Hey now.
Just scored a pre-'72 Fender Bandmaster 2x12 cabinet, with 2 grey basket D120Fs in it, and soda can dust covers. I suspect that at least one or maybe both speakers are not original. One has a silver/gold label with "Signature Design" and model D120F (So it was a Fender spec'd speaker) It has the paper cone fully out to the surround. The cone has "21032" stamps on it with white ink, and the "D120F" handwritten in white.
The other speaker has an orange/silver label and has the Fender logo to the left of the "Signature Design" with model D120F as well This has paper cone but what appears to be cloth as a surround. The cone has a stamp with the number 13 inside a circle, and "E-120-8" handwritten in white.
I have done enuff i-research to learn that JBL gave the F designation for Leo's stuff. Other makers started using these speakers in their amp cabs. Soon after, Leo asked for more unique designation, hence the Orange label. Not long after that, Leo wanted the entire basket to be orange. One website forum said this was to prevent people trying to warranty non-Fender JBLs by just swapping the labels over. Who knows.
So the question is, is the cloth surround usual for a D120F? Could this be a factory recone? Is it worth the $200 to send them both to Weber and recone them? The test spin at the music shop thru a Solandro amp sounded reall sweet, warm yet crystal clear-sharp (if that makes sense). I did notice that the older speaker (gold/silver label) was a tad sharper and louder. Of course, that was the top speaker. I did get on all fours to check, and I still have that opinion.
And the final question. I paid $275 out the door, and the cab itself is in very good condition, worth selling. Did I do good?
*picking up 2 sheets of 13-ply birch plywood next Tuesday*
Just scored a pre-'72 Fender Bandmaster 2x12 cabinet, with 2 grey basket D120Fs in it, and soda can dust covers. I suspect that at least one or maybe both speakers are not original. One has a silver/gold label with "Signature Design" and model D120F (So it was a Fender spec'd speaker) It has the paper cone fully out to the surround. The cone has "21032" stamps on it with white ink, and the "D120F" handwritten in white.
The other speaker has an orange/silver label and has the Fender logo to the left of the "Signature Design" with model D120F as well This has paper cone but what appears to be cloth as a surround. The cone has a stamp with the number 13 inside a circle, and "E-120-8" handwritten in white.
I have done enuff i-research to learn that JBL gave the F designation for Leo's stuff. Other makers started using these speakers in their amp cabs. Soon after, Leo asked for more unique designation, hence the Orange label. Not long after that, Leo wanted the entire basket to be orange. One website forum said this was to prevent people trying to warranty non-Fender JBLs by just swapping the labels over. Who knows.
So the question is, is the cloth surround usual for a D120F? Could this be a factory recone? Is it worth the $200 to send them both to Weber and recone them? The test spin at the music shop thru a Solandro amp sounded reall sweet, warm yet crystal clear-sharp (if that makes sense). I did notice that the older speaker (gold/silver label) was a tad sharper and louder. Of course, that was the top speaker. I did get on all fours to check, and I still have that opinion.
And the final question. I paid $275 out the door, and the cab itself is in very good condition, worth selling. Did I do good?
*picking up 2 sheets of 13-ply birch plywood next Tuesday*