Old 50's JBL Find, Did these even have an Model #?

[Choatpadda]

I removed part of the Back panel hoping to identify the drivers, the HF is an 175, and not yet sure about the LF driver, it looks to be an D130, 130A, or perhaps an 150??? Any feedback would be GREATLY Appreciated!!
Someone had built an ugly Cabinet around this Pair, I had to remove it, and the original cabs are not in the greatest of shape but the Speakers Sound Absolutely FANTASTIC!!!

[jcrobso]

There are some differences between this and the later production models I first saw in the early 1960s.

[JohnK]

JBL never supplied the badges for homemade cabinets, so that's the first clue. The Speaker
is a D130. Possibly the original owner started with a D130 & added the 175 later on. JBL advertised this as a practical way to improve your system as you went & presumably saved up for more stuff.

You have 2 of these? It is nicely built out of plywood & not crumbly MDF like the later ones. I suspect that it was made in the mid 50's.

A nice find for sure. I assume the original owner is departed.

[Choatpadda]

There are some differences between this and the later production models I first saw in the early 1960s.

So when do you think this was produced, Mid 50's?? Any idea what model that woofer is, I just attached an Pic of the front in this reply?

[Choatpadda]

JBL never supplied the badges for homemade cabinets, so that's the first clue. The Speaker
is a D130. Possibly the original owner started with a D130 & added the 175 later on. JBL advertised this as a practical way to improve your system as you went & presumably saved up for more stuff.

You have 2 of these? It is nicely built out of plywood & not crumbly MDF like the later ones. I suspect that it was made in the mid 50's.

A nice find for sure. I assume the original owner is departed.

Yes, I have the Pair and they Do Sound Quite Good! Sadly I do not have room for them, My Sovereign S8R's take up all of my available space. Just trying to decide if I should Sell them like they are, or Part out.

[JohnK]

Woofer is a D130. A pretty common item. With a 130A those go for pretty good money on EBAY.

[HCSGuy]

Your pictures show the back of a blue 175, am I right? If so, that suggests they were added in the mid/late 60's. Blue 175's are rare. I would think that if you are a good woodworker, you could repair/refinish the enclosures and find a set of the (also rare) legs and you'd have a great set of speakers! Unfortunately, they wouldn't be worth more than the parts, IMO. I'll bet you'd get $800 for the 175's/lenses, $300 for the woofers, $300 for the crossovers, but don't hold me to those numbers as I don't specialize in what you've got. You may also get $200-300 for the enclosures. If you choose to rebuild them, I'll bet it would cost $400 for a set of the "Eames Era" legs, and when you're done, the speakers would sell for $2k. I'd probably call it more a labor of love than an exercise in fiscal responsibility...

[Choatpadda]

Your pictures show the back of a blue 175, am I right? If so, that suggests they were added in the mid/late 60's. Blue 175's are rare. I would think that if you are a good woodworker, you could repair/refinish the enclosures and find a set of the (also rare) legs and you'd have a great set of speakers! Unfortunately, they wouldn't be worth more than the parts, IMO. I'll bet you'd get $800 for the 175's/lenses, $300 for the woofers, $300 for the crossovers, but don't hold me to those numbers as I don't specialize in what you've got. You may also get $200-300 for the enclosures. If you choose to rebuild them, I'll bet it would cost $400 for a set of the "Eames Era" legs, and when you're done, the speakers would sell for $2k. I'd probably call it more a labor of love than an exercise in fiscal responsibility...

lol, They do sound good enough to Justify an "Labor of Love" but as I said before I have already found my Soulmate...the Sovereign S8R's so I think I will Post them over on The Marketplace now tthat I know more about them.

[jcrobso]

So when do you think this was produced, Mid 50's?? Any idea what model that woofer is, I just attached an Pic of the front in this reply?

I made two of these in the mid 1960s, I never have seen one this old, my LE175 are mid 1960 and black. I have only see blue JBLs in pictures fro the 1950s

[JohnK]

Is it blue or just the way it's lit?

[Choatpadda]

Is it blue or just the way it's lit?
Here is an better Photo, It actually is a light shade of blue

[grumpy]

Not that it matters to me, but for those for which it does, the "blue finish" that seems
to carry some magic cachet is fairly dark, not light blue-ish gray. :dont-know:

http://www.audioheritage.org/vbulletin/showthread.php?8792-Serial-Number-registry&p=121426&viewfull=1#post121426

[HCSGuy]

Alright, they're JBL Grey. They should go for $599/pr, approx. Blue would be rare! I don't think I've ever seen a pair of 175's in Blue...

[perchdog]

I posted this on AK Friday, the concensus was not absolute. I found this on C/L, the add was for an Sherwood mono tube amp and unknown speaker. I was a little confused to weather or not this is a JBL cab because every thing I have seen indicates a 1-piece back up untill now. I was thinking mid to late 50's

Unfortunately there was only one available, I have it set-up in the garage right now. It sounds perfectly lovely, fills the whole yard with music.

So the question at hand, JBL cabinet or knock-off ??

[jcrobso]

I posted this on AK Friday, the concensus was not absolute. I found this on C/L, the add was for an Sherwood mono tube amp and unknown speaker. I was a little confused to weather or not this is a JBL cab because every thing I have seen indicates a 1-piece back up untill now. I was thinking mid to late 50's

Unfortunately there was only one available, I have it set-up in the garage right now. It sounds perfectly lovely, fills the whole yard with music.

So the question at hand, JBL cabinet or knock-off ??
The C43 has the curved horn exit.

[JohnK]

I posted this on AK Friday, the concensus was not absolute. I found this on C/L, the add was for an Sherwood mono tube amp and unknown speaker. I was a little confused to weather or not this is a JBL cab because every thing I have seen indicates a 1-piece back up untill now. I was thinking mid to late 50's

Unfortunately there was only one available, I have it set-up in the garage right now. It sounds perfectly lovely, fills the whole yard with music.

So the question at hand, JBL cabinet or knock-off ??


The proportions are wrong for any of the JBLs. Probably homemade is my guess. Nice speaker tho!

[perchdog]

Thanks guy's, I really was not sure.
.
I guess it does not matter, finding a match would be a pita. the 604 is what i was looking for, that will probably be another thread soon.

[JohnK]

The person that built it spent a great deal of time & energy on it & enjoyed it for years.
It's nice to find great stuff like that.

[Choatpadda]

Not that it matters to me, but for those for which it does, the "blue finish" that seems
to carry some magic cachet is fairly dark, not light blue-ish gray. :dont-know:

http://www.audioheritage.org/vbulletin/showthread.php?8792-Serial-Number-registry&p=121426&viewfull=1#post121426

lol, I would have to call it an Medium/light Blue/Gray, most definitely not dark!

[JohnK]

lol, I would have to call it an Medium/light Blue/Gray, most definitely not dark!

The "rare" blue color is really much darker blue and it seems to me was used on the LE
series in the 60's for a while. Off the top of my head it seems like it was S7 hardware
that was painted that blue color, particularly the LE-85 & horn & LE-15A