Vox AC30: Celestion RIC cone codes
1960-1963
The B024, T530, CT3737, and T530 (blue) in the main with "VOX" labels.
Celestion CT3757 with Vox label, date code "08JE" (8th September 1960), RIC cone code "RIC 1 FW".
Below, an overview of RIC cone codes (where known) on Celestion speakers used by JMI, alongside date codes (again where known). Notes are interspersed on AC30 serial numbers (simply to serve as a rough guide to relevant points in production).
Even with due allowance for Celestion's habit of inadvertently reversing letters from time to time, there seems to be a definite pattern in these codes, in some instances clear enough to allow a speaker to be dated within a month or two by its cone code alone.
Further instances will added (and signalled) as they come to hand. Last update: 4th December, 2022.
1960
Type / Amp No.
Date code
Date
Cone
AC30 4072
02BE
2 February 1960
RIC 1 IV
T530
21FE
21 June 1960
RIC 1 BK
3757
26HE
26 Aug. 1960
RIC 1 FI
3757
08JE
8 Sept 1960
RIC 1 FW
3757
16JE
16 Sept 1960
RIC 1 FW
3757
20JE
20 Sept 1960
RIC 1 MF
?3757
22ME
22 Dec. 1960
RIC 1 DY
B024
22ME
22 Dec. 1960
RIC 1 MF
Blues
1961
Simply for reference there are three B024s in the series below, date codes "09AF","19JF" and "20JF" = 9th January, 19th and 20th September 1961 respectively.
Type / Amp No.
Date code
Date
Cone
B024
09AF
9 Jan. 1961
RIC 1 OV
T530
26DF and 27DF
26th and 27th April 1961
RIC 1 UL
AC30 4478
15EF
15 May 1961
RIC 1 UJ
AC30 4401
?
?
RIC 1 WI
AC30 4606
16FF
16 June 1961
RIC 1 YG
AC30 4606
29FF
29 June 1961
RIC 1 YG
T530
04GF and 11GF
July 1961
RIC 1 YG
*AC15 4482
?
summer 1961
RIC 1 YG
AC30/4
?
autumn 1961
RIC 1 FY
B024
19JF
19 Sept 1961
RIC 1 ZE
B024
20JF
20 Sept 1961
RIC 1 ZF
T530
03LF
3 Nov. 1961
?
T530
10LF
10 Nov. 1961
RIC 1 BK
T530
10LF
10 Nov. 1961
RIC 1 BJ
AC30 4981
22MF (?)
22 Dec. 1961
RIC 1 DJ
AC30 4988
22MF
22 Dec. 1961
RIC 1 DJ and 1 DO
AC30 4995
?
?
RIC 1 DO
AC30 5002
22MF
22 Dec. 1961
RIC 1 DJ
There are eight instances so far of "RIC 1 DJ" (December 1961) - AC30 serial numbers 4981 and 5002, a loose pair, and a pair in an AC30 Super Twin speaker cabinet (no amplifier).
1962
Type / Amp No.
Date code
Date
Cone
T530
05BG
5 February 1962
RIC 1 DQ
AC30 5169
?
early 1962
RIC 1 HT
AC30 5329 (1)
?
early 1962
RIC 1 JA
T530
14EG
14 May 1962
RIC 1 JB
T530
24EG
24 May 1962
RIC 1 JB
AC30 5000s (2)
24EG
24 May 1962
RIC 1 JB
AC30 5329 (2)
?
early 1962
RIC 1 JC
T530
24EG
24 May 1962
RIC 1 JC
AC30 5327
24EG
24 May 1962
RIC 1 JC
T530
25EG
25 May 1962
RIC 1 JC
T530
25EG
25 May 1962
RIC 1 JC
T530
28EG
28 May 1962
RIC 1 JC
T530
28EG
28 May 1962
RIC 1 JE
T530
31EG
31 May 1962
RIC 1 JE
AC30 5482
?
?
RIC 1 JI
*AC15 4633
?
?
RIC 1 JK
B024
05FG
5th June 1962
RIC 1 KK
T530
21FG
21 June 1962
RIC 1 KJ
G12
22FG
22 June 1962
RIC 1 KK
T530
27FG
27 June 1962
RIC 1 KJ
T530
28FG
28 June 1962
RIC 1 KJ
1962
Type / Amp No.
Date code
Date
Cone
T530
04HG
4 Aug. 1962
RIC 1 KI
T530
05HG
5 Aug. 1962
RIC 1 KI
AC30 6097
31KG and 08LG
31 Oct. and 8th Nov. 1962
unknown
1963
Type / Amp No.
Date code
Date
Cone
AC30 6529
?
1963
RIC 2 TO
T530
20BH
20 Feb. 1963
RIC 2 TP
AC30 6000
?
1963
RIC 2 TP
AC30 6529
?
1963
RIC 2 TP
?
20BH
20th Feb. 1963
RIC 2 TQ