Grille cloth damage — options?

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Little Pigbacon

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Grille cloth damage — options?

The cab is a Marshall 1960A with a JCM900 badge on the front and a 2000 serial number on the jack plate. It got a small tear in the grille cloth maybe twelve years ago. It hasn’t gotten worse from years of sitting around and occasionally being played at levels as high as 55 dB.

Anyway, the tear is off to one side, very close to the piping and the frame. I imagine the only repair option is going to be a complete replacement of the cloth. Who does this kind of work, and what should it cost?

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Re: Grille cloth damage — options?

Re: Grille cloth damage — options?

I think the only solution is to replace it. I think you can the authentic fabric online. Any artist or frame shop that can stretch a canvas can do it properly.
 
Re: Grille cloth damage — options?

Re: Grille cloth damage — options?

You could glue a small patch from behind and make it less apparent, given that it doesn’t sound like usage requires any more serious road worthiness.
 
Re: Grille cloth damage — options?

Re: Grille cloth damage — options?

Stitch it if it bothers you
 
Re: Grille cloth damage — options?

Re: Grille cloth damage — options?

Better to keep it original in my opinion and just live with it. It is normal wear and tear.

Bear in mind, to replace the grill you would have to remove the plastic handles. You are going to struggle to refit them without breaking them, especially if they are rivetted on. Also bear in mind the black mesh that Marshall sell and use thesedays is a little bit different in appearance to that older stuff, and people who know their onions will know it is not original if you replace it. Although it is only a JCM900 cab, and unlikely to alter its value.
 
Re: Grille cloth damage — options?

Re: Grille cloth damage — options?

bygone_tones said:
Also bear in mind the black mesh that Marshall sell and use thesedays is a little bit different in appearance to that older stuff, and people who know their onions will know it is not original if you replace it. Although it is only a JCM900 cab, and unlikely to alter its value.
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Chinese T75's era, by the looks of it... affect value what value, it's value and rarity are both about equivalent to a mexifender. A common tool, not a show piece or a rare collectible.


Immaculateness won't make it any more interesting, while the odd ding or tear won't devalue it.
 
Re: Grille cloth damage — options?

Re: Grille cloth damage — options?

Adieu said:
Chinese T75's era, by the looks of it...
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English T75’s and English Mesa V30’s.

I’m less concerned with keeping it original than with keeping it looking nice.

The handles are held on with screws and have been off before.
 
Re: Grille cloth damage — options?

Re: Grille cloth damage — options?

Little Pigbacon said:
English T75’s and English Mesa V30’s.

I’m less concerned with keeping it original than with keeping it looking nice.

The handles are held on with screws and have been off before.
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In that case, yeah pretty good... back to the 'stitch it' advice though.
 
Re: Grille cloth damage — options?

Re: Grille cloth damage — options?

Little Pigbacon said:
English T75’s and English Mesa V30’s.

I’m less concerned with keeping it original than with keeping it looking nice.

The handles are held on with screws and have been off before.
Click to expand...

You can probably do this yourself, assuming ... the speaker baffle is screwed to the inside frame of the cabinet. You should be able to remove the speakers, unscrew the baffle and pull it out from the back. You'll probably have to remove the handles to allow the baffle to clear.
I did this with a cheap cabinet (actually I built a new baffle first). Lot's of staples to remove from the old cloth, some attention to detail (to keep the pattern lines in the cloth straight), lots of staples to attach the new cloth, and a little elbow grease. I'd worked with the stretchy, thin grill cloth for home audio speakers before, but never the stiffer stuff that usually goes in these cabinets. It came out fine the first time. Since I already had a staple gun and staples, all it cost me was the price of a piece of grill cloth and a couple of hours.

Here's my related thread from 2015. https://forum.seymourduncan.com/showthread.php?287596-Grill-Cloth-any-tips&highlight=grill
 
Re: Grille cloth damage — options?

Re: Grille cloth damage — options?

Replacing grill cloth is a pain, but with enough patience (and staples) you can do it. Knowing what a task it is, I wouldn’t bother for such a small hole. Snip off a piece from inside and glue it over the back of the hole. Take the time to line up the threads and no one will notice.
 
Re: Grille cloth damage — options?

Re: Grille cloth damage — options?

Roll it face first down a long flight of stairs so that it looks like a proper Marshall JCM900 cab.
 
Re: Grille cloth damage — options?

Re: Grille cloth damage — options?

Empty Pockets said:
Roll it face first down a long flight of stairs so that it looks like a proper Marshall JCM900 cab.
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That's un-American, ain't no such thing as long flights of stairs here

Do it right: drop it out of a Ford and run it over with a Chevy
 
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Re: Grille cloth damage — options?

Re: Grille cloth damage — options?

I had the grill cloth redone on my Marshall cab by Scott Splawn in 2005 for around $100, give or take. I had the black removed and replaced with cane cloth. It was worth it to me then and I'd do it again now if mine had a tear or just because I wanted it done.
 
Re: Grille cloth damage — options?

Re: Grille cloth damage — options?

Blue Jean iron on patch in the shape of Jagger lips




Cutout a Marshall Logo in white craft paper
And hot glue over the hole
 
Re: Grille cloth damage — options?

Re: Grille cloth damage — options?

I'd just play it... That really isn't much damage, my old 4-12s were beat to crap and sounded great.

But, if you plan to do it yourself, you might want to take it apart first, those have rear mounted speakers, right, so not sure how to get to the grill cloth in those. The Freda cab I have has a removable grill that made it really easy to cover.

BTW, 55dB falls somewhere in the level of quiet office to normal conversation, hopefully you get to play a little louder than that on occasion.
 
Re: Grille cloth damage — options?

Re: Grille cloth damage — options?

Of course, this is the first step to becoming a rock star.
 
Re: Grille cloth damage — options?

Re: Grille cloth damage — options?

That little hole on the side is a purely aesthetic concern and should not affect the tone (mic'd or otherwise).
 
Re: Grille cloth damage — options?

Re: Grille cloth damage — options?

 
Re: Grille cloth damage — options?

Re: Grille cloth damage — options?

So it has been there for 12 years and you want to fix it now because...? Move on my friend, move on.
 
Re: Grille cloth damage — options?

Re: Grille cloth damage — options?

Securb said:
So it has been there for 12 years and you want to fix it now because...? Move on my friend, move on.
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No chance, English bed wetting types! It’s never too late to do a sub-average repair job on something that doesn’t really need it.
 
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