Yes, if you find the ET too "bassy" ... then the mid-heavy Invader would be an excellent choice.
Hey Vaughn! I’m tossing around some ideas about a 2x12 cabinet I want to build and I would appreciate your input on the matter. I’m a Paducah, KY native living in Texas, and a WGS fanatic! I’ll be using an 8 ohm Reaper HP and an 8 ohm Retro 30 that were installed in my Peavey Classic VT50. I recently bought a Blackstar HT Club 40 to replace the 35 year old Peavey. My idea is to build a Stereo/Mono Cabinet for the Blackstar to sit on when it is turned vertical, making a tidy mini-stack. This means it needs to be 24.4 inches wide when turned vertical, and at least 11.7 inches deep. I would like it to be a versatile cabinet that would sound good with other amps I may acquire in the future. For the sake of versatility, I plan to provide multiple wiring options to include dual 8 Ohm Stereo inputs, a 4 Ohm Mono (Parallel) input, and 16 Ohm Mono (Series) input. The Blackstar will be running through the 16 Ohm Input.
I would appreciate your expert advice for two major design characteristics. First, should this cabinet be an open or closed back setup? I pay a variety of music from Blues to Classic Rock to down-tuned stoner Metal. Blackstar’s extension cabs for this series of amp are all 1/3 open-back. The amp itself is a ported closed back. The option of building a closed-back cabinet offers the opportunity to run the amp through its dual 16 ohm outputs to its onboard Celestial Seventy 80 and my proposed WGS Cabinet simultaneously for a one-of-a kind sound. The amplifier, in stock configuration, is already on the dark, bassy side with the Celestion Seventy 80. So maybe a closed back cab would be overkill. But the Reaper and the Retro Have excellent high-end clarity so they may be perfect in a sealed box. I haven’t ruled out a removable 3 piece back. What are your thoughts?
Second, based on the choice of open versus closed back, can you recommend dimensions for the cabinet that fit my vision? Looking at popular closed-back cabinets running V30’s and similar speakers, I see the top manufacturers like to have anywhere from 7500 to 9600 cubic inches of displacement. With the ends of my proposed cabinet mating with my combo amp’s footprint, that would put its length somewhere around 30 inches. Is a closed back 24.4" x 11.7" x 30” closed-back cabinet with a Reaper HP/Retro 30 combination a feasible configuration for a Rockin’ extension cab?
I appreciate any input you can provide. I consult your video demos of all speakers when making a purchase and have been pleased with my results. Thanks for all you do and Keep on Rockin’!
Jesse
Okay ... first, I think your proposed cabinet dimensions are fine .... and second, I'd go 1/3 open-back; it'll give you a more 3-dimensional stage-filling tone, and ... yes, I do think closed would be "overkill" as you described it with that amp.
Hope this helps.
Hello- I just bought a Veteran 30 for my 1x12 cab. I will be adding a second 1x12 cab and would like to know which WGS speaker goes well with the Veteran 30. I know there are other combinations that most will say work better, but I would like to try the Veteran 30 in a pairing first. Thanks, all.
What about x-pattern retro30/vet30?
I would like to know if a x-pattern vet30/retro30 could me a good choice for modern high gain?
Hello from Germany,
I recently bought for my VOX AC30 (2x12) an ET 65/16 as a substitute for Celestion Alnico Blue (new stock) which i am very happy about!!
Now I´m looking for a subtitute for the second Alnico blue, because i can not stand his shrill heights.
I was thinking something in the direction of greenback, because i like his “smack” especially with Strat, but i could use more Watt and of course i would like him to fit the ET 65.
Can you please make me a some good recommendation?
Thank you
Dusan
Yet another question on the right combo for a particular amp. I just completed a Tweed Twin High Power clone build. I plugged it in to my 2 x 12 ET65/Vet30 cabinet. It sounds…okay. But, it’s a bit like eating raisin bran without milk. There are some sweet spots but, it kind of wallows from the lower mids on down. That is, it’s a bit muddy sounding. Would swapping out the Vet 30 for a Retro 30 bring more clarity and definition to the lower range or should I take a different tack altogether?
Maybe 2 G12C’s, 2 G12C/S’s, or a G12C + a G12C/S combo would give me the tonal bliss I seek.
Thanks,
Cliff
I have a ET65/Vet30 Combination in my 2x12 Combo and I am very happy with this.
Now I bought a 2x10 Combo for home and small gigs. What 10’’ speaker combination would you recomment that is compareable to my 2x12.
Good day Vaughn. The Retro is rated at 75W and the ET65 @ 65 as you know.
Does this not mean that over all tonal characteristics will be that of the Retro?
That is to say the Retro will dominate.
Ray
The Reaper HP is also great with the Vet 30 for more a more bole woody sound good for classic rock, some types of Metal or Jazz. It has a Clarinet-like upper-mid resonance and less sting compared to the ET65.
Some of you have been wanting that “Greenbackish” sound from a Marshall type of amps but with something extra. Me too! Because of that I’ve been testing quite many different speakers combinations.
The amp I am using is a stunning (both the looks and the sound. Bluetone - a custom made amp here in Finland. It has three channels. A Blackface style channel that uses 6L6 power amp tubes, a Plexi style channel and Friedman style hot rodded channel that both uses EL34 tubes.
Earlier I used 212 cab with Celestion V30 and G12H 75 Creamback but got tired to that high mid/treble spike that made the amp lack thickness and warmth so it was a time to go with WGS.
So far I’ve tested following combinations: Veteran 30 + ET65, Veteran 30 + Invader, Veteran 30 + ET90, ET65+ ET90, Invader + ET65, Invader + Reaper HP. Out of these combinations, my favorite is the Invader + Reaper HP. It is just perfect for that brown sound but it still works great with that Blackface channel as well. Just a perfect balance of cut and warmth. Super tight sounding yet very open. Not fizzy, ice-picky, muddy or boomy. Yet is has surprisingly much character and persona. It can go from that 70’s Plexi sound to 80’s shred to modern drop tuned 7 string metal to great blues and even country sounds. Just loving it. Best speaker combo I’ve come across in my 17 years of guitar playing as a semi-professional player with over 800 live shows played.
Veteran + Invader worked also great (as did all the other combinations so it is just a matter of taste).
If I’d be playing only the clean Blackface channel I’d go with the ET65+ET90 combo. With the Marshall type channels that combo seems to go out of that “Greenback” zone.
It is 2 o’clock at night here in Finland so I’ll catch some sleep now so that I can play that lovely Invader + Reaper HP combo tomorrow.
My Vote is for the ET65 and Retro 30! Best Speaker combination ever!
Hi everyone I am going to introduce myself, I am Daniel and I come from Italy.
I am looking for a pair of WGS to put in my 2x12 cab, I already have got a pair of ET 65 and a pair of Celestion V30 in my 4x12 Carvin cabinet (the Steve Vai one).
I am looking for a versatile cabinet, I am more into the crunch and lead tone Marshall style ( something like EVH but a bit more modern, Joe Satriani, ANdy Timmons etc) is really hard to choose the right couple of speaker, I have seen a lot of good combination like the ET 65 + Veteran, Et 65 + Retro, Et 65 + invader, and I am really considering the Invader 50 + reaper hp ( Vesa looks really happy about this mix) or Invader 50 + veteran.
I really need your help
Hi all,
I’m looking to replace the G12t75 in my 2x12 Cab for something more in phase with my needs since I’m mostly using it for lower volume practicing, playing Blues and Rock and those speakers only come alive at higher watts/volume.
Main guitars are a Les Paul Trad with Classic '57’s and a SRV Strat w/Texas specials.
I’m driving the cab with a Laney Cub 12R 15watts British voiced amp (based on a Jcm800). Often using the 1w input of the Laney for in house practice/playing. I also have a '59 Tweed Champ with AlNiCo for the Fender cleans and blues, might plug it in once in a while too but mostly looking for a speaker option to cover the Brit sound.
I read all the post here and the ET65 and Retro 30 seems to be a very good option but since I’m using low Watts/low volume most of the time would I be better served with lesser watts speakers options ?
My thinking being that lesser watts speakers are probably more responsive at lower volume since they don’t have to be as stiff to handle the higher requirements of more capable speakers. I am right in that assumption ?
Any suggestions are welcome, it’s hard for me to actually hear the speakers before buying so I’ll take it from you people that actually had that chance and/or knowledge. 
Thanks
I’ve got a Super Reverb (reissue) that I had converted into a head, and had a Mercury Mag OT with 2/4/8ohm taps installed so I would not be limited to a 2ohm speaker load.
I tried a Retro 30/ET-65 pair in there and really liked it. My Super is not inherently bright, so the Retro 30 brought that out nicely. The ET-65 filled out the low-end. Together, they were a good EQ pairing across the board for clean and my dirt pedals (wide range of OD, crunch, distortion and metal). The only problem was that I started to hear the two speakers separately. i.e. more treble/mids on the left, less treble/more bass on the right.
My OCD got the better of me and I’ve moved on to a pair of G12C’s [same amp, same cab]. (Another reason I sold off the Retro30/ET-65 pair is that they were both 8ohm speakers, and I wanted to 16ohm the next go-round.) For the record, the G12C pairing is not ‘too bright’ with my amp; with the statement from WGS about how the G12C is their brightest speaker, it gives me some baseline from which to reference.
The G12C pair are bright/tight, and they sound really good (not ‘great’) played clean and with dirt pedals. However, the EQ is not nearly as musical as with the Retro 30/ET-65 pairing. The latter pair sounded MUCH better ‘straight out of the box’ than the G12C pair.
Really thinking about going with a Retro 30 + ______ speaker again. I love the clarity and how dirt pedals sound with the mids (full, but not cocked-wah)
Considering the following matchups:
Retro 30 + Retro 30 - would give me a solid mids & treble section, high-end might tame down some after break-in?
Retro 30 + Veteran 30 - less meds & treble than above, but wouldn’t be as drastic as with an ET-65.
Retro 30 + Invader 50 - bright plus rock-n-roll? just wondering if this would be too much midrange, and the low-end might start to get too loose here. I have the least confidence in this pairing.
Any other suggestions? Again, my Super is not exactly a bright amp, and that circuit has more mids/lows than a Twin.
I Hear ya … I’ve got two Super Reverbs, a '67 to gig out and a '64 lives in the studio … and NO they are not bright … they are HUGE, fat, full, thick and JUICY! (and that’s with the tens 
The problem with the G12C’s is that they are too stiff a cone and they will make the amp sound more like a Deluxe Reverb on steroids than a fat, juicy Super!
I actually think the two Ret 30’s would work well … but of all your combinations … I like the Ret 30/Vet 30 idea idea the best … the Vet will bring back a tiny bit of thickness in the mids … but the difference will be very subtle, so you won’t have the same “too different” thing going on that you didn’t like with the Ret30/ET65 pairing … which you would probably also have with the Ret30/Invader pairing, even though it would sound EXCELLENT!
mostly interested in building my wet/dry/wet live guitar rig after we finish our projet.
I’m still in the honeymoon phase with this speaker combo, so far I’m blown away! Reaper HPs and ET90s in a Marshall 4x12, x-pattern. They replaced Weber Silver Bells and Blue Dogs I was using for about the last fifteen years. The Webers are 30watts each, I used them with 50watt Plexis and dirt pedals for hard rock and metal primarily and they worked well. I started playing through a Mark IV and it just seemed like the Webers were being pushed a bit much and were a little harsh. I didn’t want to go completely neutral with my speakers, I figured from what I was reading about them the ET90s would sound big, smooth and clean while the Reaper HPs would give me a little of the hair I was used to hearing. Well, the info and opinions on here were spot on, both these speakers are well balanced IMO, while they have their own character these two speakers are one hell of a match!!!
Hey Vaughn!
First, I love WGS speakers !
I have the Invader and a ET90
There are killers.
Now it’s for a Marshall DSL 100 HR. And the cab I want to reload is a 1936.
So I want a load pair of combined speakers.
I know, love and have the ET 90 witch is perfect for the job cause its power handling of 90w.
What other speaker model would you pair it with considering it’s a 100w Head for a 2x12 , so I want power handling and a nice round warm but crunch when needed.
Also wattage and sens to bring to the equation.
Is a 75w will weaker next to a 90w ?
Thanks a lot in advance