122142 speakers - they're all 17000 Gauss, right?

[shakti]

I am looking at a 1971 SE4122 to complement my other two Hiwatt(y) cabs (1973 SE4123 with 122231s and 1969 Sound City with 12287s.

On the labels it looks however like it says 14000 on the Gauss rating on some of them. I don't know if it's just the handwriting being odd, some of them clearly say 17000, but some others look like 14000. I've seen this on other 122142s. Am I correct to assume this is just due to the handwriting? A "7" could potentially look like a "4".

Another funny thing is that it looks like it was made right at the transition point between the early and later cab style/construction. The radius on the front roundover isn't really easy to judge from the photos, but it is painted black on the inside, and it *looks* like it has the later style construction with the baffle inserted between the front and internal bracing. Speaker date codes are 5/71. The funny thing is that I have seen another SE4122 with serial number just 7 higher than this cab, and it also had 5/71 speakers, but the earlier construction and no paint on the inside!

[OldSchoolDave]

122142 were all 17000 gauss
122231 were all 14000 gauss

I have seen some 7's and 4's on Fanes that were difficult to discern.

Dave

[shakti]

That's what I thought. Actually, comparing to the "4" in 122142, it's clear that in the person's handwriting the 4 is different, so it does actually read 17000 Gauss on all of them.

In any case, I bought the cab! Been on a Hiwatt binge lately... Looking closer at the photos, the date codes are actually 15/71 on all 4 speakers, so the transition point must be somewhere in early 1971. Serial numbers obviously not entirely sequential then.

Those of you with extensive experience - which cab type do you prefer? The earlier front-mounted baffle (and unpainted interior), or the later with the baffle sandwiched between front and rear bracing? And what about the back panel - did the change to particle board coincide with the other design changes, or are there early/unpainted cabs with particle board back panels?

The '69 Sound City cab I have does have all the early features, but is not ported. One peculiarity is that every now and then I hjave to re-tighten the nuts on the bolts securing the baffle. The vibration/sound pressure cause it to loosen the slightest bit over time, and this causes it to sound slightly looser and harsher. Maybe the ported Hiwatt cabs don't have this problem?

[OldSchoolDave]

Maybe the ported Hiwatt cabs don't have this problem?

I've never experienced that. I did have an old Silvertone amp with particle board baffle that the (factory) wood screws would back out from after a night of playing .

To my way of thinking, the rear slot is really for pressure relief (and, perhaps, to minimize reflection of lower frequencies) than it is a tuned port.

Dave

[shakti]

The cab is finally here, and I can happily report it sounds just as great as I hoped! In fact, this is one particularly killer sounding cab IMHO... I haven't got around to A/Bing with my Sound City cab, but first impression is that it sounds a little woodier, gruntier and with less congested bass (but still plenty of bass). Very loud cab too, but you knew that already...