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Post subject: Bassman Cabinet Date
Posted: Sun Aug 16, 2009 7:52 pm
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Hello all! Just wanted to know how do you "date" a Fender Bassman amp Cabinet? I've seen the different ways to do the "amp heads" but not the cabinet........


JPMac


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Posted: Tue Aug 18, 2009 2:16 am
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It is fairly easy to date the speakers themselves. If the speakers are original knowing when they were made would mean that week was the very earliest possible time the cab could have been made.

On the frame of the speaker will be a series of numbers stamped.
If a Jensen the code starts 220 for example.

The LAST two numbers 01 through 52 indicate the WEEK it was made. 36 would mean made the 36th week.

Then the numbers left in the middle between the three digit manufacturer code and the two digit week code will be either ONE or TWO digits. One digit was used in the 50's and 60's. Then in the 70's they started using two digits for the year.

So if the only number you have left to work with is a "5" for example that means the speaker could have been made in 1955 or 1965. Starting in 1970 they began using TWO digits for the year so it is way easy. No guess work. However Fender models and cosmetics changed significantly between the 50's and 60's so sorting that out is fairly easy.

So lets decode speaker with code of 2207147
That is a Jensen made the 4th week of 1971.

If it was 220603
That would be a Jensen made the 3rd week of EITHER 1956 or 1966. You'd have to judge from the cosmetics and other design features like handles to decide which decade it was made.

If the speaker dates to 1965 that just means the cab could not be an OLDER model than that. So it gives you a ROUGH idea of the very oldest model the cab could be. Speakers are bulky and take up lots of room so they would not have been warehoused like smaller parts like pots, caps and tuners for long.

Most speaker manufacturer codes common in Fender Guitar & Bass amplifiers and cabs are as follows:
67 = EMINENCE (this is a two digit manufacturer code)
73 = JBL (2 digit code)
137 = CTS
220 = JENSEN
285 = ROLA
328 = UTAH
391 = ALTEC LANSING
433 = CLEVELAND
465 = OXFORD
649 = ELECTRO-VOICE
1098 = PYLE (another 4 digit code)

Hope that helps!


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Posted: Tue Aug 18, 2009 6:53 pm
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Thanks for getting back to me. OK the numbers I came up with on the speakers were:

023119

465-808

12T6-9

Then on the wood frame of the cabinet was FO11368

So if I'm reading this right it would be 8th week of 1968 and the speakers are Oxford.

465 = Oxford

Last 2 digits 08 is the week so 8th week

and 8 is left to be 1968. Let me know if this is right.

and Thanks again!

I wonder if there is a cabinet code because mine ended in "68"

Also there was a number on the bottom of the outside cabinet "P37277"


JPMac


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Posted: Wed Aug 19, 2009 3:27 am
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That is what I would say about the speakers. I really don't know about the cabinet stamp ending in "68" for sure but that would almost be too much of a coincidence to not mean it was made in 68. So I'd say, that my best guess is congratulations it is a 1968 cabinet loaded with Oxford speakers.


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Posted: Wed Aug 19, 2009 4:09 am
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Thanks Brother Dave again for getting back so quickly...


Much appreciated!

JPMac


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Posted: Wed Aug 19, 2009 4:34 pm
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Now since we are on the subject of "speakers" are the Oxford speakers one of the better ones offered?


JPMac


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Posted: Thu Aug 20, 2009 1:47 pm
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No. Here is a link to check out about Oxford speakers.
http://www.schematicheaven.com/faq/oxfo ... istory.pdf

The better speakers were the JBL which was an upgrade option.


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Posted: Thu Aug 20, 2009 5:36 pm
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What speakers do you recommend? Jensen MOD 12" speakers for Fender and Marshall?


JPMac


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Posted: Thu Aug 20, 2009 10:36 pm
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You can't push much power through those speakers as it sits. Maybe 50 watts as old as they are.

If you wanted to actually gig with this as a bass cab, you could replace the existing speakers with modern 12 inch bass speakers.

Before going there know that advances have been made in cab tuning and porting since these cabs were designed. Also they have no horn. So while you can load modern speakers it will still have a different tone from modern cabs with a horn.

The first thing to do before buying new speakers is decide what amp is going to be pushing them. Once you know that then you can start speaker shopping. There are a wide variety of speakers even within the same brand. For example Eminence makes a bunch of different 12 inch speakers. Knowing what power your amp will have and what impedance load that amp likes will lead you toward the correct speaker choice.

Most modern solid state amps like a 4 ohm load. So two of the 8 ohm speakers could be wired up parallel for 4 ohm load if you need 4 ohms. Or take two of the 4 ohm speakers and wire them in series for a 8 ohm load if that is what the amp likes. It just all depends on the amp you want to use with the cab. Here is a good site with speaker wiring diagrams: www.jumbosunshade.com/swd01.htm

The cab is heavy all by itself. If using it with a moderate power amp up to about 300 watts you could look at the Eminence BASSLIGHTS. They are rated 150 watts each and weigh just under 5 pounds each. The DELTA LITE II handles 250 watts each but costs more and would be good for a 400 to 500 watt head. The regular Delta-12LFA is heavier but handles even more power at 500 watts each. You could use them for up to a 1000 watt amp.

Some people really like the Beyma 12G40 speakers and if money is no object, they are awesome. They cost over twice as much as the Eminence Deltas but also handle a bit more power.

I'd keep the original speakers and box them up in the boxes the replacement speakers come it and store them in a closet in an air conditioned space. The cab itself is collectible and someone might want to buy it with the original speakers someday.


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Posted: Fri Aug 21, 2009 3:02 pm
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Thanks again Brother Dave! I'll let ya know what I decide on....


JPMac


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Posted: Sat Aug 22, 2009 1:33 am
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JPMac wrote:
Thanks again Brother Dave! I'll let ya know what I decide on....


JPMac


Just realized by selecting the MOD speakers that maybe you are going to use this as a guitar cab with a modeling amp instead of a bass cab. If you are going to use it as a guitar cab, sure you could use the MOD speakers which are ideal for modeling guitar amps. They are said to be dual purpose guitar and bass speakers but if you want to use it as a bass cab I think I'd go with higher power capacity.

First thing to do is pick purpose, then power, then what impedance the the cab likes.

Some good speaker sites are:
http://www.parts-express.com/pro-sound.cfm
http://www.usspeaker.com/homepage.htm
http://www.loudspeakersplus.com/html/guitar_speakers.html


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Posted: Sat Aug 22, 2009 4:41 am
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Nope...I'm just a bass play arounder....Check your e-mail I sent you a little note...


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Posted: Fri Apr 23, 2010 11:22 am
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I know this is a old topic, but It addressed what I have to ask. I found a Bassman 410 cabinet it has tolex, and the plate on the back has it's info, but i can't find out the date of this cabinet. I noticed it didn't have a port and that is what made me wonder. Can anyone help me with this info?


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