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Older Cabinets, How Long Can They Last ?

#21
If it is a 4-10 TVX it is the most underrated cab you will ever come across. It's heavy, but it sounds fantastic.

The condition will depend on how it was used and how it was stored. Assuming it was used and stored reasonably, it is fine.
 
#23
two fingers said:
If it is a 4-10 TVX it is the most underrated cab you will ever come across. It's heavy, but it sounds fantastic.
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Assuming the tweeter isn't gone - and even then it has a baked-in mid cut I think? Unlike most cabs there is a low-pass-filter/crossover on the four tens so sounds like arse without the tweeter unless you remove/bypass the crossover. Someone gave me one with the tweeter blown that I keep at one of my rehearsal spaces. Sounds great after the "crossoverectomy".
 
#25
I bought a used Ampeg B-15N in late '69 that's still going strong with the original CTS speaker. It's never been abused. But it has been steadily used and not babied over the years.

I don't know if that's unusual.

I also kept one used Acoustic 301 cab I got back in '74. That cab saw a lot of roading and high volume gigging. It still has the original CV 18" it came with - and it still sounds good. I plug it in every so often although it hasn't seen much action since the mid-80s.

I have a mid '80s SWR Goliath 2x10. I bought new that's seen a lot of regular use since. No problems with that one either. It's as clear and punchy as the day I got it.

So I'd guess cabs last at least 50 years on average based on my own experiences with stuff I've had a long time.
 
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#26
I think the older stuff (cabinet wise) will probably last better than a lot of the new stuff constructed of particle board. The old plywood & tolex stuff was pretty indestructible. I have also seen speakers in pretty awful shape visually, that still work fine.
 
#27
wmhill said:
I think the older stuff (cabinet wise) will probably last better than a lot of the new stuff constructed of particle board. The old plywood & tolex stuff was pretty indestructible. I have also seen speakers in pretty awful shape visually, that still work fine.
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Who uses particle board these days? In the older days it was much more common.
 
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#28
Those old Peaveys are pretty hardy stock! I had a 410 that I only sold because I got a good deal on a Bag End 410XBD. But the Peavey was a great cab. I STILL have an old Peavey Basic 40 combo amp that I keep at my daughter's house. That one's probably from the '80s and still sounds good!
 
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#29
wmhill said:
I think the older stuff (cabinet wise) will probably last better than a lot of the new stuff constructed of particle board. The old plywood & tolex stuff was pretty indestructible. I have also seen speakers in pretty awful shape visually, that still work fine.
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A lot of those old cabs used 11 or 13-ply marine grade plywood with dovetail joints with screws and epoxy holding them together. That's the reason they weigh what the do. And also the reason why they lasted.
 
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#30
I owned a Peavey TX410 back in the early 90s, had 4, 10-inch Sheffield speakers, rear ported. I modified the cab and removed the tweeter. I was rock solid, was used a lot and I saw no wear on the surrounds on the speakers when I sold it. It's a great cab and should last for years as long as your not overpowering nightly.
 
#33
40Hz said:
A lot of those old cabs used 11 or 13-ply marine grade plywood with dovetail joints with screws and epoxy holding them together. That's the reason they weigh what the do. And also the reason why they lasted.
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Really? I've never seen a production bass cabinet built this way.
 
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#35
agedhorse said:
Really? I've never seen a production bass cabinet built this way.
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Ampeg used to advertise it in the '70s. I'll see if I can locate readable versions of some of those old ads.

This one talks about 13-ply Baltic Birch and dovetail in the second item in the second column. Unfortunately the text in this scan isn't legible. So I'll look a little further:

IMG_2647.JPG
 
#36
I have a Garnet 4x12 PA column (literally a vertical 412) that's from the late 60's, maybe early 70's. Still sounds killer as a guitar rig and has no problem putting out good volume.

If it sounds good, I wouldn't worry about longevity. Chances are if you treat it well, it won't break.
 
#37
Factors are in my opinion: 1) Climate: they like air, and do not like condensation caused by going from hot to cold. Many of the adhesives used for cone to basket are prone to mold if left in a box in a damp area, They do not like beaches or desserts or direct sunlight (and in anticipation, sunscreen will not help) 2) use outside of their limits I have 3 D120s that are almost 50 years old and work fine. I also have some Oxfords that are older that look like hell but function. Soooo, climate, climate and climate.
 
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#39
...and I've got some B&C drivers from an Epifani cab that's maybe 15-ish years old that need to be replaced. I think I'm the third owner. No idea of their history. Reconing them doesn't make sense as it'll cost about just as much to replace them. I'm spending more on the new speakers than I did on the used cab, but it'll be worth it!!!
 

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