Sunn 1x15 construction question

[Rancho Rauncho]

After years of laying in wait, and few missed opportunities, I finally scored a Sunn 1x15" cab, the 24"x24"x15" box from the earliest 70's better known as the 115s, second era 'Fenderish' grill cloth, but no metal tag on the back(with the model name). Only one input jack, angled port at the bottom, essentially half of a 200s cab. I know this design dates back to the 'woven angled' grill cloth era, and was then usually mated with the Sonic I head(a 200s head under another name), but probably not many were made/sold as this was the era of bigger amps! Bigger cabs! Gotta look like you have a stack! This cab that I have has definitely been messed with...input jack was not the cup but a plate mounted on the back, the speaker was an older OEM EVM, and at some point someone drilled a hole for, installed, and removed, one of those cups for placing a PA enclosure on a speaker pole. The grill cloth was on its own frame, but that was screwed in to the front baffle, with no evidence of those white plastic proto-velcro things. Speaker was mounted from the back, with the back side containing all the thousands of screws. But what really surprised me was that the front speaker baffle was made of particle board, stapled in(and I assume glued)while everything else was plywood. Is this correct? Was Hartzell cuttting manufacturing corners that early? The only other thing I can think of is that a former owner destroyed some part of the original(plywood)baffle, cheaped out and used PDF for a replacement. If anyone knows anything about this irregularity, please let me know. Since this cab has been altered so much, I'd have no problem taking the particle board out and cutting a new ply baffle(and setting it up for a front load, I've got a nice JBL to put in it), but only if the current baffle is wrong. Thanks for any help.

[EdBass]

Can you post a pic? There are a few discrepancies in your description; if it's a "115S" it's not half of a 200S cab, it's more like half of a 215S cab. Woven grill cloth was discontinued in '68 not the 70's. Also a Sonic I was NOT "a 200s head under another name", it was only an EL34 40 watt amp, while the 200S was a 60 watt KT88 amp.
Rear loaded speaker and grill frame attached was also indicative of a pre-Hartzell 60's model.

A particle board baffle did not come from Sunn. Reading between the lines, I'm thinking you probably have a hacked up Sonic I-30 or I-40 cab, but post a pic and we'll all know for sure!
Nice score regardless!

[Soundmasterg]

Also a Sonic I was NOT "a 200s head under another name", it was only an EL34 40 watt amp, while the 200S was a 60 watt KT88 amp.

Beg to differ Ed. The Sonic I-40 was a 40 watt amp for sure. The Sonic 1 could be a 40 watt amp and also a 60 watt amp depending on the year. I used to have a Sonic 1 from 1970 that used Schumacher transformers and was a 60 watt amp through and through. It was the same exact amp as a 200S with the exception of the front panel.

Greg

[EdBass]

Also a Sonic I was NOT "a 200s head under another name", it was only an EL34 40 watt amp, while the 200S was a 60 watt KT88 amp.

Beg to differ Ed. The Sonic I-40 was a 40 watt amp for sure. The Sonic 1 could be a 40 watt amp and also a 60 watt amp depending on the year. I used to have a Sonic 1 from 1970 that used Schumacher transformers and was a 60 watt amp through and through. It was the same exact amp as a 200S with the exception of the front panel.

Greg

Not to pick nits Greg, and I suppose I could have clarified my response better, however with the cab described in the post that I was responding to it was not a "200S head under another name".

I know this design dates back to the 'woven angled' grill cloth era, and was then usually mated with the Sonic I head(a 200s head under another name)

[Soundmasterg]

Yeah if you are talking about the head that was paired with the 1x15 that the OP mentioned then it was likely the 40 watt amp rather than the 60 watt one. I was just pointing out that there were Sonic 1's that were essentially the 200S. I think they are later models only (1970 and leter) but I'm not entirely sure, and Conrad doesn't remember those details anymore either. Anyway, no biggie. Sorry if I came across as too harsh! 

Greg

[EdBass]

Not too harsh, you were right! I really should have taken the later version into consideration before I answered...

[Soundmasterg]

Not too harsh, you were right! I really should have taken the later version into consideration before I answered...

Its alright Ed. I wouldn't have known about them either if I didn't have one in the past. These days I like the earlier Dynaco transformer amps better than the later Schumacher ones. All I have left of my Sunn stuff is a very early 2000S head and cab, and a 70's Sunn mixer that I need to fix. Had to downsize a lot of stuff to live and finish school the last couple years. I'll get some more later hopefully.

Greg