RE: 10" Retro 10 - Marshall Lead 12 Microstack review

1

An original 80s Lead 12, with the 1x10" birch cabs... replaced both stock Celestion G10D-25s.

 

The WGS finally came in today. So disappointed in UPS these days. I don't blame the shipping on WGS. They had them boxed up, tracking number and on the way, within 24 hours. It was all UPS. 

 

Got the speakers, hooked up in nothing flat, plugged her in and wow, what a difference. Now, it sounds like a Marshall. A decent sized Marshall. Volume comparison... the amp on what used to be 5, is now 2. Its way over bedroom levels on 2.

 

I like 10" speakers. I think they're a good midrange speaker, that voices well and stands out. I like their projection. Though, I don't think of them as having a lot of bottom end. The WGS, in the 1x10" cabs, have plenty. More than enough for me, at least.

 

With the upgraded speakers, I know it would hang playing parties, small get-togethers and such. A small club? Maybe. Its a very loud 12 watts and holds its tone at upper volume levels with the speaker upgrade.

 

I was worried before I got these, that I would be bothered by the top end. Its the one area, I could not clean up to my liking, with the Celestions. To get any sort of pick attack, I thought the amp/speakers sounded thin and brittle. If you tried to fatten it up with bass, it would get muddy. I really can't rag on the Celestion mids, as there was a very wide range and voiced pretty well... but, good mids, with crap highs and lows, still sucks.

 

The WGS, out of the box, tight punch on the low end. There's a real nice growl on E and A. The top end, is the same as the bass... real tight... but its not an ice-pick in the ear sound. You can "dime" everything without it sounding like garbled, muddy, dog crap. Though... that's not my tone and was only a test. I'd like to try it wide-open someplace... but not my house.

 

Unlike the Celestions, you get a good mix and range between the top and low end. While trying to dial in a sound I liked, I heard some familiar tones. Plugged in Boston's first album and while Scholz used what sounds like a boatload of compression and other processing, that sounds like a Marshall to me and these WGS have a real similar tonal characteristic. Not as if, I sounded like him. But, like his setup might, just straight guitar to amp.

 

I really need to invest in a decent mic now. I tried several times to get a good take on VH's Black and Blue, as I think it shows a good range for the speakers/amp and I'm trying to dial in more of that tone... but the only thing I have is the mic on my phone.

2

Hey, thanks so much for taking the time to come back & post this review here ... where we ALL can benefit from it!

3

Final update on the speakers, now they're completely broken in.



As several companies have tried to use the phrase over the years, these speakers truly are, "the sound in your head." WGS may have better speakers in their line, but these are the best sounding speakers I've ever owned, in any of my amps/cabs (mostly Celestions). They are the most well-balanced speakers, I've come across. Highs, mids and lows all blend beautifully... and if you want a speaker that can growl, that sound you think of when you put a Marshall and a Les Paul together... it is in these speakers! Of course, if helps, I'm playing a Marshall and a Les Paul... but this is the sound I wanted.


As I have an early model of the 3005 Microstack, it was built to the same specs/quality as its JCM big brother, the cabs instead of being MDF are Birch, with MDF backs. Under the recommendation from a forum friend, I purchased some 1/2" Baltic Birch plywood and made new back plates. Wow, what a difference it makes.


For a 10" speaker, it just can't get much better. I would buy these over and over again. I like them so much and the Microstack form factor, going to mating the Marshall/WGS speaker cabs with a Egnater Tweaker 15 head also.

 

So if anyone ever asks, Vaughn... in a closed back, birch cab... The Retro 10 are hard to beat.

4

Hi,

I have watched several youtube vids about wgs and celestion speakers, and currentyl I have a Celestion G10 Vintage and a G10 Greenback in my Lead 12 microstack. I ordered 8 ohm speakers by mistake, so now I have to return them. At least I could try them, and now I know that the greenbacks sound dull in it. The G10 vintage is much better, though it lacks of low end at lower volumes.

I am looking for a great combination for home practive on volume 1/4 to 1/2 most of the time. I think I would go with the ET10/Veteran10 combination, but I really need your suggestion on it.

ET10 with Retro 10 would be better? I am looking for the classic marshall tone, for blues/hard rock/classic metal (sometimes) I drive it with a TS9 and boost it with a TC electronic Spark.

so the head is the lead 12, and the cabs are the closed back birch cabs. the G10 Greenback was so boomy, it shaked the back panel of the cab on higher volumes, above 3/4..

please plase share your thoughts!

5

Man ... I'd stick with a pair of Retro 10s ... just like has been said here ... they ROCK in those tiny micro-stack cabs (I have a pair of the older birch versions, too).

6

I have a Marshall Lead 12 Vintage Micro Stack (3005) Made in England.
My idea is upgrade the stock speakers ( Celestion G10D-25s).
The advice of Trevor English (WGS Sales & Customer Service) was: 10" GREEN BERET - 25 WATTS.
Next days I will try to upgrade the speakers :slight_smile:

7

Hummm … as was tamis said “At least I could try them, and now I know that the greenbacks sound dull in it.” Soooo … be prepared for that!
I’d just bet Trevor has never owned … or maybe heard those tiny cabinets. I own a pair, and I’d stick with the Ret 10’s … those tiny cabs NEED the added top and bottom … the GB’s are mid-heavy, the last thing those little boxes need … in my opinion anyway…

8

Pair of WGS Retro 10 10" / 60 W / 16 Ohm are coming to home :wink:

9

Pair of Ret 10’s are coming to home :slight_smile:

10

You’ll be surprised how HUGE those tiny cabs sound!

11

Vídeo of the little beast, upgraded with WGS Retro10" :slight_smile:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BqU-mH3hbyk/

12

Been looking to upgrade my micro stack aswell. Thought of going with the green beret but I got a sweet deal on 2 retro 10s. Hope I found what I’ve been looking for. New to all this posting and stuff. If I can figure it out, I’ll try a before and after and post it or upload it or whatever it is that my 10 yr old grandson does for YouTube. Don’t see any micro stack speaker upgrade out there.