old sunn 115 cab info

[EdBass]

Here's a Sonic I-40 cab with a factory original D140F. That's a Reeves Custom 225 Bass amp prototype that I'm currently doing some pre amp R&D with (in my living room much to my wife's delight) sitting on it. I usually use it with a 200S, the Reeves is just a little too powerful for the old JBL (if you can make it out in the pic, notice the far right master volume setting on the Reeves).
The cabinet sounds tremendous at low volume, very old school, but it's a little weak for most live venues.

[pickinatit]

I tried putting a D140F in mine but the front mounting just wouldn't fit. The rim of the JBL was too thick. I ended up putting a Utah in it that I repairs and it sounds wonderful. I also put a mid-range horn in it wired to a seperate jack for when I use it alone. It just has too much bottom and the horn balances the sound..IMHO.

I believe they also made a 115 front loaded horn...but I have never seen one.

I am assuming by rear loaded you refer to the cabinet design...but perhaps you mean the back of the cabinet comes off...in which case....never mind. Take a look at the catalogs on this site and see if they help.

[pickinatit]

i recently picked up a very old sunn 115 cabinet from a friend.  it's in excellent condition, and it's a rear-loaded cabinet.  the speaker appears to be original, and it actually says James B. Lansing on it...anyone have any idea how old this one might be or what the model number is?

My JBL D140F's  look like they are made to be "rear mounted".  True?
They have a thick flange with a "gasket" ring that would only contact anything if they were layed face down on the back of the panel as opposed to being  "dropped in"  from the front.  Is that correct ?  For a 200S 2x15 cab the JBL D140F's should be "Rear Mounted"  ?

ALSO:   What is the correct opening size I need to cut into my front panel ?

[basiklybass]

Early JBL D series do not have a groove around the frame on the back of the rim, later they added this groove and supplied an "O" ring for front mounting. Don't know when this happened. I have one with a serial number of 11217 and it does not have the groove. One with a serial number of 28626 does have the groove. According to a brochure I have, the D series 15" need 13 1/2" for rear mounting and 14 1/4" for front mounting. You have to use the MA15 kit for front mounting, I imagine because there is not enough room for T-Nuts with this size hole. I assume the K series is the same. With the E series they went to a 14" front mounting hole. Everything after the E's is 14" front mounting hole.

[pickinatit]

Early JBL D series do not have a groove around the frame on the back of the rim, later they added this groove and supplied an "O" ring for front mounting. Don't know when this happened. I have one with a serial number of 11217 and it does not have the groove. One with a serial number of 28626 does have the groove. According to a brochure I have, the D series 15" need 13 1/2" for rear mounting and 14 1/4" for front mounting. You have to use the MA15 kit for front mounting, I imagine because there is not enough room for T-Nuts with this size hole. I assume the K series is the same. With the E series they went to a 14" front mounting hole. Everything after the E's is 14" front mounting hole.

Thanks so much for the info.  Neither one of the two JBL D140F's that I'm going to use  have a groove on the back of the rim.  The serial numbers are 41868 & 60375. They are both 8 ohm speakers.

[made by hand]

pickenatit..was reading your post about the single 15 cab....i believe that it may have been introduced in 1966 as the , as the amp was called, the sonic 1   with a single 15 cab with a jbl d-130 speaker...the single d-140 was an option or choice for that amp head..now, that cab was made with the rear loading speaker. the back came off. that's how they got it in the cab, not being smart here...now, that cab was made right up until 1970. rear loading speaker. now, by 1968 , the d-130 speaker wasn't offered in the cab any more..just the d-140.   ok ? when 1971 rolled around the cab , along with sort of a new sunn company, not the conrad company, made the single 15 cab, front loading. the back of the cab was sealed...and the porting was different on the inside. instead of the folded horn, if you will, facing up at a 45 degree angle, it faced down. the cab on the inside was completely different from the old style cab..the jbl's weren't offered anymore...so...if the back of your cab comes off...you have yourself a gem which very few own to this day...i have two....they sound great....when you get older. rolling two single cabs around and stacking them is better than a 200s cab or a 2000s ...your back will dictate which cab you will use that night for your gig...hope this info helps...Bob from mass.

[pickinatit]

pickenatit..was reading your post about the single 15 cab....i believe that it may have been introduced in 1966 as the , as the amp was called, the sonic 1   with a single 15 cab with a jbl d-130 speaker...the single d-140 was an option or choice for that amp head..now, that cab was made with the rear loading speaker. the back came off. that's how they got it in the cab, not being smart here...now, that cab was made right up until 1970. rear loading speaker. now, by 1968 , the d-130 speaker wasn't offered in the cab any more..just the d-140.   ok ? when 1971 rolled around the cab , along with sort of a new sunn company, not the conrad company, made the single 15 cab, front loading. the back of the cab was sealed...and the porting was different on the inside. instead of the folded horn, if you will, facing up at a 45 degree angle, it faced down. the cab on the inside was completely different from the old style cab..the jbl's weren't offered anymore...so...if the back of your cab comes off...you have yourself a gem which very few own to this day...i have two....they sound great....when you get older. rolling two single cabs around and stacking them is better than a 200s cab or a 2000s ...your back will dictate which cab you will use that night for your gig...hope this info helps...Bob from mass.

 

Thanks Bob,  but the original post about the 115 cab wasn't my post.  I picked up on this thread doing a search for info. regarding rear vs. front loading of JBL D140F's  and what the correct corresponding opening dimensions would be.  But thanks,  I'm glad people that know stuff are paying attention.

[basiklybass]

As we can see, JBL did not have any apparent logic in their serial numbers. One would assume higher numbers are later units....but it ain't necessarily so.

[pookiebass]

Hello gents,
Thought you might like a peek at my new (old) Sunn 1-15 cab, built by Mr. Sundholm himself.
It's a half 2000s cab (30x24x15) and sounds terrific with my 2000s head.  Modern touches are
indented side handles and removable casters, otherwise the same.
Certainly better to lift than the 215... still need an old badge, if anyone has one.
Cheers,
Pookiebass
Seattle

[EdBass]

Hello gents,
Thought you might like a peek at my new (old) Sunn 1-15 cab, built by Mr. Sundholm himself.
It's a half 2000s cab (30x24x15) and sounds terrific with my 2000s head.  Modern touches are
indented side handles and removable casters, otherwise the same.
Certainly better to lift than the 215... still need an old badge, if anyone has one.
Cheers,
Pookiebass
Seattle

Now that's cool! What is it loaded with?

[basiklybass]

Um, Ed.....not to tweak your nose, but from what I can see, there is no speaker in the cabinet......unless someone is making an acrylic speakeer like the old Ampeg basses. .

I would be willing to bet that he puts a JBL 140 in it......what do you say Pookiebass?

[pookiebass]

Right you are... a D-140F that I had reconed at Around the Sound in Seattle.
I was going to put an old K-145 that I also had, but it wouldn't fit around the baffle board to install rear mounted.
For what I do, I think the 140 should be ok, if not I'll find an E-140 and try that.

[pickinatit]

I thought long & hard about finding or building 2 separate 115 cabinets for my JBL D140 F's  and leaving the Peavey black widows in the 200S cabinet but ended up deciding to restore the 200S with the JBL's.  I might put together a pair of cabs for the Black Widows down the road though.  I might need them when I play thru the  Sunn/Fender era 1200S because that's like 600 watts @ 4 ohms.  Even though I've never had the 1200S past 3 on the master volume knob even gigging with it,  that's a little too "chancey"  for the pair of JBL's, isn't it ?

I do have a third JBL D140f  though....hmmmm.

[Soundmasterg]

Thats a nice cabinet ya got there pookiebass! I believe I saw that cabinet at Conrad's before he had it done. It is very close to the dimensions that my custom, ported, one 15/two 5 cabinet is that I made myself a couple years back. I've got an E140 in mine and the 5 inch speakers are Pioneers I think. He's had me bring mine over a couple times to compare with ones that he is working on. I thought about using a D140F in mine, but I wouldn't want to risk blowing it, especially with a 2000S! You must not play it very loud?

Greg