Using Celestion Speakers In My Hot Rod DeVille
Last updated 7/30/10
I don't know why, but one day I had this idea to replace the stock Eminence speakers in my
Fender 2x12 Hot Rod DeVille with some Celestion G12S-50 speakers that I had lying around.
The stock speakers didn't sound bad, but I just wanted something a little different. So after
contemplating it for a while, I decided to go ahead and do it.
My main concern in doing this was that the speakers I had were technically the wrong ohm speakers
to pair up with my Hot Rod DeVille - it uses a pair of 8 ohms in parallel for a total load of 4 ohms, and
my Celestions were a pair of 16 ohms in parallel for a total load of 8 ohms. My concern was that I
might possibly damage the output transformer. But after doing a little research, I concluded that it
should be OK since I was increasing the load on the output transformer and not lowering it. Putting
a lower load on the output transformer than it was designed for is risky because it increases the
current significantly and this can blow the transformer. But I have been using this amp with these
speakers in it for two years now with no problems whatsoever, so it has withstood the test of time.
I am glad I did this because it made the amp a lot less "punchy", it cleaned up the bass response
a bit and it made the clean tones a little more "complex" sounding. I like the amp much better with
these speakers in it. It seems to be a good match for the amp with the mods I have done to it.
I like the look of these Celestions in there. In order to change the speakers, you basically
have to take the whole amp apart, pull out the chassis, etc. Not a hard job, just a little time
consuming. I don't think it took me more than an hour to change them out.
I suppose to some Fender purists, putting Celestion speakers into a Fender amp is heresy, but I think
that it makes for a nice combination. Maybe not for everyone, but it works for me.