Thunderbird about to land.

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I believe that mine has cts speakers in it, but I have to check. Could be that they bought a ton of speakers in 1966...
 

mavuser

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I believe that mine has cts speakers in it, but I have to check. Could be that they bought a ton of speakers in 1966...

Steve, my speakers are stamped 137 616. I have read that the 137 means CTS, and 616 means the 16th week of 1956 or possibly 1946. It is my understanding that by 1966, CTS started using the 4 digit date code (so that would be 137 6616). There are also markings on some mounting screw holes, without mounting screws in those specific holes, so it is clear the speakers were removed from either a different amp (or organ?) or else removed from my amp, and then put back in. But I also realize CTS speakers are what was used for the Maverick originally, i just dont think the ones in my amp are the original ones. anyway it sounds fantastic, no real need to question anything, although i am curious what Default & bullet67's read. The Maverick (guitar) and Thunderbird amps seem very rare and obscure. if my speakers are really from 1956...that is just cool! adds to the mojo, no? sure sounds like it does!
 

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Ill open both up and take speaker pics side by side latter on when i get home. both amps sound awesome with these vintage speakers that i am thinking of putting them a way so that i don't blow them up with all the fuzz and distortion i pump through them and put some new privet jacks or swampthings but then that would defeat every thing i think.also can you post you tube clips on this site and how. there is a cool band called Mute math that recorded their whole album drums and everything through a guild guitar maverick amp pretty amazing!check it out on you tube.The song is called odd soul and features the Maverick
 
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007_zps6e56e005.jpg
 

bullet67

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Steve, my speakers are stamped 137 616. I have read that the 137 means CTS, and 616 means the 16th week of 1956 or possibly 1946. It is my understanding that by 1966, CTS started using the 4 digit date code (so that would be 137 6616). There are also markings on some mounting screw holes, without mounting screws in those specific holes, so it is clear the speakers were removed from either a different amp (or organ?) or else removed from my amp, and then put back in. But I also realize CTS speakers are what was used for the Maverick originally, i just dont think the ones in my amp are the original ones. anyway it sounds fantastic, no real need to question anything, although i am curious what Default & bullet67's read. The Maverick (guitar) and Thunderbird amps seem very rare and obscure. if my speakers are really from 1956...that is just cool! adds to the mojo, no? sure sounds like it does!
Hey mavuser my speakers are the same as yours.I am going to look for 10" Jensen vibrantos I bet they would sound grate not that the cts do not sound good but the jensens are beefier and the cts will be kept nice and stored for the future owner. when I die that is.Yours and mine are the original speakers from the late 60s.
 

mavuser

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Hey mavuser my speakers are the same as yours.I am going to look for 10" Jensen vibrantos I bet they would sound grate not that the cts do not sound good but the jensens are beefier and the cts will be kept nice and stored for the future owner. when I die that is.Yours and mine are the original speakers from the late 60s.

sweet! and thanks for the pics, wow the Thunderbird is a lot bigger than a Mav indeed!

interesting on the speakers. when I (my tech) first refurbed my Mav, I considered new speakers but didnt do it. my tech at the time told me "Jensen reissues." Then on this forum guys said Webbers would be worth checking out. long story short we found some sample/clip website that compared all the speakers. I could see why the tech said "jensen reissues" because those sounded just like the Mav! and I could see why the guys said "Webbers" because those were more of a game changer with a fuller and smoother sound. I just stuck with the CTS speakers that are in there. If anything I may re-cone them if and when necassary.

I also have a completely 100 percent original 1973 Fender Super Reverb with (4) 1972 CTS 10 inch speakers. I honestly just got this amp and have barely used it at all (it went right into a storage unit). but what I have heard of it so far is just pure sweetness. the reverb on that thing is just ridiculous but im more talking about the tone/attack/speakers.

I also have a 2010 Fender Blues Jr Tweed with the Jensen C12N speaker. This is my favorite non CTS speaker, and to be honest im not even sure if it the same "Jensen reissue" i mentioned above, or not. I know a very successful professional musician who swears by the 10 inch version (C10N) as well. he uses Fender Princeton Reverbs, Vibrolux Reverbs, and Deluxe Reverbs. I'm not sure which ones the Vibrantos are, but would not question anyone with your arsenal!

enjoy those amps, the nieghbors must love you!

tried to upload pics but having trouble with Image Shack. its only posting thumbnail/avatar sized pics. maybe another day, cheers
 
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Walter Broes is a good guy to ask about speakers. He has a lot of experience with different brands. I'm starting to get the hots for a T-bird, but a one bedroom apartment isn't conducive to big combos.:GB_bonesrock:
 

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Walter Broes is a good guy to ask about speakers. He has a lot of experience with different brands. I'm starting to get the hots for a T-bird, but a one bedroom apartment isn't conducive to big combos.:GB_bonesrock:

Get a Thunder 1 RVT. They are truly a bedroom amp (10-12 watts) and have wonderful vibrato!
 

mavuser

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imageshack issues resolved, my bad.

and Steve, all I can do is shake my head and grin at your 1 bedroom apartment comment. the vocabulary just doesn't exist...I will say though, rescue that TB in Jersey! it is so close to you!

j623.jpg

1kp1.jpg

0aka.jpg

1pdt.jpg

6n.jpg
 

bullet67

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imageshack issues resolved, my bad.

and Steve, all I can do is shake my head and grin at your 1 bedroom apartment comment. the vocabulary just doesn't exist...I will say though, rescue that TB in Jersey! it is so close to you!

j623.jpg

1kp1.jpg

0aka.jpg

1pdt.jpg

6n.jpg

Nice!
 

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I checked and those CTS speakers in your Maverick are the same as mine. My guess is Guild bought a ton of 10" speakers in 1966 because they cranked out a lot of Thunder 1's. They seemed to go to 12's and 15's for the higher powered amps. Maybe the Mavs were a design intended to take advantage of an overstock of tens?
 

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Holy crud, that T-bird is big! Somewhere in the foggy recesses of my mind, I remember seeing one and thinking how huge the thing was. Why Guild never made a head and cab version, I'll never know.
 

mavuser

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I checked and those CTS speakers in your Maverick are the same as mine. My guess is Guild bought a ton of 10" speakers in 1966 because they cranked out a lot of Thunder 1's. They seemed to go to 12's and 15's for the higher powered amps. Maybe the Mavs were a design intended to take advantage of an overstock of tens?

my speakers look like they were removed from something and then put in my Mav. maybe they came out of (2) unsold Thunder 1's. Who knows. I had read that by 1966 the 4 digit date code was used for CTS, so figured my speakers, if original, were the result of a HUGE production effort by CTS (not so much Guild...) in the mid 50s...and maybe by the time they were intended for Thunder 1's in the mid 60s they had been NOS on the CTS end of things, for quite some time. CTS made tons of speakers way beyond the call of Guild's needs so who knows. They are probably just 66 though, and what I read online was wrong. When I get a chance I will get some pics of the 1972 CTS speakers in my Fender Super Reverb, and post pics of the 4 digit date code that CTS supposedly starting using "before the mid 60's."
 
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