New to me La Scalas. Serial # confusion can you help?

[dondoucette]

Last weekend I picked up a pair of La Scalas with consecutive serial numbers.
Lots of issues, crappy finish put on them, somebody went at them with a router and they have the AL crossover.
I plan to put in a set of Bob's AL-3 crossovers, I'm going to soda blast the cabs to get them back to wood but I'm stuck with the router mess.
I attempted to decipher the serial number using the post at the top of the forum, I thought it indicated that these were 1989 but they have AL crossovers suggesting an earlier vintage, I'm confused, also below the serial number there are other numbers, any idea what they mean?

Below the pics is a short video of the speakers. Thanks for any help you can give.

 

[macyjrm]

Congrats on finding your LaScalas. That router treatment doesn’t look too bad to me either. Sorry about the “sorry” finish. Note the top line on your back labels states LS BR, meaning LaScala Birch Raw. So your speakers left the factory as unfinished “decorator” models. I own a pair with this un-finish as well and I’m very pleased with them including appearance. Rather than media blasting them, consider removing the amateur finish with some sort of chemical stripper. Then apply a light sanding to the thin top veneer layer to show its natural beauty. Follow that with an application of wood oil to enhance the wood grain. I use an oil designated for butcher blocks and it works very well.

Hope this helps.

 

[UH1DG337]

I like the router work around the horn openings. That color might have soaked into the veneer and prove difficult to remove completely.

 

[SPEC2man]

I refinished a pair at Christmas that were all but toast - ugly, ugly cabs. Smashed corners, scratches, dirt, even rat droppings. Strip, sand, fill, 4 coats of primer and 3-4 coats of jet back ... they now have 3/8" beveled black glass tops. They look 100% better and sound great. They were a friend's speakers that sat in a storage shed for 5-10 years. I took the project on as a Christmas gift - it's simple stuff, just took some time. The chemical stripper was the ticket. They had been painted over 3-4 times. The first picture was the "good" speaker. It took a few months but it was worth it. He's still thanking me! I cleaned up the original crossovers with some contact cleaner - degreaser, Qtips, and rags. They looked great but I decided on the Crites upgrades anyway. The crossover components actually come off the board easily and clean up well. I was surprised. I had just too much patching to get away with anything other than black but that's how they started, so it turned out well. Not perfect but definitely something worth having in a living room. I would consider the glass tops when you are finished - I just went to a glass shop and gave them the exact dimensions. It really makes them stand out.

 

[dondoucette]

Wow, those are beautiful! On more than one occasion I have had glue problems after a chemical strip, no issues huh?
I have a local company that has soda blasted a few wood items for me in the past, I've had no issues with the process.
I'm really bummed about the routering on these cabinets, when I purchased them I knew what I was getting and still I made the decision to shell out the $$, it's now starting to bug me quite a bit. Damn it.
Anyway I admire your skills, my La Scalas may end up being black too, it's not like I'd be be ruining an otherwise perfect speaker.
Thanks for the reply.

 

[dondoucette]

So I did a little more digging and found the P.R.I.D.E. card inside,

Turns out this is indeed a 1989 vintage, did Klipsch really use the AL crossover until 1989?
Oh and I think the card needs a few more staples on it so it doesn't fall off. LOL!

 

[fernarias]

Lol, they used the same finish I used on my unfinished furniture bed back in the 1970s, dark walnut oil (I still have that captains bed). You can repair the cabinets. I also like the birch raw with a clear finish and bought some birch veneer to try on some old Heresy.