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Vintage Kustom Speaker Info [message #28395]

Sat, 27 November 2021 13:47

DizzBuster
Messages: 3
Registered: November 2021

Junior Member

Hello sorry if I'm posting this is the wrong place if so I apologize.
I'm seeking some knowledge about A pair of vintage Kustom speakers my father owned when I was a young boy, the closet thing I can find to them on the internet are the 2K+1HP Guitar Cabinets but I'm not sure if they are the right model? From what I remember ( I could be wrong ) the two cabinets had three fifteen inch speakers and it had a horn on top but I cant remember if the speakers were in the same cabinets or not? My father passed away when I was fifteen and my house burned down a few years after that so I lost any kind of information I would of had on them. Any kind of help is greatly appreciated.

Thank you

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Re: Vintage Kustom Speaker Info [message #28396 is a reply to message #28395]

Sat, 27 November 2021 14:47

stevem
Messages: 4773
Registered: June 2004
Location: NY

Senior Member

Kustom had two different possibilities you might be recalling.

The normal set up was a cabinet as tall as a regular 3-15" cab, but the top spot was fitted with a Aluminum 15" horn with university driver.
The horn was shinny Aluminum.

The second set up was a optional top cabinet that had 2 10" horns in them and these where sized to sit on top of any 200 series cabinet, be it 2-15" or 315".
These top cabinets where sold separately and not part of any PA package that I am aware of.

If you go got his site's literature section you will find a picture of what's called the HF-195 add on cabinet and also the 15"horn shown separate from different being in a cabinet.

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Re: Vintage Kustom Speaker Info [message #28397 is a reply to message #28396]

Sat, 27 November 2021 15:56

DizzBuster
Messages: 3
Registered: November 2021

Junior Member

Thank you very much, I will look into the literature section and see if I can find it but I do remember the horns were black

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Re: Vintage Kustom Speaker Info [message #28398 is a reply to message #28395]

Sat, 27 November 2021 17:57

stevem
Messages: 4773
Registered: June 2004
Location: NY

Senior Member

You may then want to look at the literature here for the 150/ 250 and 500 series amps.
At the very bottom left of the catalog spread you will see 3-15 cabinets where what would be the top 15" has been replaced by a black rectangular sectoral horn .
These could also be had for PA use in the 300 and 600 series models.

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Re: Vintage Kustom Speaker Info [message #28399 is a reply to message #28395]

Mon, 29 November 2021 10:59

DizzBuster
Messages: 3
Registered: November 2021

Junior Member

thank you for all the help! while I was digging I managed to find the original "Kustom Public Address" booklet that came with the speakers which leads me to my next question of, did my father own the 300 series? or two cabinets of the 600 series?

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Re: Vintage Kustom Speaker Info [message #28400 is a reply to message #28395]

Tue, 30 November 2021 06:51

stevem
Messages: 4773
Registered: June 2004
Location: NY

Senior Member

In regards to the tall 2-15" and horn cabinets they where both the same for the 300 and 600 series PA, and as such they could both be had with up graded JBL or Altec Lansing cone drivers.

The horn driver used on any of these type cabinets where always Altec's however.

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Re: Vintage Kustom Speaker Info [message #28401 is a reply to message #28400]

Tue, 30 November 2021 07:21

pleat
Messages: 1454
Registered: June 2004
Location: Belding, Mi

Senior Member

Easy way to see if you have the guitar or PA cabinets is count the T&R on a side. 23 T&R is 46" tall is the guitar cab, that contains two 15" speakers and the rectangular HF horn.
The PA cabinets will be 27 T&R tall is 54" tall, that contains two 15" speakers and the rectangular horn.

Considering the cabs can be 50 years old. Knowing what speakers are in the cabinets. Small inspection mirror and light source in the port holes might give the answer, rather than removing all the screws on the back of the cab.

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Re: Vintage Kustom Speaker Info [message #28402 is a reply to message #28401]

Wed, 01 December 2021 11:42

cwyssbrod
Messages: 3
Registered: November 2021

Junior Member

Hi, I'm new here, great site.

Question on the cabinets. I have a K250-4 head on a 2K-1H cabinet (2 15"KEI and 1 Horn), always assumed that the cabinet was a guitar cab, but it sounds like its a PA unit, besides the 27 vs 23 T&Rs, are there any known differences between PA and guitar cabs? Do the 2K-1H use wider frequency range 15" speakers since they are for PA? Same question for the horn?

Another way to ask, did the 2G+1H cab come loaded with the same speakers and horn as the 2K-1H cab.

thanks

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Re: Vintage Kustom Speaker Info [message #28403 is a reply to message #28395]

Thu, 02 December 2021 07:47

stevem
Messages: 4773
Registered: June 2004
Location: NY

Senior Member

My 1971 Kustom pa catalog list the standard 15" speakers ( your K series) as being the same ones used for guitar and organ cabinets.
The upgraded optional speakers for both guitar , organ and PA where Altec and JBL D-130.
Both of these opinions where guitar speakers.

The horn drivers where all the same regardless of guitar or PA.

The K series of speakers came about as the Jensen brand was leaving the market and the Eminence brand was filling there shoe's circa 1969.
For many years even starting in the mid 60s Jensen could not even supply Fenders demand / need for speakers.
This is the era when you start to see Utah and Oxford brand speakers showing up in Fender amps, and as it turns out Eminence was located in the same city as was Kustom electronics!

[Updated on: Thu, 02 December 2021 07:57]

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