Getting black paint off basketweave grill cloth

lukedlb

I now have a Marshall stack, a ‘68 and a ‘71 cab and both had had their basketweave grill cloths painted black. My mate reversed both of them but I have to be honest, the Paint stain seeping through, just puts me off. After successfully putting a new cloth over an existing basketweave and being rather chuffed with the result, I’m tempted to do the same here, much to my mate’s chagrin. 

Has anyone tried (and failed) to get rid of the black paint? One is worse off than the other. I imagine the room for making things worse is huge. It would be nice to restore the original cloth, though. 

Any experience, anyone?

ICBM

I've seen a couple of attempts, and from that I would always replace the cloth.

It may help to know that it's not actually cloth, it's made from twisted paper... really.

lukedlb

Replacement over the original sounds best. 

ICBM

lukedlb said:

Replacement over the original sounds best. 

Double the tone .

Bygone_Tones

You can double layer the modern basketweave material to make it sound very similar to the old stuff. However it is always best to keep the original grill on a vintage cab, that is where most of the value is.

I've seen people get good results by power washing the paint off, but you'll never get it looking completely original. The damage has been done by the idiot that painted it. ICBM is right, it is made from rolled paper yarns, and that should tell you something about whether you can successfully clean paint off it or not.

lukedlb

You can imagine the reaction of my mate who collects 60s & 70s marshall cabs when I suggested the thought of even touching the original grill cloth.

skippy76

Might be worth trying nail polish remover on a cotton bud in a small discrete area, I’ve had success with this on paint drips on fender grill, which is a different product to be fair.

Gadget

If it's been painted, won't that adversely affect the permeability of it sound-wise? If so, I think I would replace it if they aim is to use and listen to it, rather than be sentimental?

lukedlb

Gadget said:

If it's been painted, won't that adversely affect the permeability of it sound-wise? If so, I think I would replace it if they aim is to use and listen to it, rather than be sentimental?

No, it doesn’t make any difference. 100 watts of prime plexi will always find a way through. The Paint on the second cab has bled through to the front darkening parts here and there. I’ll get a photo up. 

lukedlb

A 68 a cab and a 71 b cab with a 68 sound city cab alongside them. I’ve also included my other amps featuring a successful 15” baffle in the zilla fat boy under the Redplate, and a new grill cloth on the 4x12. 

https://imgur.com/gallery/YQlsaHY

Gadget

lukedlb said:

https://imgur.com/gallery/YQlsaHY

Are you playing in some kind of Roman bath house?

lukedlb

Gadget said:

lukedlb said:

https://imgur.com/gallery/YQlsaHY

Are you playing in some kind of Roman bath house?

Almost: a Bolognese cellar from the 14th century. 

GoldenEraGuitars

https://i.imgur.com/Asnis3v.jpg

ICBM

Gadget said:

If it's been painted, won't that adversely affect the permeability of it sound-wise?

It might take off a small amount of treble and volume, but if you’re going to put a Marshall Super Lead through them, that’s almost certainly a good thing rather than bad .

Bygone_Tones

The sound city cab is cool, don't see many of those in that condition.

I don't think the original grill looks too bad on that Marshall A cab. My first thought was the missing tolex was the most obvious thing "wrong" with it.

If they have used a spray paint it wont clog the holes and shouldn't make too much difference to the sound. Simms Watts actually used to do that to their basketweave grill cloths to make them blue. I've restored Park cabs that way too. Some people brush emulsion on it though and that can clog every gap in the material.

lukedlb

Bygone_Tones said:

The sound city cab is cool, don't see many of those in that condition.

I don't think the original grill looks too bad on that Marshall A cab. My first thought was the missing tolex was the most obvious thing "wrong" with it.

If they have used a spray paint it wont clog the holes and shouldn't make too much difference to the sound. Simms Watts actually used to do this to their basketweave grill cloths to make them blue. I've restored Park cabs by spray painting them that way too. Some people brush emulsion on it though and that can clog every gap in the material.

Yep, you don’t see many SC cabs around in this condition. The build is similar to a Marshall of that period, all in plywood. Most likely this was with an sc 100 mk3. Light. Resonant. I sold my mk3 many moons ago and kept the cab. Hendrix played through one when he played in Italy. I’m up for selling it if anyone is interested. It’s fitted with castors I took off a 72 cab. 

The Marshall cab without tolex not only sounds great but looks great too. 

lukedlb

The grill is fine to be honest. It’s just a little too stained for my liking On the b cab. 

ICBM

lukedlb said:

The Marshall cab without tolex not only sounds great but looks great too. 

They always seem to have a really vibrant, lively tone. I genuinely think the tolex (and glue, probably) deadens the sound a bit - I'm sure a lot of people will laugh at that .

lukedlb

ICBM said:

lukedlb said:

The Marshall cab without tolex not only sounds great but looks great too. 

They always seem to have a really vibrant, lively tone. I genuinely think the tolex (and glue, probably) deadens the sound a bit - I'm sure a lot of people will laugh at that .

They might laugh, but they’d be wrong  
I know a cab builder who swears the more screws there are, the worse it sounds. 

And I’d also add that grill cloth choice does make a difference, for the same reason mentioned above with thick paint blocking Signal transmission. A tight weave basketweave over a fender grill cloth allows you to push the highs.