Is a 20W Tube Head, generally considered to much for a 25w Green Back speaker to handle in a single 1 x 12 cabinet?
 
I have the 20w Peavey Classic head and I need to pick up a speaker cab for this little guy.  Guitar Center has a close out deal on a Fargen 1 x 12 speaker cab with a Warehouse Guitar Speakers Green Beret, near me.  I am intrigued.  

all depends,
on how loud you play.
 
a 20 w amp will have a much higher peak output depending on how much gain, and how you tweak the front end of the amp.
 
that said, VH runs a 100 watt head into a sig cab, that says it's rated for 100 watts, but only has (4) 20 w celestions in it....
 
fuzzy math?
 
 
i'd say, if you are not running it wide open, it might be the perfect fit.
 
 

Oops, I meant to post this in the Hardware Forum.  Oh, well....Mod's will probably eventually move it.  
 
Thanks for the reply, Bat.  The actual cabinet made for this head has a Celestion V30 in it.  I may hold out for that yet.  I would most likely have to order it, however...these little amps don't seem to be hitting the retail stores yet, even though they have been out for a while. 
 
Like you have stated, though, I probably won't every dime the amp, so it may work great.  I probably need to go test drive the speaker up at GC to hear what a Green Beret sounds like.  

i run my 60 watt boogie, into a single 1x12 cab with a Celestion Heritage G12H(55) that is only 30 watts...
 
and my other two cabs with greenbacks, still don't match the total output,
but i don't dime them anymore, so it's all good.
 
then, you are more talking about matching the impedence and EFFICIENCY to the amp....
 
lower watt speakers, with less efficient drivers, aren't as loud, which sometimes, is the perfect thing for driving an amp a bit harder, without the volume.
 

michaelhanson
Is a 20W Tube Head, generally considered to much for a 25w Green Back speaker to handle in a single 1 x 12 cabinet?
 
I have the 20w Peavey Classic head and I need to pick up a speaker cab for this little guy.  Guitar Center has a close out deal on a Fargen 1 x 12 speaker cab with a Warehouse Guitar Speakers Green Beret, near me.  I am intrigued.  

Short answer is no. Any chance you can you try it out with your head?
 
Rocky

I have an 18 watt tube amp going into a greenback and haven't had any problems. It's a clone of a Marshall 1974. Driving the speaker until it breaks up is part of the appeal of this amp, just like old tweeds :) Depends on what sound you want - I really like the Greenback.

Warehouse Guitar Speakers makes an excellent product. Many factors effect the power ratings and you will usually see builders using lower wattage speakers in closed back cabs. The air sealed in the cab acts as a shock absorber and limits the cone movement. This allows you to run more power into it without damage and gives a more controlled, compressed sound. This is how they can advertise a 100 watt cab with 4, 20 watt drivers.
 
Another thing to think about is your desired tone. If you want a warm sound with good bottom then go for a higher wattage driver. If you want more distortion and drive then get something close to the amps' rating. My personal favourite is the Celestion G12-30 pre China.
 
WGS makes a model called the Reaper and it comes in a standard, 55hz and high power version. I use them as a standard driver for my low power amp builds and they are way less money than the Celestions from China. They are made in Kentucky, USA.

Rocky- Possibly.
 
Rsinger- Thank you for that info.  That's a little more assuring to know that someone is running something similar.
 
John- I was really hoping that you would respond.  All VERY good info.  I have heard really good things about WGS speakers and that is what immediately drew interest from me in this cabinet.  Very interesting your comments on warm sounding, in relation to driver.  I would have never thought of that.  I do like warmth in my tone, but I also like early break up.  
 
The Peavey head can be switched from 20w to 5w or down to 1w.  Most of the time, it will probably be played in my studio at either 1w or 5w for recording and recreational play.  It may venture onto stage with my Worship Band as needed.  In that case it would probably be used at 20w.  Then again....it could get mic'd.
 

Right now my main amp is a single ended class A model producing about 8 watts. I'm using the WGS Veteran 30 that is rated for about 50 watts in an open back single 12 cab. It drips with tone. Huge bass response and very clear treble and mids. In fact, I designed the amp as a utility item for recording studios. You can plug any instrument into it for recording. It runs a guitar but will also allow you to run a 5 string bass with active electronics (using an appropriate speaker cab). Try that with a Fender champ. 
 
Many years ago, it was a conversation with the late Ted Weber that hipped me to the relationship between warmth and power handling. Ted understood speakers like nobody else so I listened to every word.
 
Acoustics and the mechanics of hearing are very strange things. I would bet that the difference in your amp sound between the 5 watt and 20 watt settings is very similar until it gets wound up. Our ears and brain don't tell us the same things about sound that measuring equipment does. If you wanted an amp louder than your 20 watt model you should start looking at 80 watts and up.
 
In your case I would recommend getting a cheap VOX cab on sale. I picked one up for $100. Take out the Chinese greenback and replace it with a WGS Reaper. You have plenty of power to get it working. Another option is to get the same speaker with the 55 Hz cone. Typically these have way less doping on the surround and tend to let the cone move more. It's rumoured that the Celestion G12-30 55Hz is the speaker that Hendrix used in his Marshalls, but I have no direct knowledge.

ampfixer
It's rumoured that the Celestion G12-30 55Hz is the speaker that Hendrix used in his Marshalls, but I have no direct knowledge.

 
as i stated earlier,
i use that heritage g12h-55,
here's the scoop on it:
http://celestion.com/product/25/heritage_series_g12h55/