Celestion G10 Greenback (2013–)
The G10 Greenback is Celestion's 10″ take on the G12M "Greenback" - the ceramic-magnet 12″ behind the thick, overdriven sound of 1970s hard rock. Celestion's own marketing calls it "the 10″ that thinks it's a 12″." The speaker was developed specifically to recapture the sound of the company's 1970s 10″ drivers. It has been available since May 2013 and is still in production.
Spec-wise, it's a 30 W RMS, 8 or 16 ohm ceramic-magnet driver with a 1.75″ round copper voice coil, pressed steel chassis, and a sensitivity of 95 dB. Frequency response is listed at 95 Hz–5.5 kHz, and it weighs 1.6 kg. The "Greenback" name comes from the green plastic magnet cover.
Retailers describe the voicing as a warm low end, creamy midrange and smooth vintage top end - a "surprisingly meaty" tone for a 10″. One YouTube comparison found the G10s warmer and thicker than a comparable Fender CTS 10″, with less twang and more bass. The reviewer added that they "actually sound a bit like a real greenback."
One used listing in the archive tells a less enthusiastic story. The seller swapped the speaker out for a Celestion Gold "the day it arrived," after playing through it for less than a minute. No reason was given, and no other negative reports appear in the record. The same listing priced the speaker at $85.00. Current new prices range from roughly $109 to $175 CDN depending on retailer.
The G10 Greenback has also been captured as a downloadable speaker impulse response, for anyone who wants the sound without the cabinet.
Known Specs
- Nominal diameter: 10″ (254 mm)
- Power rating: 30 W RMS
- Impedance: 8 or 16 ohms
- Sensitivity: 95 dB (1W/1m)
- Frequency range: 95 Hz – 5.5 kHz
- Voice coil: 1.75″ (44.5 mm), round copper
- Magnet: Ceramic, 14.0 oz
- Chassis: Pressed steel
- Weight: 1.6 kg
- Made in England
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