Celestion G12-65

Heritage reissue version, 15 Ohms, 65W power handling, 97 dB sensitivity, 35 Oz magnet. Don't know what kind of cone or voice coil goes on these but the sound is in the G12M greenback ballpark, if that's any clue
I have 4 of these speakers loaded in a custom made cab. Chose them for their high power handling (I was using a 100W head at the time), their relative non-efficiency (I was using a 100W head at the time) and the lightweight magnet that helps reduce weight in what's already a bloody heavy 16-ply birch cab (I was using a-"oh shut it")

Think Greenback with added clean headroom and no cone breakup. Takes them a long time to fully break in. I've been using this cab for 3 years and it's only this year that the G12-65's really seem to have "opened up" and bloomed. They sound very warm and balanced, with no harsh overtones, prominent low mids (though this may be a perceived impression due to no other frequency being over represented, e.g the upper-mids in a V30, or the highs in a G12H Anniversary) and compress early. Noticeably brighter when new, but they mellow out out the more you play them in. People slamming these reissues as being crap most likely didn't play them for long enough.
If cutting through the mix is paramount to you, look elsewhere. If you have to compete with another guitar player using V30's you'll sound much fuller, but no one's gonna hear it.

Solid as. Short of outright abuse, Celestions'll never let you down

Dealt with them one time about getting a recone on an old speaker no longer in production (G12-75 without the "T"). They had no recone kit but were very helpful about referring me to a repair centre that they use themselves.
Dr Decibel has always answered my inane questions too, usually within 24 hrs

Not for everyone, but fine for what they do. Would not replace them with the same thing if they were stolen or lost as I can't easily justify the expense of these Heritage reissue models. I got a great deal on these because the company that built my cab get special rates from Celestion and don't cream extra profit off the customer.
These speakers are suitable for blues, classic rock, old-school punk/hard rock, jazz at a pinch. In a 4x12 they work well with high powered tube amps such as the Marshall 1959 or 2203. I would not recommend them for metal or modern rock. You'll need V30's for that, so you can sound like everyone else.
Btw, even though the Heritage series Celestions are still made in the UK, Celestion are a Chinese-owned company and have been since about 1993. If you're that bothered about the Chinese connection, buy Eminence.

I have some old 16 ohm verssions of this speaker and some new 8 ohm versions of this speaker and I love both. The older ones sound a little warmer and sweeter and the newer ones are also superb but have a brighter crunchier texture. I have the new one in my '82 JCM 800 Marshall 4010 50 watt one 12 combo amp and the original '82 models in my other '82 Marshall two 12 combo amp. Same amp.

Celestions are my favorite 12" speaker and the Celestion G12-65 is my favorite Celestion. I am not a metal player. I play blues, rock, jazz and a little bit of everything. It's a mistake to think of Celestions as being good for rock music only. My two faves are the G12-65 and G12H-30. I hear the G12H-30 as being a little less textured than the G12-65. The G12-65 sounds like an improved G12M-25: more bass and a bigger clearer tone.

Never had a problem.

Never needed customer support.

Been playing 45 years. I have celestions in all of my amps that use 12" speakers: Fender Deluxe Reverb, Marshall 4010, Matchless Chieftan, and my new Lew Collins Signature amp from Mission Amps. I love everything about Celestions except that some are made in China. All of mine are made in the UK and if there's anything I'd change, I'd change the Chinese connection. FREE TIBET!

I own 8 of these speakers, loaded into two marshall cabinets with checkerboard grill cloth. one set of speakers is from approx. 1977 or 78 and the other set is dated 1979. each speaker has a large porous dust cap that deflects and disperses high end in all directions, but also sounds much more natural and open than a solid composition dust cap. the dust caps, magnets, and voice coils are significantly larger than those on greenbacks. all 8 of the models I own are marked "15" ohms, which is basically the same as 16 ohms. I haved all the speakers wired in parallel so both cabinets are now 4 ohms instead of 16. they are versatile. they sound really great with almost any amp setting.

the speakers are very warm and mellow compared to a vintage 30. they are way more smooth than a vintage 30 and the midrange kind of honks more and doesnt destroy your hearing. they sound really open. the porous dust cap allows lots of natural high end that is coming directly out of the voice coil to be heard, so the high end is not hard or harsh, its really smooth. they still break up a lot. they sound similar to a greenback, really smooth with nice detailed high end, except they are a bit louder and they don't break up quite as much. the mids honk more than a greenback, it sounds almost microphonic. they also have a lot of good open bass response. they sound great with a vintage fender or marshall, although i would not recommend using them with a super high gain master volume amp like a mesa triple rectifier. the midrange honks too much for something like that. when i have used a pedal to boost my signal, the speakers really started to mud up and everything sounded like mashed potatos. i used both cabs with my ampeg v-4 and it sounded pretty good too. really crunchy.

very reliable. been using them for a long time and they still kick ass.

these speakers are old so i dunno about customer support from celestion, but they are making a heritage reissue g12-65 now so they might recone it if you ask nicely. also, ted weber would recone one. i have never needed a recone.

been playing for a long time, i have owned lots of amps. traynor yba-1a, traynor mark III, '61 fender blonde tolex bassman, marshall 50 watt non-master volume jmp, small new london 100 watt non-master volume model, ampeg v-4b, ampeg vt-22, and red bear MKE120, not to mention some crappy solid state amps haha.

My speaker is from the '70s and never been reconed or anything .
It's so clean, no corrosion or anything, all metals are still shiney. $125.00 What a find.

I have a G&L ASAT into a Blues Deluxe Reissue. I messed with tubes,
JJ's, Ruby, I ended up with the original white GrooveTubes power and Ruby preamp tubes.

This gave me the bite that I liked but the bass and hi-end were too dominant.

I was on the search for my mids.

At the local blues jam we have some major tone jones going down.
Tonepro Rod was there so I asked him about speakers and when I mentioned mids he said "try the G12-65 it's what Robben has used"
He happened to have one for sale in pristine shape.

The first thing I noticed was my amp settings stayed much the same.
The bottom end was still big but kinder. The hi end was not schrill in the least, and the mids were really there providing body to the tone.

With the old speaker I wasn't using my channel switching, I stayed in the clean side. The o/d channel sounded very harsh so I kept the amp clean and used my Greenline o/d by Smartpeoplefactory.com Great pedal

With the G12-65 the unatractive 2nd channel comes alive with buttery smoothness. The speaker makes this channel happen. wow.

I was going to ckeck out the ToneTubbies but darn, I'm so impressed with the G12-65. Think I'll just chill with this for a while.

It sounds totally superior to the stock Fender speaker and easily fixes my quest for a great 'mids' speaker.

Well, the thing is already 30 yrs old, even though it's in pristine shape, time will tell.
But for now...

Rod was very helpful and knowing of tone.

42 yrs playing, 17 yrs teaching. Still looking for tone. This speaker is a new find. I lucked out. I like to think my friend let me buy his speaker because he was lookin out for my tone as well. He knew I needed this vital piece of the tone puzzle.
Thanks

OK, speakers in,amp on, new strings

Let's bend some steel

Its a speaker. There ant many features. But it is a sexy freakin tone.

I use four Celestion g12-65 original. The reissue were crap. And it was amazing. I got them for 150 bucks with a straight peavey cab. I play mostly punk, metal, and just like solos by like rhodes and all the great legends. These are connected to my home brew amp. Cabs rated at 260 watts and i use only 100. But they are beautiful. Full clean tone, Really nice ballsy low end. And they can take everthing i can throw at them. I would not ever sell these speakers(L). It sounds just as good at low volumes as it does at high. And at full they are so powerful i get over the drums bass and vocals. Making it hard for anyone else in my band to hear themselves:P. When distorted these speakers are practically orgasmic. Nice creamy tone. And amazing response.

I would gig without a backup cab. Id probably just use my half stack. Im more into solid state amps. Cause i dont like the cost and the hassel of tube amps. I havent had a problem with them and their 25 years old!. I love these speakers so much!

Nver goona deal with them.

I highly recomend buying vintage rola celestion g12-65's mainly because they are extremly amazing. the higher power rating is a bonus. And they are just beautifuly manufactured. The reissue were not good as i said before. But I honestly wouldnt trade my celestion loaded cab for a mesa tripple rect.

Its a speaker...how many features do you want?

AWESOME! These things are incredible. I have them in a 1967-9 fender twin reverb and they turn that amp into a monster. Great rock sound, lots of crunch, but still has a lot of tone and fender sound.

no problems at all.

Don't know....hopefully won't ever have to try them.

Highly recommended. Be sure to give these speakers a good 75-100 watts of tube power and you'll hear how great they sound.

THE MOST IMPRESSIVE SPEAKER I EVER USED FROM CELESTION.
This are rated at 65 watts.

This speaker are just beyond anything I ever played.
The best VIOLIN tones, incredible Bass mids and treble when clean and overdrive very hard to beat.
People always talk about amplifiers and guitars. You can have the best amp & guitar money can buy and they will sound like crap if you do not have a good speaker. Many player are often after that ROBBEN FORD tone. well if you really are looking for R.ford tone it will only possible with this speakers G12-65 and they sound great in 2x12" cab open or closed. Best overall tone speakers with a Two Rock amp and a TELE this speakers will bring magic tones come alive.
Then all you need is how play as well as R.Ford that's another story. I used Eminence, Vintage 30's, Fane alnico, Jensen's, Tone tubby...Like Joe at TWO ROCK said to me: is very hard to beat the G12-65, they are my favority speaker and JOE you are right on the money.
G12-65 are NUMBER ONE IN MY BOOK then in second the TWO ROCK EMINENCE, FANE ALNICO & TONE TUBBY. This are also incredible speakers. The TWO ROCK is probably the closest for R.FORD sound.

Great speakers no problem at all.
They bring that violin tone like no other.

SO FAR SO GOOD

playing for 20 years, I have used Fenders, Martshall, Kendrick, Clark, Two Rock, Trainwreck, ALessandro, Matchless, Bad Cat, Victoria. I use tele, strat and Es 335's.
MY which is an impossible one I guess: Marshall remake this exactly how they were made in the early 70's.
otherwise the search is on.. very very hard to find them in good condition.