Early 70' Twin Reverb, I want to buy but not sure???

[mackaygtrs]

Hey folks,
I’m looking to buy a Twin Reverb, looks like early ’70’s and really clean. Supposedly has the original speakers but not sure. The guy said he thinks they are Jensen but they say Fender, I think they look JBL’ish????
What do y’all think???
SN: A-53137, looks like 1973 SF

[BobbyZ]

Yea those are JBLs. I'm not a JBL expert but in the 70s thay went to orange frames but I don't know what year.
Also JBLs are a speaker people love or hate. If you can get the numbers off them post it.

[E5RSY]

Very clean looking from here. Nice.

Definitely somewhere between '72-'76, since the logo on the grille still has a tail.

[BobbyZ]

Just enlarged the pics and I can see Fender on one of the JBLs. Those speakers may be worth as much as he's asking for the amp. Check out ebay search "JBL D120F". But look at completed listings to see what thay sold for. The ones with original cones seem to be worth more.

[Warm Gums]

I can't see dust caps (most/ all Fender JBLs had silver caps that can be seen thru the cloth)so they may be recones.
But it could just be the angle, even if they are it could still be killer ( if perhaps a bit bright) Many also had a JBL logo on the front in the bottom right hand corner, so they, could be a latter addition, or the cloth could be changed etc.
Still if the price is right, this could be a great clean machine.

[mackaygtrs]

I picked this up last week for $700 and its the most incredible amp, clean clean clean.... added a Mojo Hand FX Rook to it and holy cow it comes alive...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/digital...7630349115076/

Just thinking how this 2X12 combo would sound!!!!!

[Green Lantern]

It looks like a good Twin Reverb. I wouldn't tell the seller that the speakers are JBL's. He might do a bit of research and boost the price of the item based upon that.

[mackaygtrs]

he thinks they are Jensen,thats what he told me...

[jh45gun]

Them are JBLs if you can get it for a decent price I would jump right on it. Even if it did not have the JBLS if for a good price I would grab it.

[mackaygtrs]

he wants $600, going at lunch to check it out:-), don't know if that price is good or not though, some say yes and some say no!!!, but some also say the amp is awesome and other say it sux.... lol.....

[adjason]

I would buy that for $600-I had no problem selling four JBLs out of my super reverb for $300 locally. You might even love their sound. The only question is will you have to carry it becuase its heavy. Offer him $550 and you will get a really good deal.

[BobbyZ]

With JBLs I'd grab it for 600. If you don't like JBLs you'll get most of that back even if thay've been reconed.

I've had my eye on a SFTR with orange frame JBLs for a while. (mostly after the speakers) Price on that one is 900 if it was 600 I would have picked it up by now. If the amp hasn't been screwed up.

[macaroonie]

Originally Posted by mackaygtrs

he wants $600, going at lunch to check it out:-), don't know if that price is good or not though, some say yes and some say no!!!, but some also say the amp is awesome and other say it sux.... lol.....

JBL's for sure , early D120F , pre orange frames. Speakers alone if there are no issues will be worth 300-400. Do your own math from there.
As long as he thinks they are Jensens you are golden !!!!!!

GRAB THAT SUCKER AND RUN FOR THE HILLS

Footnote. Normally the JBL's announce their presence ( as mentioned ) like this



Where you can see the domes thru the grille cloth. It has been known for these speakers to be fitted with paper or cloth domes as a mod. This reduces the highs. Sometimes they just get a coat of black paint if they have been used in PA boxes in a previous life. None of this is anything to worry about , new alloy domes can be had easily if needed but those are the real deal. If you look closely at the label you will notice it does say James B Lansing Manufacturing in small lettering. Don't peer too hard though.
Noted JBL users , Gerry Garcia , SRV , Hendrix , in fact most of the greats at some time or another.

[mackaygtrs]

Originally Posted by macaroonie

JBL's for sure , early D120F , pre orange frames. Speakers alone if there are no issues will be worth 300-400. Do your own math from there.
As long as he thinks they are Jensens you are golden !!!!!!

GRAB THAT SUCKER AND RUN FOR THE HILLS

Footnote. Normally the JBL's announce their presence ( as mentioned ) like this

Attachment 133638

Where you can see the domes thru the grille cloth. It has been known for these speakers to be fitted with paper or cloth domes as a mod. This reduces the highs. Sometimes they just get a coat of black paint if they have been used in PA boxes in a previous life. None of this is anything to worry about , new alloy domes can be had easily if needed but those are the real deal. If you look closely at the label you will notice it does say James B Lansing Manufacturing in small lettering. Don't peer too hard though.
Noted JBL users , Gerry Garcia , SRV , Hendrix , in fact most of the greats at some time or another.

Thanks for the great help here as always, I looked on line and "yes" most of the JBLs that I see have orange baskets/frames, so these would be older original JBLs with the gray/ metal baskets….??? "pre orange frames"

[jh45gun]

yep

[macaroonie]

They made all Grey D120F and then the label changed to Orange / silver and then the baskets went orange with black on the magnet. No change at all to the working parts. It was Fenders way of kinda setting themselves apart from the OEM. They do it today with the phrase ' special design '

If you want to read up on the history of these and other JBL of the era google Harvey Gerst and D120F and you will get some good background.

There is a 15" also , D130 ( F ) and a 10" D110.

They also went through two series changes and became K series with the same numbers and then E series. E series have ceramic magnets and a higher power rating.

Anyway the exact transition to Orange is not that clear but around 70-72 would be about right. Some say these speakers are ice picky , yes indeed they have an extended response compared to most guitar speakers , but they do great cleans and will reflect accurately whatever pedals you use. If they are too bright then turn down the treble a bit. Simple.
What you do get is super efficiency , in other words for a given wattage these will be louder than most by a fair margin. They are also built like battleships.
They ARE a legend without doubt. I don't think you can go wrong at all on this deal as long as the amp is doing all it is supposed to. I would not worry about crackly knobs , thats a spray cleaner fix. No horrid hums or fizzing noises and you will be set.

The amp boys here will keep you straight if anything needs attended to.

M

[BobbyZ]

As far as efficiency I have an orange D120F in a DR. I compared it to a G12H30 Anniversery in another cab and the Celestion was the louder of the two.
I liked the JBL better but I hate the Celestion so no suprise there.

[spankdplank]

$600 is a really good price even if it had Oxfords or Utahs. For JBLs that is A STEAL. I have seen strips of tape put on frames by re-coners to keep track of who/what/when/where when they recone. I'm guessing those speakers are reconed because there are strips of tape on the frames and you can't see the aluminum dusctcaps through the speaker cloth. JBL D-120s and D-130s are often reconed without the aluminum dust caps. Supposedly the aluminum cap makes them a little brighter. I have a reconed D-130 without the aluminum dustcap and it is my all time favorite guitar speaker. Reconed or not, that amp looks great. Even if reconed and even if it needs a cap job, $600 is a no brainer for a Twin Reverb, IMO.

[StoogeSurfer]

Monster of clean with lots of mojo to boot. Grab it.

[macaroonie]

Well , did you get it ?