Celestion Heritage G12M/G12M-67 Greenback – 20 Watts, 8 Ohm, 75hz | T1221-67BUD

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$ 224.94

This is the original G12M.  It has always been made in UK since, I believe, 1967.

They made a Chinese version of this Greenback that became popular and famous in its own right, at 25 Watts.  These are now made in UK and we sell those as well for less money.

This speaker, however, is the original vintage version.  It is only 20 Watts. I call it the G-12M-67, per it’s MPN.  It is in the Heritage series, so some call it the “Heritage 20W G12M”. It has the “Brown” tone, is harder to find, and is favored for pairs and quartets by players who want to push them for “the sound” – that is – the original late 60’s and early 70’s sound of break up/distortion occurring in the guitar speaker itself.

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Description

Celestion G12M-67 8 Ohm, 20 Watts, 75hz – Heritage Series G12M

Clarifications:
  1. This is NOT the Chinese RE-Issue.  See attached images for “Made in UK”.  It is being manufactured by its OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) -Celestion – in Ipswich, England. See the high rating below for this product, and recommending it instead of the Chinese re-issue.
  2. *Note that in the professional looking photo of the speaker itself, we feature our 8ohm G12M-67 eBay listing.  The photos of the speaker box feature this 8 ohm G12M-67.

British Blues

Much has been done since 1967 with this Greenback, but do all the upgrades and resulting spin-offs really sound like this Greenback?  Some actually want  the original Greenback. If you want the “real” sound, you found it.  The original British Blues sound that launched modern guitar rock as we know it.
Old School

Yes, you can get more Watts today, but then the speaker will not cry as much when you push it.  That is the heart and soul of the Blues, baby.  If you need more sound, fill some cabinets with this lower watt-rated speaker that really knows how to properly distort when you give it some juice. . That was how it was done in the late 60’s, 70’s and still today.. if you want THE SOUND! Back then the distortion was designed to be primarily in the speaker itself.  Digital effects through pedals, amps, effects processors cannot reproduce the live sound, tone, resonation etc. of this process – as it is entirely different.  Distortion was originally found in the guitar speaker.  It has since been mimicked electronically, but that is only the imitation.

Modernized Offshoots
We also sell modernized versions of these Greenbacks speakers known as “Creambacks” which can allow you to add more power handling to your set up:  Accommodating pedals and effects processors – if you want to sacrifice a bit of vintage-ness in your tone for the versatility of modernity.  See my article on the history of the evolution of guitar speakers for more on this topic.

Other listings and articles that I have linked to this may have already established the other player’s historical use of this legendary speaker.  This vintage guitar speaker spawned so many others not only in the G12M line, but also set a standard for modern blues/rock players as “the sound”.

Classic rock guitar tone SAMPLES

For more details about this product, and for TONE SAMPLES visit the manufacturer’s website at: http://celestion.com/product/24/heritage_series_g12m/

Classic rock guitar tone

At this above URL, Celestion boasts the following:
The original G12M of the 1960s was Celestion’s first guitar speaker to use a ceramic magnet and paved the way for high power guitar amplifiers. The G12M uses a medium weight magnet to produce a sound that is smooth and warm but bright enough to hold its own against any rock backline. Known simply these days as the ‘Greenback’, the G12M’s fabled ‘brown tone’ is characterised by a warm, controlled low-end, a rich, vocal mid-range and a delicate, detailed top-end. Loaded into a 4×12 and driven hard, these speakers exude warm, crunchy chords and sweet searing single-notes.
—

Specifications

General specifications

Nominal diameter 12″, 305mm
Power Rating 20W
Nominal impedance 8Ω and 15Ω
Sensitivity 96dB
Chassis type Pressed steel
Voice coil diameter 1.75″, 44.5mm
Voice coil material Round copper
Magnet type Ceramic
Magnet weight 35oz, 0.99kg
Frequency range 75-5000Hz
Resonance frequency, Fs 75Hz
DC resistance, Re 6.57Ω & 12.3Ω

Mounting Information

Diameter 12.2″, 309mm
Overall depth 5.1″, 130mm
Magnet structure diameter 5.9″, 150mm
Cut-out diameter 11.1″, 283mm
Mounting slot dimensions 0.31″, 7.9mm Ø
Number of mounting slots 4
Mounting slot PCD 11.7″, 297mm
Unit weight 7.9lb, 3.6kg

Celestion G12M GREENBACK 20W 75hz 8ohm Heritage G12M-67 T1220-67BUD

The following is the story behind this speaker, which is among the most classic of the classic rock guitar speakers.  I do not sell in Germany, and I cannot link to any site that does, so this author will remain anonymous – but he is not my competitor, so here is the info:

Celestion Heritage Series G12M 12” 20W 8 Ohm Made in England

The legendary british Blues & Rock sound of the 60s & 70s.
Way back in the 1960s, Celestion released a version of the popular G12 guitar loudspeaker called the G12M. These days nicknamed the Greenback, with its medium weight magnet this speaker had a tone that was silky smooth and warm, while still retaining the brightness and punch necessary to cut through the rest of the band. The Greenback was also a highly articulate speaker, perfect for the pioneering lead guitarists of the time. A classic had been born.Over subsequent years, the Greenback has evolved and remains popular with guitarists and amp manufacturers to this day. As the speaker developed, though, its tonal characteristics moved away from those of the original 60s model.Adhering precisely to the design notes and specifications for the original speaker, re-discovered during our recent factory move, and using exactly the same materials and construction techniques, Celestion has recreated the classic 1960s G12M for a new generation of rock and blues guitarists.Famously used by Eric Clapton in the Marshall Bluesbreaker amp. Currently played by Lenny Kravitz.General specifications:Nominal diameter: 12″
Power Rating: 20 Watt
Nominal impedance: 8 Ohm
Frequency Range: 75-5000 Hz
Sensitivity: 96 dB
Magnet: CeramicEAN: 7 39894 122030
 

History of Celestion G12M GREENBACK 20W 75hz 8 ohm Heritage G12M-67 T1220-67BUD

The following is the best history and explanation of the story behind this speaker, which is among the most classic of the classic rock guitar speakers.  I do not sell in England, and I cannot link to any site that does, so this author will remain anonymous – but he is not my competitor, so I doubt he will mind you knowing what is likely common knowledge there in the speaker business:

Celestion speakers started in Hampton Wick England in 1924. Celestion Radio Company and Celestion Limited were formed in 1927, and two years later the company moved across the Thames to Kingston. The company grew rapidly, but was hit by the depression.

Wartime restrictions forced Celestion and the nearby British Rola Company to produce loudspeakers to the same specification; British Rola bought Celestion in 1947 and formed Rola Celestion and moved production to Thames Ditton in 1949. Rola Celestion was bought by Truvox – a manufacturer of public address systems in 1949.

Celestion developed the first dedicated guitar speaker T0530, what came to be known as the Alnico Blue and with its marriage with the Vox AC15 and AC30 a legend was born. In 1968 the company started production in Ipswich, moving all production there by 1975. Celestion developed the speakers that then powered the Blues and Rock Revolution in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s with speakers such as the G12M Green Back and G12H. Over recent years Celestion have remade some of their finest and most sort after speakers.

COMPANY NAME REMOVED [sic] have supplied speakers to the music industry for over 25 years and with the benefit of hindsight can honestly say that for guitar or bass Celestion’s are the best speaker’s money can buy.

Celestion released a version of the popular G12 guitar loudspeaker with a ceramic speaker called the G12M. It had a 20 watt rms power handling and was a direct descendent of the Alnico blue.

This speaker may have been the speaker used on Clapton’s solos on the John Mayall Bluesbreaker Album as no musical historian is sure that these were not used in the Bluesbreaker combo that Eric Clapton used on these famous sessions due to the speaker higher power handling over the Blue. Blue or Greenback the Jury is still out.

Nicknamed the Greenback, with its medium weight magnet this speaker had a tone that was silky smooth and warm, while still retaining the brightness and punch necessary to cut through the rest of the band. The Greenback was also a highly articulate speaker, perfect for the pioneering lead guitarists of the time.

Celestion Have painstakingly remade this speaker from original drawings to be an exact recreation of the 20 watt Pre Rola Greenback.
Following precisely to the design notes and specifications for the original speaker and using exactly the same materials and construction techniques, Celestion has recreated the classic 1960s G12M.

This is the speaker that launched British Blues boom of the late 1960s is now available for a new generation of rock and Blues guitarists.

New Vintage

This guitar speaker is in the original box from the manufacturer, which has never been opened:  New in box (NIB).  However, this vintage guitar speaker has an unmistakably vintage tone.  That is because it is being manufactured by its OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) -Celestion – in Ipswich, England.

Additional information

Weight 9.5 lbs
Dimensions 14 × 14 × 8 in

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