Trashed JBL L36 Decade Restoration - I Need Your Help!

[Zonker92]

Thanks for the detailed instructions! I've done maybe seven pairs of different grills with new cloth, and every time I learn a little more and do it a little better.

Now I'm doing some L300 grill frames, which are quite elaborate (sixteen pieces comprise each frame). I'm doing the prep and paint work as I await the new cloth.

 

[MCM_Fan]

Thanks for the detailed instructions! I've done maybe seven pairs of different grills with new cloth, and every time I learn a little more and do it a little better.

Now I'm doing some L300 grill frames, which are quite elaborate (sixteen pieces comprise each frame). I'm doing the prep and paint work as I await the new cloth.

L300s, nice! My next grillls will be the little 4301Bs in my other thread . But, I want to do something a little different with those. I have couple ideas, but I think it will be a while before I get around to any serious finish work on any of the 4 pairs of speakers I am currently working on. I only have an unheated garage to work in and it's too damp and cold for finish work this time of year. I may have to settle for getting them all right internally/functionally and saving the beautification for when the warmer, dryer weather gets here.

 

[Zonker92]

Sounds a lot like my MO, unheated garage and four pending projects and all, except (alas) it’s still warm and dry enough here for painting etc.

I’m on the brink of doing the L300s in ... orange! (Saw your comments above on that concept). That, or tan. Tough call. I think orange would be wild.

 

[S S]

Where can you get the white trim rings and orange foam dots that surround the tweeters? I have looked everywhere and not found. Many L26-36 I see don't have them. I think they look really great and match the crossover control panel.

Thanks if you or anyone knows.

 

[MCM_Fan]

Where can you get the white trim rings and orange foam dots that surround the tweeters? I have looked everywhere and not found. Many L26-36 I see don't have them. I think they look really great and match the crossover control panel.

Thanks if you or anyone knows.

Those are the original tweeters, with original foam intact, that came with the speakers. If you look at the "before" photos in this post you can see what they looked like before the restoration. The only thing I did to the tweeters was replace the dust caps.

BTW, the "white trim rings" aren't really white and they aren't really trim rings. They are the brushed aluminum lip of the metal tweeter frame.

 

[S S]

Those are the original tweeters, with original foam intact, that came with the speakers. If you look at the "before" photos in this post you can see what they looked like before the restoration. The only thing I did to the tweeters was replace the dust caps.

BTW, the "white trim rings" aren't really white and they aren't really trim rings. They are the brushed aluminum lip of the metal tweeter frame.

Thanks for the reply and info. Most L36 pics I’ve seen have tweeters without the aluminum frame and red dots so I assumed it was a trim piece missing. Are there different versions of the tweeters? The aluminum frame red dots look really cool.

 

[MCM_Fan]

Thanks for the reply and info. Most L36 pics I’ve seen have tweeters without the aluminum frame and red dots so I assumed it was a trim piece missing. Are there different versions of the tweeters? The aluminum frame red dots look really cool.

Yes, there were different versions of this tweeter:

The LE-25-4 were the ones that came with my speakers. Mine are technically L36A Decades (they have a -A after the serial number).

 

[Darren James]

What a fantastic job man!! I got a pair of 36's which someone had hacked up a bit. I am slowly restoring them as well.
I still need one woofer. I have some Forte's with bad tweeters, so I stacked the 36's on top and am using the high's off them to
complete my sound while I wait.... Here's the post

http://audiokarma.org/forums/index....eter-horns-on-my-fortes.828417/#post-11743595

They sound great don't they!!

 

[Zonker92]

Where can you get the ... orange foam dots that surround the tweeters?

http://audiokarma.org/forums/index....eters-those-little-orange-foam-things.395419/

 

[Smokering]

What did you do to create the gap between the grill and speaker ?

 

[MCM_Fan]

What did you do to create the gap between the grill and speaker ?

Nothing, that's the way the front baffle is designed on the L36 Decades.

 

[toddalin]

I haven't applied the WOCA white Worktop Oil yet, but here's a couple sneak peaks at what the beige grills look like on the sanded cabinets:

View attachment 975392

View attachment 975393

I need to get some better photos. The first one has a green cast and the second one has shadows and moire patterns on the grills that aren't present in real life.

The cabinets should be a little lighter after applying the WOCA Worktop Oil. So, to badge, or not to badge, that is the question? I haven't installed the JBL badges on the recovered grills. They would go in the upper right corners if I did. Opinions?

I don't believe that those are "beige" grills, especially if modeled after the L300. The color is "camel" and these are beige:

 

[Smokering]

His grills sure look the beige I see at speakerworks.com.

 

[Smokering]

 

[toddalin]

The L300, which you said you based it on came in camel, and that's what it looks like to me in your picture. Perhaps the vendor was not true to the original.

 

[toddalin]

View attachment 1408897

This is not the same color as the beige you show.

 

[MCM_Fan]

I don't believe that those are "beige" grills, especially if modeled after the L300. The color is "camel" and these are beige:

The L300, which you said you based it on came in camel, and that's what it looks like to me in your picture. Perhaps the vendor was not true to the original.

Actually, I didn't say I based them on the JBL L300s. I said I based them on "these custom made L300s":

I used the exact same WOCA counter top oil and Speakerworks beige grill cloth as the owner of those speakers. He generously shared the details with me so I could replicate that look with my L36 Decades. I was not attempting an "authentic" or "accurate" restoration. If I was, mine would look just like all the other L36 Decades out there with natural oak finish and burnt orange grill cloth. If you read the entire thread, you will see that was my original intention, but I changed course when I stumbled across those beautiful, one-of-a-kind custom made L300s. Upon seeing them, I decided I wanted that same modern look to better compliment my listening space.

I recently sold my L36 Decades and the new owner is very happy with them. They were the first speakers I ever restored. I learned a lot, enjoyed the process and enjoyed listening to them for a couple years, but time marches on and I seem to be endlessly upgrading my system as opportunities present themselves.

 

[turboyam]

Actually, I didn't say I based them on the JBL L300s. I said I based them on "these custom made L300s":

I used the exact same WOCA counter top oil and Speakerworks beige grill cloth as the owner of those speakers. He generously shared the details with me so I could replicate that look with my L36 Decades. I was not attempting an "authentic" or "accurate" restoration. If I was, mine would look just like all the other L36 Decades out there with natural oak finish and burnt orange grill cloth. If you read the entire thread, you will see that was my original intention, but I changed course when I stumbled across those beautiful, one-of-a-kind custom made L300s. Upon seeing them, I decided I wanted that same modern look to better compliment my listening space.

I recently sold my L36 Decades and the new owner is very happy with them. They were the first speakers I ever restored. I learned a lot, enjoyed the process and enjoyed listening to them for a couple years, but time marches on and I seem to be endlessly upgrading my system as opportunities present themselves.

And,,,,,,,,,,,, you did an amaising job! they are very nice!.

 

[Nyjblbob]

And,,,,,,,,,,,, you did an amaising job! they are very nice!.

Wow that’s great making those cabinets must have been a huge project. How did you make the Xovers?
Bobhorn

 

[MCM_Fan]

Wow that’s great making those cabinets must have been a huge project. How did you make the Xovers?
Bobhorn

Just to be clear, I did not build those L300 cabinets in my previous post. Those belong to a man named Jan who lives in Amsterdam who generously shared the details with me so I could achieve a similar look when I was restoring my L36 Decades. He had the cabinets built from scratch. The details are provided at the link in my previous post. Beautiful work and very inspirational!

Coincidentally, I did end up building a pair of the Nelson Pass L300 crossovers for another forum member. Since you asked, here's the details:

I recently built a pair of L300 crossovers based on the Nelson Pass design. It was a LOT more work than anticipated. The mechanical assembly and making the new wiring harnesses were quite time consuming. The gentleman I built these for wanted to preserve the original crossovers and also wanted the Pass crossovers to have biamp capability.

Here's some photos of my work:

Wiring harnesses and main terminal block:

Note: the leads to the midrange driver (labeled 3 and 4) are deliberately swapped as the Pass design required the midrange be connected out of phase with the woofer and tweeter drivers.


Test setup using generic drivers to test basic functionality and operation of the L-Pads:

One of the replacement terminal plates with Biamp Capability: