@@JohanSegeborn Johan, after reading "Fearn pol" post below about combining/pairing Greenback with Alnico speakers the gears started turning in my head! I did a search of your videos and couldn't find anything concerning this subject. Question, have you ever paired up Greenbacks and Alnico speakers in a single cab, either 2x12" or 4x12"? Are there any reasons this might be a bad idea? Again, thank you for your content.
I almost always have a strong preference whenever you do a comparison, but not this time. Both are amazing and I can just imagine how both can fit in different contexts. Great comparison!
I just picked up a 1960a the greenbacks date codes put it at Feb 1971. Thanks to this comp. I now understand the nature of the early breakup of the greenbacks. Thank you Sir.
Man I hate to say this but I have to say I like the silver bell alnico'. Hey John I've been told by a few amp techs that there is a slight difference with the silver bells and the blues. The silver bells used to be used in the high wattage silver beattle 4-12 cabinet's. There had a little more power handling capassity . Around 20 watts. And the the bass was a little stronger and tight . Thanks for the great video sir !
This is an old video, but I really appreciate these comparisons, tack så mycket, Johan! Normally I can pick the one I like the best right away, but this time it is quite even - both have their strenghts.
I could see where if not recorded right the greenback could get muddy and lost in the mix on an album or in a live setting, next to a certain bass tone. I’m surprised how different they really are, they both have their own great qualities. The Alnico is so bright I bet it really stands out on stage. Besides the obvious of being driven by a different amp (VOX), I can definitely hear how the Alnico helps Brian May get the clarity in his tone. I always appreciate how you play various styles in both clean and dirty settings to demonstrate how it responds to them. Excellent as always Johan! Every time I watch one your videos I am inspired to pick up my guitar. Hearing your playing reminds me that everything doesn’t need to be a solo and that just because you can play a thousand notes a minute doesn’t mean you should. Keep Rockin’, your playing and riffs are excellent! 👍🏻🎸🤘🏻 - Kurt
Both sounded great, but my ears like the warmer sounding Alnico to the Greenback. Which is bumming me out because I got greenbacks in my 2-12 cab! Thanx for the great demo. I also enjoy hearing you play as well!
Check out Ted Weber Blue Dogs or Blue pups. I got the Blue pups with the Mojotone 12">10" adapters in a 2x12 and it sounds amazing with everything. Literally from my VHT D50 (D-style) to my Jet City custom 22 (basically a JCM 800ish channel and Victory Kraken gain channel) for full on modern Marshally metal. Could not be happier
Hi, Johan! After the video I think, maybe alnico is not so far away from me. I am working with Greenback, but I was glad to have one Alnico too! Both are awesome! See you! Z.
I knew I would like the greenback but didn't think I would like the alnico so much. I could see where having one of each in a 2x12 would be 👌. Great video
@@dezionlion tens or twelves in the Bassman I have 4 alnico twelves I will try w my Bassman Good idea I hadn't tried that yet Tens sound fantastic of course
This specific guitar and amp setup the alnico definitely sounds more pleasant to my ears... the greenbacks definitely sound darker maybe even a little muddy compared to the old silver bell...comes down to preference & what you're looking for? the old Alinicos hard to beat... Alinico all the way!!!
I have to say I agree with everything Sean said . I like the 67 silver bell alnico . Its clearer and sweet and sassy with nice chime. Btw I've heard some amp techs say that the silver bells had a little bit more power handling capassity. There supposed to be About 20 watts and the bass response is supposed to be a little stronger and a little tighter than the blues.. I personally use vox/celestion silver bells in two 1968 big box bandmaster pine cabinets Simi open back . It's great combo because the big box fender cab deliver more bottom end punch and pine is so lively and resonant .
Wow thank you so much for this video! Although I like a lot of Marshall’s with greenbacks, I’ve never liked em in fenders, so I always had a Celestion cab for my Marshall’s and fender cab for my fenders, but alnicos seem to bridge the gap, and would work for anything!
I wasn't watching at first and as soon as you started, I am like that has to be the Alnico and I was right. I prefer Alnico a ton, the way they feel plays as big of a part as sound.
I can see how the Alnico can cut in a mix. Especially back in the 60's when rock players only had access to lower wattage amps. Everyone on stage or practice cranking their amps to be heard. Not sure if you did one, but it would be great to hear an old JTM45 through a 412 Alnico cab. Cheers!
Today I had the chance to play my 2245THW through a cab with '69 greenbacks with pulsonic cones. I expected something nice... but man...not this! I have never heard anything like it. I'm speechless. In one of your earlier video's you say the speakers are a huge part in achieving the desired tone and now I can understand what you meant. It's not just a little difference they make. I think I'd better try my '67 Goodmans that I have laying around in the attic as well. You know anything about those? Oh yeah, as for the video: both speakers sound very beautiful to my ears each with their own typical character.
Good comparison as usual JS thanks for showing us all.. I prefer the greenbacks because of their scooped mid voice which is perfectly suited to tame my JMP 2203 and Fender HRD amps which are both honkin-midrange heavy beasts!
very cool comparison, both speakers sound great but clearly different, Greenback seems more suit toward heavier rock sounds and the alnico is sweeter to my ears, can see why it works so well in the VOX amps, thanks for the great demo, keep up the great work, Johan!
@@marksguitars5617 yes, I believe that's the case. Johan has a video from a couple of weeks ago of an original 4X10 Bluesbreaker, which is worth checking out. I'm certain Clapton also had alnicos in his 2X12 Bluesbreaker that's on the Beano record.
Both sound good. I prefer the Greenback tone just a tad more. Probably would change my mind in a mix. Classic Johan tones again! God bless and rock on.
Man, both sound great!! I like the warmth of the greenbacks. But I also love the sparkle of the alnico. I’d say it depends on the type of music you are going for.
Very interesting. I have a blue and G12M in my Vox AC30TB/6. I really like both, but prefer the blue for my sound. I have always wanted to try recording a blue into a 4x12. I'm getting really interested in closed back cabs these days.
Both speakers are iconic, they are different in terms of punch, clarity and bite( the Greenback Is more punchy but more rounded on the highs), nonetheless both belong to r'n'r history! cheers Johan!
Great comparison - love them both, and sometimes mix them together in a cab. Here's a question for you Johan - coiled cable vs. straight - lots of people think the coiled cable had a lot to do with Hendrix's tone. What do you think? Worthy of a test?
Cool comparison. Would be cool to see a comparison of an Alnico Blue and silver. Some say they sound the same as the blue, while others feel the blue still sounds better
I even like the new alnico blues. It makes sense it's what our pups are made of but I like all the flavors. Each makes me play something different. Wow that make me wonder what Paul Kossoff was using on those early recordings. The alnico gets really close to the tone. I know he had an orange cab and a Marshall. Do you know what was in them?
Just curious, is the cab open back? Here I think the alnico sounds better but I'm not sure I would feel the same way if they were in a 4x12. I think different speakers are better for different applications. Maybe a heavy magnet would do better against the alnico in this setting?
Alnico wins here. Presumably easier to dial treble down than up (did you try to make them sound like each other? Any luck?). Wonderful work as always Johan.
Thanks man, I used the same settings on both, but the higher resolution of the Alnico is out of the Greenbacks reach. It can be dialed a lot brighter though. Cheers
As different as they come up in this comparison, both show their own qualities for which they are sought after. I can’t say finally which is my personal favorite.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with the Alnico speaker, but I love Ace Frehley's playing as we heard his guitars through a Marshall Superlead's multi stack with pulsonic cones. I can't see him playing a Alnico equipped Marshall wall. I like "balls to the wall": mids/upper bass frequencies of the early '70ies. I also watched your clip with the JTM45 offset. It sounds great but I stand by my statement 🤓 Tak Johan for serving a tasty (pul)sonic dish. Personally, I finally managed to get two T1221 and one T1417 all pulsonic lead cones; one more speaker, then 2 years of searching is fulfilled. Hav en bra uge, Johan
Love the video! I'm still stuck on the Greenback. I can (even through the recording) hear those iconic Page, Blackmore tones. Somewhere around 3:40 you can almost hear Page take off at Madison Square garden during heartbreaker.
I compare the Greenback to reissues here ua-cam.com/video/uhqX7Glzyog/v-deo.html ua-cam.com/video/SZVLjDbjb7U/v-deo.html ua-cam.com/video/XQKUtTX80p8/v-deo.html
Gotta have both. I like the greenback for the Marshall thing but I like adding an openback 2x12 of blues on top of a 4x12 of greenbacks. Best tone i have ever had. I wonder if I could hear enough of a 25 watt greenback next to an alnico blue in a 2x12? Blue would be a little louder but I wonder if its that much different? Nice video Johan!
Thanks! If the same power is put into a 4x12 of G12M Greenback and a 2x12 of Alnicos they would be equally loud since Alnico is about 3dB more efficient than the Greenbacks and since the doubling of speakers also gains 3dB. Cheers
@@JohanSegeborn Thanks Johan yeah I agree it works. Can hear plenty of the greenback tone but adds some top end clarity/chime from the blues. I was just wondering about 1 of each in a 2x12 though. I haven't tried that yet but I want to. I know a lot of amp companies were using a blue along side a G12H30 but I like the mids of a 25 watt greenback better than the H30 so I want to try a 25 with a blue in an open back or closed back 2x12.
That's the speaker in my Z Wreck Jr. Amazing tone and I've heard no better speaker. Greenbacks are so harsh to my ears. I've never liked them. El84 amps NEED a Alnico. Period.
Wow Johan! They both sound great but I think that the allNico sounds a little better. I know there's a little bit of a volume, so maybe the owl Nico is a little more efficient perhaps??
I wonder if Hendrix ever used a cab with AlNiCo speakers in his early days. He must have used lots of cabs during his carreer. Maybe at the very beginning, who knows! Great tones as usual by the way. I think I still prefere the Greenback, but the AlNiCo is super cool too!
Greenbacks for me I have 4 original 1967's ..they sound soooooo good, I also owned 4 of the T1088 Alnico's a lont time ago and just didnt like them anywhere as much
They both sound so good! But i think G12M or H is perfect speakers for plexi era Marshall's. I believe Tom Jennings of Vox had a meltdown when learning of Celestion selling these to Marshall. In Dick Denney's book Vox persuaded Celestion to modify their G12 radio speaker for guitar use and the original Blue is a proprietary speaker for Vox. Alnico's are great for Combos in my opinion. Lower power stuff although Fane's big Alnico's sound great.
The history of these two speakers is written in stone but overlooked most of the time is that broadcast music in 1967 and 1973 was NOT hi-fi. A producer then who was aware of how guitar & bass instrument compete for bandwidth would have leaned heavily toward artists using the Alnico. Another thing to consider about modern day usage is there are plenty of ways one can sculpt a signal from an Alnico speaker so that it fills, admirably, the Greenback's shoes - the reverse can't be said. It's similar to the old saying about the weather: "I prefer the cold to the heat because you can always put on more clothes but at a certain point you can't take anymore off" - just in reverse. The wider bandwidth of an Alnico speaker can be cut down with pedals, complementary microphones and tons of studio gear. However, adding the nuanced textures to a performance through a Greenback is not possible as there's nothing there to work with, it's a much less complex signal. Yes, this is splitting hairs and it will never be an either/or issue for those who have or have access to both. I would take Alnico as my desert island speaker hands down over a Greenback simply because the Greenback is what it is (about 80% of the potential signal information) and the Alnico is inherently much more complicated (contains a lot more information). This isn't to say that I like the default sound of either more than the other, only that Alnico gives me more to work with in terms of engineering / sculpting sound (or tone, though I detest the use of that word in connection with any electric instrument).
72 Super Leads are extremely bright so they may benefit from some mellower speakers than Alnicos. But if you remove the bright cap they may pair very well. Cheers
Johan Segeborn In that case I’ll probably end up saving for some old greenbacks (very pricey here in the US). Any current production speakers you recommend for early 70’s super leads?
This alnico sound more like a typical silver bell than a blue, it have the hi upper mids and bass and lack of the mid chime emphasis of a blue, would be great a comparison of blue vs silver bell. The greenback is warmer woody and sings clearly without chimney alnico overtones, I would love a comparision between a g12H and this alnico silver bell, cheers!
I'm curious if the Alnico has a higher sensitivity than the ceramic Greenback. I know the Blue has a VERY high sensitivity, making it louder than a comparable ceramic (and despite being only a 15 watt speaker!)
The greenback tames the shrillness of a Marshall, and the Alnico is more fizzy sounding. I like the Greenbacks for Marshalls myself, and the Alnico will defintely work better in the more middy Vox amps. They are both great and awesome sounding speakers though.
I prefer the sound of the alnico speaker here, but you gotta give greenbacks and ceramic speakers in general their respect. They ARE the sound of high powered rock and roll, as ceramic speakers were the only ones powerful enough to handle the high wattages of Marshalls back in the day. That's most likely why they switched!
I’d love a pair of vintage alnicos but I’ll just have to live as I have for the past 30yrs with my pair of T1221 55hz greenbacks. If only I’d had another £50 that day I could’ve had a set without a cab 🤷♂️
The Greenback have some more midrange, but with the V, it sounded kind of muddy in both the clean and overdriven sounds. The Alnico on the other hand had a nice clarity of tone with the V, in both. It had a nice crackle to the crunch. (just my opinion).
Wowsa. I am biased towards the Alnicos. Both sounded so sewet though. The GB was growly and vowely. The alnico actually seemed scooped in this but had a great sizzle
I definitely prefer the alnico but then I own several AC30's and that's the sound I've come to love. The Greenback definitely does the Marshall thing best though!
Its not really one being better than the other. Playing clean an Alnico will give you overtones, chime and clarity that cant be beaten. Playing heavier rock riffs a ceramic will give you that solid thump and tightness.
These speakers are directly related to the MArshall history and tone. Alnicos with the KT66s and EL34s that are more bright with the Greenbacks. Offset mates with both......
Both sound great and would be useable.... it’s all preference... I prefer the Greenback but they are both good. The Alnico might be too harsh in certain situations.
The Greenback sounds more focused and compressed to me, where as the Alnico sounds more open, airy, & chimey..
Thanks Jason
That is exactly what I was thinking!!
They’d make a fine mixed cab.
@@JohanSegeborn Johan, after reading "Fearn pol" post below about combining/pairing Greenback with Alnico speakers the gears started turning in my head! I did a search of your videos and couldn't find anything concerning this subject.
Question, have you ever paired up Greenbacks and Alnico speakers in a single cab, either 2x12" or 4x12"?
Are there any reasons this might be a bad idea?
Again, thank you for your content.
@@fearnpol4938 Very good question Fearn pol, I posed the question to Johan asking if he'd ever combined Alnico and Greenbacks in a single cab.
for me the greenback is the sound inside my head, but both sound really good.
Thanks Ben!
I almost always have a strong preference whenever you do a comparison, but not this time. Both are amazing and I can just imagine how both can fit in different contexts. Great comparison!
Thanks, glad to hear it!
I just picked up a 1960a the greenbacks date codes put it at Feb 1971. Thanks to this comp. I now understand the nature of the early breakup of the greenbacks. Thank you Sir.
Your performance is getting better every day. Love your playing and Sound of course. WOW
Thanks, I’m really glad to hear that!
Man I hate to say this but I have to say I like the silver bell alnico'. Hey John I've been told by a few amp techs that there is a slight difference with the silver bells and the blues. The silver bells used to be used in the high wattage silver beattle 4-12 cabinet's. There had a little more power handling capassity . Around 20 watts. And the the bass was a little stronger and tight . Thanks for the great video sir !
This is an old video, but I really appreciate these comparisons, tack så mycket, Johan!
Normally I can pick the one I like the best right away, but this time it is quite even - both have their strenghts.
I could see where if not recorded right the greenback could get muddy and lost in the mix on an album or in a live setting, next to a certain bass tone. I’m surprised how different they really are, they both have their own great qualities. The Alnico is so bright I bet it really stands out on stage. Besides the obvious of being driven by a different amp (VOX), I can definitely hear how the Alnico helps Brian May get the clarity in his tone. I always appreciate how you play various styles in both clean and dirty settings to demonstrate how it responds to them. Excellent as always Johan! Every time I watch one your videos I am inspired to pick up my guitar. Hearing your playing reminds me that everything doesn’t need to be a solo and that just because you can play a thousand notes a minute doesn’t mean you should. Keep Rockin’, your playing and riffs are excellent! 👍🏻🎸🤘🏻 - Kurt
Thanks Kurt, that really makes my day. Cheers!
Both sounded great, but my ears like the warmer sounding Alnico to the Greenback. Which is bumming me out because I got greenbacks in my 2-12 cab! Thanx for the great demo. I also enjoy hearing you play as well!
Check out Ted Weber Blue Dogs or Blue pups. I got the Blue pups with the Mojotone 12">10" adapters in a 2x12 and it sounds amazing with everything. Literally from my VHT D50 (D-style) to my Jet City custom 22 (basically a JCM 800ish channel and Victory Kraken gain channel) for full on modern Marshally metal. Could not be happier
Wow, the riff at 02:40 with the greenback is why Tone is so important. It can immediately take you back to a certain time in music. Time warp!
Beautiful!
Thanks, great to hear that!
Well done Brother! Love both of course! Thank you so much for All You Share Johan! Be Well All!
Hi, Johan!
After the video I think, maybe alnico is not so far away from me. I am working with Greenback, but I was glad to have one Alnico too! Both are awesome! See you!
Z.
Thanks man! See you!
I knew I would like the greenback but didn't think I would like the alnico so much. I could see where having one of each in a 2x12 would be 👌. Great video
Thanks John! They work surprisingly well with Marshall style amps too.
Wonder how 4 alnicos in a bassman would sound?
@@dezionlion I would think they would sound really good
Thinking the same thing
@@dezionlion tens or twelves in the Bassman I have 4 alnico twelves I will try w my Bassman Good idea I hadn't tried that yet Tens sound fantastic of course
Thanks Johan 😁. Very useful comparison.
Thanks Paul, glad to hear that!
Cool both great speakers the Alnico got a real clean cut bite, Greenback got great mids and that wonderful low end growl, super tones as always Johan
Thanks Gerry!
This specific guitar and amp setup the alnico definitely sounds more pleasant to my ears... the greenbacks definitely sound darker maybe even a little muddy compared to the old silver bell...comes down to preference & what you're looking for? the old Alinicos hard to beat... Alinico all the way!!!
Both in a 2/12 might sound cool I have four of the alnicos in a badge logo Marshall cab
You took the words right out if my mouth Sean ! Agreed
I have to say I agree with everything Sean said . I like the 67 silver bell alnico . Its clearer and sweet and sassy with nice chime. Btw I've heard some amp techs say that the silver bells had a little bit more power handling capassity. There supposed to be About 20 watts and the bass response is supposed to be a little stronger and a little tighter than the blues.. I personally use vox/celestion silver bells in two 1968 big box bandmaster pine cabinets Simi open back . It's great combo because the big box fender cab deliver more bottom end punch and pine is so lively and resonant .
Wow thank you so much for this video! Although I like a lot of Marshall’s with greenbacks, I’ve never liked em in fenders, so I always had a Celestion cab for my Marshall’s and fender cab for my fenders, but alnicos seem to bridge the gap, and would work for anything!
Glad to hear it! Alnicos vary from instance to instance more than Greenbacks though. I think this is pretty representative though. Cheers
They both sound so good I'd want a 212 cab with both
Im diggin the "67" alnico. But I personally always liked the sound of a "scooped" tone. Excellent comparison video. Thank you Johan and cheers.
Thanks Nicholas, Cheers!
Remarkably different tones from each of them. Couldn't pick a favourite easily. Each voice has its place in a mix!
I wasn't watching at first and as soon as you started, I am like that has to be the Alnico and I was right. I prefer Alnico a ton, the way they feel plays as big of a part as sound.
Huge difference between the two. I prefer the 67' Alnico. Thanks for video.
Ahhhhhhhh....crap.When I heard the open chord portions, I prefer the Greenback for that style of playing.
I can see how the Alnico can cut in a mix. Especially back in the 60's when rock players only had access to lower wattage amps. Everyone on stage or practice cranking their amps to be heard. Not sure if you did one, but it would be great to hear an old JTM45 through a 412 Alnico cab.
Cheers!
I did actually ;-)
ua-cam.com/video/yLggXigSJns/v-deo.html
Cheers! Det
@@JohanSegeborn one of the best tones ever!
Today I had the chance to play my 2245THW through a cab with '69 greenbacks with pulsonic cones. I expected something nice... but man...not this! I have never heard anything like it. I'm speechless. In one of your earlier video's you say the speakers are a huge part in achieving the desired tone and now I can understand what you meant. It's not just a little difference they make. I think I'd better try my '67 Goodmans that I have laying around in the attic as well. You know anything about those?
Oh yeah, as for the video: both speakers sound very beautiful to my ears each with their own typical character.
Good comparison as usual JS thanks for showing us all.. I prefer the greenbacks because of their scooped mid voice which is perfectly suited to tame my JMP 2203 and Fender HRD amps which are both honkin-midrange heavy beasts!
Thanks! Yeah that’s how I see it too
very cool comparison, both speakers sound great but clearly different, Greenback seems more suit toward heavier rock sounds and the alnico is sweeter to my ears, can see why it works so well in the VOX amps, thanks for the great demo, keep up the great work, Johan!
Alnicos work wonderfully well in Marshalls too. I have 2x Scumback SC75s (Silver Alnicos) in my Bluesbreaker and they sound awesome.
@@bluesful Sure, didn't the original Bluesbreaker amps have Alnico speakers? maybe 10"?
@@marksguitars5617 yes, I believe that's the case. Johan has a video from a couple of weeks ago of an original 4X10 Bluesbreaker, which is worth checking out. I'm certain Clapton also had alnicos in his 2X12 Bluesbreaker that's on the Beano record.
@@bluesful exactly, keep on rockin'!
Both sound good. I prefer the Greenback tone just a tad more. Probably would change my mind in a mix. Classic Johan tones again! God bless and rock on.
Thanks J, rock on my friend!
Alnico speaker sounds really good... still love the Greenbacks especially the 20 watt ones! Thanks Johan!
Thanks Charles
Both sound really good. The Alnico is very "airy", while the GB has that ol' good tone... great video!
Thanks Andrea!
Man, both sound great!! I like the warmth of the greenbacks. But I also love the sparkle of the alnico. I’d say it depends on the type of music you are going for.
Very interesting. I have a blue and G12M in my Vox AC30TB/6. I really like both, but prefer the blue for my sound. I have always wanted to try recording a blue into a 4x12. I'm getting really interested in closed back cabs these days.
Amazing as always. The greeny wins for me. Johan, whats the story on the purple amp?
Thanks, that’s a 1973 Super Lead in a 1969 cab that has been reclothed purple :-)
@@JohanSegeborn cool man looks awesome
@@JohanSegeborn that purple is juicy!
Both speakers are iconic, they are different in terms of punch, clarity and bite( the Greenback Is more punchy but more rounded on the highs), nonetheless both belong to r'n'r history! cheers Johan!
Cheers Vincenzo!
Keep it up man. Your videos are awesome.
Thanks Youssef! Great to hear that!
Great comparison - love them both, and sometimes mix them together in a cab. Here's a question for you Johan - coiled cable vs. straight - lots of people think the coiled cable had a lot to do with Hendrix's tone. What do you think? Worthy of a test?
Thanks Owen! Interesting although I think it’s unlikely. We can try it on a video
Preferred the alnico! What a sweet tone
The Alnico is more cutting. Thanks for the demoJohan !!,
I love the jangle of the alnico, but love them both in their own way.
I think best speaker combination is 1x12" alnico blue open back + 2x G10 Greenback closed back.
Both in the same cab would be a marvel; one does what the other doesn't, you'd cut straight through a mix!
Hey, Johan! Try to compare Scumback M55-PVC vs Vintage G12M
Cool comparison. Would be cool to see a comparison of an Alnico Blue and silver. Some say they sound the same as the blue, while others feel the blue still sounds better
I would think more like the difference of 25 watt greenbacks and early 20 watt greenbacks
Huge difference--I like them both.
Thanks!
I even like the new alnico blues. It makes sense it's what our pups are made of but I like all the flavors. Each makes me play something different. Wow that make me wonder what Paul Kossoff was using on those early recordings. The alnico gets really close to the tone. I know he had an orange cab and a Marshall. Do you know what was in them?
Just curious, is the cab open back? Here I think the alnico sounds better but I'm not sure I would feel the same way if they were in a 4x12. I think different speakers are better for different applications. Maybe a heavy magnet would do better against the alnico in this setting?
Excellent, thanks Johan!!✨🔊
Thanks! :-)
Alnico wins here. Presumably easier to dial treble down than up (did you try to make them sound like each other? Any luck?). Wonderful work as always Johan.
Thanks man, I used the same settings on both, but the higher resolution of the Alnico is out of the Greenbacks reach. It can be dialed a lot brighter though. Cheers
I'd agree, I bet when recorded you could EQ the alnico to sound like the greenback if you needed, but it would be hard to do the other way round
As different as they come up in this comparison, both show their own qualities for which they are sought after. I can’t say finally which is my personal favorite.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with the Alnico speaker, but I love Ace Frehley's playing as we heard his guitars through a Marshall Superlead's multi stack with pulsonic cones. I can't see him playing a Alnico equipped Marshall wall. I like "balls to the wall": mids/upper bass frequencies of the early '70ies. I also watched your clip with the JTM45 offset. It sounds great but I stand by my statement 🤓
Tak Johan for serving a tasty (pul)sonic dish. Personally, I finally managed to get two T1221 and one T1417 all pulsonic lead cones; one more speaker, then 2 years of searching is fulfilled.
Hav en bra uge, Johan
Ha en bra vecka du med, Steffen!
Love the video! I'm still stuck on the Greenback. I can (even through the recording) hear those iconic Page, Blackmore tones. Somewhere around 3:40 you can almost hear Page take off at Madison Square garden during heartbreaker.
Thanks! I love Jimmy Pages live tone!
Another interesting comparison would be these 2 against a modern/brand new Blue and Greenback.
I compare the Greenback to reissues here
ua-cam.com/video/uhqX7Glzyog/v-deo.html
ua-cam.com/video/SZVLjDbjb7U/v-deo.html
ua-cam.com/video/XQKUtTX80p8/v-deo.html
The Alnico sounds very nice.
Gotta have both. I like the greenback for the Marshall thing but I like adding an openback 2x12 of blues on top of a 4x12 of greenbacks. Best tone i have ever had. I wonder if I could hear enough of a 25 watt greenback next to an alnico blue in a 2x12? Blue would be a little louder but I wonder if its that much different? Nice video Johan!
Thanks! If the same power is put into a 4x12 of G12M Greenback and a 2x12 of Alnicos they would be equally loud since Alnico is about 3dB more efficient than the Greenbacks and since the doubling of speakers also gains 3dB. Cheers
@@JohanSegeborn Thanks Johan yeah I agree it works. Can hear plenty of the greenback tone but adds some top end clarity/chime from the blues. I was just wondering about 1 of each in a 2x12 though. I haven't tried that yet but I want to. I know a lot of amp companies were using a blue along side a G12H30 but I like the mids of a 25 watt greenback better than the H30 so I want to try a 25 with a blue in an open back or closed back 2x12.
Man, that alnico sounds so good. This is why I love the Scumback SC75.
Thanks!
That's the speaker in my Z Wreck Jr. Amazing tone and I've heard no better speaker. Greenbacks are so harsh to my ears. I've never liked them. El84 amps NEED a Alnico. Period.
@@kommi1974 I've got them in my Bluesbreaker and they rock - ua-cam.com/video/GStB_wjk8xk/v-deo.html
Greetings Johan! Any chance we could hear them together and then on their own similarly to the JBL+G12M video? Cheers and take care!
Thanks Andres! I’ll keep it in mind. Cheers!
Ever heard of”bulldogs” I think it was a speaker found in early box amps would love to hear your take on those!
This is actually technically the same speaker. The differences are in the cosmetics. Cheers
Johan Segeborn exactly; just the color: blue vs silver. That’s it.
Wow Johan! They both sound great but I think that the allNico sounds a little better. I know there's a little bit of a volume, so maybe the owl Nico is a little more efficient perhaps??
I prefer the Greenback. Just sounds warmer to me.
I wonder if Hendrix ever used a cab with AlNiCo speakers in his early days. He must have used lots of cabs during his carreer. Maybe at the very beginning, who knows!
Great tones as usual by the way. I think I still prefere the Greenback, but the AlNiCo is super cool too!
Thanks Frank!
Alnico sounds amazing!
Thanks!
I should get 4 GreenBacks ! All my cabs G-12 75's now and Gilco NoBlow from 60's ..
Greenbacks for me I have 4 original 1967's ..they sound soooooo good, I also owned 4 of the T1088 Alnico's a lont time ago and just didnt like them anywhere as much
They both sound so good! But i think G12M or H is perfect speakers for plexi era Marshall's. I believe Tom Jennings of Vox had a meltdown when learning of Celestion selling these to Marshall. In Dick Denney's book Vox persuaded Celestion to modify their G12 radio speaker for guitar use and the original Blue is a proprietary speaker for Vox. Alnico's are great for Combos in my opinion. Lower power stuff although Fane's big Alnico's sound great.
Thanks Kenny!
The history of these two speakers is written in stone but overlooked most of the time is that broadcast music in 1967 and 1973 was NOT hi-fi. A producer then who was aware of how guitar & bass instrument compete for bandwidth would have leaned heavily toward artists using the Alnico. Another thing to consider about modern day usage is there are plenty of ways one can sculpt a signal from an Alnico speaker so that it fills, admirably, the Greenback's shoes - the reverse can't be said. It's similar to the old saying about the weather: "I prefer the cold to the heat because you can always put on more clothes but at a certain point you can't take anymore off" - just in reverse. The wider bandwidth of an Alnico speaker can be cut down with pedals, complementary microphones and tons of studio gear. However, adding the nuanced textures to a performance through a Greenback is not possible as there's nothing there to work with, it's a much less complex signal. Yes, this is splitting hairs and it will never be an either/or issue for those who have or have access to both. I would take Alnico as my desert island speaker hands down over a Greenback simply because the Greenback is what it is (about 80% of the potential signal information) and the Alnico is inherently much more complicated (contains a lot more information). This isn't to say that I like the default sound of either more than the other, only that Alnico gives me more to work with in terms of engineering / sculpting sound (or tone, though I detest the use of that word in connection with any electric instrument).
His playing is so sweet I can almost taste the audio. Greenback all the way
Would love to mix the alnicos and greenbacks in a 412. Just purchased a 72 super lead. Next step is some vintage speakers!!!!!
72 Super Leads are extremely bright so they may benefit from some mellower speakers than Alnicos. But if you remove the bright cap they may pair very well. Cheers
Johan Segeborn In that case I’ll probably end up saving for some old greenbacks (very pricey here in the US). Any current production speakers you recommend for early 70’s super leads?
This alnico sound more like a typical silver bell than a blue, it have the hi upper mids and bass and lack of the mid chime emphasis of a blue, would be great a comparison of blue vs silver bell.
The greenback is warmer woody and sings clearly without chimney alnico overtones, I would love a comparision between a g12H and this alnico silver bell, cheers!
Hi, Johan. What pickups are in this V? Cheers!
Hi, its got the stock T-tops
Cheers!
I'm curious if the Alnico has a higher sensitivity than the ceramic Greenback. I know the Blue has a VERY high sensitivity, making it louder than a comparable ceramic (and despite being only a 15 watt speaker!)
Great comparison Johan, thanks! Will there ever be *anything* that can come close to a Greenback? ;)
The greenback tames the shrillness of a Marshall, and the Alnico is more fizzy sounding. I like the Greenbacks for Marshalls myself, and the Alnico will defintely work better in the more middy Vox amps. They are both great and awesome sounding speakers though.
Thanks Roy
Both have their place, but it's the Alnicos for me. I prefer the note clarity.
What year were the Celestion Higher powered Greenbacks in production?
I want both flavors!
I prefer the sound of the alnico speaker here, but you gotta give greenbacks and ceramic speakers in general their respect. They ARE the sound of high powered rock and roll, as ceramic speakers were the only ones powerful enough to handle the high wattages of Marshalls back in the day. That's most likely why they switched!
The cobalt in the Alnicos were in low supply and maybe even restricted in the 1970s. Ceramics are cheaper also.
Do you think speakers lose their fidelity over time?
I’d love a pair of vintage alnicos but I’ll just have to live as I have for the past 30yrs with my pair of T1221 55hz greenbacks.
If only I’d had another £50 that day I could’ve had a set without a cab 🤷♂️
Oh, what amp is second from right (with only 2 inputs)?
The Greenback have some more midrange, but with the V, it sounded kind of muddy in both the clean and overdriven sounds.
The Alnico on the other hand had a nice clarity of tone with the V, in both. It had a nice crackle to the crunch.
(just my opinion).
Wowsa. I am biased towards the Alnicos. Both sounded so sewet though. The GB was growly and vowely. The alnico actually seemed scooped in this but had a great sizzle
Glad to hear it!
With the Alnico you can see why Clapton would dial down his tone control & get THAT sound
maybe a combination of both would be super
Early 70s G12M hard to beat
I definitely prefer the alnico but then I own several AC30's and that's the sound I've come to love. The Greenback definitely does the Marshall thing best though!
Now this SHOULD prove interesting! \m/
Its not really one being better than the other. Playing clean an Alnico will give you overtones, chime and clarity that cant be beaten. Playing heavier rock riffs a ceramic will give you that solid thump and tightness.
Now I see why they say vox is more “chimey”
Yeah both Vox amp and speakers are more sparkling than Marshall’s counterparts
These speakers are directly related to the MArshall history and tone. Alnicos with the KT66s and EL34s that are more bright with the Greenbacks. Offset mates with both......
alnico clean but green for mean
Send the flying V to me in Brisbane so I can compare it to my Strat please Johan
Both sound great and would be useable.... it’s all preference... I prefer the Greenback but they are both good. The Alnico might be too harsh in certain situations.
Thanks!
The Alnico speaker is the sound of 60s and 70s rock albums. The Greenback is the sound of 70s arena rock.
I prefer the ‘bite’ of the early Alnico for the overdriven sounds, and the greenback for the cleans.
Thanks Ben
That's why I have a 2X12 cab with one 70th Anni G12 and one alnico blue.
Tack!
Sold! I'll take 4 of each..............:)
;-)
The Alnico seems to sound more in your face; the Greenback as compared to the Alnico seems to sound muffled although not in a bad way.
Yeah the Alnico has a much more spatially rich top end
I like both, but the Alnico has just a tad more top end chime.
Thanks Patrick!
The alnico is more open and spatial and the greenback more mid to bottom end, I like both but would go with the alnico if I had the choice.
Your guitar is held up by a lightening bolt! :). A 2x12 with one alnico and one greenback, how would that sound??