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Post subject: What speakers in my cab?
Posted: Wed Jul 27, 2011 6:31 pm
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I have a '68 Bassman cabinet with the driprails and 2-15" speakers.I haven't had the back off the cabinet but I did see the speakers the day I bought the cabinet and they simply had the Fender script on the back of the magnets.Is there a way to find out the maker of the speakers without taking out all these screws again?I know that during the 50s and 60s Fender got it's speakers from different sources but did they stick to one maker for certain years?I know that they had a number code for the different makers such as: 67-Eminence,73-JBL,137-CTS etc. but did '68 have one particular maker?Any info would be greatly appreciated-especially if it means not having to take out all these screws.

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Post subject: Re: What speakers in my cab?
Posted: Wed Jul 27, 2011 7:53 pm
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JBL never subscribed to the EIA coding system -- thus, they have no ID numbers ink-stamped on their frames.

If your speakers are original to the cab they're likely Oxford's (465-8XX), Utah's (328-8XX), or CTS (137-68XX). The Oxford's and the CTS both used the mylarized silver-and-blue Fender "special design" decal on the magnet assembly while the Utah's were marked with a silver-and-orange Fender label. Pulling the cab's back panel to confirm your speakers' pedigree isn't a big issue if you use a Makita or Bosch powered screw-gun. It takes about three minutes to remove it and three minutes to re-install.

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: What speakers in my cab?
Posted: Thu Jul 28, 2011 8:01 am
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Thanks Arjay,I figured that if anyone knew it would be you.I remember that the lettering was silver and blue Mylar so it's Oxfords or CTS Thanks very much for the info.BTW whatever the brand they sound great,when I put my old Guild S-100 through the old '69 Bassman head and the cabinet and crank it anything above 6.

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Post subject: Re: What speakers in my cab?
Posted: Thu Jul 28, 2011 9:06 am
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If you're using the cab strictly for guitar you may find that it resonates and projects better with the fiberglass damping sheets removed.

HTH

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: What speakers in my cab?
Posted: Thu Jul 28, 2011 6:24 pm
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Aha,that's why it sounds so good,a previous owner had removed the fibreglass sheets as there were none in it.I wasn't aware that there were fibreglass sheets in it but was surprised that my guitars sounded better than my basses in it.

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Post subject: Re: What speakers in my cab?
Posted: Thu Jul 28, 2011 7:16 pm
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The damping sheets are intended to limit cone excursions during high-power/low-frequency situations (ie: when a bass is played through the cab), thus helping to extend the durability of the loudspeaker's components. Not so necessary with a standard guitar, of course.

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: What speakers in my cab?
Posted: Fri Jul 29, 2011 3:48 am
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As mentioned, removing the sheets for bass use is tempting fate if you are cranking big watts through the cabinet. Allowing a speaker with 2 inches of normal voice coil piston travel to move 3 inches because the cabinet pressure is not balanced is not a good thing and it may end up looking like the 6 foot diameter "speaker" that Jamie and Adam, the MythBusters, installed in a Volvo a couple years ago... LOL...171 DB @ 22 hz before it blew out the sunroof and destroyed itself.

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Post subject: Re: What speakers in my cab?
Posted: Fri Jul 29, 2011 4:52 pm
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I'm not aware of any musical instrument loudspeaker with that much cone travel, Luke -- Harvey Gerst, JBL's engineer responsible for the development of the F-series speakers, once told me in conversation that a D140F's voice coil would permanently depart the magnet gap if/when the cone excursion exceeded 3/8".

I'd assume that drivers from other companies would suffer a similar fate when abused or misused.

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: What speakers in my cab?
Posted: Sat Jul 30, 2011 3:39 am
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Arjay - Just to clarify... my mention was just random raw numbers for comparison - not real world piston movement spec's in actual guitar cabinets... although I have seen some wild excursions in the long travel speakers in towers used in some outdoor concert productions.


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Post subject: Re: What speakers in my cab?
Posted: Sat Jul 30, 2011 8:22 am
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Understand, Luke......I thought that might be the case.

Rawk on!

8)

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: What speakers in my cab?
Posted: Sun Jul 31, 2011 7:48 am
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I think 1968 was the year that Fender went from a 2x12 to a 2x15 cab and there several sources for the speakers as previously mentioned. The JBL D140's were special order and are recognizable due the distinctive center cap without removing the back.


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Post subject: Re: What speakers in my cab?
Posted: Sun Jul 31, 2011 5:38 pm
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brotherdave wrote:
I think 1968 was the year that Fender went from a 2x12 to a 2x15 cab and there several sources for the speakers as previously mentioned. The JBL D140's were special order and are recognizable due the distinctive center cap without removing the back.


+1

However, beginning in 1969 some of the stock OEM bass 15's as used in the Bassman began to sport the aluminum dust caps (mimicking the JBL D140F). The informed buyer will always insist on inspecting the interior of any sealed-back cab before purchase to ascertain the bonafides of its speakers.

Arjay

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