Trying to identify a JBL 4343 speaker...

[FLHX]

Hello,

since this is my first posting here, I will not be impolite, but I'm under pressure... As happy owner of JBL L65 "Jubal" I'm tempted to acquire bigger studio monitors from JBL here in Germany and someone offered me JBL 4343, "all original, perfect condition, second owner etc..." Now i'm in doubt if this is true, I had to travel a long way to him and yesterday he told me, that the speakers who have american walnut veneer have also black baffle boards, black covered grills and straight edges instead of slanted ones surrounding the front of the cabinet. He say that this is original but I can't find images of such an 4343 version on the internet... Can you please help me? Did such a version of the 4343 exist? And sorry, I have no images, only the description of the owner...

Thank you

Michael

[ivica]

Hello,

since this is my first posting here, I will not be impolite, but I'm under pressure... As happy owner of JBL L65 "Jubal" I'm tempted to acquire bigger studio monitors from JBL here in Germany and someone offered me JBL 4343, "all original, perfect condition, second owner etc..." Now i'm in doubt if this is true, I had to travel a long way to him and yesterday he told me, that the speakers who have american walnut veneer have also black baffle boards, black covered grills and straight edges instead of slanted ones surrounding the front of the cabinet. He say that this is original but I can't find images of such an 4343 version on the internet... Can you please help me? Did such a version of the 4343 exist? And sorry, I have no images, only the description of the owner...

Thank you

Michael

Hi FLHX,

I think the most important is that the drivers and its parts and the networks are JBL original

regards
ivica

[FLHX]

Hello Barry,

yes, it's incredible, you have to pay the import taxes on the sales price and finally 20%!!! VAT on the sales price plus import taxes plus shipping... Since I restored about 20 old U.S jukeboxes (all of them exported to Europe in the late 1950ies, early 1960ies) and an 1984 Electra Glide (FLHX) I needed many parts from the United States and this was with all the taxes and VAT often expensive... But You built so many great things in the past, especially concerning music reproduction and motorcycling...

Best regards

Michael

[macaroonie]

http://www.audio-markt.de/_markt/ite...58fc83d852f410

[FLHX]

Hello Ivica,

thank You very much for Your reply, but since the speakers are very expensive, the originality is important to me...

Best regards

Michael

[Goldjazz]

Hi there,

I could be wrong but as far as I am aware, The 4343 came in two different cabinet finishes only. The walnut finished version with blue baffles, blue grills, and angled edges on the cabinet. This type had the suffix "WX" e.g. 4343 WX or 4343B WX (for the 4343B). Or the studio grey version which had black baffles, black grills straight edges on the cabinet with a textured gray paint on the outside of the cabinet.

I would suggest that these monitors may be one of two things: Either not original cabinets OR original Studio gray cabinets that have been veneered by someone at a later date. If the seller can provide some photos we should be able to determine which it is. I'm sure someone will jump in to correct me if I'm wrong.

[FLHX]

Hello macaroonie,

I saw this also, but this is a new user, without any feedback, the photos are poor, here in Europe there are many offerings especially from the U.K., often cheap, shipping included and in the end nothing arrives... But anyway, thank You for the link, I will contact him...

Best regards

Michael

[macaroonie]

Hello macaroonie,

I saw this also, but this is a new user, without any feedback, the photos are poor, here in Europe there are many offerings especially from the U.K., often cheap, shipping included and in the end nothing arrives... But anyway, thank You for the link, I will contact him...

Best regards

Michael

I did wonder why the seller is located in Belfast and is advertising on a German website. Having said that I have friends from Belfast that live here in Scotland so I'm sure it would not be difficult to arrange a visit to verify the existence of the speakers if they are in fact in Belfast. Maybe the seller is working in Belfast and the speakers are in Germany.

[Goldjazz]

There are so many scammer on these European websites particularly. I had a friend in Germany look into a few things once, I stopped asking as everything turned out to be a scam.

So here's a neat trick. Put the image into a reverse image search such as this one

https://www.imageraider.com/

It will pull up any webiste that have that image. In the case of your 4343's from Belfast the exact image also comes up in this website.

http://www.edwardlstephens.com/new_page_6.htm

As you can see, the Belfast seller is a scammer.

or even just do a google image search, if you're looking for some specific background colour you can quickly scan hundres of pics and you may see it.

If you can, definetly get a local to check. But I've even hear of buyers doing the following: Ask the seller to take a picture of the item with a glass of water partially in front of it. ha I know its sounds ridiculous. Apparently it's difficult to photoshop the distortion from a glass of water.

I did wonder why the seller is located in Belfast and is advertising on a German website. Having said that I have friends from Belfast that live here in Scotland so I'm sure it would not be difficult to arrange a visit to verify the existence of the speakers if they are in fact in Belfast. Maybe the seller is working in Belfast and the speakers are in Germany.

[HCSGuy]

I agree with Goldjazz. I have 4315's in both finishes that are flat fronted, though the Veneered ones have blue faces. Both of my 4343's are veneered and have the angled front trim and blue baffles. I think your seller has studio grade painted speakers that have been veneered or has home built speakers. If you look through the pro catalogs, even the older models (4340/4341) have the flat front for painted, angled front for veneer, so I wouldn't believe a claim to a flat front, veneered 4343 being "Early production" or prototype.

[FLHX]

Hello Goldjazz and HCSGuy,

thank you very much for your statements, that helps a lot, I have no photos from the seller, only claims: "The veneer must be original, it looks all so perfect" and "This must be a special order". So I will not make the long trip and continue to search for original ones. Again, thank all of you very much for the help...

Best regards

Michael

[martin2395]

No photos = no sale. Should be a rule when buying vintage gear for >€100.
In the past I wasted so many kilometers going to pick up stuff that was listed and assured by the seller being in 'good condition' it's absurd.

Also, flat front - DIY job. Wood veneer with black front - DIY job too.
There were only two versions as someone mentioned before, the grey/black 4343 "Studio Finish" and the AWX/BWX (first letter refers to either alnico or ferrite versions).

By the way - I wouldn't bother that much in searching for original, they are as good as unobtainium and the prices are skyrocketing.
I bet that you can let a carpenter make you a pair of 4343's in ANY finish you want, load them with JBL units, build new networks and still keep a lot of cash in the pocket.

[FLHX]

Hello macaroonie,

that is very a generous offer, I will report if and what the seller answers, if this is a real offer and the speakers are in Belfast it would be of great help to verify their existence... Buying them in the european union is free of taxes and VAT, I had to pay only the transport, but I doubt that the speakers exist...

Best regards

Michael

[macaroonie]

Most scammers use images that they take from the web. I already did a google image search using his image. No comparable results.
It is a little tricky to generate an image if you don't have the subject matter.
See what you can find out , are the speakers in Belfast , or if not where can you see them. That should sharpen things up a little.
Where are you in Germany ?

I used 'Hi Fi Shark' to find this seller

[FLHX]

Hello Martin,

thank you, the image gets clear, these 4343 are not original... But for 6000 euro the 4343 should be at least original... If the speakers were much cheaper, I wouldn't bother about the originality of the cabinets... But for this price? Are the prices for 4343 in original condition higher than 6000 euro at the moment here in Europe?

Best regards

Michael