Speaker Selection for Maverick

I've been GAS-ing for a Maverick for some time. Not that I need another amp....

I need input on direct personal experience with different speakers, or, your best guess about what I will find with each speaker.

I'm pretty sure I'm going to be running the Maverick on the "Fat" setting of the clean channel about 80% of the time. Rock, Country, Blues.

Here are my options as they sit today:

Mesa/Celestion C90
Celestion Vintage 30
Celestion 12" Blue Alnico

Thanks!

Are you considering a 1-12" combo since you listed these speakers?

Matter of preference and taste may varying.

I have a Maverick combo 2 x 12". It came with Vintage 30s. I liked it very much, kind of good reference point to evaluate speakers. Vintage 30s give you that top end gritty drive.

Then I heard Weber's combo of a Silver Bell and Blue Dog both alnico. This is very smooth. Compresses nicley. Currently this is in my combo.

Then I have a 2 x12" with a Greenback and G12-30H (something like Matchless DC30 speaker match up). I really like this combo for edginess, moderate gain, 80ish. I think most guitarist on this board would like this set up. I just like the smoothness of Weber combo above. I'm not a hi-gain nut.

Personally I like to flip flop between this two combos. One of the local amp tech who sells speakers (South Valley Vintage Amp) suggest to bring two different speaker set up during gigs. Its like having two different amps.

Another combo that is highly recommended is Tone Tubby 40 / 40 Ceramic and H1E Alnico combo. Its called the H-Bomb. I'll report this combo probably in the summer since I have yet to purchase the Alnico [ expensive! ].

Your selection of a Celestion Blue will give a Nashville bite[?] Paisley-like. But I'm guessing.

RR said:

Are you considering a 1-12" combo since you listed these speakers?

Click to expand...

Thanks for the review. If you have time, just note for me what styles or tones you are getting with your different speakers. Your paisley remark on the blues goes a long way for that spkr.

I haven't determined the cab style exactly. With the 35 W amp rating, I'd at least need a 2x12 if I went with the Cele Blues. I could use 1x12's with the v30 and MC90. I need a 2x12 cab though. Got enough 1x12's.

Note: Summarize (Reader Digest Version): Read everything in bold and underline. :wink:

You can't go wrong with a pair of Celestion Blues. Goes good with quartet of EL84s.

If you want to go with 1-12" what about a Celestion Gold? Basically a Celestion Blues that handles 50 watts. From what I read, it does sound slightly different than a Gold.

But these speakers are quite expensive.


I play mostly covers nowadays. Not going to be rock star. That boat left the dock ( lol )

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To give you some background on the Weber speaker combo (Blue Dog, Silver Bell) I mentioned here it is:

Weber's Blue Dog is poor man's version of Celestion Blues. Only a real discriminating ear could tell the difference between the two.

Weber's Silver Bell is basically a Blue Dog with more and tighter bottom and a smoother top end. And some say the Blue Dog (like the Celestion Blues) have a harsh top-end that they would like to be a little more "rounder" "smoother", thus the design of the Silver Bell.

My application, its great for clean, moderate clean (hint of break up) to moderate gain. You don't get much of a trace of gritty-ness especially if you switch to the rectifier tube.

For me, Weber Blue Dog / Silver Bell covers 60's, 70's. Even if you push the gain on the "bottom" (hi-gain) channel, lead mode, you still get a smooth gain tone.

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Now say you need some edge-ness, hi-gain 80ish, say Van Halen like, switch to the silicon rectifier, "bottom" channel switch to "lead" setting, dial in more gain. Scoup out the mids, raise the bass ...

=> The Celestion Greenback / Celestion G12H-30 is great (for me).


But if you need more SPL and grit then go with Vintage 30s. If you asks me, a Vintage 30 is like a Greenback with more bottom end, more high mids, more SPL. The G12H-30 is in-between those two.

For me, the Maverick likes British type speakers.

1x12" with a Gold would be my choice. I wish that speaker had been available when I had my Maverick - I may not have sold it. I tried both the stock C90 and the V30 in it - the V30 sounded better for the dirty channel, but the C90 sounded better for the clean, and I could never quite decide which was better overall. I did think about trying a G12H-30 - just about OK on power rating, but maybe pushing it.

The Gold does sound different from a Blue - it's chunkier and darker, almost like an 'Alnico V30' but without the strong upper-mid peak, it's a bit brighter and more chimey. I have a Gold and a V30 in my Tremoverb, they sound fantastic together. If you were going for a 2x12" Maverick I would definitely try the same.

Some great advice here, and probably not just limited to the Maverick, either! Thanks!

Hi,

I have a Celestion Gold in my 1x12 Mav - very nice! Then I run into a 2x12 extension cab loaded with G12H Heritage speakers - awesome !!