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Early Klipschorn manufacturing "oops"


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I recently started building new pair of crossovers for my two mid-fifties Klipschorns. Today I wanted to remove the old crossover on my earlier 1954 unit and I notice something odd. The build tag says serial #618. The wood trim on the back of the bass horn is stamped 618. But the vertical wood pieces on the top section..... are stamped 617. And the squawker horn has 617 written by hand on the factory label.

IIRC many years ago when I started messing with this unit I contacted Klipsch for information about 618 and they mentioned an identical unit with either preceding or subsequent serial number being produced.   Something tells me that #617 is stamped 618 on the upper part.    

 

Were 617 and 618 built to the same specification?   Is there any record of it's current owner?

Edited by Rick Fedorchak
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I this this is probably careless numbering at the factory.  My 1962 K-horn matched pair have consecutive numbers for the right and left (1A 837 and 1A 838, I believe), and the numbers are stamped on both the bottom and top sections, but the the tops and bottoms won't fit together if their numbers are matched!  The screw-on hangers were obviously hand-drilled and screwed, and the worker wasn't careful to match top and bottom numbers on each side before assembly.  They fit perfectly on both sides if the tops or bottoms are switched.

 

Chalk it up to early '60's hand-assembly! 

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Attached is the section of the logbook covering 617 and 618.  It was 618 and 619 that were "peas in a pod" (built to the same specs).  617, a custom job, actually shipped several days later.  There's no telling exactly what went on with the serial markings.597b2d00d1ab0_617and618001.thumb.jpg.79dc1180a47f5f647e49e8b658cfd836.jpg

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17 hours ago, JRH said:

Attached is the section of the logbook covering 617 and 618.  It was 618 and 619 that were "peas in a pod" (built to the same specs).  617, a custom job, actually shipped several days later.  There's no telling exactly what went on with the serial markings.597b2d00d1ab0_617and618001.thumb.jpg.79dc1180a47f5f647e49e8b658cfd836.jpg

That is simply amazing that this info exists and is preserved.

 

Also interesting that this analog "storage" is going strong but some of the digital data in the "modern era" didn't migrate and some production history is lost forever.  Technology can be cruel.  

 

Something about a craftsman writing down the final product, in different pens and ink, as opposed to a hard drive sitting on a shelf.

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On 7/28/2017 at 8:29 AM, JRH said:

Attached is the section of the logbook covering 617 and 618.  It was 618 and 619 that were "peas in a pod" (built to the same specs).  617, a custom job, actually shipped several days later.  There's no telling exactly what went on with the serial markings.597b2d00d1ab0_617and618001.thumb.jpg.79dc1180a47f5f647e49e8b658cfd836.jpg

 

 

Wow....thanks JRH !!    I  somehow missed this when you posted back in July.    Is it possible for me to get a similar image of the logbook entry for my other one,  #1069 ?

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That is pretty amazing, I picked up them both in Detroit some years ago as complete speakers.  I was told that the owner had bought the 54 before stereo was popular and that he picked up the other one to go stereo.  Could there be a mistake with 779? Any info on the wood or cloth?

 

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I read online that the lab also did installs.  That could explain the raw finish tag, even though it seems like there is a finish on it.  The fabric and finish matches the top and bottom as well.  It really doesn't matter, they sound incredible and I won't be getting rid of them any time soon.

 

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On 7/28/2017 at 8:29 AM, JRH said:

Attached is the section of the logbook covering 617 and 618.  It was 618 and 619 that were "peas in a pod" (built to the same specs).  617, a custom job, actually shipped several days later.  There's no telling exactly what went on with the serial markings.597b2d00d1ab0_617and618001.thumb.jpg.79dc1180a47f5f647e49e8b658cfd836.jpg

 

 

@JRH    Thanks and I missed seeing this earlier.    By any chance could you provide a snapshot of the log showing my other Klipschorn, #1069 ?

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On 7/28/2017 at 7:29 AM, JRH said:

Attached is the section of the logbook covering 617 and 618.  It was 618 and 619 that were "peas in a pod" (built to the same specs).  617, a custom job, actually shipped several days later.  There's no telling exactly what went on with the serial markings.

You know, this would be a great way to raise money for the museum.  I'd pay to have framable shots of the logbook for the page(s) that have my horns...

 

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On ‎7‎/‎29‎/‎2017 at 1:35 AM, dwilawyer said:

That is simply amazing that this info exists and is preserved.

 

Also interesting that this analog "storage" is going strong but some of the digital data in the "modern era" didn't migrate and some production history is lost forever.  Technology can be cruel.  

 

Something about a craftsman writing down the final product, in different pens and ink, as opposed to a hard drive sitting on a shelf.

 

One of the last times I was at Indy, we were shown a 5 1/4" floppy disk that had a whole lot of similar records saved to it. Not sure what happened to the original written records but that floppy was then the only source. Someone there took the disk at stuck on the side of a metal shelving unit for the time being.........with a big magnet. ERASED!!!!

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On 12/20/2017 at 8:36 AM, Mighty Favog said:

 

One of the last times I was at Indy, we were shown a 5 1/4" floppy disk that had a whole lot of similar records saved to it. Not sure what happened to the original written records but that floppy was then the only source. Someone there took the disk at stuck on the side of a metal shelving unit for the time being.........with a big magnet. ERASED!!!!

As I understand it at some point they went to a computer system and as part of that system logging by hand, in a book, was eliminated and information was entered into a computer (no necessarily the same information).

 

They eventually upgraded their system, were probably told "it will be a seamless migration" and it apparently it wasn't. 

 

I know they are missing two entire years somewhere around 89 to 92, that they have nothing on, zero.  That could be the floppy maybe.  But I don't know what that information was, what detail they included, like where it was shipped, the finish, the drivers, etc.  

 

The original logs seem to track "builds".  Whereas when they went to computers they were doing it for "inventory control" and maybe parts ordering, and a host of other things.

 

@JRH Jim would know about all of this, maybe we can get him to do an article about what he knows so far, and what is yet to be learned. 

 

Travis 

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The label on my K-horn says 175. However the unit is labeled 174 on the bottom and on the inside of access panel. The K-5 horn, which is labeled 168, also has the number 174 handwritten on the corner of the label. Jim said that 174 and 175 were constructed at the same time. It is obvious that my speaker is 174 but received the label for 175.

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So, (in 1979) who exactly reported the names?

 

As I recall, I perhaps received a post card (?) for registration when I bought my LaScalas.  I do not  however, think I sent in my warranty card (being young & dumb teenager).

 

If that's accurate, would my purchase info be on file?  Would the dealer have reported it for the purchase when they put the order in?

 

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