Giving My Cab a Facelift

[CTN]

This has been on my list of things to do for ages...giving my cab a new front baffle/grill cloth.

Finally got around to starting it the other day.

This is what it looked like previously. Black and boring. When I originally got this cab, it had an ugly expanded metal grill. I had replaced the metal grill with acoustically transparent speaker cloth some time back, but it looked terribly unsexy.

Got some supplies from Home Depot and cut it all down to size to make a new frame that would be 1/4" less thick than the old baffle. This way the grill cloth would be nested in the cab's frame instead of being flush with the outside like the old black one was.

Also went to Fabricland and got some nice 1/8" fabric piping.

Frame all done, glued and screwed. had to sand it down in some parts so it wasn't a tight fit (had to leave room for the grill cloth and piping.

Freshly painted, and drying.

I'm just waiting for the grill cloth to come in the mail. I got some tan/natural Mellotone grill cloth. I think it's closer to the Fender style cloth than the Mesa-style jute. Should look quite nice with the white piping.

 

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: Giving My Cab a Facelift

Nice job so far!

 

[CTN]

Re: Giving My Cab a Facelift

Grill cloth is here!

It's nicer than I thought it was gonna be!

fun begins this evening!

Also, they sent me 2 yards instead of just 1 like I had ordered, so I'll have plenty left to make ANOTHER front baffle for my amp head. I already have 4. The stock one, the mesa-style black treadplate one, the clear acrylic one (which is what's currently on there), and the dark acrylic one. I never use the stock one, so I think I'll convert that into a grill cloth baffle. Should look SUPER sweet when I'm done

 

[DankStar]

Re: Giving My Cab a Facelift

that'll look cool!

 

[King IzzO)))]

Re: Giving My Cab a Facelift

Thread reminded me that I need to get some Ampeg style cloth to redo my Kustoms. Any idea where I can get some of that?

 

[CTN]

Re: Giving My Cab a Facelift

like the blue Ampeg cloth?

http://www.tubesandmore.com/products/S-G294

Mojotone has some other Ampeg styles too:

http://www.mojotone.com/amp-parts/amplifier-cabinet-grillcloth

 

[ItsaBass]

Re: Giving My Cab a Facelift

Thread reminded me that I need to get some Ampeg style cloth to redo my Kustoms. Any idea where I can get some of that?

Try Fliptops in NY state for Ampeg stuff.

www.fliptops.net

 

[CTN]

Re: Giving My Cab a Facelift

First side tacked on, nice and straight. Easy stuff.

2nd side tacked on and got a start on the bottom line. Also pretty easy. All you gotta do at this point is make sure that your lines are straight.

This is where the stretching starts, on the third side. Pic shows third side done and I'm about to start the last side, which is where like 90% of the actual work is. Gotta stretch that sucker right out as much as you can.

All done, corners trimmed neatly.

This is what it looks like face-on. Now I gotta start the piping.

 

[King IzzO)))]

Re: Giving My Cab a Facelift

That aged blue is perfect for what I need, thanks man!

Looks good!

 

[CTN]

Re: Giving My Cab a Facelift

Piping done.

Gonna get started on the baffle for my amp. Gonna do it JCM800 style!

 

[CTN]

Re: Giving My Cab a Facelift

Well it's getting late so I decided to leave the amp baffle until tomorrow, since the staples need to get hammered in a little into the amp baffle.

In the meantime I tried fitting the cab baffle into my cab, but it's pretty tight. Tight as in it doesn't quite fit. Just slightly too big. I'm thinking of sanding down the tolex on the inside where the baffle is seated. Good idea or no?

 

[ItsaBass]

Re: Giving My Cab a Facelift

I don't know about that. How far off is it? Are you sure you can't just bash it in?

 

[CTN]

Re: Giving My Cab a Facelift

heh, I tried that already, it's sticking like crazy and not going fully in. I don't wanna screw up my freshly cloth'd brand new frame

 

[ItsaBass]

Re: Giving My Cab a Facelift

I'd take measurements of how far off the fit is. Then I'd take the staples out, plane down the sides with a hand planer, and restaple. Sanding tolex will get you nowhere except where you are...but with raggedy ass tolex.

 

[CTN]

Re: Giving My Cab a Facelift

hmm. well a) i don't have hand planes, and b) i reeeeeeeeeeeally dont wanna undo everything and start over.

so i'm going to try something else:

It snowed here for the first time this fall/winter a few hours ago. It's nice and cold outside. I put the whole baffle outside to cool down and shrink in size ever so slightly. I'll give it an hour or so outside and then try fitting it back in the cab. With any luck, it will have shrunk just enough to squeeze in.

also, damn, it looks soooo good on my cab

 

[SteveAlysis]

Re: Giving My Cab a Facelift

Nice man! I have that same exact grill cloth and gonna be doing my Marshall cab this weekend. Looks pretty easy

 

[CTN]

Re: Giving My Cab a Facelift

it's simple....but i don't know if I'd call it easy. The number of chances available to you to screw it up are PLENTY, but if you're careful, constantly keep an eye on the straightness of the weave and take your time, it can be pretty simple.

 

[CTN]

Re: Giving My Cab a Facelift

Hot damn, it worked.

Before:

After:

bit more natural colour, but ugly flash:

Hah, I'm stoked to start the head baffle too so it matches

 

[metlking]

Re: Giving My Cab a Facelift

Looks great!

 

[DankStar]

Re: Giving My Cab a Facelift

Looks classy San Diego!