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Clean grill cloth and speaker impedance for K200 x3 [message #24157]

Sun, 15 November 2015 16:36

shonodel
Messages: 6
Registered: November 2015
Location: San Jose, CA

Junior Member

I'm the proud new owner of a near-mint K200 B-1 tuck n roll with three 12" Jensen Special Design speakers. I have a couple of questions:

1) The only blemish is that someone spilled something on the grill cloth. It looks pretty faint except in the right light so I'd like to try to clean it up. What are the recommended methods of cleaning it? Is it necessary to remove all those screws in the back and remove the speakers first?
2) I am thinking of replacing the Jensens with JBLs or Black Widows with JBL recons. Were the 3-speaker versions built with 16-ohm speakers in parallel? Can I get away with three 8-ohm JBLs or is the risk of damaging the amp too great? It's hard to find 16-ohm JBLs.

Steve

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Re: Clean grill cloth and speaker impedance for K200 x3 [message #24158 is a reply to message #24157]

Sun, 15 November 2015 21:59

pleat
Messages: 1454
Registered: June 2004
Location: Belding, Mi

Senior Member

Steve,
I remove the backs for a couple of reasons. To see that there are no objects that may have been stuffed through the port tubes. I like to check to make sure the cabinet has the correct speakers, and to make sure all the nuts that hold both the speakers and the baffle board are tight.

I personally like to remove all the speakers and port tubes, pull the baffle board out of the box and take it to the car wash. Power wash/rinse and vacuum off the excess water and let it set for a couple of hours before I start to re assemble. Cleans all the stains and dust from behind the grill and dust on the speaker openings. That's just me. Brings the grill cloth back to showroom condition. Some guys use simple green with a tooth brush to clean the grill.

Kustom used 16 ohm speakers wired in parallel, so the three speakers presents a 5.33 ohm load to the amp head. The K200 amp heads runs 100 watts into a 4 ohm load.

I wouldn't use 8 ohm speakers since it would place a 2.6 ohm load to a 4 ohm amp. You can always run above the 4 ohm amp but going below can damage the amp.

I'm not sure how big of a guy you are, but that cab with the added weight of JBL's or Black Widows would break my back. The Jensen's are the guitar version. CTS would have been for bass.
pleat

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Re: Clean grill cloth and speaker impedance for K200 x3 [message #24159 is a reply to message #24157]

Mon, 16 November 2015 06:22

stevem
Messages: 4775
Registered: June 2004
Location: NY

Senior Member

Large ciramic magnet drivers like Pleat posted would add a good amount of weight to the cab, but Alinco magnet types like JBL D120s or Altec 417 will not kick the weight up too much, of course finding them in the needed 16 ohm versions will be a search for sure!
If you might look in to the Jensen drivers with the neomag set up as they do sound great, but if you do pull those speakers out and they still are the original C12N models do not toss them as they are worth a lot even in there 16 ohm form!

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Re: Clean grill cloth and speaker impedance for K200 x3 [message #24160 is a reply to message #24158]

Mon, 16 November 2015 12:12

shonodel
Messages: 6
Registered: November 2015
Location: San Jose, CA

Junior Member

Thanks Pleat for the sage advice. Guess it will be awhile before I swap in 16-ohm JBLs. The car wash idea is great.
Steve

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Re: Clean grill cloth and speaker impedance for K200 x3 [message #24161 is a reply to message #24159]

Tue, 17 November 2015 12:59

shonodel
Messages: 6
Registered: November 2015
Location: San Jose, CA

Junior Member

Thanks, SteveM for responding. I agree that the E-120s would make the cabinet a real pain to hoist into the car. Even the D-120s would probably add a lot. Fortunately, I don't need it except for an outdoor gig. I have to agree, though, that the Jensens worked great when we played at a street party. The 3 x 12 Kustom 200 setup added a lot of power and depth when paralleled with my Fender Champion.

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