Princeton Reverb Tweed - Celestion vs Cannabis Rex

[Gera RG]

Hello guys.

Seeking your input as I don't have the most knowledge about amp speakers.

Been looking to replace my Fender DRRI 65 with a Fender Princeton Reverb, particularly the 65' Tweed Reissue.

However I found that GC is offering one with a Celestion G12-65 speaker, while Sweetwater is offering one with a 12'' Eminence Cannabis Rex.

Can somebody please instruct me on the differences between both speakers? This is a once in a a lifetime investment for me so I want my speaker to be as cleanest and pedal friendly as the one in my DRRI has been.

Thank you guys!

 

[bulbasaur_85]

I think if you’re looking for clean tones the 12 inch will likely have a higher efficiency rating. You’ll stay cleaner longer as a result. The Crex is a nice speaker in the Princeton... I had that amp but couldn’t dial out this odd fizz in the decay of notes and chords. It wasn’t the speaker either as I plugged the amp into different cabs with the same results.

 

[Gera RG]

I think if you’re looking for clean tones the 12 inch will likely have a higher efficiency rating. You’ll stay cleaner longer as a result. The Crex is a nice speaker in the Princeton... I had that amp but couldn’t dial out this odd fizz in the decay of notes and chords. It wasn’t the speaker either as I plugged the amp into different cabs with the same results.

Yes! I want it clean, very neutral because I plug all kind of OD/Fuzzes into the amp and I want them to sound as they're really supposed to sound.

I really like my DRRI for that but it is heavier and also louder and breaks up faster due to his massive level range. That's why I'm attracted to the Princeton.

 

[blaster]

I have the 65RI Princeton with a 10" speaker. For me the 10" speaker is a perfect fit for the Princeton. I recently replaced the stock Jensen speaker in mine with the Celestion Gold 10" and waiting it to break in before I make a final assessment on it.

 

[blues junkie]

I have a Sweetwater princeton Reverb with the CRex ..... it sounds great

 

[Grand Pappy]

I had a tweed Princeton re issue from Sweetwater w/ a Crex.
I found it dark sounding
I went w/ an Eminence GA-SC64. It paired very well w/ that amp

 

[Gera RG]

So the Crex is particularly darker than the Celestion?

I play single coils, I wouldn't hate a dark amp, but if dark=muddy, then that would make me unhappy.

 

[Daytona57]

Fender Pro Jr IV Tweed into a 1x12 cab with a Cannabis Rex.

The CRex is a hemp cone and takes 40 hrs to break in, then it has a natural sound, with nice highs and bass. It is sensitive 102db, loud, with high headroom. I use a Barbershop V2, to attenuate, for low volume playing with tube saturation.

The CRex reproduces what is put into it. I can get brown sound, Fender cleans and Marshall mids.


My bandmate, playing his EVH Wolfgang Special into my rig.

YMMV

Edit: upload video.

 

[guitarlifestyle]

I have the 65RI Princeton with a 10" speaker. For me the 10" speaker is a perfect fit for the Princeton. I recently replaced the stock Jensen speaker in mine with the Celestion Gold 10" and waiting it to break in before I make a final assessment on it.

What's your initial impression of the change? I like the stock Jensen speaker, but I've been curious whether it was worth upgrading.

OP, I had the Sweetwater with the CRex, and I would agree that it's a darker speaker than what I'm used to in a stock Prinecton. I can't comment on the Celestion as I haven't tried that one.

 

[candid_x]

I had a tweed Princeton re issue from Sweetwater w/ a Crex.
I found it dark sounding
I went w/ an Eminence GA-SC64. It paired very well w/ that amp

The C-Rex takes a long time to break in, in my experience. And unlike some other speakers, the high end chime is the last to emerge. I guess it's the hemp cone. The only thing I don't like about hemp cones is their attack isn't crisp, kind of thumpy. That may contribute to the perception of them sounding darker. I don't think they're darker once really broken in, at least not darker than a G1265, or clone, which attenuate both the high and low end.

 

[Gera RG]

What's your initial impression of the change? I like the stock Jensen speaker, but I've been curious whether it was worth upgrading.

OP, I had the Sweetwater with the CRex, and I would agree that it's a darker speaker than what I'm used to in a stock Prinecton. I can't comment on the Celestion as I haven't tried that one.

Yes I'd like to know more about the Celestion.
If the CRex needs to break in order to let the high end shine, then I could be in trouble as most of the time I don't play at high volumes.

Thank you all for your comments!

 

[candid_x]

Yes I'd like to know more about the Celestion.
If the CRex needs to break in order to let the high end shine, then I could be in trouble as most of the time I don't play at high volumes.

Thank you all for your comments!

You don't need high volume to bring out the highs. Just plug in a guitar cable with the other end unplugged and touching the ground, turn up the treble and volume and let it hum happily for a couple hours. Sounds strange but it worked like a charm on my C-Rex. I use it on all speaker break-ins.

 

[Stratburst70]

I have the Princeton RI with the 12” CRex speaker and I have no problems getting highs. I set the Bass at 3 and the Treble at 6, and either use it with an EJ Strat or a Gretsch copy with Filtertrons. YMMV

 

[KONTAKTMOI]

I have 2 Princeton '65 RI. One has the Celestion 10 inch Greenback , the other one the Weber 150K

Both speakers are great, the Greenback is more British ( a little bit more polite sounding ), the Weber is 2 x 4 straight in the face.
I ONLY play single coil ( Strats and Tele's) and I prefer the Weber because of the immediate attack and response to the way you play the guitar.

 

[Gera RG]

I have the Princeton RI with the 12” CRex speaker and I have no problems getting highs. I set the Bass at 3 and the Treble at 6, and either use it with an EJ Strat or a Gretsch copy with Filtertrons. YMMV

Ok so as long as I set the EQ right I shouldn't be having any problems with the high end? Well, in fact my guitars are high-end oriented

I have 2 Princeton '65 RI. One has the Celestion 10 inch Greenback , the other one the Weber 150K

Both speakers are great, the Greenback is more British ( a little bit more polite sounding ), the Weber is 2 x 4 straight in the face.
I ONLY play single coil ( Strats and Tele's) and I prefer the Weber because of the immediate attack and response to the way you play the guitar.

Interesting! I never thought about a Weber! I'm playing too single coils (Strat with Emg SA Series a Fender Baja Tele with stock pickups)
The more neutral the speaker, the better, not overly dark, and not unbearably bright... So the qualities of the pedals shine by itself, that's my goal.
I'll take a look at a demo of the Weber, thanks

 

[Gera RG]

By the way... Browsing through Sweetwater, it seems that a lot of people are installing this speakers on their Princetons... So they're really loving the Celestion Golds!

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/de...-watt-alnico-replacement-guitar-speaker-8-ohm

 

[noley]

I think a better word to describe the CRex relative to other speakers is ‘robust’, not dark. It can deliver a full and hearty output if that’s what you want, but responds well to your tone controls if you don’t.

 

[aaronjcurtis]

I’ve been pondering this amp,
any input on a CRex in a DRRi?

https://www.long-mcquade.com/145268...rb-w-Laquered-Tweed--Cannabis-Rex-Speaker.htm

 

[candid_x]

I’ve been pondering this amp,
any input on a CRex in a DRRi?

https://www.long-mcquade.com/145268...rb-w-Laquered-Tweed--Cannabis-Rex-Speaker.htm

Once finally broken in, it sounded great in my DRRI. I just don't like the pick attack on hemp cones.

This C-Rex chart shows there's no lack of high end sparkle once broken in. There's also no very top end spike, which is great with a bright DR amp. Lots of thick mids too.

 

[noley]

Not to sidetrack, but I put the CRex into a Blues Jr and it has beefed it up tremendously.

Here’s what’s in my DRRI... I can’t imagine anything sounding better. So rich, full and lush in that amp: