Have you heard about the rare 6402 cone '90s Greenbacks?

[LPman]

These '90s Greenback with the 6402 cone codes were made for a very short time and what little info is available about them are all rave reviews. These are said to be the closest ever in sound to the old Pulsonic ones.

I accidentally bought a cab with these speakers a few years ago and when I saw the cone codes I decided to keep the speakers and put them inside my '74 Marshall cab. I liked the sound of these 6402 ones more than the stock '74 "Creambacks" and my later set of "Blacbacks" (sold them shortly after). I still use these speakers.

Anyone else know about this series and like them? Maybe compared them to Pulsonics (preferably ones that have been played little)?

 

[BygoneTones]

Been trying to get hold of some of those recently. Most people seem to like them. I believe they were still being made by Mueller at that point. Before they started using the Chinese made cones.

 

[Scumback Speakers]

Actually Kurt Muller still makes these cones. I recently tried the Mojotone Watchtower speakers (still breaking in weeks later I might add), but they had the 53H1777 cones, which were the new # used for the 6402 cones. As I was building speakers a couple of months back, I had some cones I don't normally order in with my standard M/J/H75 cones.

Sure enough I compared these to the WT cones and they were the same cone. I've got about 50 of them, it seems KM put then in with my standard cones by mistake.

I guess I should build one and see how it sounds in an M75 frame, huh?

 

[Seven]

Audio clips are always appreciated on such rare things as this.

 

[Tatzmann]

I have a 1993 1960AX with the 6402's,
and a 2013 1960AX with chin. G12M.

Way darker sounding than the chinese G12M25 from the last 15 years.

Its one of my best cabs, very strong hitting oomph.

The more recent "uk" G12M25 are like those speakers right out the box, they do something different in uk then in china, for sure.

 

[jaggy89]

I've been looking everywhere for a cab with early 90's greenbacks. The moment they pop up they seem to sell pretty much instantly and I don't think many of these were made. I think V30's were much more popular in the early 90's.

If anyone has a cab with these they are willing to part with, please let me know

 

[racerxrated]

They are nice speakers; still have one here somewhere. But they don’t compare to Pulsonics or even the 1974 RIC cone creambacks i had recently. Those vintage speakers are still a notch or two better imo.

 

[BygoneTones]

I've been looking everywhere for a cab with early 90's greenbacks. The moment they pop up they seem to sell pretty much instantly and I don't think many of these were made. I think V30's were much more popular in the early 90's.

If anyone has a cab with these they are willing to part with, please let me know

I think some of the first Marshall cabs to get the 6402 cone greenbacks were the 1960TV cabs in the late 80's. That's the best place to look for them, if you can find an early one. I have seen them for sale a few times in the past and passed on them. Now they will probably go up in price.

In fact I don't think the first reissue greenbacks in the late 80's have the 6402 stamp on the cone. They might be blank or just have a '5' on them. I'll have to look into that. I remember seeing some a while ago from 87 or 88 and they didn't have the 6402 stamp. Probably the same cone though.

 

[LPman]

They are nice speakers; still have one here somewhere. But they don’t compare to Pulsonics or even the 1974 RIC cone creambacks i had recently. Those vintage speakers are still a notch or two better imo.

I liked these 6402s better than the stock '74 Creambacks which I sold right after. I never experienced the classic plexi sound from my amp (69 JMP) until I accidentally run into these 6402 Greenbacks. UK V30s, T75s, old Blackbacks, Creambacks, nothing seemed to compare to these for me.

It would be interesting to compare them again with a more experienced pair of ears. I use these speakers exclusively in my '74 cab for about 10 years. What I will compare them though for sure are the G12-65s (Heritage ones because there were about 40 different versions of the old ones).

I'm gonna record them side-by-side when I got them.

 

[LPman]

Actually Kurt Muller still makes these cones. I recently tried the Monotone Watchtower speakers (still breaking in weeks later I might add), but they had the 53H1777 cones, which were the new # used for the 6402 cones. As I was building speakers a couple of months back, I had some cones I don't normally order in with my standard M/J/H75 cones.

Sure enough I compared these to the WT cones and they were the same cone. I've got about 50 of them, it seems KM put then in with my standard cones by mistake.

I guess I should build one and see how it sounds in an M75 frame, huh?

Jim, what do you think of these 6402s compared to Pulsonics (I mean ones that are still more or less intact and retained their sound)? You are expert in this subject. Is there truth in the hearsay that Celestion got really close with these rare 90s reproductions? I'm not just talking about the usual online chit-chat, I heard this from local gurus as well who are in the amp and cabinet game for decades.

Btw, it's a pity I don't have the option in my area in Europe to try your speakers.

 

[Scumback Speakers]

Jim, what do you think of these 6402s compared to Pulsonics (I mean ones that are still more or less intact and retained their sound)? You are expert in this subject. Is there truth in the hearsay that Celestion got really close with these rare 90s reproductions? I'm not just talking about the usual online chit-chat, I heard this from local gurus as well who are in the amp and cabinet game for decades.

Btw, it's a pity I don't have the option in my area in Europe to try your speakers.

They got really close, I still do a cone & doping treatment to the ones I get to take a little off the high end, and give the bass a little more oomph. Compared to an original pre-rola, they have more high end and upper mids than a G12M 003 cone. That's why I break mine in for 24 hours on the variac to get them loosened up and softened up a bit on the high end.

 

[Marshallmadness]

I had 4 of them for years and finally stuck them in an early 70’s B cab and holy cow do they really sound good in that thing. They are phenomenal for sure.

 

[LageR]

I have a 1960TV cab from 1990 with greenbacks. No codes on them but some yellow markings? Is it the same as 6402 cones?
Sounds great!

 

[giam23]

I just picked up a ‘98 1960AX cab with a quad of the 6402s in it. They sounded pretty similar in my opinion to my quad of 76 blackbacks. I pulled the 6402s out of that cab and put a quad of 68 pulsonic greenbacks in it and they do sound a bit different, the pulsonics seem to have some upper mid sizzle to them that all my other speakers don’t have. Will need to do more testing and find another cab to throw the 6402s in

 

[TAZIN]

I just picked up a ‘98 1960AX cab with a quad of the 6402s in it. They sounded pretty similar in my opinion to my quad of 76 blackbacks. I pulled the 6402s out of that cab and put a quad of 68 pulsonic greenbacks in it and they do sound a bit different, the pulsonics seem to have some upper mid sizzle to them that all my other speakers don’t have. Will need to do more testing and find another cab to throw the 6402s in

What kind of differences are you hearing between the '76 Blackbacks & the 6402's?

 

[giam23]

What kind of differences are you hearing between the '76 Blackbacks & the 6402's?

I didnt record any of it sadly but from memory the 6402s were a little brighter. sounded like the same speaker but with the presence turned up a little. Not the best comparison though as the cab with the blackbacks its a straight and the 6402s were in a slant. The 6402s are currently not in a cab so ill chuck one of them in another cab i have and record some domeos for comparison