some things I found out about the G12H30 speaker
Squier
cone speaker... the G12H Heritage is the 55hz cone speaker).
Anyways - it sounds GREAT in the Silverface Deluxe Reverb in a band setting.
It's broken in now (well it's setting up nicely, the speaker slowly
keeps breaking in during its lifetime but dramatic results are all
but over now after many hours of pummeling it). So it broke in nicely
and it's a smooth big sounding speaker that creams out (not as much
'crunch' as a 25 watt Greenback - more like a thicker creamy sound with
just a bit of crunch).
So it makes for an excellent rhythm speaker. You back off it
and it stays big sounding clean - you give it some more watts
or roll on the guitar volume and it starts to cream out in a really
nice way. Note definition is there at lower watts and full chords
but put the pedal to the metal and you get a nice creamy blend with
full barres. Single note leads have a nice bit of hair and thick sound
and back it off and they are round a detailed and full.
The speaker does not have as much 'touch' or picking response as
some others (the notes and chords just want to sound 'big' so you
really have to pick lightly to get picking dynamics from light picking
to digging in -- but it's there - it's just not the same as many other
speakers where every nuance in your picking style comes through).
This is not a big deal to me since I am not the lead player and
I just adjusted my style for a lighter touch and strum to heavier
and then the speaker responds excellent. Just got to get used to it.
The speaker gets along real well with the blackface/silverface amp.
Actually I am surprised (in a good way). It seems that Deluxe Reverb
has a lot more balls than I expected. That circuit actually has a lot
more bottom end and lower mids than I expected and I think the G12H30
brings that out in a good way. The mids themselves are somewhat relaxed
but they are there (a TS9 kicked on brings out the mids nicely) and
the top end is not quite as sparkly/chimey as the Jensen C12N but in
the band setting that's a good thing since I don't have notes 'popping'
out too much in the treble sounding like someone high pitched sneezed
too loud while in a song. Anyways, I just turn up the treble on the
amp a little higher and the top end has a little sparkle/chime but
in a warmer sort of way. That's a cool thing actually.
If I was the lead player (yes, I do a few leads for songs but I'm
not actually the lead player) then I would probably not choose to
use this speaker or through a 2x12 then I would pair this speaker
with another speaker such as some flavor of Vintage 30 or Eminence Texas Heat
or some other type of speaker that would have slightly tigher and
more prominent mids to cut through with leads.
However for rhythms and classic boosted or overdriven rock stuff
and any sort of blues/blues rock then the G12H30 Anniversary is excellent.
I don't think it makes for a great 'funk r&b' speaker unless you
really want to have a super treble booster and wah pushed all the way down
and you might get your own flavor of trebly funk but it won't be
classic funk type sounds (imho). I would get another speaker if
I was doing mostly dance/funk/R&B.
However, the weekend band (no gig today which is unusual so it's a day off)
does all sorts of covers and the G12H30 is good enough to pull off most
anything - just saying if you were doing ALL funk, dance and R&B songs
then you'd be better off with the Jensen C12N or Eminence Red, White and Blues
or even a Celestion G12T-75.
The G12H30 Anniversary (75 hz cone) definitely makes the Deluxe Reverb
sound bigger and fuller and turns those meager 22 watts into volume that
can play with a full band (including horns) and no doubt any sort of
garage band or rock/blues type band. I was told to turn down twice
but that's because I was just letting it all air out (heh). So I know
this DR could be used in any small to medium situation un-mic'd.
But now I am getting into more about the DR than the speaker itself.
So - not the best speaker for 'leads' but can definitely do some
lead work with a TS9 or TS808 or something to push the mids a bit.
You will probably want a speaker with better note definition for
playing fast LOUD leads especially beyond the 12th fret.
For anyone else - this makes for a great 'all purpose' big sounding
speaker that can cover a lot of tonal ground and let you play a lot
of covers and stay within the vibe of most any song from the 60's on up.
Twangmasters - (see lead notes) - you will probably want to play
your Tele through a speaker with a hotter upper mids and top end honkin' speaker.
I played through 2 Fender Stratocasters during the rehearsal
SSS = Dimarzio Area 58's neck/middle and Area 61 bridge
HSS = Dimarzio Blue Velvet's neck/middle and Dimarzio classic PAF bridge.
ok. that's all to say. Oh yeah.. the speaker took about 3 hours
of full band volume to really set in nicely. So break in didn't
take long at all. You can hear the speaker start to get creamier
and you'll know that it's broke in nicely. No guessing about it.
Bedroom players == at full volume you might NOT like this speaker.
It has the 'greenback' thing going for it (not like the 25 watter -
but it still does the breakup although deeper/warmer/creamier).
You might not think it's sounding good - but it DOES sound perfect
in the context of a full band. You'll have to believe me on this.
It just sits perfect in the mix but again - as a speaker for playing
at home for bedroom stuff (and you are not going to gig out with it)
then get another speaker unless you are into the greenback thing.
Squier
And I forgot to mention that - NO - the Deluxe Reverb is NOT going
to give you big cleans at higher volumes - that can be cool or not -
depends - but that's more about the amp than the speaker.
When I want higher cleand headroom I use the Prosonic set at 60 watts
and 2x12 cab (with Eminence Swamp Thang and Texas Heat). BIG cleans
when needed with that rig. But at most regular private indoor party band,
wedding band (indoor set up) volumes, etc.. the DR 22 watts is more than enough.
Playing outdoors I always use the Prosonic and 2x12 and for my other
blues and rock out band I also use the Prosonic and 2x12 rig (mostly).
I find that 60 watts and 2x12 is the most I might ever need - so far
it's way more than enough (and can get me big cleans when I need to
and lots of extra headroom to run boosts/overdrives/distortion/whatever.
whew. ok. is that enough typing for you ? <g>