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The Acoustic Club

#3,741
ghostinthemach said:
I have a question for owners of vintage Acoustic 406 wide (or similar era Acoustic) cabinets.

Mine is loaded with likely original white domed 15 inchers. My cab feels ridiculously light for its size. I run it with a matching 120 head and when stacked I can easily move it around. Just minor adjustments (even lateral-no wheel assist as the wheels are on the tilt back panel!) as I have a lot of cabs in a corner and need to move things slightly when connecting and dis-connecting heads. Each time I'm struck by how it feels like a functionless prop in weight compared to its considerable volume (displacement not dispersement in this case, but funny how both apply).

Is it that the wood was not only high quality but has also now dried out and lost moisture weight?

Are yours unusually light for their size?

I'm not kidding I'm strongly considering trying to weigh this thing. I bought it from a pawn shop a few months back to replace a Peavey shallow 2x15, which felt like twice the weight. Didn't expect the 406 wide to be much lighter. Big win as I now have no trouble 'one man-ing' my 2x15 cab now for the few occasions I still need/want one.
Volume and tone are huge with the 120 watt head. These are your Grandfathers watts, not the sissy watts of today hahaha...
View attachment 2829907 View attachment 2829908 View attachment 2829909 View attachment 2829910 View attachment 2829911
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Well, regarding the wood, it would have not lost weight over time. Furniture grade plywood is dry to start with.
If it's light and it sounds good, just be grateful.:)
I know my Eden 2x10 cabs are pretty heavy for their size. I'm glad I bought the two separate cabs because anything bigger would have been a pain.
And, yes, these amps are really loud! My 220 seldom gets turned up past 3 or 4.:thumbsup:
 
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#3,743
ghostinthemach said:
Mine is loaded with likely original white domed 15 inchers. My cab feels ridiculously light for its size.
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Those are alnico magnet speakers -- probably either 130040-A or 130040-B -- which is why they're pretty light. It's very possible they're original to the cabinet, although I would have expected a 406 wide to have later issue 130040-C or 130040-D ceramic magnet speakers.

What year is in the date code? The year would be the two digits following the "67-" in the manufacturing code. For example, 67-8210 would indicate they were manufactured by Eminence the 10th week of 1982.
 
#3,744
JacklegBass said:
Those are alnico magnet speakers -- probably either 130040-A or 130040-B -- which is why they're pretty light. It's very possible they're original to the cabinet, although I would have expected a 406 wide to have later issue 130040-C or 130040-D ceramic magnet speakers.

What year is in the date code? The year would be the two digits following the "67-" in the manufacturing code. For example, 67-8210 would indicate they were manufactured by Eminence the 10th week of 1982.
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Looks like '77 to me.
9F971FAF-2DFD-496F-AF6D-14CC237EEFB9.jpeg
 
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#3,746
ghostinthemach said:
Looks like '77 to me.
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Right, and 37th week = August.

I don't know exactly when Acoustic began distributing Generation-3 "wide" amps & cabinets, but the first amplifier model was the 220 which has design schematics dated July-August '77. Dates are other Gen-3 models are later. So it's possible that these are original to the cabinet, but it's hard to say for sure.

I don't think the hole in the rear paper cover is a big deal. As far as I know it doesn't expose the voice coil gap to any risk of contamination.
 
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#3,748
JacklegBass said:
Right, and 37th week = August.

I don't know exactly when Acoustic began distributing Generation-3 "wide" amps & cabinets, but the first amplifier model was the 220 which has design schematics dated July-August '77. Dates are other Gen-3 models are later. So it's possible that these are original to the cabinet, but it's hard to say for sure.

I don't think the hole in the rear paper cover is a big deal. As far as I know it doesn't expose the voice coil gap to any risk of contamination.
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Where do I look on my 220 head to find out the date, and do you know when they stopped making them?
Thanks @JacklegBass !
 
#3,749
Syncopation said:
Where do I look on my 220 head to find out the date, and do you know when they stopped making them?
Thanks @JacklegBass !
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There's no manufacturing date on amps. Best estimate requires looking for date codes on internal parts like potentiometers and the two large chassis-mounted capacitors. Not sure exactly what years they were made, but I have in my mind late 1977 or early 1978 until about 1983.
 
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#3,757
ghostinthemach said:
Sure would look good behind the triple T-bird array @Dr_Feelgoood212 :thumbsup:.
Maybe you could carpool?
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Anything looks good behind that array ;):roflmao:

I could probably do the drive with my buddy or my dad. Actually earlier this year, me and my buddy drove... well I drove, to Boston (just say from Buffalo), in my old station wagon, to pick up a Marshall JVM410H and half stack, made it back in under 24 hours too. That amp sits in the corner now along with my guitars :roflmao: That same wagon was used to pick up my 301 cab, 4 hours away.
Driving isn't a problem, but that doesn't mean it doesn't take up a lot of time. Which is what I was referring to.

But I'd probably just get another 301 cab to round off my stack. It would be awesome if I can find another one that just needs a voice coil or something. Like that'd happen again though.


Edit: Seems like I'm sounding a little snarky today, but it is not meant to be snarky in any way
 
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#3,758
Dr_Feelgoood212 said:
Anything looks good behind that array ;):roflmao:

I could probably do the drive with my buddy or my dad. Actually earlier this year, me and my buddy drove... well I drove, to Boston (just say from Buffalo), in my old station wagon, to pick up a Marshall JVM410H and half stack, made it back in under 24 hours too. That amp sits in the corner now along with my guitars :roflmao: That same wagon was used to pick up my 301 cab, 4 hours away.
Driving isn't a problem, but that doesn't mean it doesn't take up a lot of time. Which is what I was referring to.

But I'd probably just get another 301 cab to round off my stack. It would be awesome if I can find another one that just needs a voice coil or something. Like that'd happen again
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Dr_Feelgoood212 said:
Anything looks good behind that array ;):roflmao:

I could probably do the drive with my buddy or my dad. Actually earlier this year, me and my buddy drove... well I drove, to Boston (just say from Buffalo), in my old station wagon, to pick up a Marshall JVM410H and half stack, made it back in under 24 hours too. That amp sits in the corner now along with my guitars :roflmao: That same wagon was used to pick up my 301 cab, 4 hours away.
Driving isn't a problem, but that doesn't mean it doesn't take up a lot of time. Which is what I was referring to.

But I'd probably just get another 301 cab to round off my stack. It would be awesome if I can find another one that just needs a voice coil or something. Like that'd happen again though.


Edit: Seems like I'm sounding a little snarky today, but it is not meant to be snarky in any way
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Worry not. No snark detectors were activated, besides, the Triple T Array is certainly spectacular and it's hard to not beam happiness into the bass community with such a nice collection.
 
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#3,759
ghostinthemach said:
Worry not. No snark detectors were activated, besides, the Triple T Array is certainly spectacular and it's hard to not beam happiness into the bass community with such a nice collection.
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:thumbsup:

The Triple T Array... I like it! :roflmao: One person can only store so much happiness before it starts emitting out of various places!


I need to find time to get a good picture of the Triple T Array with both rigs of destruction (Mesa rig is the other), might need to include my EB-3 to keep symmetry.
 
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#3,760
Dr_Feelgoood212 said:
:thumbsup:

The Triple T Array... I like it! :roflmao: One person can only store so much happiness before it starts emitting out of various places!


I need to find time to get a good picture of the Triple T Array with both rigs of destruction (Mesa rig is the other), might need to include my EB-3 to keep symmetry.
Click to expand...
Is it a trick of light and shadow, or is the left-most 'Bird a fiver? Looks like a 4/1 headstock in your avvy.
 
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