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**Chuck H** · 02-11-2016, 04:08 PM

It doesn't look like original to me. I hope the grill isn't glued on or something.

**lalunatech** · 02-11-2016, 04:19 PM

I have got the baffle panel off and it is a two part particle board affair, not sure particle board was invented in 64! Not glued in thankfully. The sides are all pine.
Pretty sure it is a later replacement baffle and grille now.
Badges still a mystery.

**Leo_Gnardo** · 02-11-2016, 04:44 PM

Originally posted by lalunatech View Post

Hiya
Every Bassman of this vintage I have seen photos of has the beige brown with gold strip type of grille cloth. The one I am restoring has a brown/beige square weave. I am wondering if it is an unusual but original cloth. I can't work out how to get the grille cloth frame off the front of the cab, it doesn't push out. Any help greatly appreciated.

Also the diecast badges aren't chromed or painted, are they crappy copies?

Looks a little like Marshall "salt & pepper" grille. Always liked that stuff.

Badges, might they be corroded with age, or covered with mung?

Fender started using particle board for baffles in combos @ 1964.

It's possible the whole thing is counterfeit, hard to tell. Friends of mine made their own lookalike Fender cabs early 70's, and there are far east fakers mostly sold to military buyers (individuals not contract) during the Vietnam war era. Some of those were actually pretty good; I worked on one that was a copy of a brown Vibrolux combo, but finished in black tolex with non Fender grille & faker badge.

You're not trying to pry the grill off the front I hope. That kind of feature didn't start until about 1970. You have to remove the back cover, then undo all the screws that hold the baffle in place on its frame if it was built the way Fender does. Lotta screwing, I hope you have mechanical assistance.

**lalunatech** · 02-11-2016, 04:54 PM

Cheers for the valuable info.
I have the baffle off now. There is an Oxford and a Utah that have been bolted to the baffle before the black paint is properly dry, completely stuck. The badges are not corroded at all, they are just finished like diecast zinc. They look like they have never been painted or chromed.

**Leo_Gnardo** · 02-11-2016, 05:07 PM

2 guesses, either a Fender that came to grief somehow, maybe a Who concert, and got repaired, or a faker. Either way, if it works, that's all to the good. You can choose to regrille with period correct cloth, badge too, or just leave 'er be, an oddball cab. Slip putty knife or similar between speakers & baffle, maybe you can work the speakers loose with minimum damage. If the gaskets de-laminate, I've stuck 'em back together with white glue like Elmers or Franklin Titebond.

I've seen speakers stuck-on in factory built Fenders. Having two different speakers, can't say I've seen that sort of thing come from factory. But - lots of unusual things did happen there - wouldn't say it's impossible.

**Chuck H** · 02-11-2016, 06:37 PM

I have a pretty good book about Fender amps that's full of info and pictures for period identification. So I'm not speaking from personal experience when I say that those badges look like fakes. NBD. Show me some pics of the handle, feet, close up on the Tolex and the knobs and I'll do what I can for comparison to the original articles.

**52 Bill** · 02-11-2016, 08:39 PM

The one badge looks like plain Zinc or Mazak, or whatever they were cast from. I've seen some that have been either intentionally stripped or corroded where the chrome has started to flake off in large pieces. I've not seen one that was completely bare though. Maybe someone was planning on re-plating and repainting them.

Not enough info in the two photos to tell what is original and what isn't, besides the replaced grill cloth. Is that moth damage to the one piece?

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Fender Bassman 6G6B 1964 Is this grille cloth original?

Fender Bassman 6G6B 1964 Is this grille cloth original?

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