Mystery 8x10 Cab - Page 3

BassmanPaul · #42 02-01-2013, 01:48 PM

that hardware screams Ampeg to me. They are not square drive but the odd head hardware i've only seen on my B15. You can get the correct screwdrivers from FlipTops. Square drive is standard Canadian Robertson heads.

demon666 · #43 02-01-2013, 02:23 PM

Feet cups look like they could hold an SVT or V4 style head. Doesn't meet the size of a B25 cab. Not really sure unless someone spent a lot of time to make a smaller SVT cab.

braud357 · #44 02-01-2013, 02:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BassmanPaul

that hardware screams Ampeg to me. They are not square drive but the odd head hardware i've only seen on my B15. You can get the correct screwdrivers from FlipTops. Square drive is standard Canadian Robertson heads.

As stated in an earlier post - those screw heads are called "clutch head". It is definitely Ampeg, but I am stumped !

BassmanPaul · #45 02-01-2013, 02:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by braud357

As stated in an earlier post - those screw heads are called "clutch head". It is definitely Ampeg, but I am stumped !

Must have missed that!

Now I know what they are called!

coreyfyfe · #46 02-01-2013, 02:42 PM

Definitely ampeg hardware and speakers. The 6910001 is the ampeg part number (see mine here). Given the late 69 date of the speakers they either came out of an original square back 8x10, or this cab was built/modified from one. Or, could have been some kind of prototype as stated. Though Ampeg was supposedly very good about keeping their prototypes from slipping out, if you believe the hearsay.

The original flatback cabs were around 25 x 46 x 15, so it would have had to have been cut down in multiple dimensions if it was modified.

demon666 · #47 02-01-2013, 02:49 PM

I'm gonna go with someone built it and used all Ampeg hardware. The tolex doesn't really match what Ampeg was using at the time, and I highly doubt that they would have stained the inside of the cab. I could be wrong but thats what it looks like to me.

Spackerdave · #48 02-01-2013, 02:51 PM

The cab is pretty solid. It doesn't really look like something that somebody gutted and re built.

Bmorefoozler · #49 02-01-2013, 02:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by demon666

I'm gonna go with someone built it and used all Ampeg hardware. The tolex doesn't really match what Ampeg was using at the time, and I highly doubt that they would have stained the inside of the cab. I could be wrong but thats what it looks like to me.

maybe someone needed their 810 to shrink and borrowed all the speakers and hardware.

coreyfyfe · #50 02-01-2013, 04:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by demon666

I'm gonna go with someone built it and used all Ampeg hardware. The tolex doesn't really match what Ampeg was using at the time, and I highly doubt that they would have stained the inside of the cab. I could be wrong but thats what it looks like to me.

Could be. The front baffle does look like my flatback cab though if that's what you mean about staining?

throbgod13 · #51 02-01-2013, 07:20 PM

it's either a older Fender Bassman (tall) 2x15, or it's a Fender Showman 2x15 cab that has been rebaffled..

**Bass 45** · #52 02-01-2013, 07:46 PM

Interesting find.

Everything I see are Ampeg parts - from the ones already mentioned - to the grill fasteners and the handles (the tolex looks Ampeg era correct to me too). I have never seen this combination of parts on anything that was not Ampeg.

I have Ampeg catalogs from '69 and '71 (no '70). The only cabinet with matching exterior dimensions is a "B22-X" which was a tube amp/2x15 combo.

Considering the amp foot cups on the top, I do not think this was a B22-X cabinet.

My guess is that this was a prototype - although it would not have had anything to do with Jess Oliver as he had moved on by then - more likely the crew that developed the V series amps - like Dan Armstrong and Bill Hughs (who works at Fender now) could have thought this up.

If it is an old homemade cab - it looks like they did a helluva job.

scrattermark · #53 02-01-2013, 08:12 PM

Im afraid i dont have a 100% identification of your cab but as soon as i had a closer look it reminded me of the type of design an fitting that Acoustic cabinets used. I have an Acoustic 1x18 with the same size as the Ampeg 8x10.
Like your cabinet the my speaker is similar in that its has unusual speaker angles, ie mine has the 18"facing inwards and boxed off internally and ported. Also the plastic fasteners which attach the speaker grille are identical. I hope this is useful.

**Bass 45** · #54 02-01-2013, 08:22 PM

I don't know too much about Acoustic, but I used to have an Acoustic 406 cab (a '75 if I remember correctly). It had different tolex, plastic foot cups, no T-nut for a dolly and different handles. Didn't all the Acoustics have light blue accents and black grill cloth?.

JimiLL · #55 02-01-2013, 09:44 PM

Those cups on the top of the cab are the same ones my buddy has on an old Ampeg B410 bass cab.

I know years ago I had a crate 810 cab that was built in the ampeg factory, and it had 32 ohm speakers. For what its worth.

kuratacus · #56 02-28-2013, 10:23 AM

doesnt meet the size of the b42x or V2 4x12's either. all other characteristics are ampeg though. the odd thing is back loaded cabs like the B42x and V2 didnt have the removable grill it was all part of the baffle. this one seems to be made like both a front loaded and backloaded cabinet.

the foot cups on top are confusing as well... the SVT, B25 and V series all had the same foot space as far as i know and there'd be no need for the extra cups unless the solid state heads are different. But it lacks foot cups for the dolly. most cabs i've seen from the late 60's an early 70's had these as well.

JimmyM · #57 02-28-2013, 02:02 PM

I think I'll send a copy of this thread to Gregg Hopkins and see if he knows anything about it. He wrote the Ampeg book, so if anyone knows, it would be him.

dmac1961 · #58 02-28-2013, 02:47 PM

Cool, I would love to see this mystery solved!

Zentner · #59 02-28-2013, 02:53 PM

Thanks for forwarding that info, Jimmy! I'm really interested to hear the results.

JimmyM · #60 02-28-2013, 04:05 PM

Gregg just wrote back:

"From all I see here, I think this came from the Ampeg factory. The wood, the stain, the tolex, grill cloth, hardware, screws, grill snaps, foot cups, speakers, wiring, all look like how they were doing things in 1969. I've noticed two or three slight variations in tolex from about '67-'70. The grill frame looks like it was made specifically for that speaker arrangement and constructed just like the frames of their other cabinets of that time.

"I've never seen one of these cabinets but am guessing they were doing some experimenting with the idea in mind of making a slightly smaller 8X10" cabinet. It is probably based one of their other rear loaded cabinets in size. Roger Cox told me that the cabinets of that era were designed (partially) around getting maximum yield out of a sheet of plywood.

"I've seen lots of one-off amps and cabinets from earlier years at Ampeg. Not so much from this era, but I'm sure there were some experiments that did make it out the door."

BAM. If it looks like a prototype to Gregg, then it's likely a prototype. No telling how it sounds, but it really sounds like something to cherish. Thumbs up!