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Klipsch Bells Production Numbers


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My question is about production numbers for Klipsch Bells with the Rambling Rose finish. How many pairs were actually sold ? I've seen more than a few Klipsch tags but I've never seen a number after the finish designation, what does the number represent?

Edited by Tom Washington
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On 7/12/2023 at 10:54 PM, Tom Washington said:

My question is about production numbers for    

I have never seen a klipsch Belle with Rambling Rose veneer , do you own a pair of Klipsch Belle speakers with RR ? 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Yes I do, but unlike most of the tags in the rear which contains the model and finish designation mine have a number following the finish designation, do you know what that number represents? I have a idea just not sure, thanks Thomas. Was going to send you a pic of the speakers don't know how to get the size down to 2 mb.

 

IMG_20230723_142707~3.jpg

Edited by Tom Washington
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10 hours ago, Tom Washington said:

Yes I do, but unlike most of the tags in the rear which contains the model and finish designation mine have a number following the finish designation, do you know what that number represents? I have a idea just not sure, thanks Thomas. Was going to send you a pic of the speakers don't know how to get the size down to 2 mb.

 

 

it would be best if you posted the sequence of the serial no  Tag , rough guess would be the nos indicate the year  /week of manufacturing 

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Yes I do, but unlike most of the tags in the rear which contains the model and finish designation mine have a number following the finish designation, do you know what that number represents? I have a idea just not sure, thanks Thomas. Was going to send you a pic of the speakers don't know how to get the size down to 2 mb.

IMG_20230723_142940~2.jpg

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1 hour ago, Tom Washington said:

Yes I do, but unlike most of the tags in the rear which contains the model and finish designation mine have a number following the finish designation, do you know what that number represents? I have a idea just not sure, thanks Thomas. Was going to send you a pic of the speakers don't know how to get the size down to 2 mb.

IMG_20230723_142940~2.jpg


I believe it’s for #20 grille cloth.

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20 hours ago, Tom Washington said:

Yes I do, but unlike most of the tags in the rear which contains the model and finish designation mine have a number following the finish designation, do you know what that number represents? I have a idea just not sure, thanks Thomas. Was going to send you a pic of the speakers don't know how to get the size down to 2 mb.

IMG_20230723_142940~2.jpg

 The   Belle RR you own  were manufactured   in 1979 ,   however ,   as far as we know  , the #20  Brown grille cloth was  used by klipsch  starting in  1985  for the Chorus - Forte-Quartet   ,   so the dates are off here 

 

 

can you please show us a picture of the grille cloth , that should tell us whether the digits 20 refer to the grilles or to something else  

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I'm pretty sure that it doesn't have anything to do with the grill cloth, but then again. I know that to get these with the RR finish they had to be special ordered from the factory also the cost was considerably more than in one of the other finishes. Since 79 was the only year they would have been available I  can't imagine the production numbers being very high. Thanks for your time by the way, I do appreciate it. Oh and if by chance you might know someone that's in the market to buy a small to medium size lot of vintage electronics I've got one for sale. I'll be 70 this year been doing this since the early 70s when I was in the service, my wife says it's time to let it go. There are some very nice pieces in this collection, including tube amps many tubes test equipment reel to reel pre amps power amps many speakers turntables receivers anyway enough to fill a medium size U-Haul truck, thanks for letting me ramble.

IMG_20230726_220033~4.jpg

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  • 6 months later...

Not actually a reply, but same subject matter.. I have pair of Bells that I purchased new in early 80s. Was told they were a special order customer backed out. Was told finish is Ebony. They were really nice looking which is why I bought them, aside from the sound. Wanted to find out if there is a way to confirm information? On tag for type it says BK MEL. Serial #s are 8512929 and 30. Thanks for any info.

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On 2/24/2024 at 12:09 PM, Motoguy said:

Not actually a reply, but same subject matter.. I have pair of Bells that I purchased new in early 80s. Was told they were a special order customer backed out. Was told finish is Ebony. They were really nice looking which is why I bought them, aside from the sound. Wanted to find out if there is a way to confirm information? On tag for type it says BK MEL. Serial #s are 8512929 and 30. Thanks for any info.

 

and they were made in 1985 (first two digits of serial number).

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hello , proud owner of a pair of Bells, the info

on the rear tag reads as follows….

 

TYPE   BK OL

SERIAL #’s     8906809

                      8906808

 

Also their is a very long run of numbers or

letters/ ? Mix of both ? That I cannot decipher due to tag fade out, they have cane cloth and

appear to be an oak finish, the cabinet themselves. I would write them at 9 only due to their age, I would like to recall them, but I am not aware of anyone or company that would have that exact type of cloth, any information on disassembly will be greatly appreciated. Thanks all in advance respectfully. 
PS/ I have owned them for at least the past 30 years do have new crossovers and boxes AB-2 the original CROSSOVERS were AB

Wanted to try the AB-2 to enable bi Amping with a 300 B on top & Mac or Accuphase 

amp on the woofers/ have a BRYSTON xover

however, never implemented this change have been stored away for a while. CROSSOVERS are still in boxes I figure I won’t know until I try. Thanks again for any info.

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On 3/12/2024 at 4:02 PM, Philip McDonald said:

Hello , proud owner of a pair of Bells, the info

on the rear tag reads as follows….

 

TYPE   BK OL

SERIAL #’s     8906809

                      8906808

 

Also their is a very long run of numbers or

letters/ ? Mix of both ? That I cannot decipher due to tag fade out, they have cane cloth and

appear to be an oak finish, the cabinet themselves. I would write them at 9 only due to their age, I would like to recall them, but I am not aware of anyone or company that would have that exact type of cloth, any information on disassembly will be greatly appreciated. Thanks all in advance respectfully. 
PS/ I have owned them for at least the past 30 years do have new crossovers and boxes AB-2 the original CROSSOVERS were AB

Wanted to try the AB-2 to enable bi Amping with a 300 B on top & Mac or Accuphase 

amp on the woofers/ have a BRYSTON xover

however, never implemented this change have been stored away for a while. CROSSOVERS are still in boxes I figure I won’t know until I try. Thanks again for any info.

 

They are lacquered oak speakers built in 1989.

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1 hour ago, jcn3 said:

 

They are lacquered oak speakers built in 1989.

Thank you ,  I kind of figured that, but I wasn’t 100% sure I believe they do have the Kane cloth grill. It’s a shame but age does take its toll  I’m living proof of that. 😂 like I stated the speaker cabinets themselves are an unbelievable shape for their age almost flawless I dread disassembling them to replace the deteriorated cloths,  i’m pretty good with mechanics only part that scares me naturally first time doing it. After that the second cabinet will be a breeze. I would absolutely say I got my work cut out for me, but it’ll be 100% worth it with the new cloth 

I guess an exact replacement of that type of cloth I would assume is out of the question would anyone know what or where I could purchase that would come close to the original? I have a few samples here from a couple clips guys seem very nice looking material I just wish, I could find something that would kind of stack up to the original but thank you. I appreciate your response. I remain respectfully yours. 

 

On 3/12/2024 at 4:02 PM, Philip McDonald said:

Hello , proud owner of a pair of Bells, the info

on the rear tag reads as follows….

 

TYPE   BK OL

SERIAL #’s     8906809

                      8906808

 

Also their is a very long run of numbers or

letters/ ? Mix of both ? That I cannot decipher due to tag fade out, they have cane cloth and

appear to be an oak finish, the cabinet themselves. I would write them at 9 only due to their age, I would like to recall them, but I am not aware of anyone or company that would have that exact type of cloth, any information on disassembly will be greatly appreciated. Thanks all in advance respectfully. 
PS/ I have owned them for at least the past 30 years do have new crossovers and boxes AB-2 the original CROSSOVERS were AB

Wanted to try the AB-2 to enable bi Amping with a 300 B on top & Mac or Accuphase 

amp on the woofers/ have a BRYSTON xover

however, never implemented this change have been stored away for a while. CROSSOVERS are still in boxes I figure I won’t know until I try. Thanks again for any info.

 

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On 3/14/2024 at 10:50 PM, MMurg said:

 

@Khornukopia - Thanks for linking my thread.  @Philip McDonald - Read through my thread before starting to disassemble the Belles.  If you have any questions during disassembly, send me a message.

 

Oh I know I will be speaking to you  I am not too worried about taking them apart we're putting them back together the part that bothers me I don't have the patience what are the time for taking all that old girl cloth off I'm replacing it what is closest original as I can find I have an automotive upholstery shop near me that did some nice work on a few custom motorcycle seats where there is no way add original could be used I know that's the way they made them back then and they did the right thing but they sure weren't thinking about the guy that had to replace them one day thank you for your time and hospitality and offering 

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