James' instrument laboratory?

[John Salovesh]

I am a wet behind the ears Newbie, with a ton of questions about a unit I have. First of all, WHAT IS IT? I inherited it from my father, who always said, hang on to this as long as possible. Story goes like this: "It's a JBL prototype, it'll pay for your college someday---" well, i paid for my own college, leaving it at home, with dad. I never remembered him using it as a child, but, on a lark, I decided to hook it up to my then new HK tuner just to see what it could do. At once, I knew Dad was right. Long story longer, I (at my wife's insistence) gave it to a friend, on the condition that if he didn't want it anymore, or needed to hock it, he should come to me first. He use(s) it regularly, and it still sounds great! He turned it over the other day to find this curious inscription: "...(illegible) James' Instrument Laboratory, built by the workbench, model one." he called me right away, and said I should hurry over, asap. When I got there, we slowly, carefully, opened it up via an access panel on the bottom. I found an amp? built-in, a volume? knob, and some penciled in diagrams, showing???? now. Dad was Cal. during the early 50's, and there is a moving company sticker on it from when they lived in minneapolis.
When i was doing research, I found y'all, and also the pics of James Lansing's handwriting. when I compared them, they are Identical!!
Now on to the pics...
now, how do I figure out what I have?
Here's some pics. What about value? HELP!!
I will post more pics, only 4 at a time?
Thanx in advance for your help.
I think it's VERY early. ( it sez model one)

[John Salovesh]

If you look on the diagram, next to the top on (scribbled out one), next to the HF, it looks like what came to be the trademark logo. (rotate 90 counter-clockwise). Am I Crazy? the cording @trap door ( i guess to direct better? the horn on the top? (remember, unit is upside down). the amp? attenuator? is on bottom of cabinet? HELP!! i can't find anything like it. period.
the inscription on the amp? (REALLY HEAVY THINGIE) sez---

CBV-481337-20
8/8/8 MFD
500 V D.C.
MX-16a||5G1

Lemme know what you think.

the leads off of heavy thingie are bare wire, round, and the heavy thingie fits into a crudely formed tin strap.

[hjames]

The big metal "can" is just a capacitor - no big deal, its just old and, probably, oil filled. From the inscription it appears to actually be 3 capacitors in a single case - 3 contacts plus a common earth (ground).
8/8/8 MFD 500 V D.C.

Looks like there is a coil in the wooden cabinet, as well - that would make it a simple crossover network. split the incoming signal into 2 paths, each "tuned" to a specific frequency range and connected to a frequency selected driver.

So, your basic, 2-way mono "hi-fidelity" speaker system.

Need better pictures of the horn and the logo embedded in that ...

[John Salovesh]

Thanks for the reply-- I'm going to take a bunch more pictures on Tuesday afternoon, and I'll put them up on Tues. night. I was looking at the few I have, and thinking about a few things. The back side of the aluminum? tin? speaker (haven't even measured it yet), doesn't look like any others that I ran into while researching here, and online. I'll get better pictures on Tues in the daytime, and I will re-secure the capacitator in the cabinet, flip her over, take pics of cabinet, the fabric, and a Hi-Res set of the diagrams and writing on the bottom. Where would the markings on the horn be? As far as I can tell, there's no decal, sticker, or placard on the speaker. Another thing I was wondering, the writing on the bottom sez' "made by the workbench..." Was 'the workbench' possibly a term for a team of Jim and one or more of his folk? and what's up with the "james instrument laboratory?" Was that one of his at the ranch? are ther other references to that?
Can't stop now...
The 8/8/8 MFD.... is 1908 that when the capacitor was made?
and finally, did he patent things under martini ever?
Once again-----THANKS TO ALL------
John

[hjames]

I doubt the cap is that old, grin, I think that just means its three 8 mfd (microfarad) capacitors in a common can.
I am not a historian, just someone thats had some old radios over the years - I have no special knowledge of James B's history.


Thanks for the reply-- I'm going to take a bunch more pictures on Tuesday afternoon, and I'll put them up on Tues. night. I was looking at the few I have, and thinking about a few things. The back side of the aluminum? tin? speaker (haven't even measured it yet), doesn't look like any others that I ran into while researching here, and online. I'll get better pictures on Tues in the daytime, and I will re-secure the capacitator in the cabinet, flip her over, take pics of cabinet, the fabric, and a Hi-Res set of the diagrams and writing on the bottom. Where would the markings on the horn be? As far as I can tell, there's no decal, sticker, or placard on the speaker. Another thing I was wondering, the writing on the bottom sez' "made by the workbench..." Was 'the workbench' possibly a term for a team of Jim and one or more of his folk? and what's up with the "james instrument laboratory?" Was that one of his at the ranch? are ther other references to that?
Can't stop now...
The 8/8/8 MFD.... is 1908 that when the capacitor was made?
and finally, did he patent things under martini ever?
Once again-----THANKS TO ALL------
John

[BMWCCA]

The back side of the aluminum? tin? speaker (haven't even measured it yet), doesn't look like any others that I ran into while researching here, and online. I have even less knowledge than Heather on this stuff but that speaker looks to me like some middle-school science project covered in silver spray paint. Maybe a middle-school science project of one Jim Lansing, but still . . .

[John Salovesh]

Hello all--
After a little more looking, I have more Info on my speaker. I looked inside, and didn't see any marks, notes,etc. on the 15"? and got a better look at the horn.

It sez
"University Model MT-30
30 watts (might be 50?)
8 ohms"

Where does that land it in the product range? early, late, middle? Anybody know?

Also, here are better pics---

[John Salovesh]

And a couple more---
:help:????