• Registered: 2009-10-10
  • Posts: 438

Topic: If you use old Fender Blackface Heads.........

If you use old Fender Blackface Heads, you might want to try one of these if you can find one. Marshall 1965A or 1965B 4x10 cabinets.  I was lucky to find one at Guitar Emporium in Louisville, KY awhile back.  I took my 1965 Bassman head along to try it out.  Wow, great tone.  The best way I know to describe it is a tighter Super Reverb.  The speakers are Celestion and the cabs are closed back.  They tighten the sound of these Fender heads up and add just a touch of British flavor, but you still get the singing, round Fender tone. The 1965A is the slant cabinet and the 1965B is the straight cabinet.  The Bassman fits perfectly on top.  These cabs are also light and easy to pack.  They are smaller than a 4x12 but still give a "big" sound. I believe these were made in the 80's.

  • From: Florida, USA
  • Registered: 2008-06-04
  • Posts: 1,420

Re: If you use old Fender Blackface Heads.........

I run my '65 Bassman through my Dailey 2x12 with mystery speakers in it...I don't know or care what they are.  They are unmarked but sound incredible.  That cab is also one of the highest quality cabs I've had the chance to play through.  It's everything I like, great tone, lightweight, and doesn't rattle.  Makes my Bassman sound like a hot rodded plexi!! cool

'67 and '74 Fender Twin Reverbs, '74 Marshall 1987 lead mkII, Metro Superlead 100. Pedals from TC Electronic, Ibanez, Dunlop, BK Butler, Electro-Harmonix, Fulltone, Maestro/Gibson, Loopmaster switching, VoodooLab, Boss. Gibson and Fender guitars, Dimarzio pickups.
  • Registered: 2008-10-10
  • Posts: 180

Re: If you use old Fender Blackface Heads.........

I have a highly modified 2x12 (g12h30 and v30).  Proprietary back and cone diffusers, also made removeable bass ports that attach where the handles are.  Why all this you ask?  to make it sound like a 4x12.  They do sound good, better with the mods but, not a 4x12.  I believe the model is 1966a.

Where the hell does one get a black-backed gold top anyway?
  • Registered: 2008-10-02
  • Posts: 373

Re: If you use old Fender Blackface Heads.........

I looked high and low for a 1966 or 1965A cab and could find one anywhere, ended up with a 1960AV 412 great cab. But I have an old 210 cab that needs new speakers I am thinking of using it with my 1968 bassman but the Jubliee with also be played through it as well, any recomendations on good 10's that would work well for both amps?

  • Registered: 2009-10-10
  • Posts: 438

Re: If you use old Fender Blackface Heads.........

Webers are good.  Sometimes you have to wait awhile for them.  You may be able to get some good Celestion 10's or Eminence 10's at the Avatar Cabinets website.  I sold an Avatar 2x12 to fund a 1965B cabinet that is on it's way. Never could quite warm up to the Avatar cabinet.  Stratpaulguy- is the Daily cabinet open or closed back?  I have been getting a huge sound by running one of these blackface heads into an open back Dr Z 2x12 cabinet along with a Marshall 1965A cabinet (both are 8 ohms) Huge sound and good at a reasonable volume.Speakers and cabinets cannot be overlooked in the tone quest.  I cannot wait to run through both 4x10 cabinets.

  • From: N. Little Rock, AR.
  • Registered: 2007-03-02
  • Posts: 463

Re: If you use old Fender Blackface Heads.........

One thing about old Marshalls, and I think this is still true:

    The Speakers are wired in reverse (by accident, originally), and the Amp will push them when it's supposed to pull them and vice versa. So, consider the Cab's wiring.

Early 80's 1957 U.S. Vintage Reissue Stratocaster (Surf Green)-Warmouth Soloist  Pearly Gates Neck, Pearly Gates Bridge- Larrivee D-03 (Mahogany/ Spruce)
Carmen Ghia Head- Marshall 112 Cab W/G12H 30  or  Custom 4 X 6v6 Head  or  Budda Twinmaster Plus Head-Traynor 212 Cab w/Eminence Texas Heats. 
Mo'D-Eternity-Blues Pro- Timmy-BYOC Chorus/Vibrato- TC SCF- Korg DT 10 Pedal Tuner
  • From: Florida, USA
  • Registered: 2008-06-04
  • Posts: 1,420

Re: If you use old Fender Blackface Heads.........

HoosierRock wrote:

Webers are good.  Sometimes you have to wait awhile for them.  You may be able to get some good Celestion 10's or Eminence 10's at the Avatar Cabinets website.  I sold an Avatar 2x12 to fund a 1965B cabinet that is on it's way. Never could quite warm up to the Avatar cabinet.  Stratpaulguy- is the Daily cabinet open or closed back?  I have been getting a huge sound by running one of these blackface heads into an open back Dr Z 2x12 cabinet along with a Marshall 1965A cabinet (both are 8 ohms) Huge sound and good at a reasonable volume.Speakers and cabinets cannot be overlooked in the tone quest.  I cannot wait to run through both 4x10 cabinets.


My Dailey cab is closed back, again for more of a Marshall sound instead of the open back Fender style.  Very solid and tight even with my 50w amps dimed!  My old man just built a custom oversized 2x12 extension for his JTM45 head and it rattled so much due to the immense low end that those amps provide.  He recently converted it from closed back to open and I have to say, I really like the way it turned out.  It sounds more like a Bluesbreaker combo instead of a typical Marshall halfstack now.

'67 and '74 Fender Twin Reverbs, '74 Marshall 1987 lead mkII, Metro Superlead 100. Pedals from TC Electronic, Ibanez, Dunlop, BK Butler, Electro-Harmonix, Fulltone, Maestro/Gibson, Loopmaster switching, VoodooLab, Boss. Gibson and Fender guitars, Dimarzio pickups.
  • Registered: 2008-10-02
  • Posts: 373

Re: If you use old Fender Blackface Heads.........

So intresting I had an discovery yesterday, grab the old 210 cab yesterday to pull the speakers out and start looking for replacements and low and behold when I open it, its sporting 2x12! The Magents on the speakers are really really small, I am guessing the cab was some custom made PA cab there was a tiny horn in there as well.  Looks like it was built between 64 or 69 - there is a 64 date on the speakers and a 1969 date writen in the cab. Anyway I have two eminance speakers I pulled out of an Ampeg I am going to try in there, I just need to figure out how to wire it up.

  • Jon
  • Bronze Member
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2007-03-19
  • Posts: 39

Re: If you use old Fender Blackface Heads.........

Budda wrote:

One thing about old Marshalls, and I think this is still true:

    The Speakers are wired in reverse (by accident, originally), and the Amp will push them when it's supposed to pull them and vice versa. So, consider the Cab's wiring.

I don't think this should matter as long as all the speakers in the cab are pushing or pulling in the same direction at the same time (i.e. they're in phase)

  • Registered: 2009-11-18
  • Posts: 8

Re: If you use old Fender Blackface Heads.........

1965 cabs are great! They used to be cheap too,not so much now as 10-12 years ago when I bought mine. I like the stock 10"s a lot