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NCD: Vintage? Acoustic 215

Pokerdweebz

Pokerdweebz

Oct 26, 2012
355
56
Lancaster, PA
#1
I found this on my local craigslist for sub 100 bucks so I couldn't resist. The ad said 70's. Man is it big. In the 15 minutes I've played through it I've found it to be very dark/low voiced. I've eq'ed out some lows and in some highs and I find it to sound very warm and "vintage". I'm using a new Acoustic B200H with it because I didn't feel like messing with my GK rig to try my RB700ii with it.

I could use some help with identification and information. The serial number is Y3312.

What model is it?
What year could it be?
I'm going to assume it is 4 ohms because I've never (I'm my limited experience) heard of anything other than a 4 ohm 215.
Wattage rating? Obviously not that important because I can just listen for distress, but it would be nice to know.
What wheels could I replace the remaining 3 with? (The guys says he should have the missing one and will ship it to me if he finds it)

NOW THE PICS

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#2
Probably a late '70s Model 106. I say late '70s because of the shape/color of the Acoustic badge.

The castors are standard plug-in castors still available from a number of sources. Search for Ernie-Ball castors or something like that on Musiciansfriend.com.

During the earlier part of the '70s, Acoustic used speakers with white dust caps (domes). I don't know if they switched to aluminum (which yours look like) later or if the speakers were changed. It's easy enough to pop the grill off and remove a speaker to find out what they are.

Being a 100 series cabinet, it was intended to be paired with an amp rated in the 125 watts range. I'd recommend that you pull out a speaker to see what you have. Maybe they're JBLs or something really nice!

Please keep us posted!
 
#3
BillyB_from_LZ said:
Probably a late '70s Model 106. I say late '70s because of the shape/color of the Acoustic badge.

The castors are standard plug-in castors still available from a number of sources. Search for Ernie-Ball castors or something like that on Musiciansfriend.com.

During the earlier part of the '70s, Acoustic used speakers with white dust caps (domes). I don't know if they switched to aluminum (which yours look like) later or if the speakers were changed. It's easy enough to pop the grill off and remove a speaker to find out what they are.

Being a 100 series cabinet, it was intended to be paired with an amp rated in the 125 watts range. I'd recommend that you pull out a speaker to see what you have. Maybe they're JBLs or something really nice!

Please keep us posted!
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info! I'm definitely going to update the casters at some point. These definitely have aluminum caps. I'll try to pop the grill cloth off and take a look at the speakers.
 
#5
That's a 1st generation Acoustic based on that logo. Most likely between '70-'72. Later versions of that cab (2nd gen) have the style logo that the first Guitar Center Acoustics are based on. If the original speakers are Eminence or CTS, then it's a 106 cab. If they're Altec-Lansing, then it's the upgraded version and is a 109 cab. I'm not exactly sure what those speakers are rated at but I believe it's probably around 70 watts each. Acoustic originally used the silver capped speakers, then switched over to the white dust-capped ones later on.

Congrats on a sweet cab and don't be afraid to try your GK head through it. Like you said, just listen to make sure you're not pushing it too hard. You can check the unofficial Acoustic forum for more definitive info on your cab.
 
#6
jj4001 said:
That's a 1st generation Acoustic based on that logo. Most likely between '70-'72. Later versions of that cab (2nd gen) have the style logo that the first Guitar Center Acoustics are based on. If the original speakers are Eminence or CTS, then it's a 106 cab. If they're Altec-Lansing, then it's the upgraded version and is a 109 cab. I'm not exactly sure what those speakers are rated at but I believe it's probably around 70 watts each. Acoustic originally used the silver capped speakers, then switched over to the white dust-capped ones later on.

Congrats on a sweet cab and don't be afraid to try your GK head through it. Like you said, just listen to make sure you're not pushing it too hard. You can check the unofficial Acoustic forum for more definitive info on your cab.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info! That's good information. When I have time I'll pull one out and check. I wasn't afraid to use my GK head, I just having it set up in my rack with my Neo212 and didn't feel like messing with it. Currently I have the gain and volume on noon on the Acoustic head and it is really pushing air!
 
#7
great cab. and thanks to jj4001 for getting the info correct on this post. I was unaware that the model number changed when the cab is loaded with Altecs. Any excuse for Acoustic to make things more confusing, right!!?? Since my own 106 has a set of Altecs loaded into it, that means I no longer have a 106 I guess.

Try lightly lining the interior of the cabinet with whats commonly refered to around here as 'mattress topper' foam. It's used on beds between the actual mattress and the fitted sheet. A single layer will subdue any sort of midrange anomalies you might be hearing. peaks, vallys ect...

I bought a set of 4" diameter port tubs for mine but I haven't installed them yet. you could experiment with a set as well and see if it changes the frequency response. Doing this would move the resonance frequency of the cabinet lower or higher depending on the length of the tube FWIW.

The casters that Carivn sell on their website also fit right into the holes.

$100 is a good deal on this cab. you got a great deal on a terrific vintage cab!
 
#8
bottomend! said:
great cab. and thanks to jj4001 for getting the info correct on this post. I was unaware that the model number changed when the cab is loaded with Altecs. Any excuse for Acoustic to make things more confusing, right!!?? Since my own 106 has a set of Altecs loaded into it, that means I no longer have a 106 I guess.

Try lightly lining the interior of the cabinet with whats commonly refered to around here as 'mattress topper' foam. It's used on beds between the actual mattress and the fitted sheet. A single layer will subdue any sort of midrange anomalies you might be hearing. peaks, vallys ect...

I bought a set of 4" diameter port tubs for mine but I haven't installed them yet. you could experiment with a set as well and see if it changes the frequency response. Doing this would move the resonance frequency of the cabinet lower or higher depending on the length of the tube FWIW.

The casters that Carivn sell on their website also fit right into the holes.

$100 is a good deal on this cab. you got a great deal on a terrific vintage cab!
Click to expand...

Thanks for all the info. I actually got it for 90$ :hyper:. I have it eq'ed differently than I usually eq and it sounds phenomenal. I might not have to make any actual changes just special eq. I will definitely keep everything you said in mind, because all of those things sound really useful.
 
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#10
BillyB_from_LZ said:
Probably a late '70s Model 106. I say late '70s because of the shape/color of the Acoustic badge.

During the earlier part of the '70s, Acoustic used speakers with white dust caps (domes). I don't know if they switched to aluminum (which yours look like) later or if the speakers were changed. It's easy enough to pop the grill off and remove a speaker to find out what they are.
Click to expand...


The blue & black plastic logo badge was on the the very earliest 1st generation cabinets, very late 1960's or very early 1970's. Later 1st generation cabinets had a similar size/shape logo badge except it was thin metal with brushed aluminum silver lettering over black. Second generation 106 cabinets had the wide black logo strip with thin blue accent edge stripes all the way across the top of the cabinet to match the 2nd generation black-faced 150 and 370 amplifiers.

The aluminum dust capped 15's were in all 1st generation 106 cabinets and in early 2nd generation 106 cabinets. Only late 2nd generation 106 cabinets made after the introduction of the 406 narrow 2x15" cabinet had white dome Eminence speakers. That was just before Acoustic discontinued the 106 and replaced it with the 3rd generation 402 cabinet with white dome speakers.

I would guess that the cabinet pictured would have been made around 1970 or 1971.
 
#11
I have the nearly identical cab. Mine's from June of 1973 with the standard Eminence metal dome speakers. I also have the original 140 head that came with it. On my '73, the Acoustic emblem is on the opposite side of the cab and 106 is where the Acoustic emblem is on your cab. The standard Eminences in mine are 8 ohms and wired to make a 4 ohm cab. My cab sounds real good with a variety of different heads. Real nice pickup. Enjoy. :)

BTW - I recently bought a mid 70's Sunn 115 cab. Although not original to the cab, it has the white domed speaker in it. Interestingly enough, it is a 1978 CTS made speaker with the bronze frame that was available in Acoustics in that time period as well.
 
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