Help Identifying Old Bassman 2-15 Cab

[dhelmet2000]

Hoping someone here might know what I’ve just picked up, as the front grillcloth appears to be not original.

What makes me believe this is a late 70’s/early 80’s Bassman 2-15 is:
-Bassman 2-15 on the info plate
-correct handles
-correct tolex
-the speakers are Fender 15F speakers with aluminium dust caps (these sound incredible)

The cab itself is in excellent condition but I’ve never come across one quite like this. The previous owner has modified the front panel as you can see in the pictures. Other 2-15 bassman cabs I’ve seen from this era have the port at the bottom under the lower speaker. Possibly could be a backyard build from the same era, the front grill looks like an old Peavey.

Can anyone suggest what the front panel should look like so I can revert it back to looking like it should?

 

[rodl2005]

I'll assume the front grille would be same as other Fender silver face cabs and amps. Here's my Bassman 115 for reference

 

[dhelmet2000]

I'll assume the front grille would be same as other Fender silver face cabs and amps. Here's my Bassman 115 for reference

View attachment 4760741

That’s what I’ll be doing if I can’t get a definitive answer on what this one is. The serial number suggests it should be a 1980 and the 80’s 2-15’s had black grillcloth. Does your 115 have inset handles like mine or just the regular too mounted handle?

 

[dhelmet2000]

I'll assume the front grille would be same as other Fender silver face cabs and amps. Here's my Bassman 115 for reference

View attachment 4760741

Nice Grabber by the way

 

[rodl2005]

That’s what I’ll be doing if I can’t get a definitive answer on what this one is. The serial number suggests it should be a 1980 and the 80’s 2-15’s had black grillcloth. Does your 115 have inset handles like mine or just the regular too mounted handle?

Mine have the nice metal ones. Ain't gotta pic of the side on tap...
Mine are the C2012 models tho.

Ask at "Bassman Club" thread. You should get good results

 

[6thplanet]

Something looks a little weird with that baffle arrangement. Sorry I can't help, but it looks modified to me.

 

[Michedelic]

Hoping someone here might know what I’ve just picked up, as the front grillcloth appears to be not original.

What makes me believe this is a late 70’s/early 80’s Bassman 2-15 is:
-Bassman 2-15 on the info plate
-correct handles
-correct tolex
-the speakers are Fender 15F speakers with aluminium dust caps (these sound incredible)

The cab itself is in excellent condition but I’ve never come across one quite like this. The previous owner has modified the front panel as you can see in the pictures. Other 2-15 bassman cabs I’ve seen from this era have the port at the bottom under the lower speaker. Possibly could be a backyard build from the same era, the front grill looks like an old Peavey.

Can anyone suggest what the front panel should look like so I can revert it back to looking like it should?

I could be wrong, but I think what you have is a heavily jacked with Peavey cab.

 

[Redbrangus]

Silverface Bassman cabs dimensions: 40 x 29-1/2 x 11-1/2 ~ 1968-1971, 30 x 28 x 12 ~ 1972-1983. Does this cab conform to either of these formats?

 

[Stewie]

I thought so too at first, but Peaveys tolex was a lot tougher and rougher looking, that looks like Fender’s “almost paper” tolex

 

[heatheroo1]

I have a bassman 2-15 cab circa 1980 but mine just has a single port across the bottom vs. what you have. The grill matches what Rodl2005 posted.

 

[Plain Old Barry]

The Bassman 2x15's I remember had either a skinny port along the bottom not behind the screen, or a center divider that created two individual chambers and about a 3 1/2" round port hole in each chamber behind the screen.

Your front baffle definitely is jacked, and the 2x15 EV plaque is odd.

 

[BassFishingInAmerica]

If anyone knows please educate me, but I thought 2-15 Bassman cabs from the 70s and 80s had handles like this. Mine has this type. I’ve never seen a Bassman with inset handles.

 

[Redbrangus]

Yes, those are definitely not the stock Fender handles. And the cab looks too deep, just eyeballin' it.

 

[Pilgrim]

I had a mid-1960's 2x15 Fender cab for many years, and this is not like it at all. Side handles are wrong....the Fender cabs of that vintage didn't have those, just a top strap handle (just like the one posted above). Front panel is wrong. Mine had no such ID plate, but I'll concede that may have been lost on mine although it was only a year or two old when I got it in 1967. And also - the Fender cabs I owned had no ports I ever notced.

Black Tolex isn't a guarantee. I don't think it's a Fender.

 

[primusfan1989]

-the speakers are Fender 15F speakers with aluminium dust caps (these sound incredible)

They're Electrovoice 15" that fender spec'd out, I believe its essentially an EVM15B with an Aluminium dustup. Excellent speakers indeed

 

[primusfan1989]

the front grill looks like an old Peavey.

To me it seems it more likely a Peavey 2x15 that someone modified with fender parts

 

[Redbrangus]

Other things that are queer:

Two input jacks - the recessed dish is the right part, but 215 Bassmans only had one input jack, and it was in the upper right corner, as viewed from the rear with the cab stood up vertically.

The 215 Bassman cab had amp mounting studs - both on the top and on one side. It also had three strap handles on one long side.

The serial number plate is authentic, if not to this cab. IIRC, they were held on with small rivets, not screws, but I don't think that's necessarily an indication of anything - the cab could very well have been recovered.

If it ever was a Bassman cab, the baffle board has definitely undergone some modifications. The ports are not stock and no Fender cabs had front-mounted drivers.

That does indeed appear to be an early-era Peavey grill.

Interestingly, the drivers look as if they really are EVs.

I'm still waiting to hear if it's 11-1/2" deep.

My vote is it never was a Basman cab. Peavey seems likely, or shop-built.

Edit: Still another indication is that Fenders all had removable backs.

 

[singlemalt]

95% sure you have a modified Peavey 2-15 from the early ‘80’s.

The scoop handles are right, but there was a Peavey logo inset on the handle. Looks like that was peeled out. Grill is definitely Peavey, and fits perfectly, held on by four or six Velcro patches. Corners and castors are Peavey.

The original baffle ported across the center between the two drivers. I can’t remember if there was shared airspace or two chambers. I think it was divided in two and each side had its own port shelf. Just one input Jack, IIRC.

Somebody was just having fun with the Fender ID plate and the 2-15 EV label. I think the original grill had a fairly large Peavey logo attached to the upper center.

I had one for decades, replaced the drivers with EV Force 15’s and put bug eye grills over the two drivers after the original grill was toast.

Sold it years ago for $125 but would have gladly gone lower, “carry it up the stairs, and it’s yours” was going to be my lowest price.

Heavy and very mid range, lacking bottom was my last impression, especially after building a couple fEarfuls.

Those drivers might suit in a TL 606 1-15 box if you are into DIY.

 

[Ostie]

If you got a good deal on it, it’s not the end of the world if it’s a Peavey. If the seller deliberately misrepresented it as Fender and you paid up for it, you might want to have a talk with them.

 

[dhelmet2000]

Thanks for your responses everyone, I think now I agree that this is a jacked with peavey cab. I was hoping there was a short run of these cabs that someone knew about but that’s just not the case!

The dimensions and baffle do not align with anything I’ve seen, and the other small details don’t add up either (no back screws, two input jacks).

For those that mentioned about the handles, Fender definitely had inset handles like these on their early 80s and some late 70s 2-15 cabs, I think the screw arrangement on this cab is wrong however.

The seller was not deliberately misleading, it was sold by elderly parents who had recently lost their son (their son had put this together) - I paid about the value of the speakers so I’m not upset either. I may even try out the EVs in my bandmaster cab as replacement for the square magnet CTS speakers. The EV speakers are fender badged.

Somewhere out there is a ~1980 Bassman cab missing its speakers and name plate!