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What did I buy??

Here is my blonde 2x12" Fender cab from the 60s, I assume.
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I will look around for a JBL 131, if I find it, you can have it. I know I have some JBLs with good cones and silver dust covers. Fndrgrl should see if yours has the silver dust cover on front (approx. 4" diameter) in place to see if it may be re-coned. It may need re-coning anyway, not a hard job. I would think you have a Bandmaster 2x12 circa 1970 since the ID place doesn't exists. Look for (4) screws holes upper left in case it is missing. That plate was approx. 4"x3" or so(don't have it in front of me). MY '69 and '70 Bassman and Showman do not use ID plates. That grille cloth can be cleaned to bring back the color. It will be yellowed however which adds patina . I have a Marshall MG100(SS) head cheap if you want it(I'm in PA). Good luck my friend...
That is awesome!!
 
Ok, you liked that one, here are a couple more, the black one was sold a number of years ago. I would love to sell the blond Tremolux. The black cab shows all of the hardware, tilt-back legs and screw holes for locking down the head. I used to use the black and blond (from the earlier post) for bass gigs.
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In the late 1960's (around 68 - 69 ish) Fender changed the orientation of the speaker cabinets of their two piece units (amp head with separate speaker cabinet referred to back then as a piggyback style). The first years 61 through 66-67 ish) the rectangular shaped speaker cabinets were designed for horizontal placement with the amp head placed on the long top surface. That surface also had two threaded lugs to attach flat, hook shaped plates that slid out from under the amp head. You would unscrew the lugs, slide the hooks under them and tighten down the lugs to secure the amp head to the speaker cabinet. The speaker cabinets also had a flat, chrome leg on each end that was attached in a way that enabled them to swivel towards the back of the cabinet (parallel to the ends). There was also a stop attached on each end that corresponded to the flat chrome leg keeping from swiveling past a certain angle. Then with those legs open you could tip the whole unit back so it was angled up towards the player. It also somewhat eliminated stage resonance which depending on the construction of the stage could significantly muddy up the sound. Leo and his team were brilliant! When other manufacturers (like Sunn) started to market their piggyback style amps they chose to configure them with the rectangular speaker cabinet in a vertical position and their cabinets were a little larger than the Fender cabinets of the day even though the speakers in the cabinets were not larger than the ones in the Fender cabs. By then Fender was owned by CBS and they were more marketing vested than technically vested. They decided to change the orientation of their piggyback style units to match the new trend of having the long surface of the rectangle in a vertical position. Even after Fender made that change they still kept the Fender logo in the upper left corner of the cabinet (if you are facing the front of the cabinet). After all that being said I don't know for certain what your cabinet really is. It may be an after market cabinet that the builder or owner bought a Fender logo and put it on? If it is a Fender cabinet or even a quality replication of a Fender cabinet there will be a whole lot of screws attaching the back of the cabinet. It you're inclined to do a little unscrewing you may find some information inside of the back (that you're removing) of the cabinet, especially if it is a Fender cab.. Also, the pictures are blurry but it looks like at least one of the speakers has a chrome dome in the center of the speaker. If it does I'd suggest you definitely remove the cab. back and check to see if the speaker says J.B. Lansing on it. If it does it will also state the model number (example D140F - D130F - D120 etc.). Some of those speakers are very valuable to musicians who prefer the sound of vintage equipment. I've known guitarists who will only play through D120s. Best of luck with both understanding all I've just tried to explain and with identifying what you have.
The speaker is a JBL D 131. There is only one. Everything you have said it 100% correct. All the hardware says Fender on it and the part that swivels out as you pointed out days M 18020. Fender cannot identify that number. It may be a number other than a serial number. It does lay horizontal. I wonder ing if someone changed the position of the logo for some reason. I appreciate the time you put into your reply as well as the correctness and detail. Many thanks!!
 
Ok, you liked that one, here are a couple more, the black one was sold a number of years ago. I would love to sell the blond Tremolux. The black cab shows all of the hardware, tilt-back legs and screw holes for locking down the head. I used to use the black and blond (from the earlier post) for bass gigs.View attachment 3109291 View attachment 3109292
The black one is just like mine. Someone moved the Fender logo on mine. I don't know why.
 
Hello!!!
Forgive me in advance. I don't play bass. I bought what I was told was a bass amp on the secondary market. I told the individual that there was nothing to plug into. After a difference of opinion I bought it thinking it was a vintage speaker. It is actually a cabinet without an amp. Its a fender vintage cabinet with the fender logo underlined. As far as I can see it was made between 1968 and 1974. Where is a good source of information??? Fender tried to help but couldn't. The serial number as far as I can determine is M 18020 or M16020. I have no clue as to whether it would work if had an amp. Or if it could be used for a fender guitar that isn't a bass. Would there be no treble or midrange?
What the heck is going on??? Any ideas??
By chance does it have any paper work with it? Or does it give a Model Name like"Fender Bassman". "Fender Showman" "Fender Twin".
 
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...All the hardware says Fender on it and the part that swivels out as you pointed out days M 18020. Fender cannot identify that number. It may be a number other than a serial number. It does lay horizontal. I wonder ing if someone changed the position of the logo for some reason.
I saw that number (or at least the first part of it) in your photo, and wondered if you took it to be the serial number, which it certainly is not. It's almost certainly a lot number or a part number for the specific wooden component. While Fender put serial numbers on their instruments and on their amplifier chassis, I don't think the 60's speaker cabs actually had serial numbers. I know that old Ampeg cabs did not.
 
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By chance does it have any paper work with it? Or does it give a Model Name like"Fender Bassman". "Fender Showman" "Fender Twin".
Just fender hardware with the number M 18020. Fender couldn't identify the number. The speaker JBL D 131 has serial numbers on it. No tags or paperwork on the inside. Most people thinks its a Band master or Bass Man pre 1970 or late sixties. It has all the correct features of the Bass Man or bandmaster.
 
I saw that number (or at least the first part of it) in your photo, and wondered if you took it to be the serial number, which it certainly is not. It's almost certainly a lot number or a part number for the specific wooden component. While Fender put serial numbers on their instruments and on their amplifier chassis, I don't think the 60's speaker cabs actually had serial numbers. I know that old Ampeg cabs did not.
Thank you. They said it didn't show up in their system. I'm really pleased with the cabinet and will want to get it up and running on my budget. The electronic technician that works on these items locally requires a deposit which I understand. When possible Ill contact him about working with it as it is currently. You are 100% correct about the number on it. I'm also curious about the patent pending on the hardware. My other fender items don't say that.
 

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