I'm not too keen on the history of the Goliath Series and the timeline of revisions. What can you tell me about the Goliath II series? Good? Stay away?
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Goliath II
- Thread starter eastcoasteddie
- Start date
Others here can answer this better than I but old SWR stuff had Eden speakers and later ones used I think PAS. Some were rear ported with tubes and others I think slot ported in the front. None of this would make much difference unless the actual specs of the speakers and/or cab changed which they may have, I don't know.
I had one and wish I still had it for 410 purposes. Its not a stay away from cab. The PAS drivers are actually okay. Its not a light cab, but 90lbs. 410's were the sh1t back then. The tweeter bult goes once in a while. Dont be fooled, Its NOT, I repeat, NOT a fuse! Its an auto interior dome light. Why do they call it a fuse? SO they can charge you $4.00 instead of $0.93. Nice profit margin.
I like it more then the Goliath 3, have not yet heard a Goliath 4.
I like it more then the Goliath 3, have not yet heard a Goliath 4.
HI
You asked about Goliath II series but hope my story desn't hurt.
I have a Goliath I cab #50988. According to an old fax (12-4-1997) I received from the factory (Mr. Bryan Beller), it is the first and oldest Goliath series. He estimates the cab was 9 to 11 years old in 1997, so its built between 1986-88. 500 W pwr handling,8 ohms, Eden 10" speakers, rear ported, Fostex horn (not Foster).
It has been a really good cab: no broblems of any kind, the sound is very pleasing. Lately I've not gigged much with the SWR cab, because I've been using my DIY SVT clone and DIY 8x 10" cab.
The horn "fuse" is actually a 24 V/ 18 W lamp =car interior light, as chicago_mike here already says. Mine looks like this.
http://i14.ebayimg.com/07/i/000/80/05/a0ea_2.JPG
You asked about Goliath II series but hope my story desn't hurt.
I have a Goliath I cab #50988. According to an old fax (12-4-1997) I received from the factory (Mr. Bryan Beller), it is the first and oldest Goliath series. He estimates the cab was 9 to 11 years old in 1997, so its built between 1986-88. 500 W pwr handling,8 ohms, Eden 10" speakers, rear ported, Fostex horn (not Foster).
It has been a really good cab: no broblems of any kind, the sound is very pleasing. Lately I've not gigged much with the SWR cab, because I've been using my DIY SVT clone and DIY 8x 10" cab.
The horn "fuse" is actually a 24 V/ 18 W lamp =car interior light, as chicago_mike here already says. Mine looks like this.
http://i14.ebayimg.com/07/i/000/80/05/a0ea_2.JPG
II are great. III you can here the advantage of the front port and power handling. If your II has Eden speakers then it will sound like an Eden. You can't go wrong with either. The III is less coloured than the II to me. But both are excellent.
I have a II, a pre-Fender III and a Fender III.
The drivers appear absolutely identical.
The biggest problem with the II is that it doesn't have casters.
The drivers appear absolutely identical.
The biggest problem with the II is that it doesn't have casters.
I just pick up a Goliath II recently because I thought it sounder sweeter and was more musical than the Goliath III that I have currently
Jim Carr
Dr. Jim
- Jan 21, 2006
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Here are some specs, but it leaves off the "tons of sweet dark punch," and "can-opener for your skull when the tweeter is jacked" factors. This is a great and flexible old cab, IMO. Loud. Pairs well with my Epifani 210. 
Some slightly redundant "specs" from old SWR webpages:
Some slightly redundant "specs" from old SWR webpages:
I gigged a pair of Goliath II's for well over a decade. (nice cabs) Over the years both of mine progressively developed a rather unpleasant ringing artifact to they're sound. (even with my horns/L-pads turned off or disconnected)
As my drivers wore out, both my cabs got to the point were striking an open-E (or especially an open-B string) at volume sounded pretty bad/flappy. I'd suggest using your Brice (loud open-B note) to make sure the speakers aren't wore out. I'd also see how the cab responds to a loud (12th fret) harmonic E-string note too.
As my drivers wore out, both my cabs got to the point were striking an open-E (or especially an open-B string) at volume sounded pretty bad/flappy. I'd suggest using your Brice (loud open-B note) to make sure the speakers aren't wore out. I'd also see how the cab responds to a loud (12th fret) harmonic E-string note too.
Jim Carr
Dr. Jim
- Jan 21, 2006
- 16,223
- 7,613
- 76
- Disclosures
- fEARful Kool-Aid dispensing liberal academic card-carrying union member Musicians Local 72-147
I'm curious as to what kind of used prices all Y'all have shelled out for your II.
In 2001, mine was on craigslist for $250. I emailed the guy and then drove with a bass and a 350 watt head to Santa Cruz, CA from Palo Alto (over the mountains and about 1.5 hours) to check it out.
I played it for a few minutes and carefully determined the tweeter was not working. The nice young lad said, "Oh, OK. How about $200?" I laughed and said, "No, I don't want to steal from you, what about $225?" We had a deal. A week later, I replaced the bulb for the $3. The tweeter is still working fine (when I don't have it off).
I have used that cab a lot ever since. Thus, mine was $228 plus about $20 for gas (I have a Ford Escort wagon that gets ~30 miles to the gallon).
In 2001, mine was on craigslist for $250. I emailed the guy and then drove with a bass and a 350 watt head to Santa Cruz, CA from Palo Alto (over the mountains and about 1.5 hours) to check it out.
I played it for a few minutes and carefully determined the tweeter was not working. The nice young lad said, "Oh, OK. How about $200?" I laughed and said, "No, I don't want to steal from you, what about $225?" We had a deal. A week later, I replaced the bulb for the $3. The tweeter is still working fine (when I don't have it off).
I have used that cab a lot ever since. Thus, mine was $228 plus about $20 for gas (I have a Ford Escort wagon that gets ~30 miles to the gallon).
I paid $200 for mine (delivered) and $300 for the IIIs. These are about typical selling prices here. People ask more, but usually don't get it.
My II was really dirty and even had acorns in it where squirrels had gotten in through the rear port and used it for storage in the guy's garage -- but amazingly, it cleaned up like new...nicer than the IIIs.
My II was really dirty and even had acorns in it where squirrels had gotten in through the rear port and used it for storage in the guy's garage -- but amazingly, it cleaned up like new...nicer than the IIIs.
Interesting.
There are many people here who swear the drivers "just get better with age," of course.
Who knows? Maybe up to a point they do, I dunno.
I'd like to see more useful information on this question. I've always wondered about it.
Jim Carr
Dr. Jim
- Jan 21, 2006
- 16,223
- 7,613
- 76
- Disclosures
- fEARful Kool-Aid dispensing liberal academic card-carrying union member Musicians Local 72-147
I often block the back port when storing my II in my garage. A pee-wee football works, so does a couple of old towels twisted into a stuff "plug." I got into the habit of doing this when one of my cats was spotted exiting the cab through the rear port.
People claim that these cabinets originally came with plastic netting over the inner port openings, but if so I don't think I've ever seen it still intact.
There sure should be. The Black Beauty I got new from Guitar Center had a weird rattle that turned out to be a caster that had bounced in through the port and stuck itself to the magnet structure. I'm sure this stuff happens all the time.
There sure should be. The Black Beauty I got new from Guitar Center had a weird rattle that turned out to be a caster that had bounced in through the port and stuck itself to the magnet structure. I'm sure this stuff happens all the time.
Jim Carr
Dr. Jim
- Jan 21, 2006
- 16,223
- 7,613
- 76
- Disclosures
- fEARful Kool-Aid dispensing liberal academic card-carrying union member Musicians Local 72-147
OT the OT: I'd like to see a thread with pics showing "creatures and other stuff that I found in my cab." Oops, better use the search!
Interesting.
There are many people here who swear the drivers "just get better with age," of course.
Who knows? Maybe up to a point they do, I dunno.
I'd like to see more useful information on this question. I've always wondered about it.
I had a buddy from my local bass specialty shop evaluate my Goliath II issues. (they've been SWR dealers since the early 90's and truly loved the older SWR products)
He told me the issues I was experiencing are very common when these older PAS drivers have been pushed hard for years and years like mine were. Mine sounded great for a really long time, but its not uncommon at all to run across any brand of older cab in desperate need of reconing.
I bought both of my G-II's (and a Big Ben) new around 93, none of mine came with any type of port netting.
