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Dents in Domes [message #5501]

Mon, 21 February 2005 23:10

QModer
Messages: 413
Registered: June 2003

Senior Member

Is there a problem that can be caused by having dents in the little dust cover domes on speakers? If so is it possible to get them out?

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Re: Dents in Domes [message #5503 is a reply to message #5501]

Tue, 22 February 2005 08:51

stevem
Messages: 4786
Registered: June 2004
Location: NY

Senior Member

For the most part their is no problem, and you will create a problem for sure if you try to fix it. It just looks ugly I know, if you can not take it you can order replacemt paper dust covers from parts express, cut your dented ones out and epxoie in the new ones. The speaker(s) will not have quite the same amout of high end though. Or you could get the speaker reconed.

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Re: Dents in Domes [message #5504 is a reply to message #5501]

Tue, 22 February 2005 09:05

edforgothispassword
Messages: 202
Registered: July 2004

Senior Member

I'm not brave enough to redo my own, but I have had some done at the local recone shop...and they charged me all of $10 to pop the old ones off and put shiny new domes on ...there's nothing more magical than seeing that chrome shine through the grill cloth...in fact recently I had a pair of Altec 421As reconed and the smaller domes on the altecs apparently arent' available these days...but I have to have the shine, so I had them put the larger JBL domes on , from the front you'd swear I have JBLS in there...and I still have my great Altec tone...its worth doing...even if you can't do it yourself

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Re: Dents in Domes [message #5508 is a reply to message #5504]

Tue, 22 February 2005 17:53

QModer
Messages: 413
Registered: June 2003

Senior Member

This is a 2x12 in the bottom and 2x10 in the top cab. So I have plenty of highs LOL.. So it is possible to order the larger JBL dome and just pop it over the Jensen ones?
I always thought that these were Altec's and I bought the cab brand new Hee hee. I have never seen Jensens with domes was one of the reasons but according to the info on the back of the cab thats what they are, Duh.
Thanks all, cheers.

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Re: Dents in Domes [message #5511 is a reply to message #5501]

Wed, 23 February 2005 08:28

stevem
Messages: 4786
Registered: June 2004
Location: NY

Senior Member

Yea, no matter what the oringal speaker jack plate may say the cab is loaded with, if you are buying a cab you should always check.Oringal Altecs are not hard to confirm thru the grill cloth once you know what to look for since no other dome looks like the Altec. In cabs with the larger ports you can stick your hand in and feel the magnet or the frame and determin what the speaker is.I have all so seen CTS and Eminence drivers refitted with the 4" JBL chrome dome.

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Re: Dents in Domes [message #5520 is a reply to message #5511]

Wed, 23 February 2005 20:27

QModer
Messages: 413
Registered: June 2003

Senior Member

What do the magnets look like on these?
In this amp they are round but sustantancial.
I bought this amp brand new and was a young kid at the time and did'nt near as much as though I did. Now though I know some odd things about it. One is that the cab says Kustom Electronics and the head says Ross inc.

I had played in a band with a fella who had one just like it. He blew the tens out all of time and they replaced them free on the Kustom guarantee. I'm convienced that one of the reasons Ross abandoned Kustom is that life time guarantee. Although I never got to use it LOL..

Well his amp is easily identified though as the last speaker that they replaced free had no dome. So we called it one eye. I know where it is still and the owner plays his stereo thru it.

If the test proves that it works what then? If it works and can get to work with the guitar then what wires do I put together to keep the reverb on all the time.?

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Re: Dents in Domes [message #5522 is a reply to message #5501]

Thu, 24 February 2005 11:29

chicagobill
Messages: 2010
Registered: April 2003

Senior Member

Q:
Are there any numbers stamped on the speaker frames? Usually there are manufacturer and date codes stamped somewhere on the frames. The Jensen code number is 220, CTS is 137, etc. I have a list somewhere that has a number of other speaker manufacturers listed. I'm sure if you post any numbers that you find on the frames, someone on the board will be able to tell you who made them, and when.
Bill

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Re: Dents in Domes [message #5523 is a reply to message #5522]

Thu, 24 February 2005 19:53

QModer
Messages: 413
Registered: June 2003

Senior Member

Well I've already closed the thing up now. But if I go to replace that dome I will definitly look for any numbers. But off hand I don't remember seeing any on them like in my other CTS Kustom's. Only one of the tens has the dents. Its not as visible as I thought it would be either. But I still wish it was fixed.
Is the center of these dome connected to the speaker cone or is it just on the outer edges? If its the outer edges can you just use a dremel tool and lightly cut out the old dome and put a new Altec over it?
Are they that much larger than it would look funny next to the other ten?

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Re: Dents in Domes [message #5530 is a reply to message #5501]

Fri, 25 February 2005 19:54

stevem
Messages: 4786
Registered: June 2004
Location: NY

Senior Member

The Altec code number is 391, most of the time stamped in black ink, and the only speakers that have white frames so a look in a port with a mechinics extenable mirror and a flashlight thru the other port will reveal alot.The only way to get an aluminum dome off a good speaker cone is to cut it off with a new bladed xacto knife.You have to leave the lip of the original dome on the speaker cone and get a new dome from a reconer that is larger than the original one in diameter to cover the remains of the old one.You also must be extreamly carefull cutting off the old dome so that you do not push in the cone too much and bottom out the voice coil, or rock the the voice coil end of the cone side to side in the process or you will warp the voice coil out of shape. It is best done with 2 people.

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Re: Dents in Domes [message #5531 is a reply to message #5501]

Fri, 25 February 2005 19:57

stevem
Messages: 4786
Registered: June 2004
Location: NY

Senior Member

P.S, WARNING!!!!!!! if you use a dremel tool you will load up the voice coil gap with cutting crap that you will never get out with out getting the speaker reconed!!!!!!!

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Re: Dents in Domes [message #5533 is a reply to message #5531]

Sat, 26 February 2005 01:20

QModer
Messages: 413
Registered: June 2003

Senior Member

Thanks Steve, its definitly not and Altec because these do not have white frames. In fact every thing on these frames appears to be a flat black. The magnets are black too and round not square packed jobs like the CTS speakers either.
So if I attempt this and exacto knife should be used? Where is a good place to order a dome? Only one is dented. I should have been more careful. If the domes have no real purpose then why are they there? Just as a pretty dust cover?
They probably are jensens like the cab info on its serial number tag on the back states. The only reason I was surprized is that I have seen lots of jensens before and I even own several of them in some Fender amps just never any with these domes.
If they had been swapped at some previous time then the same thing had been done in the only other Kustom cab that I know of like it. But I have never checked the tag on the back of his amp. You don't hear of many Kustom amp cabs like this one's configuration either.

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Re: Dents in Domes [message #5536 is a reply to message #5501]

Mon, 28 February 2005 07:39

stevem
Messages: 4786
Registered: June 2004
Location: NY

Senior Member

I do not know where else you can get aluminum replacement domes from, other than a reconer. These domes give a bit more sparkle and top to the speaker, and help some what in keeping the voice coil cooler, and they have probibly fooled alot of people into thinking they where JBLs or Altecs.Utah made speakers with these type domes also, their code is 328.The jensen code, 220 is most always on the speaker frame, cts mostly on the magnet. Oxfords code is 465.

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Re: Dents in Domes [message #5538 is a reply to message #5501]

Mon, 28 February 2005 12:33

rodak
Messages: 523
Registered: October 2001
Location: Georgia

Senior Member

Tim Weber of www.webervst.com sells JBL 4" domes. I don't know if they're listed on his site, but email him and ask. I think he charges about $4 each.

www.combo-organ.com

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Re: Dents in Domes [message #5541 is a reply to message #5538]

Mon, 28 February 2005 22:33

QModer
Messages: 413
Registered: June 2003

Senior Member

Your right about SteveM. I have had this amp brand new since 1971 and always thought that they were JBL or Altec due to those domes LOL.. I have some Fender amps with Jensens and none them have domes.
Rodak, thanks for the site and info.. I'll have to get in touch with him about this.
Assumning I just cut the edges leaving some of the dome on the speaker cone then what kind of glue would I use to glue a new JBL dome on that one speaker?

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Re: Dents in Domes [message #5542 is a reply to message #5541]

Mon, 28 February 2005 23:04

rodak
Messages: 523
Registered: October 2001
Location: Georgia

Senior Member

I don't know, but I bet Tim Weber could tell you - probably even sell you some if it's an unusual kind.

www.combo-organ.com

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Re: Dents in Domes [message #5543 is a reply to message #5542]

Tue, 01 March 2005 18:14

QModer
Messages: 413
Registered: June 2003

Senior Member

Its time to send him and email then. I'm in the process of refurbishing and cleaning all of my amps.
The only real problems that I have to get back to is this dome and the reverb unit in that Kustom 200. Everything else I'm fixing and cleaning as I go.

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Re: Dents in Domes [message #5544 is a reply to message #5501]

Wed, 02 March 2005 08:29

stevem
Messages: 4786
Registered: June 2004
Location: NY

Senior Member

I may have been some what wrong in one of my preveous post, in going thru some of my boxed up speakers last night, I forgot that I have some 12' Utah brand speakers with aluminum domes that would pass for Altecs atleast when viewed from the front..They also made 15 inchers like that also.

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Re: Dents in Domes [message #5550 is a reply to message #5544]

Wed, 02 March 2005 17:05

QModer
Messages: 413
Registered: June 2003

Senior Member

Thats interesting I'm glad you've got some Stevem. I was beginning to feel a bit silly thinking that were altec's when in fact they were jensens LOL..
Is'nt the only function of these things to act as filter schreen cover for the throat of the speaker and voice coil?
Or do they actually affect sound vrs. say the usual flat jensens schreened center or even the paper domed CTS speakers?

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Re: Dents in Domes [message #5551 is a reply to message #5550]

Wed, 02 March 2005 18:03

King Generator
Messages: 3
Registered: March 2005
Location: San Diego, CA

Junior Member

(Lurk mode off..) I've fixed a few cones by using a small piece of tape wrapped around the tip of my finger, touching the center of the dented area with the tape, then quickly pulling straight back away from the dent, not too hard. If the foil's not real kinked, it might work for you. It's worth a try before spending any $$. I've had about a 75% success rate with this method.
Good Luck in any case.

KG

(Back to Lurk..)

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Re: Dents in Domes [message #5552 is a reply to message #5551]

Wed, 02 March 2005 19:22

QModer
Messages: 413
Registered: June 2003

Senior Member

King Generator, what kind of tape did you use? Something as weak as standard brown adhesive tape, perhaps a bit stronger like duct tape, or some real stickie like the two sided stuff they sell?
This is two dents in a single ten inch speaker dome side by side in it.

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Re: Dents in Domes [message #5554 is a reply to message #5501]

Thu, 03 March 2005 08:32

stevem
Messages: 4786
Registered: June 2004
Location: NY

Senior Member

Good idea! Just make sure you do not rock the cone side to side, have someone help you if you need to pull the the tape off to one side or the other.

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Re: Dents in Domes [message #5555 is a reply to message #5501]

Thu, 03 March 2005 20:36

QModer
Messages: 413
Registered: June 2003

Senior Member

It is a novel solution. Thats really thinking out side of the box and that kinda thought train very often solves problems. I should have said which tape should it be used masking tape, servo tape, duct tape, electrical tape, or other?
Now that kinda covers all the tape types.

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Re: Dents in Domes [message #5556 is a reply to message #5552]

Fri, 04 March 2005 00:00

King Generator
Messages: 3
Registered: March 2005
Location: San Diego, CA

Junior Member

I just used plain 'ol tan masking tape. I didn't want to pull TOO hard; that's why I avoided duct tape. I tried to apply the smallest amount of tape surface area to the cone, then I pulled back. If that didn't do it, I'd try again, this time letting a little more tape stick to the cone before pulling again. Like using a toilet plunger on a car dent, ya know?

KG

ps I just tried it one day, mainly because I'm a cheap fargin' bastich! Sometimes it pays off...

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Re: Dents in Domes [message #5557 is a reply to message #5501]

Fri, 04 March 2005 09:42

edforgothispassword
Messages: 202
Registered: July 2004

Senior Member

just get a spray can of chrome paint and do the whole speaker and be done with it (grin)..in fact... I'm seriously considering trying some hartke aluminums in some of my cabs... I think that sliver cone shining through would be cool on a kustom...probably way too brite for guitar...but fun to try....love that chrome !

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Re: Dents in Domes [message #5559 is a reply to message #5557]

Fri, 04 March 2005 21:44

QModer
Messages: 413
Registered: June 2003

Senior Member

I know that you jest but in fact I have almost done just that with my other Kustom bass amps. I painted the domes on them silver LOL... It makes them stand out from the audience and its easy to do. Your right though those harkne speakers are cool but I like these domed jensens pretty well too.

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Re: Dents in Domes [message #5560 is a reply to message #5556]

Fri, 04 March 2005 21:46

QModer
Messages: 413
Registered: June 2003

Senior Member

I'll be working on all of my junk this weekend so I'll give a try there king generator.

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Re: Dents in Domes [message #5593 is a reply to message #5559]

Sat, 12 March 2005 22:32

QModer
Messages: 413
Registered: June 2003

Senior Member

The tape worked pretty good. The dents are now gone. They are a still a bit wrinkled but it worked at least ninety percent of it out. Good Idea.

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Re: Dents in Domes [message #5628 is a reply to message #5593]

Tue, 22 March 2005 21:44

KustomBlues
Messages: 495
Registered: June 2001
Location: Michigan

Senior Member

My brother Randy used compressed air (in a can)from behind, one time as I watched and it worked real good! Just a thought.... Deb

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Re: Dents in Domes [message #5635 is a reply to message #5628]

Wed, 23 March 2005 22:41

QModer
Messages: 413
Registered: June 2003

Senior Member

Sounds intriquing and interesting to say the least. How did he get the air back there?

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Re: Dents in Domes [message #5641 is a reply to message #5501]

Thu, 24 March 2005 08:36

stevem
Messages: 4786
Registered: June 2004
Location: NY

Senior Member

And this was with a orignal speaker that came out of a kustom? It would have to have a magnet vent hole in the rear, which modern speakers do.

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Re: Dents in Domes [message #5646 is a reply to message #5641]

Fri, 25 March 2005 03:22

QModer
Messages: 413
Registered: June 2003

Senior Member

This one looks to me as though it has thin mesh screen over that black dot area of the center. So would'nt the air just leak out of that? If they held air that well would'nt the domes just pop off?
His Kustom speakers may have been of a different design though.

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Re: Dents in Domes [message #5649 is a reply to message #5501]

Fri, 25 March 2005 08:20

stevem
Messages: 4786
Registered: June 2004
Location: NY

Senior Member

The air thing seems like a dangerous think to try now that I re-think that, you stand a great chance of putting the voice coil fomer out of round, and then your done! Its recone time.

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Re: Dents in Domes [message #5653 is a reply to message #5649]

Sat, 26 March 2005 02:28

QModer
Messages: 413
Registered: June 2003

Senior Member

It sounds a bit dangerous to me too. I guess he got lucky with that one.

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Re: Dents in Domes [message #5659 is a reply to message #5593]

Mon, 28 March 2005 18:37

King Generator
Messages: 3
Registered: March 2005
Location: San Diego, CA

Junior Member

Kool! No extra charge for the quirky idea. If you can learn to live with the wrinkles (don't we all..), you're all set! I'm really glad it helped out.

KG

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