I am refurbbing a Marshall cab and I have some questions

blakejcan

blakejcan

Well-known member
refurbing a Marshall MF400 cab. It has "metal piping" per this:

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/amplifiers-effects/marshall-mf400-mode-four-400w-4x12-cab

It's really just a kind of metal outline around the grill cloth. I guess it's technically piping? It's thrashed and if possible I'd like to ditch it and use a more normal white piping. But how do you install it? I can't seem to find a good tutorial on it anywhere.

Also, how do you install the corners with rivets? I get that you basically destroy the rivets when you take them out but how do you put them back in and where do you find black rivets?

Thanks!
 
Re: I am refurbbing a Marshall cab and I have some questions

I've never installed piping but recently replaced a baffle on a cabinet. The piping has a flat section that can be stapled through and the piping bead is on one end of it. I think you'd just have to slit the flat section at the corners so you could make the 90 degree turn. You have to remove the speaker baffle to install it. I have seen a tutorial on it. I'll post a link if I find it.

http://sourmashguitarcabs.com/image/cache/data/SAM_3382 (675x450)-1000x1000.jpg

The rivets for the corners ... Always wondered about those. So I googled it for you (hint, hint :p). Looks like they snap over a wire inside the holes. How they do the wire at the factory, I have no idea. But, this should help.
http://www.marshallforum.com/workbench/13254-marshall-rivets-corner-pieces.html
 
Re: I am refurbbing a Marshall cab and I have some questions

ha thanks. yes, I googled the bejesus out of both of these things with little luck.

I actually read both of those threads in my own search and didn't find them super helpful.
 
Re: I am refurbbing a Marshall cab and I have some questions

If I remember correctly I found a cool tutorial on mojotones site?
 
Re: I am refurbbing a Marshall cab and I have some questions

The piping on that cab is just an aluminum trim.
 
Re: I am refurbbing a Marshall cab and I have some questions

what kind of glue do people use? I'm leaning towards 3M Super 77 just cause it's spray and looks easier to use than the mojotone stuff.
 
Re: I am refurbbing a Marshall cab and I have some questions

Also, just cause I'm being annoying with questions anyways...

do you think this 32" wide grill cloth--http://www.mojotone.com/Large-Check-Grill-Cloth_2?ext=F#.Ve9sdpfG-6E

will be wide enough on this oversized cab? The dimensions of the cab are 30"x36"x15". I know the baffle is maybe an inch or so smaller than the full cab dimensions. Assuming that guess is right it leaves me maybe an inch wiggle room on each side. If you line it up perfect that's probably do-able. Right? Only real bummer is I'll have to get 2 yards of grill cloth cause it's so tall.
 
Re: I am refurbbing a Marshall cab and I have some questions

You only need a small amount of grill material overlap around the baffle edge, maybe 1cm or so. Just so long as you can get your staples in it basically.

To install the white piping I normally lie the cab face down on a table and have the edge Im working along overhanging the edge of the table. staple with your right hand and hold the piping with your left. You wont be able to see what you are doing but go by feel alone, and then just check its straight afterwards. use a flat head screwdriver to push it into the corners.

You do not need glue to install the piping or the grill. Its stapled on.
 
Re: I am refurbbing a Marshall cab and I have some questions

super helpful. thanks!

to be clear, you're just installing the piping to the cab, not the baffle correct?

So, you buy a big run of piping, you staple it all in and get the corners just right...........how do you conceal the two ends of the piping where they meet so it looks good?
 
Re: I am refurbbing a Marshall cab and I have some questions

well normally marshall start the white piping at the top left corner and cut it at a 45 degree angle. the other end is also cut at a 45 degree angle and so long as they are stapled close together at the corner where they meet, then the seam is not really visible unless you look at it very closely.

or what some other cab makers do is join the white piping on a straight section, but hold the piping together by putting something like a toothpick inside the piping to hold the 2 pieces together.

here is one I did a while ago:

2014946_orig.jpg
 
Last edited:
Re: I am refurbbing a Marshall cab and I have some questions

blakejcan said:
Also, just cause I'm being annoying with questions anyways...

do you think this 32" wide grill cloth--http://www.mojotone.com/Large-Check-Grill-Cloth_2?ext=F#.Ve9sdpfG-6E

will be wide enough on this oversized cab? The dimensions of the cab are 30"x36"x15". I know the baffle is maybe an inch or so smaller than the full cab dimensions. Assuming that guess is right it leaves me maybe an inch wiggle room on each side. If you line it up perfect that's probably do-able. Right? Only real bummer is I'll have to get 2 yards of grill cloth cause it's so tall.
Click to expand...

You can work with an inch extra per side but don't forget to count the thickness of the board. The stiff cloth doesn't really stretch which means you need a good grip when you go to pull tight enough to keep the pattern lined up with the edge. I just went through this exact same thing with barely enough material to work with. It's doable but my hands hurt when I was done. Here is the thread from a few months back. https://forum.seymourduncan.com/showthread.php?287596-Grill-Cloth-any-tips
 
Re: I am refurbbing a Marshall cab and I have some questions

Thanks Darg! I've done grill cloth on a 1x12 Fender style cab. It's not quite as tight as it should be and not dead straight but totally passable. But I had a ton of extra material to work with on that one too so it was no sweat. Plus the overall baffle size was so much smaller that not being perfectly lined up wasn't as obvious. A slightly skewed line on a 4x12 would be a big mess.

I'm going to pull the baffle and measure it to see what will work. Thanks!
 
Re: I am refurbbing a Marshall cab and I have some questions

I have another question here as I am about ready to actually do this after a long glue cleaning & sanding process.

I am going to use one huge piece of tolex and wrap it around the whole cab so I only have one seam. All the videos I have seen for this process are for straight cabs. Mine is a slant cab.

I am going to follow the same wrap process but I am curious if I should do something different when I hit the angled corner on the front of the cab. The slant portion basically. Do I fold it over there or make an extra cut?
 
Re: I am refurbbing a Marshall cab and I have some questions

I'm gonna follow this thread and learn something.
I'm wanting to build a 2x12 cab myself.
 
Re: I am refurbbing a Marshall cab and I have some questions

Shooter.556 said:
I'm gonna follow this thread and learn something.
I'm wanting to build a 2x12 cab myself.
Click to expand...

I did a handful of years ago....wish I kept all my drawings and plans.

TIPS:

-research the **** out of it. make sure you know EVERYTHING
-measure measure measure
-use GOOD plywood and select yourself
-finger or dovetail joint only, anything else is not worth it
-big router bits haha
 
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