Best guitar speakers are : Ferrite : EVM12L Alnico : EVM12SRO or Altec 417/cardboard dome or Weber Mchigan 12/Alnico... Actually, the SRO is an evolution of the 417, and the Weber is a replica of the SRO. => All of them share the same cone! All you need a good EQ after your preamp, then you'll be able to emulate the frequency curves of all guitar speakers on market.

I made a comment about a year ago - liked the first speaker. But now, after a year of being on an amp quest of my own, I've grown an appreciation for the green back. I've tried them out in different cabs and configurations, and for my ears, they are the best in any application (at least, that I've tried). I guess I wrote this follow up comment just to show that our impressions change, and as we become more educated as players, and have the funds to explore different things, we start to narrow down our preferences. It's a journey I've been on for 35 years.. and I still sometimes feel like I know nothing. The important thing is to enjoy playing, and worry less about your gear than your fingers, and playing dynamics (easier said than done). Thanks again for this video. Maybe I'll come back to it in another year. - Sincerely, Peanut Butter in my boxers.

Blue I will be putting this into my future cab

Thank you for making this easy with the time stamps! haha. I liked 1. Stock -> 2. Blue -> 3. Green.

I think the Jensen sounds so much clearer. Everything else is too bassy for me. I would need to hear all of them in person

You took an unusable video and made it usable -- thank you!!

Blue all the way, night and day. Sounds so much better. Thanks for the vid. Big fan. 💚

the guitar and music you play is a big difference in your ear, i have a friend who does the build for concerts ,the change from a basketball game to a concert, an electrician and much more ,but he started a gig ding back line amps and has sold some to some good artist ,but remade fender cabs and head in white tolex and re placed all the speakers with anico blues to be state of the art insound for the major players that love the showman and bandmaster witha reverb unit all in the sixties white cover , and the best thing he did was put the best speaker in to sound good with a gibson or a fender ,the rest is how well you know how to dial in a great vintage amp. but the performance of a blue is hard to beat, unless your me with marshall combo with the one twelve unpluged and going in to 4 25 watt english green backs , then its still amater of the eq,im sure the blues or the fender choise could almost sound as good

I have creamback and vintage 30 in my box for Synergy 30 head. Here, I like Jensen the most. Actually, Fender used back in years(I don't know how's today) Jensen speakers.

I make your words mine

I’m not sure the Jensen was entirely broken in. As mentioned above, some speakers need a lot of break in time. I usually like 20 hours, but one speaker took 70 hours. I thought I was beating my head against a post till it was finally broken in.

I don't think I would have taken so much time to build a tweed amp if I didn't like that sound!

The 50's Fender amps used Jensen's, but NOT Ceramic magnets. Alnico was used until the mid 1960's. Jensen does make an Alnico version, and that would be more historically correct than ANY Ceramic magnet speaker.

Totally!!!

It would be cool to see a part 2 where you hear the difference in a mix!

Yeah! And the greenback was so muted I felt like I hat cotton in my ears. Yikes! The blue seems a nice compromise.

The original sounded more like a tweed to me. The greenback made it sound orangish. The blue wasn’t a bad compromise if you don’t want the total Fender tone. IMHO

Looking at the price for speakers upgrades like these, for my money the Jensen really did a nice job. Were the other two different? Yes. Better? Maybe. I like the efficiency of the Blue but the Greenback is just the opposite. More distorted tone and not as versatile as the Jensen. Like he said, maybe great for single coils. If the amp is in need of more headroom and volume, the alnico is a excellent way to achieve that without amp modding.

Agree, I would have changed the Jensen ceramic to a Jensen alnico, sounds less harsh but keeps the character of such an amp.

Just finally trying a Greenback for a full overdrive sound. It is overall a better sounding speaker for nice full range with bite. The V30 to thin in the middle. Jenson Alnico P12R was nice for what it is, just a bit too much bite. Celestion Palmino Stock speaker was my go to until the Greenback. Jenson custom made in 1990's deluxe reverb was a bit muffled.

agree... the full frequency response of the 5e3 circuit.. (has no mid dip) means that a speaker like the alnico blue will have a big overpowering frequency band from 300Hz to 900Hz.. At the same time the blue like some other Celestion have a big dip at 1.5-1.6 kHz. which gives the effect of the amp being a big bloated in the midrange with lack of openness.

@@andersbarfodsvaneskolan9378 You are spot on about the mid scoop. The celestions have lots dBs more at 300-1000Hz which pushes down the perceived highs and lows (giving that blanket feeling). They are famously paired with FMV-EQ style amps and the amp scoop makes things much more balanced. The 1.5K dip is similar on all 3 speakers as far as I remember. But I guess getting a blue celestion is sexier than getting an EQ to fix any problem areas you might have with specific guitar/pickup combinations

Haha, I'm almost of the same opinion.

Celestions cannot be beat IMHO. I've always dug the sound of Greenbacks. The Blue is also awesome. I've got a replacement 12" baffleboard for a Princeton on order from Mojotone. I'll either put a Greenback in it or a G12-65 which I also have. Both are GREAT speakers! 👍

@@kenster865 The Celestion Blue is also very costly and weighs over 9 pound

You can't go wrong with a greenback

I actually liked the Jensen more than the greenbacks.

Agreed

There's also only so much you can hear through video like this. In my experience celestian alnico speakers sound miles than anything else. They have this clarity that I doubt you'd be able to hear through youtube and the crunch is so sweet. It's definitely something you need to try in person.

I totally agree with you, especially when he did those Pink Floyd intros. I was sold right there on the greenback. It's got better "lungs" which give more warmth. Cheers!

Agree with your statement completely. "Your my boy Blu!"

The Blue takes the edge off highs-or so it seems. remember, the Celestion Blue will cost twice as much as the Green , more than double the Jensen

I agree the Jensen sounded by far the best to my ear as well :) But I also agree we all have our preferences, so there's obviously no right or wrong -it's just what we like 😉

Totally agree. I love that upper midrange bite that Rhett found overwhelming, and there’s something about the way that Jensen “breathes” under medium gain that is just stunning (to my ears).

@@larscasteen yep the other speakers deadened the amp

Also agree - the Jensen sounded the best - much more clarity, not as muddy. The other two speakers sounded warmer, but also really muddy. Well - on my computer speakers, turned down low, anyway!

WhosieWhatsum ? Why? To put in my non-tweed amp? You missed my point.

quite often the difference between one speaker and another is slight, but the price differences are BIG ! I think the Celestion Blue is sold on it's reputation from the past ..especially when connected with Vox

I really need to check those out.

The Jenson sounded pokey.

@@sandrosadhukhan *The Celestions

Same

I agree! But then again, I’m pretty new to the concept of switching speakers. I just got the Fender Blues Jr and I do agree that when you push the amp, it lacks headroom but it’s got a great tone in its comfortable tone neighborhood. I need to hang out and explore it more.

@Grass Man Maybe It's About As Arcane As the Reasoning Why People Type Like This Lmfao XD

Dude yeah, it actually sounded great haha. While the others sounded great too, I'd be happy with the Jensen

Actually, I wouldn't mind staying with the Jensen too. It's just the bass is not that tight. And the upper midrange can be piercing.

The other speakers had more natural compression, that's what he was looking for. Jensen still was ok.

@@evanharnett for sure. the blue also had a smoothness and balance that i liked.

All good to know and hear, plus I still want to build one as well. I would wonder how it would go if one of the other components had to be replaced before completion though, as did during your initial process, if I got the kit mailed several states over.

Might change the vintage 30 on my amp then. I’m tired of those mids and that overpowering bass.

@@pugforce8315 I used to play my Orange AD30HTC with an Avatar open-backed 2x12 with a pair of Greenbacks, and now a pair of Alnico Blues. Dudes with the same head were always buying the matching Orange cab, which was a closed-back V30 pair and sounded NOTHING like my setup. They loved it, but I always thought it just sounded like they were playing a Tube Screamer, no matter what was on their board or in their hands.

Thanks for the info!

Then you dont know how to use a tweed. The 5e3 needs bass removed by turning the vol not used past 6..preferably over around 10 or 11. The 30-40 watt tweeds like super, bandmaster, etc attenuate the harshness as you lower the treble and bass controls. That is because of the design. It also attenuates some of the over the top gain. The bassman and hi po twin are the same circuit...just 45 vs 80w.

whos gonna tell Neil Young hes been goin it wrong all this time?

Markus Reeves Brotherhood look I will never be Neil Young or ever reach his success or talent even if I had 100 lives to try. That said, this is a bad example to use because his sound isn’t good and mocked a lot. If you said Larry Carlton, I’d say you’re absolutely right.

@@wilson4180 really? haha larry carlton?? seriously? im sure hes a great player but daaaammm zzzzzzzzz that fusion shit is just a bore ... i guess we are looking at 5e3s from opposite ends of the spectrum ... personally noe of the speakers in the clip work for me....my Ted Webber keeps the bass fart free and tight mid have lots of cut and not an ice pick in sight ..if youre using a 5e3 for cleans then youre using the wrong amp as the bass response doesnt really peak till its passed 6 .... and the glorious musical feedback doesnt kick in til 8/9 ... if yours caves in around 5 then it needs a service or a new speaker ..ok im bored now ..bye

Joe Schlicht yeah, let the VOX break in, in its own right. It’s my opinion, as I’ve never looked into it, that the circuitry needs time as well to “break-in”. On a side note, I once had a Crate 2x12 combo, and at about 4 years old a speaker was ruined by a mic stand while driving home from a gig. Anyway, the only speaker the local shop had was a Jensen, and after about 20 hours of use that fucking thing was a beast. I sold that amp at ten yrs old for $150 more than it cost new solely on that mod.

Same for me. The others sounded rather dull in comparison to my ear.

@@rok4200 same!

Same

Yeah, I have to say that these guys have got it nailed.... more than Fender unfortunately.

All subjective opinions are valid because of variations in individual tastes and experience, but if you had to describe why you prefer the Jensen over the Celestions what would you say the reasons are?

Stephen Laughridge the Celestion speakers will be louder than the Jensen speakers. The Celestions typically is good for 100dB while the Jensen P12Q is good for 94.4dB. On a low watt amp like the 5E3 it gives it a bit extra oomph and of course they sound good too.

The Green is a 98Db The C12Q that comes with the kit is 93.2 Db(8 ohms) Blues are 100 Db. There is a noticeable difference, however I own 10 inch Jensen Jet falcons rated at 95 Db and they are as loud as my 12 greenback cab. The spl is not exactly what you hear. Certain frequencies can be much louder but not relating directly to spl. An emi Wizard is rated at 103 Db, but I never noticed it being louder than a Vin30 in the room with a direct AB. Spl on a site isn't always what you hear in a room. My EVH have a 'bloom' about them that is pleasant. They are heritage greenbacks rebranded, but they do lack some of the mid grind I like in the chinese celestions. But they fill the room differently as well. A Vin30 actually sounds very good in an open back cab or combo. A had a Traynor YCV50B that had a Vin30 stock, sounded really good on the cleans but had the marshall crunch on the dirty channel. I was pretty surprised it sounded better than when I swapped for a greenback. Every speaker has its place in the right cab. I have 12 speakers I keep on hand for each time i construct a cab to see how they sound given the various construction types I use. I have like Jensen, Emi, Celestion, Avatar, even Marslands(stock in a traynor). Didn't care much for the WGS as the reaper was good but other models seamed to be harsh even after break in. Now they are in the same price point as eminence and jensens I won't sell them to people because I wind up changing them within a few months for some players because of ear fatigue for long sets. More than anything its finding the right speaker for the right cab with whatever amp head is powering it. Jensens didn't fit with my Class 5 Marshall, But they went well with an Orange Dark Terror?? I wish everone had a chance to sample open/closed back and speaker swaps in various cabinets, esp in person. I had a customer come over and he was shocked that he never knew the difference after playing for 30 years. He just thought bad sounding cab=bad cab. Not always the case. The Vin30 212 slant I was selling to him sounded much much better with creamback 65's instead with his YBA-1 head. Pulled out some of the upper mids that were just to much with that head.

Me too. They all sounded good but different. A different Jensen clone is worth investigating too. I always prefer the weber clones over the reissue jensens.

@@thorinbane yeah very good information, thanks! Funny you mention that combo of Jenson with Orange Dark Terror. I picked up a Fender tweed extension cab for almost no money. It's made of pine with a Jenson Neo 10 inside. Every brand amplifier I own I paired it with sounded crap even my Fenders and the last head was the DT and it sounds awesome (I thought I'd wasted money and that's why it was so cheap). Crazy but who would think that could be a match made in Tone heaven?

Marshalls are dark? That can be very wrong. Nothing screams like the most famous Marshalls

i do the same thing....plus then you can set the head on something besides the cabinet, and save your tubes.the speaker cabs are like a jackhammer, and red hot molten filaments dont like that treatment....set the head to the side and those bottles will last 20 years....depending on your situation.

Combos are way more convenient for gigging, though.

I do the same thing. It's a lot easier to transport and protect a head.

@@AstralElephantFuzz Nah, combos are good only for hollow pretzels and peanut butter.

Fender should make heads instead of combos.

Marcus Kruse wrote - _I'd like to hear the greenback and blue together in 2x12_ I almost had an ear orgasm just thinking about that 😳

@@ray.shoesmith i read on Celestion website that 's exactly what Clapton did to his twin.. Replaced the Jensens with one blue and one greenback

That's kind of a waste because the blue is a lot louder than the greenback.

@@MyMotherTheCar go the g12h30 55hz greenback 100db and perfect partner for the blue

Same. The blue sounded way fuller, but idk, there's just something with the hi-mid bite and airy-ness of the original, that suits my ear better. More chimey and sparkly sounding. I liked the blue as well, but prefer the jensen

Fender type amps + Jensen speakers can´t be beaten

Yeah, the jensen got character! I feel like tweed style amps need that bit of bite and harshness. To me, the greenback just made it sound like any other small amp, somewhat same with the blue, only smoother and sweeter. Preferences aside, ofc you have to pick the one that suits your needs.

Dude, me too!

Yes if you like a cheap sounding amp the Jensen is the best.But if you want something that sounds like a world class amp the Celections is the way to go.Theres no comparison really.

I dunno what he hears that is SO different...

Was it just ne, or did the Greenback and the Blue just get their asses handed to them by the Jensen?

@@518freakshow4 Sure sounds brighter to my ears. Whether that's good or not is up to you.

You're a good man Guitar House Lima. Thank you.

Thanks for the time stamps. :)

Greenback sounded the best to me

Greenback was definitely the best overdriven sound

I prefer the blue for overall clarity and response The Jensen - as you said - was Poor on the low end, though I liked the “harsh” mids The greenback was smoother but also less responsive when digging in.

I thought the Greenback had more clarity but it was weaker sounding somehow. I'd also keep the original speaker.

agree

kommi1974 agree with You totally. The celestions were too muddy by comparison

kommi1974 Sounded horrible!

Agreed

There were several settings where the Greenback smoothed the Tweed bite perfectly for my old ears. Neil Young would pick the Jensen, Robbie Robertson the Blue and Carlos Santana the Greenback. I am with the Carlos on this one.

Mister Knight Owl & Co. Yeah. It seems to me that tweed should sound kind of “ratty” in the mids and flubby in the bass. I like “smooth” in certain situations, but not when using a 5e3!?

Original speaker would have been Jensen Alnico, not ceramic. More highs and less smooth than the Alnico Blue but not quite as harsh as that Jensen special 12" , those things are Jesens cheapest stand alone speaker.

I have that speaker in my Blue Junior Tweed and it sounds much better than my other Blue Junior with Texas Heat, also tried a Vintage 30 Celestion and the original Eminence

Doug Cassidy -I don’t think it’s that big of a deal, but he pinned a commenter that threw in the links just for you!

Exactly!