Can anyone identify this 2x15 ampeg cab (PA or bass cab)?

[Rat Blitz]

Can anyone identify this 2x15 ampeg cab (PA or bass cab)?
Any good for bass? Approx age?

[Bassmec]

Look a bit odd to me it seems to have JBL 140 speakers
maybe Gauss. Either is great
Odd thing Ampeg usually used Altecs but JBL not unheard of as you could ask for what you wanted back then.
The cab may have been modified as I don't recognize the port
looks more like a sunn cab which would have JBL 140's
Try it out.

[Jim Campbell]

Originally Posted by Rat Blitz

Can anyone identify this 2x15 ampeg cab (PA or bass cab)?
Any good for bass? Approx age?

i can't recall seeing many dovetailed joints on a commercial cab.....maybe a home built copy of something with some upgrades,and an ampeg badge from the parts bin.....?????

[Popps]

Was this an old EV design that you could send away for back in late '60's or early '70's? I seem to remember seeing bands use these years ago. The Ampeg badge might an add on.

[s_mcsleazy]

its pretty. i love it.

[Bassmec]

Originally Posted by s_mcsleazy

its pretty. i love it.

Mc Sleazy has spoken its good enough for me I love it too.
I bet they are JBL D140's date code 1970 ish a very good year.

[coreyfyfe]

It could be an Ampeg V6B cab. It was a ducted ported 2x15 sold with the V6B solid state head in the 70s but I've never actually seen one with the grill off. Stock speakers were CTS as far as I know but they offered Altecs as an upgrade with a lot of their stuff - not sure about this one. The JBLs were probably added later, but since the cab has been reconditioned I'd assume they were added.

[Zitch]

is it possible some one stuck n ampeq logo on a homebuilt cab?

[coreyfyfe]

This makes me think it could have been a V6B, though it doesn't have the holes for the foot cups, unless they're covered by the handles...





These pics look like the cab had a towel bar as well, which would mean it was a tilt back, but I know the introduced that later to the 8x10, so maybe that was the case with the V6B as well? Or the ampeg badge was just added on. That's possible too.

[bassteban]

Originally Posted by Zitch

is it possible some one stuck n ampeq logo on a homebuilt cab?

No, that's impossible.
[ryhmes w/*barcasm*]

[Rat Blitz]

So the fact that this has dovetail joints, strange port etc probably means that this definitely is not a real Ampeg (which I thought). Even if it sounds good he still wants $400 ... and eventual resale may be a real problem. Thanks for the advice. If he dropped the price by $100 I would probably check it out (of course he lives 100 miles away ... like all the great deals).

[Jim Campbell]

Originally Posted by Rat Blitz

So the fact that this has dovetail joints, strange port etc probably means that this definitely is not a real Ampeg (which I thought). Even if it sounds good he still wants $400 ... and eventual resale may be a real problem. Thanks for the advice. If he dropped the price by $100 I would probably check it out (of course he lives 100 miles away ... like all the great deals).

i guess you could factor in how long you will use it......resale is an important consideration,but if the drivers and the quality of the cabinetry add up to a decade of reliable service,and good sound ,taking a hit at resale time would be of minor concern....

[coreyfyfe]

Originally Posted by Rat Blitz

So the fact that this has dovetail joints, strange port etc probably means that this definitely is not a real Ampeg (which I thought). Even if it sounds good he still wants $400 ... and eventual resale may be a real problem. Thanks for the advice. If he dropped the price by $100 I would probably check it out (of course he lives 100 miles away ... like all the great deals).

If those are two JBL D or K series speakers in good shape they could be worth that price alone.

[edbass]

It's hard to tell for certain from the pictures, but I don't think those are JBL D/K/E140's. Maybe D/K/E130's, but maybe a lot of things.
What does the seller say it's loaded with?

[Rat Blitz]

Here's more info .. Worth it??
"Hi: This cab is circa 70's. This bass bin was one of the first self powered solid state amps. It had a preamp head like the SVT, but without the tubes. They called this the SBT . The power slave mounted in the back of the speaker cab. I removed it because it was only rated at 200 watts. I got myself an SVT head to power the cab with more power and tubes it sounded a lot better. I still have the solid state module for it, which goes with the cab.

The speakers are Altec 421A, they are original and came with the cab. I had the cab refinished, the leatherette was worn and torn
so I took it down to its wood finish, and changed the grill cloth out for metal grills.

The interesting thing is I have another cab without the redone finish, but it's road worn and leatherette is nicked here and there.

The refinished one looks great, from the picture you can see they used dovetail corners, very strong construction.

I'll say it's one of a kind, a head turner."

[coreyfyfe]

I've seen one those SBT amps. It looked like a mid-70s SVT preamp housing but was solid state. Never knew what it was paired with. Must have been their take on the Acoustic 360/361 setup.

[JimmyM]

george biondo from steppenwolf had an sbt rig he'd use in the studio. there's a clip of them doing "screaming night hog" on youtube where he's using it. sounds great. i'm liking this cab i think, especially now that i know it's loaded with 421a's. you could sell those by themselves and make back close to your $400 as long as they work.

[Popps]

Ok, so I found an old, early '70s Ampeg catalog. The handles in the first series of pics should be on the long side and the catalog does show the recessed cups on the top. Cabinet should measure 42"x24"x15". The stock set up was the pre-amp and 2 cabinets loaded with Altec 421-A 15's. RMS power listed at 240 Watts. Weight is listed as 260 lbs.
Interestingly the last page shows the "Ampeg Electronic Bass"
otherwise known as the Baby Bass, with a 5 string model available.

[Bassmec]

Originally Posted by JimmyM

george biondo from steppenwolf had an sbt rig he'd use in the studio. there's a clip of them doing "screaming night hog" on youtube where he's using it. sounds great. i'm liking this cab i think, especially now that i know it's loaded with 421a's. you could sell those by themselves and make back close to your $400 as long as they work.

Must be an illusion Those Voice coil caps look a little larger than 3" in the photos the bottom one especially looks 4" and the cones in the photos appear to have radial striations or break lines.
http://www.audioscope.net/images/altec421a3.jpg
Gauss is like the bottom one:

JBL 140 is like the top:
[IMG]http://i50.tinypic.com/2dc6d1f.jpg[/IMG]

[JimmyM]

i'm just going by what the seller told the guy, bassmec. i couldn't spot altecs vs jbl's to save my life