JBL Model 35 Console Reflex Enclosure L-130B 15" Woofers

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So I found these in a mid century furniture/ furnishing store...old used stuff.

Anyway the sales man said I could take these for a quarter of the asking price. The printout had photos on more pages of all the drivers. Cabinets are well made 1 & 1/2 inch wall construction, veneer waterfall from top to sides. I didn't jump on them but am interested in the value of the drivers and if they are worth messing with...did I say they are huge?

 

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I'm not finding a L 130b 32 ohm

I do see D-130b 32ohm in a really early flat back



And the more common design

 

[Lazarus Long]

I wonder whats really in there? Is it actually a D not an L? That might be a good buy.. It looks like the flat backs have sold recently for up to $1300 for a pair.

 

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I wonder whats really in there? Is it actually a D not an L? That might be a good buy.. It looks like the flat backs have sold recently for up to $1300 for a pair.

Yeah I'm seeing some really high prices, I think the photos on the paper work showed round backs.

I'm also looking at photos of old JBLs and they used plywood backs like these speakers have.

 

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The 130d looks like this one



But in the circle between Model & 130b as this one has JBL, his has an L only

 

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The caps in the x-over are the same ACE caps that are in my Sansui SP-5000
Did early JBLs use these caps?

The sales man/ owner said that the guy he got them from changed out the mid and or both the mid and the tweeter at some point a long time ago. The back panel is made out of plywood, looking at early JBLs that's what they used. The speaker screen looks like the JBL tan fabric

I also found a old sales listing and these cabinets look the same but someone painted the backs and added handles.

 

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24w x 16d x 38h the dimensions given by the seller match very close to JBLs 1952 Model 35 Console Reflex Enclosure 38 1/2 H, 16 D, 23 7/8 W,
http://www.lansingheritage.org/images/jbl/catalogs/1952/page1.jpg

In 1955 they had Model C35 & C37, 37 being a lowboy with legs.
http://www.lansingheritage.org/images/jbl/catalogs/1955/page3.jpg

BTW C & D, for the cabinet design identifies if your getting a factory built speaker (D) or just buying the cabinet (C)
It looks like the cabinet stopped being made between 1964-1965. The early ones did not have oiled walnut or twany walnut.

With the cabinets matching, the fabric matching, the L 130d matching JBL, these are not custom speakers, home built, per say. They are in fact assembles from buying parts from JBL and most likely had all JBL drivers and networks original installed.

The Baffle even matches
http://www.cieri.net/Documenti/JBL/...n (Signature - Models 35, 36, 37, 38, 39).pdf

 

[Lazarus Long]

Great info and detective work!

 

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Great info and detective work!

Thanks
I'm thinking these might have been bought around 1963-4 and started as a two way maybe as JBL factory built or home assembled from JBL part kits. Somewhere around the mid 70s the JBL network and LF was pulled out and components where bought to make them a 3 way. The caps are the same brand as in my SP-5000s from around 1975, and the Japanese started the trend of more drivers and 3,4,5,6 way speakers then. The grill screen was probably fixed up at the time with JBL tan fabric.

So these are older than what I thought originally and I'm going to go get them today. I hadn't planed on a JBL restoration project, because the correct parts will be pricy, but they have to be put back together...right.

 

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BTW
@Zonker92 @hjames @mech986

What do you guy's think?

 

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[HH-Bham]

So, what do they look like inside? Or are some of those pics above actual inside pics of the ones you got?

 

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So, what do they look like inside? Or are some of those pics above actual inside pics of the ones you got?

Well I didn't want to take them apart too much today because I wanted to listen to them, but took a bunch of measurements and photos. I just disconnected them as they sound fine. I'm starting to pull a back right now again, but this time I'll be pulling drivers so I can get the baffle out and try and clean the fabric.

 

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@ehoove
Jim can I get this moved? There wasn't much if any in talk about the worth of these. And now that I'm rolling on a restoration it would be nice in the JBL Lansing Forum.

 

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The mid surrounds are toast, don't know how I'll be building these yet but most likely with all JBL parts.

 

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This is the only 130b I can find with a L in the circle of the exclamation mark, scratch that just seen another on the bay. Anyway I'v see D, JBL and a L in that circle. I also guess they had D130A, D130B, 130A, 130B, L130A, and mine L130B over the years.

 

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