GLENN branded Altec cabinet?

[Leland47]

i just read the below quote.....and wondered if it is correct and Glenn Branded cab is not actually a real Altec Cab.???????

Many times cabinets were custom made back in the day, using Altec components. In fact, what got me into this hobby about 15 years ago was when my Grandfather gave me his entire Altec stereo system. He bought the system brand new in 1962. He had all of the original paperwork, price sheets and catalogs that were marked up with his notes (even the same warranty card as in your picture). The speakers were also the 602D's with 3000 crossovers. The cabinets were custom made to Altec's specs by a company in Arcadia California (near Los Angeles) called Glenn. I belive they were a fine custom furniture manufacturer that did great hi-fi cabinet work. I would have never known who made them if I didn't have the receipts, plans and notes. I would guess those are late 50's to early 60's and probably built to the same specs as the cabinets I had.
There should be a date code on the speakers, 6 numbers that will give you the week and year at least the drivers were born.

 

[sheltie dave]

Glenn of California was an extremely high end furniture and cabinetry maker. They would get an order for an entire living room, and of course the wife would want the speakers and console to match everything else.

The client would tell them the components they were going to buy, or tell them to build for Altec speakers, Mac Ampex and Garrard gear, and Glenn would build anything or everything.

Altec did not care, as they received substantial sales from their affiliate catalog sales, and they provided Glenn with their recommended construction measurements.

 

[Leland47]

Thanks Dave.
The Altec Verde I recently got....is stamped Glenn. So it is not really an Altec cab!?

Seems an incredible amount of work to go to to reproduce this style of cab....especially when Altec was right there in the same city!

WoW...what a let down.

But explains no Altec serial numbers or labels....on the cab.

Still a beautiful piece. It is signed in pencil on the bottom. JM 853.... perhaps JM made that many of them?

 

[bowtie427ss]

It's very likely that Glenn built all of the Verde cabinets.

Altec was still outsourcing certain cabinets through the mid/late 70's. Every 620A cabinet i've seen was branded Hill-Craft inside.

 

[Leland47]

Thanks so much for this info Bowtie!

There's only a few pics on the web of any Verdes at all. The only pic of the rear of a pair does have serial numbers branded into the wood and Altec green and white paper labels....but as far as I can recall....no GLENN brand at the bottom right. I'll have to check further.

My GLENN has only that and nothing else.

The complexity of the design sure makes me think you are right. To manufacture a run of these....I'd assume jigs set up and fabricating in lots.

 

[Leland47]

A poster over on Audio Heritage says Glenn are Altecs.... Grill cloth is the same too.

Perhaps Altec sold Verdes loaded...as 833-A Verdes...and... empty Verde Cabs sold had no serial numbers stamped on them....as they were not a complete speaker system,..?

 

[GD70]

I like the name of that company!
Glenn

 

[dbALE]

A unloaded Verde would be a 853a cabinet. Plans from 1958 describes cabinet makers initials placement.

 

[Leland47]

There is an Altec Capistrano speaker....on that auction site.....that has all the Altec stamping, label, serial numbers....and has the Glenn brand also.

That confirms it for me!

Can't get a screen grab pic with my phone or I'd post the pic...(my computer is down for repairs.)

 

[elitopus]

Here ya go Lee

 

[Marine0811]

Pretty cool cabinet

 

[gdmoore28]

View attachment 1031864 A unloaded Verde would be a 853a cabinet. Plans from 1958 describes cabinet makers initials placement.

Excellent information, guys. Looks like Glenn may not have received word that their stamp was supposed to be on the "lower left" hand of cabinet, huh? I've seen the Glenn stamp on a number of pictures of Altec home cabinets, but I never knew what it meant. I thought it might have been an inspector.

Next question: Exactly what is "PS612 Fiberglass?" Is that the rigid version? Is there an equivalent today?

GeeDeeEmm

 

[elitopus]

Maybe Owens Corning 703?

 

[gdmoore28]

Maybe Owens Corning 703?

I'll bet you're right. This time around I used some rigid fiberglass ceiling tiles with the plastic front stripped off. Seems to work just fine, but the OC 703 looks like it would fit the bill just fine.

On a related note, I've wondered if the diagonal piece of rigid fiberglass that Altec shows in some of their plans (such as for the 606 and 612A cabinets) would be of benefit for . . . what? I really don't know what it was intended to do.

GeeDeeEmm

 

[DavidF]

Seeing those slot-head screws triggers some memories when most all wood screws were slots. The device below preceded the power drill and was still hard to keep on the head of the screws.
I recall a picture taken at Klipsch way back showing assembly of a Klipcshorn. There on the table was one these ratchet screw drivers.

 

[gdmoore28]

Seeing those slot-head screws triggers some memories when most all wood screws were slots. The device below preceded the power drill and was still hard to keep on the head of the screws.
I recall a picture taken at Klipsch way back showing assembly of a Klipcshorn. There on the table was one these ratchet screw drivers.

View attachment 1033870

And God bless the men who invented the Phillips, hex, star, and every other kind of screw head - anything other than slots!!!!!!!!

GeeDeeEmm

 

[elitopus]

My favorite wood screws are the star head. A little expensive, but man are they easy to handle and put in

 

[Leland47]

My dad had one of those screw drivers, but it had a metal handle.
The handle end strewed off and different driver size bits were stored inside.

Cool...

 

[Leland47]

Excellent information, guys. Looks like Glenn may not have received word that their stamp was supposed to be on the "lower left" hand of cabinet, huh? I've seen the Glenn stamp on a number of pictures of Altec home cabinets, but I never knew what it meant. I thought it might have been an inspector.

Next question: Exactly what is "PS612 Fiberglass?" Is that the rigid version? Is there an equivalent today?

GeeDeeEmm

I thought about that....
Perhaps lower left looking from the front of the cab.

Works for me.

 

[Leland47]

Well here is my Verde.



I've been doing a bit more research. These cabs came in Maple ( blonde ) Walnut ( dark grill cloth ) and Teak. The Teak and Maple had the light colored cloth.

If anyone knows of another Teak Glenn Verde cabinet east of the Mississippi....or comes across one I'd really appreciate a PM!

I've got a line on a pair of Altec 602D that could work well to build a pair. ( with a mid-range.)