New cab day!

[Jucciz]

Now, this is interesting. I have a '79 Marshall 1960A and the speakers (Rola G12-65 T3120, 16 ohm, 75Hz) are from April/May 1979. My cab already has a black grill cloth, not a chequerboard. Still, the power handling badge says "100W", so that's from the previous era of G12M 25W speakers.

Pics here, just for comparison:
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/ky08x4wdjam7fsh/YZJ4whR7oH

Must be one of the VERY first "JCM800 style" cabinets. Yours - in turn - must be one of the VERY last chequerboard cabinets.

 

[Ken]

Now, this is interesting. I have a '79 Marshall 1960A and the speakers (Rola G12-65 T3120, 16 ohm, 75Hz) are from April/May 1979. My cab already has a black grill cloth, not a chequerboard. Still, the power handling badge says "100W", so that's from the previous era of G12M 25W speakers.

Pics here, just for comparison:
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/ky08x4wdjam7fsh/YZJ4whR7oH

Must be one of the VERY first "JCM800 style" cabinets. Yours - in turn - must be one of the VERY last chequerboard cabinets.

The weird part is the plain grill cloth. Are you sure it's original? My hunch is that it is not. The sticker and speakers are what the 1960 cabs had in 1979, along with the Marshall logo backs.

Ken

 

[Jucciz]

The weird part is the plain grill cloth. Are you sure it's original? My hunch is that it is not. The sticker and speakers are what the 1960 cabs had in 1979, along with the Marshall logo backs.

Ken

Well... take a look at this '79 half stack:
1979 Marshall Superlead MK2 100W + 4x12" cab -Vi79MarshMK2_100WLead_03635L

My guess is it's from a transition period - and Marshall had quite a few of them...

Any thoughts?

At least the cabinet sounds simply phenomenal.

 

[damienbeale]

I don't know why everybody is so insistent about the black grillecloth not being original. UK spec was common to have black throughout quite a large portion of the 70's. Either that or the UK is mostly full of recovered cabs. I see more 70's cabs with black around these parts than I do checkerboard.

Perhaps George might have some further insight on this...

 

[Ken]

I don't know why everybody is so insistent about the black grillecloth not being original. UK spec was common to have black throughout quite a large portion of the 70's. Either that or the UK is mostly full of recovered cabs. I see more 70's cabs with black around these parts than I do checkerboard.

...

I think the distinction is b/w checkerboard vs. black checkerboard vs. black cloth.

I always thought my 1982A from 1980 was black checkerboard from the factory, as it looks 100% factory, but upon finding a white thread I came to the conclusion it's been painted.

All Marshall 1960, 1982 and probably 1984 cabs from the late 70's until about 1982 were b/w checkerboard, then they went to black cloth. I've never seen a factory black checkerboard from this era, and the reason may very well be that it's because there aren't any.

When you say you see black, is it plain cloth or checkerboard? I do hope it's the latter as I still hope to replace my black cloth 1982B with silver Celestion speaker backs from 1983 with a black checkerboard with the Marshall logo speaker backs from a couple years earlier some day. I've never seen one.

Ken

 

[damienbeale]

Plain black. But all cabs destined for US were check. Still say black check doesn't exist.

 

[Clammy]

I think the distinction is b/w checkerboard vs. black checkerboard vs. black cloth.

I always thought my 1982A from 1980 was black checkerboard from the factory, as it looks 100% factory, but upon finding a white thread I came to the conclusion it's been painted.

All Marshall 1960, 1982 and probably 1984 cabs from the late 70's until about 1982 were b/w checkerboard, then they went to black cloth. I've never seen a factory black checkerboard from this era, and the reason may very well be that it's because there aren't any.

When you say you see black, is it plain cloth or checkerboard? I do hope it's the latter as I still hope to replace my black cloth 1982B with silver Celestion speaker backs from 1983 with a black checkerboard with the Marshall logo speaker backs from a couple years earlier some day. I've never seen one.

Ken

My 1984B cab with G12-80s dated Aug. 1980, has factory plain black grill cloth, incorrect round tag (states 120W), and silver-backed Rola Celestion labelled speakers.

The only really consistent thing about Marshall back then was that they were inconsistent, hahaha!!

Cheers!

 

[Ken]

My 1984B cab with G12-80s dated Aug. 1980, has factory plain black grill cloth, incorrect round tag (states 120W), and silver-backed Rola Celestion labelled speakers.

The only really consistent thing about Marshall back then was that they were inconsistent, hahaha!!

Cheers!

Is it possible the checkerboard was already discontinued by Aug 1980? I really don't have any evidence exactly when they went to the plain.

Ken

 

[Clammy]

From what I understand, they kept the checkerboard grill for the US market for a few years after they switched to plain black in the UK (and I guess for the Canadian market, as well), sometime in the late 70s. Not sure when the switch was made for the US market, but something tells me it was with the introduction of the JCM 800 series in 1981.

Cheers!

Is it possible the checkerboard was already discontinued by Aug 1980? I really don't have any evidence exactly when they went to the plain.

Ken

 

[marshallman75]

UPDATE: I was able to open the cab back up and verify each cone is stamped 1777. I had a conversation with Dr Decibel and here is what he had to say...

drdecibel

Apr 11 (2 days ago)

to me

[FONT=&quot]Hi[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] T2876 is a 15ohm G12-80 first issued in March, 1978. The partial date code of M23 suggests yours date from 1979 (there should be another letter in front of the M or could the 2 maybe a letter?). According to the records these should have used the 0444 cone so would be the lower resonance G12-80 so the 1777 one may have been re-coned? Does the joint between the yellow cloth suspension and frame look the same on all four speakers or does it look messier (or neater!) on this one? Send me pictures if you’re not sure.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Regards[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Doc

I sent him the pics but have not heard back yet...can anyone verify that these have been re-coned?

Thanks!
[/FONT]

 

[marshallman75]

[FONT=&quot]Update from Doc...
[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]
[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Sorry
[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] I can’t really tell. The glue bead looks pretty clean and is the correct colour. [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Hopefully it all sounds good and you’re happy with it.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Regards[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Doc[/FONT]

 

[GIBSON67]

To me, they look original with the black ink stamp.

Maybe Celestion sent some 1777 coned T2876's to Marshall by accident, IDK.

 

[Polvo]

I have that same model, the speakers are dated to `79. All 12 of my g12-80s are 1777s as well, it seems most people who have these speakers have the 444 cone. I couldn't imagine liking any other speaker more than these, simply amazing.

 

[GIBSON67]

Polvo...for curiosity sake...could you post some pics?

 

[marshallman75]

I have that same model, the speakers are dated to `79. All 12 of my g12-80s are 1777s as well, it seems most people who have these speakers have the 444 cone. I couldn't imagine liking any other speaker more than these, simply amazing.

cool! I agree-pics would be great! Do yours have the rola label or Marshall?

 

[Ken]

I have that same model, the speakers are dated to `79. All 12 of my g12-80s are 1777s as well, it seems most people who have these speakers have the 444 cone. I couldn't imagine liking any other speaker more than these, simply amazing.

I've read about G12H-80's with 1777 cones and they're listed in the literatue, but I've never seen one. They are quite rare. When you say "all" is it just one cabinet, or do have lots of these?

Ken

 

[Polvo]

no two cabs, one is original, checkered cloth 1982a, that says 120 watts on the back with 79 g12-80s and I bought four 1981 g12-80s off a guy on TGP and stuck em in a 71 red marshall w/ a basket weave grill. Thirdly, a JCM800 cab from 81.

 

[Bear R.]

very very nice cab..wow..vintage all the way man..