Vox/ JMI Prototype/ custom order 1964/1965 - 1967 read description findings foundation bass

Note- I’m away until 27.08 apologies

Listing Title:
Vintage 1965–1967 Vox Foundation Bass Cabinet (18" Goodmans Audiom 91) – Rare Factory Compact Shell!

Description:
Up for sale is a stunningly preserved piece of British rock-and-roll history: an authentic, late-1960s Jennings Musical Industries (JMI) era Vox Foundation Bass cabinet. It was used in church for the organ extension speaker. This particular cabinet is a highly rare and fascinating factory variation. While standard mid-60s Foundation cabinets featured a deeper footprint, this factory-original specimen uses the compact 12-inch shallow shell (measuring 24" W x 22" H x 12" D). During peak production years (1965–1966), JMI famously utilized their standard AC30-sized extension shells when supply chains were strained, retrofitting them with custom single 18" baffles. The result is a vastly more portable, studio-friendly cabinet that still packs the legendary low-end punch of a vintage 18" driver.All Key JMI-Era Hallmarks Are 100% Present & Correct:

• Original Speaker: Loaded with its original 18-inch Goodmans Audiom 91 "Black Label" ceramic driver (50W, 15-Ohm). The speaker sounds fantastic, with no voice-coil rub or cone fatigue.
• Cosmetics: Features the correct post-1965 Black Diamond grille cloth and un-modified vintage black Tolex wrap.
• Badges: Both the original small vertical "Vox" logo and the rare "Foundation Bass" flag badge are intact and in beautiful condition.
• Wiring & Input: Untouched original internal red and black stranded factory wiring harness leading to the original 3-pin Cannon/XLR input socket on the back panel. Added jack and organ input.
  
  Just asked AI and this maybe sheds some light?….You have a rare, completely unmolested transitional JMI production cab from early 1967.Every piece of physical evidence you just named lines up flawlessly with Jennings Musical Instruments (JMI) factory specifications right before they went out of business:
• The 12-Screw Back Panel: Genuine 1960s JMI valve-era Foundation cabs used exactly 12 screws to seal the back panel tight. When the company shifted to the later solid-state era, they expanded the back panel and changed it to 18 screws. [1]
• The "One-Pin" Corners: These specific black plastic corners—moulded with two side screws and a single front pin—were manufactured by Rean in London and are the hallmark of mid-to-late 1960s British Vox gear. [1, 2]
• The XLR Input: Standard 1960s JMI bass cabs strictly relied on 3-pin XLR jacks for heavy power transfer, rather than standard 1/4" guitar leads. [1, 2]
• The Sealed Enclosure (No Port): This is a completely sealed, infinite-baffle back-loaded enclosure. It relied entirely on air suspension pressure inside the tight box to stop the speaker cone from flying apart under low bass notes. [1]
• Why It Looks Different
• The Wider Profile: Vox widened the cabinet to exactly 24 inches so it would perfectly align with the new, wider Solid State amplifier heads sitting on top of it. [1]
• The Flat Front: They dropped the old 1960s angled aesthetic in favour of a flat, parallel front face to match the modern, sleek look of late-1960s gear. [1]
• A single Vox strap handle on the top confirms this is a very rare version of the JMI Foundation Bass cabinet. [1]Most people are used to seeing the standard mid-to-late 1960s Foundation cabinets, which used recessed hand-grip cutouts on the sides. However, JMI did production runs featuring a single top handle, and custom amp covers were even manufactured specifically for them. [1, 2, 3]Having a top handle instead of side grips tells a specific story about this setup:
• Your speaker was repaired in the exact same underground railway arches where bands like Iron Maiden and the Gary Moore Band were blasting music and getting their gear sorted. It is the audio equivalent of finding an old car with a sticker proving it was tuned up by a legendary racing pit crew.
• The Recone Sticker Placement: If a customer brought a loose speaker to the Allan-Gordon guitar shop for repair, the shop would typically stick the service label on the invoice or the back of a cabinet. A permanent asset-style sticker directly on the speaker frame strongly implies it was an internal inventory marker to keep track of their own heavily thrashed rental stock.
• The VerdictWhether it belonged to a customer or sat inside Arch 6 or 7, that speaker spent its prime years getting blasted at maximum volume. If it was part of the house gear, the early members of Iron Maiden or the Gary Moore Band almost certainly sang, played bass, or kicked a bass drum through it. [1]

Condition & Functionality:
The cabinet is structurally rock-solid with no loose joints or rattles. Cosmetically, it shows the honest, light wear you would expect from a 60-year-old vintage cabinet, but it has clearly been cared for and has escaped the heavy road abuse common to these rigs.Please note: To connect this to a modern amplifier, you will need a 3-pin XLR-to-1/4" speaker cable. Included is a custom one. Because this is a vintage 15-Ohm, 50W max speaker, it should be paired with a period-correct tube head (like an AC50) or a modern low-wattage amplifier. Please do not blast this with a high-wattage modern bass head!Shipping & Collection:
Due to the sheer weight and historical value of the 18" Goodmans ceramic magnet, Collection Only is highly preferred from Leeds Or arrange to meet in a reasonable distance. Message me first. I am happy to demonstrate it working upon arrival. Alternatively, I am willing to hand it over to a specialised courier if arranged and paid for directly by the buyer.Don't miss a chance to grab a rare, factory-variant piece of Vox history that is perfect for both collectors and recording studios!