BF PIerce
Member
I recently picked up these speakers off Craigslist. The gentlemen was selling them with a large stereo console that his father made in the 60's. When I met with him he knew basically nothing about the speakers but he thought his father probably made them. He said they were always in the house but he never saw him actually use them. I asked if he would mind if I opened them up which he allowed as he was curious as well. After about ten screws the back cover folded down revealing the the beautiful early Pioneer drivers. Exactly what I had hoped to see but certainly did not expect.
I immediately agreed to buy them. Only $150 for the speakers plus a Kenwood KW-60 tube receiver. I quickly realized that both speakers would not fit in my hatchback so I decided to just take one and remove the driver/crossover/wiring from the other and leave the cabinet to pick up another day.
When I got the speaker home and really studied it I began to seriously question this being a home made cabinet. Not only was the build quality and craftsmanship superb, but 1. The driver layout is mirrored from the left vs. right speaker. 2. The lower section with the horn and woofer is angled upward. 3. The horn is separated inside the cabinet. These seem to me to indicate a good understanding of speaker design, more then I would expect from a DIY'er in the 60's.
Upon further investigation I found what I think is a potential key to this mystery, a large sticker on the inside wall of the cabinet with Japanese writing(picture below). Could this be a manufactures mark?
These speakers have me totally confused and curious.
My current theory is that Pioneer commissioned another company to build the cabinets and these are very early low production Pioneers? The gentlemen I bought them from said his father was in the Air Force and served overseas and did bring things back, I would guess these are some of them.
I would really appreciate whatever information any of you speaker historians may have on them.
Dirvers:
15" PW-38C Woofer
PM-16B Squawker
PT-5 Horn
All 16 ohm
DN-5 Crossover
Cabinets measure 33"x33"x19"
I immediately agreed to buy them. Only $150 for the speakers plus a Kenwood KW-60 tube receiver. I quickly realized that both speakers would not fit in my hatchback so I decided to just take one and remove the driver/crossover/wiring from the other and leave the cabinet to pick up another day.
When I got the speaker home and really studied it I began to seriously question this being a home made cabinet. Not only was the build quality and craftsmanship superb, but 1. The driver layout is mirrored from the left vs. right speaker. 2. The lower section with the horn and woofer is angled upward. 3. The horn is separated inside the cabinet. These seem to me to indicate a good understanding of speaker design, more then I would expect from a DIY'er in the 60's.
Upon further investigation I found what I think is a potential key to this mystery, a large sticker on the inside wall of the cabinet with Japanese writing(picture below). Could this be a manufactures mark?
These speakers have me totally confused and curious.
My current theory is that Pioneer commissioned another company to build the cabinets and these are very early low production Pioneers? The gentlemen I bought them from said his father was in the Air Force and served overseas and did bring things back, I would guess these are some of them.
I would really appreciate whatever information any of you speaker historians may have on them.
Dirvers:
15" PW-38C Woofer
PM-16B Squawker
PT-5 Horn
All 16 ohm
DN-5 Crossover
Cabinets measure 33"x33"x19"
