celestion blue in a 64 deluxe

[sour d]

I have a 64 fender deluxe with the stock oxford speaker that has been reconed. I recently aquired a celestion blue alnico speaker that I was planning on putting in the amp. I searched this site and came up with conflicting info. Is it a good idea to put a 15 watt speaker in a 22 watt amp? Last night at phish 3d I was telling raisingfreen about the swap and he thought it was a bad idea. Help!

[raisingfreen]

A few thoughts on this however am no speaker expert (just like messing with the various options). Logically I would not think you would want to use any speaker that is rated at less than the amps actual output. Somewhere it was mentioned that Trey used Celestion Blues in his 4x12 cab however in that case (assuming its true) it would work as you essentially then have 60 watts of handling for that cab (15 watts x 4). It has been noted on other sites that the Celestion Blue is a pretty efficient speaker however in my opinion the math just does not add up for this application (22 watt amp). Now for Treys Deluxe Reverbs, I heard directly from CJ Sutton at Weber that Bill C. had ordered a few 50watt Alinco Weber Blue Dogs for his 22watt Deluxe Reverbs.

On a side note, I have a few blues player friends that put 15watt Celestion Blues in their 57 Tweed Deluxe's. In that case its a 15 watt amp using 15 watt speaker. I have heard this and it breaks up really quick. I tried a 50watt in the same amp and it was great except it broke up too late albeit it made the amp much louder and a bit darker). All depends what you want. You may like the sound but I bet it will break up pretty quick (in a 22 watt deluxe) and could possibly blow if you crank it too much for too long.

Just for example I also own a 22 watt silverface deluxe and I recently put in a JBL K120 (I think that is approx a 80-100watt speaker) It is extremely clean up until around 5-6 then breaks up a pretty good. Take a look at the wattage ratings on the stock speakers that came with the 64 Deluxe such as yours and I think you will find the stock speaker is more than 22watts. http://www.ampwares.com/amp.asp?id=58 (sometimes you actually have to look up the speaker part number to determine the wattage it originally came in.)

In the end it may work and sound great but from what I understand it just doesn't make sense wattage wise.

[raisingfreen]

Just thought I would add something about the Celestion Blue. I remember reading about these being stock in older Vox AC30's. In that case it is a 2x12 amp. That would make sense. Also, these speakers seem to only be available in 15 watt versions. For as popular as they are I would bet they are primarily purchased for 2x12 or 4x12 configurations. (Either 30 watts or 60) Many people mix these with a ceramic in a 2x12 to get a different sound. I have rarely seen a 15 watt Celestion blue in a single configuration other than a little Tweed deluxe. So it would seem that Weber is the only manufacturer of something similar (Alinco Blue Dog) that is actually available in 15, 30, 50 watts etc...

[sour d]

This is a posternutbag quote.


Interesting you mention this. Brian said he put a blue celestion anico in Trey's Deluxe Reverb.[/quote]

If you search online for mods to go onto a Deluxe Reverb, the blue alnico's are widely popular for a replacement speaker in those Deluxes. It the same speaker Eric Clapton put in all his combos for the recent Cream shows

Poster where did you get that info?

[raisingfreen]

It does actually say he has the Celestion Blue Alnico 12 right on the Trey's rig section of this very site. I don't buy it though. The Celestion Blue Alnico only comes in 15 watt versions (as far as I have ever found or seen). If you put that it in a 22 watt Deluxe I would imagine it will overdrive pretty damn quick. It looks just like a Weber Alinco Blue Dog as well (which comes in higher wattages). It could be possible though if in fact the first tube is in fact a 12AT7 as that should lower the gain a bit. I still don't buy it though, especially with an added midrange boost it would be pretty knarly sounding, (plus add the tubescreamers) Yikes!! ie, not the nice smooth clean/semi dirt that he seemed to get with it.

sour d,
since you have the equipment you should give it a try and report back! If you don't like it I will buy the blue from you for a smaller wattage amp I have. Better yet I would like to hear it too sometime. Maybe before the festival.

[sour d]

I was thinking I should just throw it in the amp and see. If it blows it blows. I keep searching the net and finding conflicting info. Like this guy.

I have seen many Deluxe Reverbs and DRRI's with C.Blues in my shop and never saw a burnt speaker. The celestions really sound great in these amps. A twin will burn out a pair of Celestion Blue's if it is ever cranked. Celestion also has a "gold" advertised, but have never seen or heard first hand. I use a C.Blue for amp evaulation, but am VERY careful with larger heads.

[raisingfreen]

Maybe call or email Celestion directly as people do for Weber stuff. They may be able to give a final answer.
By the time you get an answer you will have already tried it.
Just don't turn it up too loud just in case.

[sour d]

I'm picking up a rivera 4x12 loaded with celestion g12t's tomorrow. If I line out to that then it would cut the power output to the combo speaker in half.

[Poster]

i personally wouldnt use either of those speakers...


too fragile for my taste. trey tours with multiple backup speakers as they warp from pressure when traveling, plus they are pretty fragile anyway.



i had a 4x12 loaded with that type of celestion, i unloaded those, and used them in a 2x12 for a very short period... i blew out those 12's and then on through the second pair. they dont like my whammy :0(



i prefer alnico tone tubbies. ive never even been able to blow one out. and i try about every time i play so....



but the tone is there, i usually set a pitchbend loop and let them break in over several days with a digital amp power. then simply plug um into das tubes. = warm butter. >>

[sour d]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jWK0sa7tlfI