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Post subject: What cobra tolex Fender bottm did I just buy?
Posted: Sat Dec 01, 2012 3:45 pm
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I made a trade and picked up an extremely unusual Fender bottom, a model I've never seen before. I'd like to know much more about it; as much as possible. I was shopping for any thin-edge bottom to recover in blonde tolex and wheat grille to match my head (not original colors either). But this medium-edge snakeskin 4X12 bottom is so totally weird and strangely cool that I don't want to change anything until I know much more about it, if at all. I'm almost afraid to say it's starting to grow on me.

The only identification besides the tailless fender logo plate is a small plate on the input jack plate with the fender logo and rerial numer L079517. Not even a clue where it was made. The cabinet is a 4X12 with straight sides (not like the Marshall "A" top-stack angle cabs) but the grille and baffleboard are not flat; they have a vertical seam in the middle, so that two drivers (a vertical pair) face right a few degrees and the other two (also above & below each other) face left a few degrees. The tolex is white background with a black snakeskin (cobra??) print. The grillecoth looks like black nylon. The back is not removable and the speakers front-load after the grill is removed (some kind of velcro I think).

The angeled grille looks really cool to me; and it's probalby a good idea too. I have seen some modern tweedy retro-clones with a similar angled baffleboard. It should at least spread the typical high-frequency beaming that usually occurs with full-range 12's covering highs with wavelength smaller than cone size.

I can't help but wonder when this was made? Perhaps around the advent of the "stack"? The tailless logo and serial number might help. There are wheel-sockets in the top indicating it was intended to be stacked, which makes me wonder whether it was top or bottom and what its partner looked like (same or different??) and what kind of head it was intended for. I've seen other Fender cobra tolex amps, I think perhaps a blues jr. and earlier red-knob TheTwin.


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Post subject: Re: What cobra tolex Fender bottm did I just buy?
Posted: Sat Dec 01, 2012 5:43 pm
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I guess the most recent snakeskin tolex I'm thinking of is the Fender Limited Edition Hot Rod Deluxe Python


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Post subject: Re: What cobra tolex Fender bottm did I just buy?
Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2012 5:39 pm
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Picture would be helpful as it may just be a recovered 4x12 cab from the 80s/90s.

when you say the back isn't removable, is it because the tolex is covering up the panel seams? that would indicate it was recovered and isn't factory original.

But again, posting pictures (free photobucket acct works for me) would help more people let you know what you have.

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Post subject: Re: What cobra tolex Fender bottm did I just buy?
Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2012 6:35 pm
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cyclecamper, Something like this?

http://www.mojotone.com/amp-parts/Tolex ... Tolex-54-W


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Post subject: Re: What cobra tolex Fender bottm did I just buy?
Posted: Sun Jan 25, 2015 3:56 pm
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That's the exact tolex. The tolex is obviously original. I just dropped it off in Illinois until I get a new house, so I can't get pics yet, but this thing is so sleazy it's really extremely rock and roll cool. It's classy because it's Fender, it's kind of Las Vegas because of the snakeskin, it's pretty rock & roll too, yet the design (not pointing all 4 speakers the same direction) is really functional and the box internal volume is sufficient to sound better than many too-compact cabinets.

I have been told by several people that it's a SUNN design that Fender labeled and sold the remaining stock of, but it came with the high-powered square-magnet speakers like in a SuperTwin. Unfortunately, I didn't grab the drivers too, and bought the cab empty and reloaded it with various drivers.

I'm kind of surprised that Fender doesn't have some kind of archive, some pictorial history of products, or any registry of the serial number. I'd sure like to now more about this cool unusual find.


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Post subject: Re: What cobra tolex Fender bottm did I just buy?
Posted: Sun Jan 25, 2015 4:29 pm
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The back is not removable because it was glued and braced at the factory, and the drivers are front-loaded. It has thick edges, like a Marshall cabinet. I'm convinced it's all-original except the drivers. Someday I'll probably install some lightweight Neodymium speakers.


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Post subject: Re: What cobra tolex Fender bottm did I just buy?
Posted: Sun Jan 25, 2015 4:30 pm
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nedorama wrote:
Picture would be helpful as it may just be a recovered 4x12 cab from the 80s/90s.


I would have to agree with Ned on this one. That front vertical center seam with the square cab sure sounds like a Showman bottom cab. During the time of the Champ 12, and the red knob days, python coverings were all the rage, especially for the Hair Metal types and Fender offered them on both the Showman and Champ 12.

Of course pics are needed to be totally sure.

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Post subject: Re: What cobra tolex Fender bottm did I just buy?
Posted: Sun Jan 25, 2015 4:31 pm
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cyclecamper wrote:
I guess the most recent snakeskin tolex I'm thinking of is the Fender Limited Edition Hot Rod Deluxe Python


The tolex is that python, but certainly not a Hot Rod Deluxe. This is a much older bottom.


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Post subject: Re: What cobra tolex Fender bottm did I just buy?
Posted: Sun Jan 25, 2015 4:37 pm
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Look like this except with Python covering?

Image

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