now don the flameproof overalls and duck!

 

[JBjr]

Happy ending...

If anyone cares... I ended up getting a Lorantz 75w (C304P75)

What a difference a speaker makes....well worth the investment.

 

[crankit]

JBjr where did you buy the Lorantz from?

 

[jimmynumber9]

It looks like you posted on a dead thread...


You can find all lorantz speakers here though
http://www.lucasmilesaudio.com.au/shop/index1.html

 

[crankit]

Thanks Jimmy.

I picked one up and put it into my Yamaha DG60FX, the clean sounds improved and the tone seems more warmer all round.
I think it takes time to get familiar with gear, I may put back the original speaker to do a comparison before I come to any final conclusions.
It's amazing how people post gear reviews on the day they get the thing.

I am also looking at putting an Eminence Cannabis Rex into my Fender blues Jr.
Money permitting.

 

[rednefceleb]

About the Celestion G12P80: I looked it up because as I looked thru Fender's extension speakers, the Celestion G12P80 is installed in some of them. The Bandmaster VM's speaker bottom uses them. They also have a single 12" speaker cab. available with that speaker. I would have expected to see Vintage 30's in their cabinets. The Vibro King 2x12 uses Vintage 30's.

 

[zombiwoof]

About the Celestion G12P80: I looked it up because as I looked thru Fender's extension speakers, the Celestion G12P80 is installed in some of them. The Bandmaster VM's speaker bottom uses them. They also have a single 12" speaker cab. available with that speaker. I would have expected to see Vintage 30's in their cabinets. The Vibro King 2x12 uses Vintage 30's.

I know this is an old thread, but the reason they use V30's in the VK cab is because it is a custom shop item, and they use more expensive components in those. The Bandmaster VM is a production amp, and Fender uses less expensive components, including speakers, in the production amps to keep costs lower.

As for the original poster, if he's still reading this, any speaker needs to be broken in over time to settle in, those G12P80's may sound better after you put some hours into them. If you still have them in the amp now and have been playing it quite a bit, they should have mellowed out by now. I always give new speakers a good bit of playing time to break in before making a judgement on them.

Al

 

[JBjr]

I have long given up on the G12p80s (seventy 80s) - they seem to come in just about every entry level amp now and I still find em ice picky. What I'm really digging now is the WGS British Leads and they are just a freakin' mile ahead. I've got one in a redstripe peavey bandit and on stage it is a monster - plug in a tele with bill lawrence keystones and it is a serious rock and blues machine.

 

[Rick330man]

The Seventy/80 has something to offer, but I don't like it in a stand alone application. It has nice, chimey Fender type cleans but it does tend to have an upper midrange spike that can be harsh and piercing. They also have just about zero bottom end. I pulled an 8 ohm one out of my Epiphone Galaxie 25 and replaced it with an Eminence Legend 122. Perfect swap. I've also had several other 70/80s. Right now, I have a 16 ohm version in a Carvin Legacy 2 X 12 closed back. It is paired with a G12T-75. The play off each other very well. I took the Vintage 30s out of this cab and they are staying out.

 

[JBjr]

Your observations are pretty much spot on. They can be chimey, and have a nice overdrive coloring, but that upper mid raspiness gets worse as you crank them. I recently took Tony474's advice and got a Trademark 60 and dropped in a G12k-100. Tried to like the seventy 80 that came stock but the g12k-100 is much smoother and more defined.

 

[Tony474]

I recently took Tony474's advice and got a Trademark 60 and dropped in a G12k-100. Tried to like the seventy 80 that came stock but the g12k-100 is much smoother and more defined.

Glad I was able to help.

 

[Rick330man]

30+ year player here. I'm very familiar with these speakers. They can be beautifully chimey and they can have a shrill, upper mid-range spike that hurts. In a Hot Rod Deluxe, where they are housed in an environment that is bass boomy, they work well. In an enclosure or an amp that needs some high end added, they will do the trick.

Not my favorite speaker by any stretch, but one that has its place in the collection.

 

[songofthewind]

Interesting.
I just put an Eminence Governor in my Trademark 60, to replace the pesky G12P-80.
Tony told me about his G12K mod on his TM60 and made me curious.
I liked the sound of my old Blues Cube BC60 112, with a vintage style speaker, which is why I went for the Governor.
Anyway, it made quite a difference! The amp sounds MUCH smoother, no upper mid nasal spike, soft loose bass. Much more my cup of tea, and makes a good amp sound much better.