Grill cloth recommendations for wood stained 4x12

lukedlb

I have a red 72 Marshall style 4x12 cab that I have never cared for even though it sounds great. So my plan is to strip the red tolex, varnish the wood and replace the grill cloth. 
My mate has been using a vintage correct pinstripe from the states. I’m not sure if it will suit a treated wood cab. 
Any recommendations for a good match or a good quality source for grill cloths?

p90fool

Basketweave?

Bygone_Tones

The vintage correct pinstripe from the states is about £300 for a single piece, bit of a price difference.

Basketweave always looks and sounds good (if you install it properly). TAD in germany sells a nice looking two tone brown one if you want the aged look. Avoid the plain 'cane' stuff.

lukedlb

Bygone_Tones said:

The vintage correct pinstripe from the states is about £300 for a single piece, bit of a price difference.

Basketweave always looks and sounds good (if you install it properly). TAD in germany sells a nice looking two tone brown one if you want the aged look. Avoid the plain 'cane' stuff.

That’s why my mate always shied away from telling me the price of the pinstripe. 
It currently has a tan basketweave, which again I don’t particularly care for. I could get one to match my Marshall 68 cab. I’ll take a look at TAD now. Thanks for the suggestion. 

lukedlb

The salt & pepper looks good. Is the 100x90 enough for a 4x12?
they have the deoxit I’ve been after too. 

fandango

Also have a gander at the grill/grille cloth in allparts.uk.com, such as this Marshall pattern:
https://www.allparts.uk.com/products/grill-cloth-marshall-style-salt-pepper-32-inch-wide-per-yard

Bygone_Tones

Just had a look on tube amp doctor website, they dont sell the two tone brown I was thinking of. It must have been somewhere else, I will try and find out where it was. Since plexi palace went down I've lost a lot of my old links for parts.

100x90 is more than enough.

Bygone_Tones

Found it. 'tube town' not tube amp doctor. Bigger selection of materials:

https://www.tube-town.net/ttstore/Tolex-Grillcloth/Grillcloth/Grillcloth-Tube-Town-Black-Brown-150-x-100-cm::8275.html

I think that stuff would look very authentic on a vintage Marshall. They also have the proper black and white stuff. Most places only sell black and cream.

kreggs

Yes tubetown. Was gonna reccomend  them. Good amount  of choice. Good prices. Used   em before.

lukedlb

Spoilt for choice. Thank you. And the prices are good enough to try a couple. 
I have a 68 sound city B cab with a small patch that has been frayed. I wonder what is the best way to repair the cotton threads. Any thoughts @Bygone_Tones ?

lukedlb

The sound city cab has the same grill cloth as the b80, the first cab on this link:
http://soundcitysite.com/photo_page_11.htm

Bygone_Tones

That's the old "herringbone" grill. Nice stuff and pretty rare, but fragile. I've never done it myself but probably best just to use a needle and thread. Maybe use a patch of black cotton on the back where it can't be seen. I wouldn't replace it.

57Deluxe

lukedlb

57Deluxe said:

Available in basketweave?

lukedlb

I had my mate take a look at the cab and he said forget it. Glued edges will make it difficult to get the baffle out and therefore require cutting the tolex away from the baffle leaving a little bit poking out. Instead I will retire the cab to a corner in case anyone wants to buy the matching head and transfer the speakers to the sound city B cab. 
What do people think about using only the upper row of speakers and leaving the lower ones empty to work as a large port? I know sound city used to run two speakers diagonally in a 4x12. 

clarkefan

You really hate the red tolex that much you're going to strip it?

Bygone_Tones

lukedlb said:

I know sound city used to run two speakers diagonally in a 4x12. 

Are you sure about that? A friend of mine bought an old Sound City 2x12. The 2 addtional holes (making it a 4x12) had actually been cut into it by the previous owner. We had to get a new baffle made for it to take it back to original state.

re: using less speakers, go for it. I do it all the time, sometimes I only use 1 speaker in a 4x12.

lukedlb

In the end I decided to tackle the project, and yes it was a major pain to remove the baffle what with the secret screws and hidden intern brace and all the glued braces. I did it. It’s off and all I have to do is choose the grill cloth. 
The choice is between TAD salt&pepper grey basket weave or tube town black and gold. 

JMP220478

@Bygone_Tones and others - I've a mid 70s Marshall cab - poorly recovered n grille cloth changed - who is doing best vintage correct restores - north  west preferred but will travel if required 

Bygone_Tones

JMP220478 said:

@Bygone_Tones and others - I've a mid 70s Marshall cab - poorly recovered n grille cloth changed - who is doing best vintage correct restores - north  west preferred but will travel if required 

The cheapest and quickest way is to send it to Marshall. Last time I sent a cab to Marshall it was under £100 but that was a few years ago. They will send it back to you within a couple of weeks. Strip it down yourself first though and make sure the wood is nice and smooth, and get the edges looking how you want them. Tape the insides with newspaper if you dont want the black spray glue showing. You can also ask them to tolex the insides the old way (over the strips of wood inside) and they will do it.

You could also try Tom at hoffnine, and zilla cabs.

lukedlb

Bygone_Tones said:

lukedlb said:

I know sound city used to run two speakers diagonally in a 4x12. 

Are you sure about that? A friend of mine bought an old Sound City 2x12. The 2 addtional holes (making it a 4x12) had actually been cut into it by the previous owner. We had to get a new baffle made for it to take it back to original state.

re: using less speakers, go for it. I do it all the time, sometimes I only use 1 speaker in a 4x12.


Other than the Herringbone cab, I used to have an SC B80 paired with an SC 50 plus. It had all four 12" holes in the baffle with only two speakers. Front loading.