Celestion G12M 75Hz Greenbacks: Standard vs. UK Heritage Reissue

** Since shooting this video, Celestion have been in touch to detail that the production of their 'standard' G12M's moved from China back to the UK in 2017. There doesn't seem to be any real details of this on their website or elsewhere online - but they say that every speaker should have a white sticker on it saying where it was made. The 'standard' speaker used in this video has a 'Made In China' sticker, so was presumably made pre-2017.**

When reading around on forums, there's a lot of debate about Celestion speakers - and especially their G12M Greenbacks. A lot of people discuss the differences in tone between the ones that have (until 2017...!) been made out in China, and the UK-made Heritage reissue - with a lot of people often saying they preferred the Chinese G12M. So, what are the tonal differences between them? Is the Chinese one really "better" than the Heritage reissue?

What do you think? Which did you prefer? And why? Comment below!

Played with a Dr Z Z-Wreck into a Zilla Studio Pro 2x12 cabinet. Both speakers recorded with sE Electronics RNR1 Ribbon mics, with a Schoeps CMC6 room mic.

0:00 Intro
2:39 Clean
4:20 Low Gain
5:56 Heavier Gain
7:59 Outro

[kennyjohnson]

The Heritage is louder, warmer and full sounding. The import didn't sound bad though. I think the Heritage is worth the extra coin.

[adamwatson]

Its important to rememer the Hertiage G12M20 and Greenback Reissue G12M25 are reissues of different vintage Greebacks .
The Greenback started out as the G12M20 and later became the G12M25 and both versions sound different . The G12M20s were made from 1965 to mid 1968 then spec and design changes were made in mid 68 such as changing the Voice coil formers and making changes to the doping .
The 2 modern Greeback G12M reissues are representing different vintage Greenaback models .
The differences you hear between these 2 reissues is in line with the differences you would hear between the 2 vintage versions

[JGD]

Best comparison video of these speakers EVER! Thank you so much! I'm swapping the standard Greenback for a Heritage in my Z Wreck Jr. This week! The standard Greenback in this amp is just too "fizzy" and bright to my ears. Your comparison video confirmed what I've been hearing.

[fearnpol]

As an owner of original greenbacks (pre-Rola) I can say with hand on heart the Chinese one sounds nothing like an original.
The heritage is quite close.

[enricopallazzo]

I agree with everything you said about the "eq differences" between those two speakers. The only time where i can say that one was better than the other was when you did the clean sound. In that instance the Heritage was "better", at least for me.
I don't think one is better than the other BUT i think that they complement each other spectacularly and i really enjoyed the sound of both togheter.

[whoismichaelmoschos]

In the video I prefer the heritage, in my room I much prefer the Chinese though. There's a great video that Metropoulos did many years ago and in that video the Chinese was the closest to the real thing that he had. Great work as always Joe!

[stephencordingley]

Thanks for the effort to put this together. The standard GB sounds great in an AC 30. The heritage does sound a little more full bodied, but not different enough to make me want to swap them out. Please keep the speaker comparison videos coming.

[jasonlhidalgo]

It's nice to truly hear the difference. Thank you my friend . I'm using 2 g12m heritages and 2 greenback 25's tag says made in England on the normal greenback. Both sets are new and im experimenting with placement of each in the cab . The cab is a mesa oversized rectifier cab. I'm learning how much difference speakers make. I've tried quite a few different celestions in my marshall 1960b cab. It's so interesting to hear the differences

[billgaber]

Thank you, Joe. My guitarist will be shopping for greenbacks soon for a homemade 2x12 so I liked & shared this video. Actually, I'm thinking that one of each wired in parallel would be ideal, I find that paralleling identical speakers exagerates the nonlinearity of the frequency response, but if the drivers are different then they may compliment each other electrically as well as acoustically.

[zwoelf]

The difference is bigger than I would have thought. Thx for und demo...

[adrianperry]

Great comparison!! Really helpful!!

…I’ve taken the plunge and ordered the Chinese version. From your comparison, I preferred the ‘less thick’ mids for the tone I’m looking for.

A surprising difference, but both great sounding speakers!

[philjw]

I think that volume is a significant factor that’s often overlooked - I have a 4x12 with the Chinese speakers that I recently swapped out for the heritage - at low volume the heritage lack sparkle at the top and are a bit woolly at the bottom, a bit uninspiring maybe, while the Chinese are the reverse, maybe a bit fuzzy at the top but overall quite balanced and good to play with - when cranking the volume right up though the heritage are absolutely glorious, the detail emerges at the top end and the low end grabs your bowels, by comparison the Chinese speakers are hard to listen to for long periods without some ear fatigue, depending what you play they can be a bit shrill and are definitely fizzy. Clearly it’s very subjective and I’d recommend trying them out in store with different styles and at different volumes, and insist on turning them up! Go with your ears in the room and certainly don’t buy based on what you hear on YouTube through phone speakers

[BradRocker]

Right off the bat the Heritage sounds more thick and rich.

[silviopimentel]

What a major difference. Thanks for the info

[clovergrass]

Definitely Heritage for me...warmer, more detailed, fuller overall, lacked the china fizz...great shootout, thanks!

[alanduncan]

I agree with what you said, when you ran em both together they complemented each other. I have a framus 4x12 cab, w/ 2 greenbacks and 2 vintage 30's(diagonal)& it's probably the best sounding cab I've ever owned, or heard for that matter..ta

[marccarter]

Just want to say thanks for the video. It helped me find the right replacement for my Fender Blues Jr. I went with the 55hz Speaker!

[mikezaite]

Great comparison video Joe. The Heritage sure sounds bigger and more open. But I must say that isn't exactly what I hear hear in an in room test.

[stevehughes]

A fuller rounder sound with the Heritage 20w. Cheers Joe.

[vintagetone]

i had all of them .the chinese was shrill tone.the heritage uk was kind of flat no response to the strings .still sounded ok.then i tried the original g12m from 1972 .and it stayed in the cab 6 years on now.no change .amazing tone and feel and response.it makes any guitar alive and as you kind of coming out from the speaker cone.cant xplain it.but there is a magic there in these cones.i was lucky to find nother g12m from 1972 mint unplayed and that went in the vault .the price of the original is crazy but its worth every penny.i dont think i can play another speaker.im in trouble .