Why a Celestion Blue in 5e3?

Kuras

Hi all

I have purchased a TAD kit 5e3 which is fitted with a Celestion Blue.

I'm not that familiar with tweed amps so my question is, why do people use a Blue in a 5e3? What are the 'improvements' or advantages of this combination over a Jensen or Jensen clone?

I've read and watched many articles with people discussing speakers changes but not many have put their reasons for changing to something like a Blue, which as far as I can tell is light years away from the Jensen of the originals in terms of spec and tone. Is it something other than power and being heard in a live setting whilst using a Deluxe?

I have owned 2 amps with Celestion Blues and not really got the whole Celestion Blue love. I owned a 90s AC30TBX and am currently selling an AC15 HW and neither of them really did it for my taste (but maybe it's the Vox thing instead of the Blue thing).

I am tempted to look for a Warehouse G12Q as I'd prefer to have the Deluxe as close to an old ones as possible and for it to be as different to my 74 Deluxe Reverb as possible.

Interested to hear some opinion 

Thanks

TheMarlin

The blue and a 5E3 is just a magical combination. 

One of the best guitar tones you can get. 

Modulus_Amps

The blue just works really well with the deluxe, I think the brightness and tight bass compliment it nicely.

Lots of speakers work well with the deluxe though, some need a few circuit tweaks though to get them really singing.

Majorscale

Funnily enough I had a similar chat with Jesse at Lazy J recently. The Blue just works really well. He also told me, if you can find one, that the Tayden Ace 25 is tonally closer to the original 60s Celestion Blue than the current Celestion reissues. 

lustycourtier

Majorscale said:

Funnily enough I had a similar chat with Jesse at Lazy J recently. The Blue just works really well. He also told me, if you can find one, that the Tayden Ace 25 is tonally closer to the original 60s Celestion Blue than the current Celestion reissues. 

Rob Wienbrock used to use those Taydens. A great speaker

Cirrus

The Taydens were nice, I'd say they weren't quite up to the old Celestions. Slightly smoother and flatter, which was a step in the right direction, but not quite as much harmonic complexity - that crushed glass top end that's really full of noise without being too bright. Also both the ones I had ended up with coil rub and had to be replaced - 100% failure rate. And you don't see many for sale 10 years on... My pet theory is that they used less or weaker glue for tone and it didn't last

I love a particular old blue in my 5e3. I tried a Jensen alnico, the horseshoe magnet one? And pretty much hated it more than anything I've ever heard. Also recently had a C12n in for a few months and I liked that a lot for solo playing, but in a band it sounded congested and not loud enough. The Blue makes it sing at band volumes and gives it top end articulation & bottom end weight that works well against drums.

menamestom

Blue is much more efficient with some of the more vintage correct options, which is a factor for some poeple who want to maximise volume.

I think I tried the Warehouse G12Q and found it a bit lightweight, quite flubby with a lot of breakup, which of course might be what you want.

RickLucas

I've tried Webers, Jensens, Taydens and Celestions with 5E3 amps, and the Blue just seems to sound and feel right at all volume levels.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FAR-VMXnxLs

mo6020

RickLucas said:

I've tried Webers, Jensens, Taydens and Celestions with 5E3 amps, and the Blue just seems to sound and feel right at all volume levels.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FAR-VMXnxLs

Tweed amps just sound so good don't they? That sounds glorious.

Winny_Pooh

Some on the gearpage prefer Webers.
I have themarlin's old 5e3 and it actually has an undespecced power transformer so is not very loud, dirty and a bit dark. The blue is a bit too dark and mid heavy in this amp and after changing to a Jensen blackbird 40 it sounds more balanced. 

The BB40 is quite underrated and a lighter weight too! And being rated higher you could run it with 6L6s.

Kuras

Thanks for all your replies.

I managed to get a couple of hours with the 5e3 this morning, playing my burst and Jazzmaster. I'm loving it so far. There's lots more compression than my 74 Deluxe Reverb with greater sustain and a nice softness to the attack. There's a lot of detail and fidelity, I can really hear the guitars like their characteristics, strengths and flaws. I'm excited to play it live and see if it can really cut the mustard! The blue makes more sense now.

Neilybob

I am going to try a Eminence GA SC64 Alessandro speaker. 

I’ve used my 5E3 clone with a Eminence Governor speaker which sounds great.