Cornwall I or Cornwall II?

[jt1stcav]

If I'm not mistaken, my dad purchased his brand new raw birch Klipsch Cornwalls in 1978 (he doesn't remember anymore, and the sales receipt was thrown away years ago). They're still in mint original condition; the only "mod" was he stained the enclosures American Walnut. The labels on the backs of each cabinet are intact, and indicate:

Type - C-BR

Serial - 21T562 (using as left)

" - 21T563 (using as right)

Inspected - Vicki Mounce

Tested - N.W. Bradford

/--------/

/ 7 /

/ /

/ /

/_B______/

The tweeter and midrange horns are recessed behind the front baffles. So are the 15" woofers. There are three rectangular ports on the bottom of each baffle. I never unscrewed the backs off the cabinets, but my brother did several years ago. The magnet structures on the woofers are square shaped. No model numbers from the drivers were recorded.

I'm puzzled...I always assumed these Cornwalls were the "I" Series. I recently found the original paperwork (Owner Information Packet) that came with the loudspeakers. In it are the unused owner registration cards with the serial numbers of each, the model type (along with the letter "B" at the opposite end of the space), and the 5-year warranty cards still attached. Also a photocopied letter from the President, Robert L. Moers about wood care and finishing, a brochure detailing what's now the Heritage Series (but not mentioning series I or II) and listing: PA 079-100M on the back, and another photocopy called, "Instructions for Cornwall II", giving detailed descriptions (...3 way 8 ohm system, with crossover points at 600 Hz and 6000 Hz).

So which are they, the Cornwall I or Cornwall II series? Were they purchased sometime in 1979 or later? If anyone can tell me anything from the description I provided here, I'd really appreciate it...thanks!

[jt1stcav]

Oops...I tried to draw a diagram of the lables on the backs of each loudspeakers, detailing that there is a handwritten "7" on the upper right hand corner of each, along with a handwritten "B" on the lower left hand corners. It obviously didn't post right when I submitted it! Disregard the mummble-jummble on the first post.

[HDBRbuilder]

Unless your Cornwalls were special-ordered in 1979 AS Cornwall II's, then they are the standard Cornwall(which some call the Cornwall I). The Cornwall that was FIRST designated the Cornwall II had its tweeter and mid-range horn lenses vertically oriented when the cabinet is standing on its "ported end", whereas the standard Cornwall has its horn lenses horizontally oriented when standing on its "ported end". The Cornwall II of that era(1979) had been relegated to a special-order-only option by then.

Your Cornwalls are 1979 birch raw "decorator" models, since they have the "T" in the serial number. Vicky was the gal in final assembly who installed the components in the cabinet and put the back on, and did the final inspection before sending them to Mr. Bradford, who did the final testing of the speaker before it was boxed-up for shipping.

Also, in that year, it is highly likely I built them. Facing the rear of the speaker, look in the upper left rear corner...on the rear edge of the side panel there. There should be two sets of two letters stamped-in there...one set above the other. If one of those sets has an "A" in it, or is just one letter and that letter is an "A", then I built them. The other set is the sander code of the sander for them. Sometimes the sander had to "even-up" the rear corners and sanded down the "builder code" and made it difficult to make out...but it SHOULD be visible. If no codes can be found on the rear edge of the side panel in that corner, look at the diagonally opposite corner for them(bottom right)...sometimes they got put there.

[jt1stcav]

HDBRbuilder, thanks alot! Not only did I find out that my Cornwalls were built in '79 (standard, or series "I"), but that you built them as well! On the upper left rear corner of both cabinets are the letters:

A

S

Z

and on the upper right rear corner of each cabinet is a partial letter I can't make out:

?

S

A

It's interesting the personal touch a Klipsch loudspeaker gets...you take it for granted that each cabinet is assembled by hand by skilled craftsmen/women. But I never thought I'd meet the actual person responsible for building them...impressive! You do good work, but then I wouldn't expect any less from a military commander ("jt1stcav"; my initials, and the unit I was assigned to for two years! ).

[HDBRbuilder]

The letter you can't make out is "U"..."USA" was normally stamped into the rear of the cabinets during final assembly back in those days. The "S" below my initial("A") stood for Steve, who was my helper...yours were built very early in his time helping me...because the "S" should have been to the right of the "A", not below it...and for a short while, whenever he did the stamping, I had to remind him to put our codes side-by-side...LOL! Yours are some built during this "reminding process"...LOL! I can't remember off-hand whose code the "Z" was, but it was the sander.

BTW...I have a copy of "Buckingham Nicks" in pristine condition. I have never seen it out on CD yet, though. And you are correct...it is nearly impossible to find. The album cover itself is worth the purchase...GAWD, Stevie Nicks sure was a delectible little thing back then!!! LOL! It is a great album, and NO, I don't want to part with it!! LOL! Neener...Neener...LOL!

Nicks & Buckingham "Buckingham Nicks"; Polydor PD5058(PD5058A)(2391 093):

Musicians:

Vocals: Stevie Nicks/Lindsey Buckingham

Drums: Hoppy Hodges/Jim Keltner/Ronnie Tutt

Guitars: Lindsey Buckingham/Waddy(Waddle)

Bass: Mark Tulin/Lindsey Buckingham/Jerry Scheff

Keyboard: Peggy Sandvic

Strings arranged by: Richard Halligan

Percussion: Jorge Calderon/Lindsey Buckingham/Hoppy Hodges

Synthesizer: Monty Stark

Dedicated to A.J. Nicks, the grandfather of country music

Produced & Engineered by: Keith Olsen for Pogologo Productions

Assistant Engineer: Richard Dashut

Executive Producer: Lee Lasseff

Recorded at Sound City/Los Angeles

Album Design: Jimmy Wachtel

Photography: Lorrie Sullivan/Jimmy Wachtel

Songs:

A: Crying the Night

Stephanie

Without a Leg to Stand On

Crystal

Long Distance Winner

B: Don't Let Me Down Again

Django

Races Are Run

Lola(My Love)

Frozen Love

Copyright 1973 by Anthem Record Corporation

[jt1stcav]

You are right, HDBRbuilder...I can make out the small curve that makes up the letter "U" of "USA". I'm glad I have a pair of almost one-of-a-kind loudspeakers made during the "reminding process"...makes the pair somewhat more unique (and more valuable, I wish). You should feel proud in knowing that my Cornwalls are no different today then the day they left your care at the manufacturing plant in Hope (well, minus the walnut finish my dad applied to them). They are a living testament to your skill and craftsmanship, and they still sound as good as the day you built them.

Damn...you've got "Buckingham Nicks" in vinyl? Man, if only I could get a DAT recording of it. The only other LP I saw of this was at an underground record shop in Orlando, and it looked like an ice pick had played it.

[HDBRbuilder]

Go to Amazon.com

zShops>Music>Vinyl

enter: Buckingham/Nicks

Three of them there...two NOT cheap...one IS

Good Luck

[jt1stcav]

Wow, even my girlfriend awhile ago did a search on Google and couldn't locate anything on Buckingham Nicks, and there it was on Amazon.com all along.

I'm there...thanks loads, I do appreciate it!

[Deang]

Andy, did you ever contact Bob Gassel of Klipsch? You should go back and do what no one can do better.

[HDBRbuilder]

Dean,

If they had wanted me, they would have hired me when I called them up after BobG said what he said...I dunno WHAT their GAME was!! Guess it was supposed to be some kind of funny joke or something!