Installed a Greenback in my LSS combo

I just installed a Celestion G12M-25 Greenback into my LSS combo. It sounds like mother-f*cking rock and roll. 8)

Honestly, I've always struggled with channel 2's tonality. I could always dial in great Mesa style lead tones, but for rhythm I always struggled with it being too bright/zingy up top or too dull if I rolled the high end down, and on the bottom it was always too thick and wouldn't crunch up at all unless I dialled the bass way back, at which time it started to sound too thin and still didn't crunch well. The best I ever obtained with the stock C90 was what I'd call "usable" rhythm tones...usually with channel 2's drive and gain dialled down (9:00 and 12:00 respectively).

With the Greenback it seems to roll off the extreme top end a bit while giving some nice harmonics in the treble region. The speaker itself also crunches up very well and makes the amp extremely usable for rhythm. Boosting the amp with a Fulldrive 2 in either channel sounds great as the midrange crunches up instead of thickening up like it did with the stock C90. It really adds some of that Marshall "out of control" edge to my lead guitar tone rather than the traditional, mid heavy Mesa lead sound. The tonality of the speaker is such that you can feed it a fair amount of gain and yet it doesn't sound 'gainy' (ie, fizzy, buzzy, etc) as the speakers own cone breakup seems to dominate the sound, so you can get fairly saturated without loosing that vintage edge.

I'm extremely happy.

Very interesting! Glad you are happier with your tone - that is such a great feeling.

I have a LSS, and I've considered swapping an Eminence GB-12 into it. This is supposedly a greenback clone, and is a really nice sounding speaker. I have it in my old Studio .22 which I've been using as an extension cab. It actually sounds really good paired with the C-90 in the LSS...but still I wonder. Love my LSS, still pretty new to it and still learning.

When I chose the LSS over the LSC I picked it for it's ability to rock out a little more than the LSC. It had a bit more Brit attitude. This speaker swap takes it even further in that direction IMO... I'm very happy with it.

That's cool to hear. I've been basically satisfied with the C90 in my LS cab and combo, but I installed a WGS ReaperHP in my at-home cab (a Freda 1x12s) and I really like it a lot. I guess it's supposed to be a clone of a G12H30 or something, only higher output... anyway, it seems like the C90 is serviceable and a jack-of-all-trades, master-of-none kind of speaker, but there are obviously others that do one thing or another a LOT better than the C90.

I ordered a Forte 3D112 cab, empty, and and I guess I'm veering toward dedicating certain cabs for certain applications instead of trying to do it all with one. It'll be interesting to hear a greenback with an LSC. Anyone try that yet?

Thanks for the report, bro.

greenback is awesome in LSS

i did so about 2 yrs ago... makes the amp much better, all around.. can go from crystal clear to very dirty... i use no pedals...

watch the total volume and chance to blow the speaker

also consider a 12at7 in v1 if too gritty

LSS sounds even better if you can run through a 2x12 with greenbacks

geddyentwistle said:

LSS sounds even better if you can run through a 2x12 with greenbacks

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I have a 1x12 combo sitting on a 1x12 extension cab... I agree. 1 is good... 2 is better.

I've wanted to do this swap for probably a year or more now... just kept hesitating due to the cost on what could've been a potential dead end. Lucked into a pair of 8ohm G12M-25s for $150 and jumped on it. I'm happy to report I have zero regrets.

I'm also looking at putting a greenback in my 1x12 combo, but the whole 25 watt thing is causing some hesitation. I keep channel 1 on 30 watt mode and channel 2 on 5 watt. My question is how careful do you have to be not to blow the speaker? I don't want to spend the cash only to have it go up in smoke...literally

gstebnicki said:

I'm also looking at putting a greenback in my 1x12 combo, but the whole 25 watt thing is causing some hesitation. I keep channel 1 on 30 watt mode and channel 2 on 5 watt. My question is how careful do you have to be not to blow the speaker? I don't want to spend the cash only to have it go up in smoke...literally

Click to expand...

I usually run it in 15w with a single G12M and 30w with the extension cab added.... so no issues for power handing.

When I do run 30w and a single G12M I'll turn the amp up until I can hear the speaker start to distort, then leave it at that level. I haven't blown it up yet.

I run my LSS into an oversized Marshall 4x12 with 25 watt greenbacks.

IMO full size Lonestars sound best with V30s, the upper mid push and tight bass tends to even things out and prevent any classic "Lonestar" problems. I like my LSS with Greenbacks because they sound noticeably more "vintagey", with slightly softer bass and less midrange, definitely gives it a Marshall character on the note decay.