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Vintage JBL drivers - worth anything?


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I just pulled these out of a pair of HOME stereo speakers my brother has carted around for years.

 

15" bass drivers - 136A

Mid - 2461 driver/2301 horn

High - 2405

 

There was also a crossover network, but I assumed it wasn't worth pulling out.

 

Everything is clean and kept in AC its entire life.

 

Pics:

 

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Yes, they are worth something, actually quite a bit to the right folks. The 2405 is a well respected diffraction slot tweeter, the 2460 is a nice midrange driver that on the right horn loads nicely down to 800Hz, and so-so down to 500Hz. It was replaced by the 2470 in the 1970's byt hung on for their own speaker lines a little longer. It's a 1" exit, 1.75"VC, phenolic impregnated linen diaphgram. -3dB at about 12kHz. I probably have diagphrams for this one in stock and it MIGHT also be able to use a 2420 or 2425 aluminum diaphgram but I am not sure. The 136A's that you have may be recones, I don't remember them doping the cones that early but it is possible. I didn't do much with the home speaker line and this part didn't cross over into live audio that I have ever seen.

 

The crossovers would also be desireable, you might look at selling them on EBAY, I'll bet the whole pile is worth $500 w/ xovers. When you ship, package VERY carefully and securely. The potential for damaging your found money is high.

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Yes, they are worth something, actually quite a bit to the right folks. The 2405 is a well respected diffraction slot tweeter, the 2460 is a nice midrange driver that on the right horn loads nicely down to 800Hz, and so-so down to 500Hz. It was replaced by the 2470 in the 1970's byt hung on for their own speaker lines a little longer. It's a 1" exit, 1.75"VC, phenolic impregnated linen diaphgram. -3dB at about 12kHz. I probably have diagphrams for this one in stock and it MIGHT also be able to use a 2420 or 2425 aluminum diaphgram but I am not sure. The 136A's that you have may be recones, I don't remember them doping the cones that early but it is possible. I didn't do much with the home speaker line and this part didn't cross over into live audio that I have ever seen.


The crossovers would also be desireable, you might look at selling them on EBAY, I'll bet the whole pile is worth $500 w/ xovers. When you ship, package VERY carefully and securely. The potential for damaging your found money is high.

 

The 15s were definitely reconed, I had it done in the early 90s by a qualified tech.

 

The cabs themselves are knockoffs and made of particle board, covered with formica with a glass top.

 

The grills, however, are JBL factory OEM.

 

They have quite an intricate crossover control setup which is still intact, although that is a knockoff, too.

 

If I were to reassemble them, the baffle would need a little reinforcing around the subs.

 

Otherwise, cosmetically they're pretty perfect for something this old.

 

They are HUGE for home stereo, and would be nearly impossible to ship intact.

 

Would you suggest listing the parts package on eBay as a set?

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Damn...I Googled "JBL 2461 136A 2405" and this thread popped up!

 

I'm not sure JBL made a cab spec'ed with these exact components, or if they did, I can't find it.

 

It makes sense that they could have been modeled after Studio Monitors, and massive ones at that.

 

I'll look into listing the whole package on eBay after I get a sense of what my shipping expense might be.

 

:cool:

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The nearfield lens may install over your horn, or may use a different flair, and this could depend on if there are the stepped perforated diffusers in your conical flair.

 

There are stepped diffusers over the horn.

 

These are definitely near-field monitors.

 

Now I'm half tempted to rebuild these components into modern, side-firing towers for my brother.

 

They'd STILL be huge...

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Figure you'll be shipping to Japan.


Bet you a mic cable on that.

 

Potato masher...cheese grater...check!

 

If I don't allow international shipping, do I still win the bet?

 

By the way, the tips on the PS-2000 were very helpful...it's back on line and running strong.

 

Thanks!

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Best let the buyer make his own knock-off.


I did service a few, the wet look on the cones was not original. Wonder what kind of recone kit was used. A real collector might recone them with NOS or real vintage reproduction parts.

 

Makes sense...these parts belong in the hands of someone who will put them to good use.

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Reminds me of an episode of "American Pickers" I saw last night where they found the parts stock from a 1930s Harley Davidson dealer. It really was amazing seeing brand new stuff in original packaging that has just been stored all these years. I can imagine a similar episode where they find AgedHorse's private stash.

 

LOL

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If I don't allow international shipping, do I still win the bet?

 

No, you won't win the bet because: If you don't allow international shipping, considering the stuff you have to sell, my experience selling same make and model stuff suggests without international shipping, figure on somewhere between 1/4 and 1/10th the winning bid amount.

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If I don't allow international shipping, do I still win the bet?

 

No, you won't win the bet (in an over-all sense) because: If you don't allow international shipping, considering the stuff you have to sell, my experience selling same make and model stuff suggests without international shipping, figure on somewhere between 1/4 and 1/10th the winning bid amount.

 

That stuff is vintage American heavy metal. In a country where the youth has money, and walls are commonly constructed with rice paper... real beef seems to command a premium.

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  • 2 weeks later...
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Interesting post-script...I have two brothers, and it was my oldest (#1) who originally had the speakers built in his early 20s.

 

I never knew that.

 

When he moved out of State, my next older brother (#2) took possession and has had them on and off since then.

 

For that reason I always thought #2 had them built as I never saw them in #1's possession as a kid.

 

Also, one sister each had them at her place for a few years in the 90s, and it was then that I had them reconed.

 

Anyhow, when brother #1 found out we were parting them out he offered to buy the components and crossovers.

 

He's now looking for a cabinet builder to build them into 4333s.

 

Any suggestions?

 

:cool:

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