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Belle Klipsch date of manufacture:


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That is the first "0" serial number I've ever seen.  Normally, "1" is the leading character. 

 

If the crossovers are AB-2, it/they has been upgraded.  What color is the squawker?  What shape is the tweeter magnet.  AB-2 was originally paired with a black K-55-M. 

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These two left the factory on July 4, 1974 and July 8, 1974.  Yes, several speakers were shipped that holiday.  They included the AA network originally. 

 

Leading with a zero is odd, but Belle's started out this way with 0J004 Jan. 5, 1971.  Not sure what happened with 001 thru 003.  They may have been recorded in a 1970 book that I have yet to locate.

 

Note:  The signature (G. Wheelington) is the guy flipping the bird in the group photo attached.BSshirts.jpg.cb21bbd5e910034fe23124c58ce22cde.jpg

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I left Klipsch in October 1983.  Gary Wheelington (look at the labels) worked in final assembly when I started at Klipsch in 1976. Gary left Klipsch at least a year or so before I left.  He had been a Dealer Rep for a few years before he left Klipsch.  He had accepted a job with Bell telephone of Texas.  He was weekly commuting from Hope, AR to Texas for his job.  Returning to Hope one weekend night, he fell asleep at the wheel, and his Mercedes ran up under the rear of a semi-rig and he tragically lost his life.  It was a total shock to all of us who knew him!  RIP, Gary...my old friend! 

 

In the below pic, 2nd from the left is myself, and third from the left is Gary...we took this pic right before a Willie Nelson/Leon Russell concert in Shreveport, LA.  We had been "prepping" for the concert, obviously!748649403_FixintoseeWillieatShreveport.thumb.jpg.b0b3c97f0466365e170778a4f07edb56.jpg

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  • 7 months later...
I left Klipsch in October 1983.  Gary Wheelington (look at the labels) worked in final assembly when I started at Klipsch in 1976. Gary left Klipsch at least a year or so before I left.  He had been a Dealer Rep for a few years before he left Klipsch.  He had accepted a job with Bell telephone of Texas.  He was weekly commuting from Hope, AR to Texas for his job.  Returning to Hope one weekend night, he fell asleep at the wheel, and his Mercedes ran up under the rear of a semi-rig and he tragically lost his life.  It was a total shock to all of us who knew him!  RIP, Gary...my old friend! 
 
In the below pic, 2nd from the left is myself, and third from the left is Gary...we took this pic right before a Willie Nelson/Leon Russell concert in Shreveport, LA.  We had been "prepping" for the concert, obviously!748649403_FixintoseeWillieatShreveport.thumb.jpg.b0b3c97f0466365e170778a4f07edb56.jpg

Tragic. Gary Wheelington signed his name on the "INSPECTED" line of my Klipschorns.


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23 hours ago, baron167 said:


Tragic. Gary Wheelington signed his name on the "INSPECTED" line of my Klipschorns.


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That means he installed the drivers, horns and networks...prior to them being tested and then boxed up for shipment.

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On 10/7/2019 at 5:36 PM, HDBRbuilder said:

I left Klipsch in October 1983.  Gary Wheelington (look at the labels) worked in final assembly when I started at Klipsch in 1976. Gary left Klipsch at least a year or so before I left.  He had been a Dealer Rep for a few years before he left Klipsch.  He had accepted a job with Bell telephone of Texas.  He was weekly commuting from Hope, AR to Texas for his job.  Returning to Hope one weekend night, he fell asleep at the wheel, and his Mercedes ran up under the rear of a semi-rig and he tragically lost his life.  It was a total shock to all of us who knew him!  RIP, Gary...my old friend! 

 

In the below pic, 2nd from the left is myself, and third from the left is Gary...we took this pic right before a Willie Nelson/Leon Russell concert in Shreveport, LA.  We had been "prepping" for the concert, obviously!748649403_FixintoseeWillieatShreveport.thumb.jpg.b0b3c97f0466365e170778a4f07edb56.jpg

real cool gang -------having a great time

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On 10/7/2019 at 5:36 PM, HDBRbuilder said:

I left Klipsch in October 1983.  Gary Wheelington (look at the labels) worked in final assembly when I started at Klipsch in 1976. Gary left Klipsch at least a year or so before I left.  He had been a Dealer Rep for a few years before he left Klipsch.  He had accepted a job with Bell telephone of Texas.  He was weekly commuting from Hope, AR to Texas for his job.  Returning to Hope one weekend night, he fell asleep at the wheel, and his Mercedes ran up under the rear of a semi-rig and he tragically lost his life.  It was a total shock to all of us who knew him!  RIP, Gary...my old friend! 

 

In the below pic, 2nd from the left is myself, and third from the left is Gary...we took this pic right before a Willie Nelson/Leon Russell concert in Shreveport, LA.  We had been "prepping" for the concert, obviously!748649403_FixintoseeWillieatShreveport.thumb.jpg.b0b3c97f0466365e170778a4f07edb56.jpg

I'd bet if those bell bottoms were still around they would be worth about as much as a pair of lascalas from the same era.

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