Express-Best single 12" speaker

[jaysg]

how to delete this post?

[lions den]

Tried the Eminence Red Fang Alnicos tonight, didn't like it. Was pretty good on the clean and semi-dirty stuff, but didn't have the bite or growl that the celestian G12-H30 has on the dirty tones.

Next on to trying a scumback M75.
Thanks
Sean

[steviea55]

I believe the express was designed around a pair of the G12-H30 Celestions, so one speaker is not going to get it. I have never tried a Celestion Gold, but I would guess if you wanted just one speaker then that might be it

[geetarpicker]

Ken mainly recommended folks to try the original Pulsonic cone versions of the G12M or G12H for the Express in a 4x12, and a pair of Celestion Alnico blues for the Liverpool and Rocket in an open back AC30 type box. Ken said two blues would take a Liverpool or Rocket, but might blow up on an Express. Ken didn't typically offer cabs with his heads, saying the best speakers ever made were already long out of production but still could be found if you looked around. Apparently though Ken did help with the R&D of the repro Alnico blue.

The G12M tend to be a bit lower efficiency and typically not as bright as the G12H so it depends on what you are going for. That said, less loud and darker is why the G12M seem a better match to my Express though I've owned both. My CD (and most of my Youtube videos) are mostly G12M circa '71, except on my CD the last track is with blackback G12Hs from the late 70s. One countryish track is Alnico blues in an open back modded 4x12.

Ken really liked the Ampeg V4 cabs and had some Celestions loaded into one, and he also had a few various Vox cabs in his basement for amp demos. I'm pretty sure he leaned a bit towards the G12Hs over the G12Ms but he said most guitarists should try both and see what works best for them. The G12Hs sound great to me clean but tend to tear your head off more cranked IMHO. Also with the old G12Ms I was able to gig with my Express without an attenuator just straight up cranked, something that is less doable with the G12Hs.

Nowdays I have four 4x12s, two with original old G12Ms and two with Scumback M75s. Oh, I also have two single 12s with 65 watt Scumback M75s. The Scumbacks are a nice new alternative to the originals and much easier to obtain. They sound pretty close but tend to be a little more distorted even backed off, so the clean to mean range isn't quite as wide but it's close. They are also just a hair more efficient but maybe only by a db or two. The Scumbacks have the cool option of a higher wattage capacity but the same basic tone. So it's possible to get the G12M type tone but in a power rating that you could use say just one speaker with an Express. The best 1x12 box I've found is the Bogner cube which I have an M75 in, and I also have one of my M75s in a sealed 1x12.

[jezzbo]

You might want to take a listen to the Weber 75 watt ceramic Silver Bell, as well. This is a good match, IMO.

I have a Weber Alnico Silver Bell 100W. Probably this weekend I'm gonna play an Express clone through it. I'll let you know.

Please update us!

I need two more 12" speakers for my Express' 4X12 cab, and I"ve been thinking about Weber Alnico or Scumback Alnico

I just bought a secondhand Ceriatone Expression (an early one with the Trainwreck logo) and tried it through the Weber Silver Bell 100W 8Ohm.
(in a 2X12 open back cab. only the Silver bell connected)
It sounds nice but maybe a bit to nice. I'm gonna try it against a G12H and a Eminence wizard. Maybe this week. It's to late now to annoy my neighbours.

[jezzbo]

just tested an eminence Wizard with my express and I don't like the sound. Way to ragged. So far the SilverBell sounded a lot more refined.

edit: and it's a very loud amp!