Help with dating my 1960A 4x12 from 70s / 80s?…

[BB Benson]

Long time reader, first time MF poster.

Can anyone help with putting a year on my 1960A 4x12?

Original speakers have been replaced with McKENZIES so no speaker codes to go by. I’ve seen other posts with some great responses so I’m hoping someone out there can help with this one, possibly going over old ground, apols for any repetition. specs / clues as follows:

• Logo is 9" wide
• Plastic skid trays with marshall logo
• The corners that were left had the marshall logo
• Plastic handle with marshall logo
• Ply construction cabinet
• Rear board is MDF
• Recatangular serial number plate - # A05429
• Internal vertical post is full height

Marstran has similar serial numbers in 1979 but with a different size logo…

This cab is well road worn and the non-original grill cloth that was on it when I picked it up has been replaced. Any help with putting a year on this would be much apprecited. I saw one sell on Reverb which was advertised as a 1976 and had exactly the same visual specs but as Marshall have confirmed directly, they have no records from this time...

Many thanks in advance!

 

[Gene Ballzz]

@BB Benson
FIRST> to the forum!
THEN> Given that the grill cloth has already been cahnged at least once before you got the cabinet, you can't even be sure that the logo is original or the original size/style. I think the closest you get get is to research that particular tolex style and it's dates of use, as well as what date range the handles, trays, corners and two brass screw jack cup were used, along with what year the plywood back was given up in favor of chip/particle board. I suspect you can narrow it down to a date "range" of no less than five to ten years, at best!
Just My Honest Opinionatin'
Gene

 

[Ramhead]

Based on elephant skin tolex, input jack style and gold piping, I'd say this is probably '76 cab with a replacement grill cloth and (obviously) speakers.

 

[Scumback Speakers]

It has the same construction as my 1974 Slant, but with the elephant tolex, the oldest it could be is 1975.

 

[BB Benson]

Great stuff and many thanks for these replies!

Gene, cheers for the Honest Opinionatin' - I think it's the original logo size/style as the pin holes are unaltered in the logo plate, and the speaker grill is original, based on the screw holes lining up internally with those in the cabinet. The logo itself could have been replaced at any time, as you say.

Thanks again

@BB Benson
FIRST> to the forum!
THEN> Given that the grill cloth has already been cahnged at least once before you got the cabinet, you can't even be sure that the logo is original or the original size/style. I think the closest you get get is to research that particular tolex style and it's dates of use, as well as what date range the handles, trays, corners and two brass screw jack cup were used, along with what year the plywood back was given up in favor of chip/particle board. I suspect you can narrow it down to a date "range" of no less than five to ten years, at best!
Just My Honest Opinionatin'
Gene

 

[pulsonicsound]

Nice cab!

That’s a 1976(or very early 1977)

The grill cloth is non original, that would be small check for North America or black for Europe, a dead giveaway is the fact that the handle rivets are missing, you need to remove the handles to change the grill!

Your also missing the sound post, not a deal breaker and very easy to replace!

Hope that helps

 

[Scumback Speakers]

Great stuff and many thanks for these replies!

Gene, cheers for the Honest Opinionatin' - I think it's the original logo size/style as the pin holes are unaltered in the logo plate, and the speaker grill is original, based on the screw holes lining up internally with those in the cabinet. The logo itself could have been replaced at any time, as you say.

Thanks again

You might want to consider getting my repro Marshall metal handles for this so you don't have mess with the plastic handles that break, crack, etc. They're a direct fit for that cab.

Scumbacks Speakers Cabinet Metal Handles

www.scumbackspeakers.com