The First 12 Klipschorns


The first 12 Klipschorns utilized Western Electric high frequency drivers. Paul bought the HF drivers (713A) a few at a time from Graybar, a WE distributer, and encountered multiple difficulties with placing his orders: correct regional office, credit issues, and rejects. There is actually a letter of apology from Paul to the accounting department of Graybar after a lengthy “pissing contest” with them. Apparently his accounting skills were not on par with his engineering skills.

The 12 Klipschorns were shipped as follows:


9/17/46Brickencamp1
12/3/46Beggs2
12/5/46Yurkowski3
1/7/47Ashworth4
1/7/47Potter5
1/28/47Jastram6
2/13/47Brackney7
2/13/47Senior8
3/29/47Browne9
4/1/47Beggs (a replacement)2 again?Paul paid for only 12 drivers.
4/23/47Consumers' Research10
5/2/47Brociner11
5/2/47Turner12

The Consumers' Research unit is in the Klipsch Museum of Audio History, and it is labeled SN 13. This is a result of the X-3 prototype being considered SN 1. It appears that serial numbers were not assigned strictly in the order of shipment. Beggs, referrenced above, is George Beggs, President of Leeds Northrup. In the late sixties he and Saul Marantz met with Paul to discuss a Klipsch amplifier project. Unfortunately it never bore fruit.

Also of note, PWK was still “shopping” for a Western Electric HF horn to go with his woofer as late as 2/10/45. He attached a sketch of his own 3X5 multicell design (drawing dated 10/18/44) to his enquiry to Western Electric. About 4 months later (6/15/45) he applied for a patent on the X-5 HF horn (K-5 series). Pretty busy boy in those months……………