Shabby re-tolex job

fretburner

Well-known member
Original owner painted the tolex white and put varnish on it.

I finally got a genuine silver elephant tolex and had an upholstery shop do the re-tolex job with specific instructions to just follow the original and... Bubbles, wringles and STAPLES galore!

At some point in time, I'll just do this again myself.

Enjoy the horror show!
666f8346b8551f7d1c3c4050de134085.jpg


Sent from my ASUS_X00TD using Tapatalk
 
Re: Shabby re-tolex job

Staples are normal, but belong in a section where something overlaps and covers them

Wrinkles and bubbles, that's just sloppy. Dare I ask how much you paid?
 
Re: Shabby re-tolex job

I had an upholsterer do a 2x12 cab for me one time...ended up not paying him. You think they'd be the ones who know how to do this sort of thing
 
Re: Shabby re-tolex job

Think they have an attitude that it doesn’t matter because it’s not furniture?
 
Re: Shabby re-tolex job

God, if an Upholstery place does that, I don't have much hope for my SVT I'm going to do myself....
 
Re: Shabby re-tolex job

Staples are most certainly NOT normal. I have recovered many and never had something come out like that. I hope you received a full refund.

Thankfully it can be rectified easily.
 
Re: Shabby re-tolex job

I think there's quite a bit of overreaction over that going on here...

Once you put in amp tray those staples as well as that uneven tolex edge disappear under it. I don't see nothing wrong in that installation. Just good they used staples rather than just relying on glue.

There are some wrinkles in right edge and near corners that I think could warrant a reclamation. But they are so minor if it was my amp I wouldn't really bother. Try it with amp tray installed and see if it still looks shabby.

EDIT: I checked out the Silber Jubilee pictures wondering about that and and actually the tray leaves so deep those staples, and edge, won't hide under it. I'm sure they botched it just by making the same mistake. You should take it back explain and they should redo it.
 
Last edited:
Re: Shabby re-tolex job

God, if an Upholstery place does that, I don't have much hope for my SVT I'm going to do myself....

Have no fear, it's pretty straightforward if you just take your time. Really it's the corners that's hard, and if your amp has corner covers, you got a little margin for error. Just take your time and remember your gluing on some material to a wooden box, it's reversible. Watch lot's of YouTube!
 
Re: Shabby re-tolex job

God, if an Upholstery place does that, I don't have much hope for my SVT I'm going to do myself....

I have done as bad, but only on my own stuff. The cause of this is not using the correct adhesive. The spray on 3m stuff you get at the hardware store or the standard rubber cement type stuff usually used for upholstery is no good. It takes a certain contact cement. You put it on the underside of the tolex and on the cab. Let it get tacky. Once it comes contact that's it, so you need to pretty much get it in the right location the first time.
 
Re: Shabby re-tolex job

Staples are normal, but belong in a section where something overlaps and covers them

Wrinkles and bubbles, that's just sloppy. Dare I ask how much you paid?
Not much for labor. This one in the picture is already their 2nd attempt. The 1st time the "overlap" was on top, not hidden at the bottom. I was so pissed. They managed to get to this point in the picture with the same tolex. They basically flipped the tolex over so they ran out of extra "flaps" to reach the back part of the cab where they can hide the staples.

What hurts is that I had to buy and ship the tolex from Germany which basically doubled the price. Good thing I still have enough do redo this myself at a later point in time.

Sent from my ASUS_X00TD using Tapatalk
 
Re: Shabby re-tolex job

I have done as bad, but only on my own stuff. The cause of this is not using the correct adhesive. The spray on 3m stuff you get at the hardware store or the standard rubber cement type stuff usually used for upholstery is no good. It takes a certain contact cement. You put it on the underside of the tolex and on the cab. Let it get tacky. Once it comes contact that's it, so you need to pretty much get it in the right location the first time.
They did use contact cement in some places, while most of it, not adhesive at all!

Sent from my ASUS_X00TD using Tapatalk
 
Re: Shabby re-tolex job

I think there's quite a bit of overreaction over that going on here...

Once you put in amp tray those staples as well as that uneven tolex edge disappear under it. I don't see nothing wrong in that installation. Just good they used staples rather than just relying on glue.

There are some wrinkles in right edge and near corners that I think could warrant a reclamation. But they are so minor if it was my amp I wouldn't really bother. Try it with amp tray installed and see if it still looks shabby.

EDIT: I checked out the Silber Jubilee pictures wondering about that and and actually the tray leaves so deep those staples, and edge, won't hide under it. I'm sure they botched it just by making the same mistake. You should take it back explain and they should redo it.
The staples are still visible with the chassis back in :(

1e491df484f0c475fc2d9e610fe56579.jpg


Sent from my ASUS_X00TD using Tapatalk
 
Re: Shabby re-tolex job

Thankfully it doesn't look as bad from a few meters away

a1a9750f76c38402685fd03c582a78ea.jpg


The staples aren't visible at this angle but the wrinkles are very prominent above the lower right hand corner


Sent from my ASUS_X00TD using Tapatalk
 
Re: Shabby re-tolex job

You should go back and ask if they know someone who’s good at it.
 
Re: Shabby re-tolex job

I've re-tolex'd exactly one cab in my entire life. It looked 100% better than that and I used all of zero staples. You need the right glue and to stretch the stuff and squeeze bubbles out and it's not that hard.
 
Re: Shabby re-tolex job

I've re-tolex'd exactly one cab in my entire life. It looked 100% better than that and I used all of zero staples. You need the right glue and to stretch the stuff and squeeze bubbles out and it's not that hard.
What glue did you use?

I was thinking Elmer's spray on. But a friend of mine told me that glue they use on vinyl tiles is better.

Sent from my ASUS_X00TD using Tapatalk
 
Back
Top