c.1950 Bell & Howell 12" Projector Speaker Cab (Powered Mod)


So, I bought this B&H originally because I loved the other B&H so much. I was going to convert this over to a typical guitar-style speaker cab for resale use with amp heads, but after talking myself into it after talking with friends, I installed the guts of one of my Kustom KPC12P powered speakers in it instead and now it's a standalone powered speaker. This is going to get its first live use test tomorrow at a wedding!


I love that shield cutout. The cab itself is heavy-duty ply with a sprayed-on textured finish. The two-tone style of this one is just classic!


I bought this one out of Canada, and not surprisingly, the bottom-corner label is for a Canadian retailer rather than the typical serial number plate like on the other B&H 12" cabs I've seen.


Cute handle.




...and here are the "guts" moved over from the heavy, particle-board Kustom cab into this guy. They installed really easily and I just installed the control panel with the help of some L-brackets and scrap hard maple posts.

Sound-wise, it has the same good volume and output as the standard Kustom cab (those KPC12Ps are good bang for the $$) but the small rear-vented area of the cab lets you get some rear bleed that lets this help out as a monitor in a pinch. If I didn't think I would be running bass through this now and then I would've left the original speaker in, but the stock Kustom 12" has much fuller low-end for band use practicality. The original 12" Jensens on these are good down to the A string of most basses but sound a little weak for the low E. That said, for reproducing recorded music, the bass on the originals sound pretty good.

I'm super happy with this mod... I get a cooler-looking, lighter-weight unit for PA use...! Now to find another to put my other Kustom in...

...and by the way, anyone need a ply-baffle, particle-board back/sides, heavy-duty Kustom 12" cab? Just holler, you can pick it up free at the shop!

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