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Help Removing the back off cab [message #25294]

Mon, 25 July 2016 17:55

Epidrake
Messages: 28
Registered: July 2016
Location: NYC

Junior Member

Hi again guys,
I got the Kustom bug. Just picked up an old 2 12 cab in pretty good shape. It says 2 12 B on the back but i doesn't sound like a bass cab and the speakers have small dust caps that are non metallic. The Kustom badge is metal on the front, not chromed, and the ports are outside the black and silver grill cloth. Serial Number 62771.
I want to open the back to see what speakers are in there and to pull the baffle and clean the grill cloth. I took off all the screws but the back doesn't want to come off. Any tricks and info on these cabs you guys have would be very appreciated! THANKS

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Re: Help Removing the back off cab [message #25295 is a reply to message #25294]

Mon, 25 July 2016 18:30

slk854
Messages: 192
Registered: January 2015

Senior Member

There is some nasty black sticky stuff holding it from when it was sealed at the factory. The back will come off with just a little effort. I usually take the biggest flat blade screwdriver I have and start somewhere close to a corner. Stick it in the crack and gently start prying. You will feel it start to move/turn loose. At that point it will come off pretty easy. The black stuff is nasty so try not to get it on your fingers. You don't want to smear that stuff all over the outside of the cab.

Steve

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Re: Help Removing the back off cab [message #25296 is a reply to message #25294]

Mon, 25 July 2016 19:30

Epidrake
Messages: 28
Registered: July 2016
Location: NYC

Junior Member

Thanks Steve,
I tried using something similar but nothin' doin'. I found an old post that said I should try pushing through the ports using some wood. I may try that. Any idea how I can date the cab?
Pete

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Re: Help Removing the back off cab [message #25297 is a reply to message #25294]

Mon, 25 July 2016 19:53

slk854
Messages: 192
Registered: January 2015

Senior Member

I don't know any way to date the speaker cab, other than come close. Does the badge say Kustom by Ross or Kustom Electronics? The speakers inside will have date code on them. On the input jack does it say CTS or Jensen? Those backs are usually hard to get off if they have never been taken apart, but I have never had one that would not budge at some point. Start in one of the corners. You just don't want to be sticking something in there that could damage the speaker. Did all the screws come out, and I mean all of them????None broken off.

Steve

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Re: Help Removing the back off cab [message #25298 is a reply to message #25294]

Mon, 25 July 2016 20:07

stevem
Messages: 4775
Registered: June 2004
Location: NY

Senior Member

If it's labeled B it's a Bass cab and will sound a tad dull for guitar .
If it's got it's original CTS Bass drivers they will be white ink stamped on thef face of the square magnet with a string of 6 numbers starting with 137, the next three will be month and year, so like 137-258 would be the 25th week of 1968.

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Re: Help Removing the back off cab [message #25299 is a reply to message #25298]

Mon, 25 July 2016 21:38

Epidrake
Messages: 28
Registered: July 2016
Location: NYC

Junior Member

Thanks guys. I'll try again tomorrow.

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Re: Help Removing the back off cab [message #25300 is a reply to message #25299]

Tue, 26 July 2016 07:27

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

Senior Member

The black tar like substance that seals the back to the cab is actually 1/2" strip of foam rubber material that over 30+ years chemical reaction to the naugahyde has turned the gasket to goo.

On cabinets with port tubes, I remove the nut that holds the jack to the jack plate. I lay the cab on it's side, and use a piece of 1x2 or 2x2" wood through the port tubes and hammer the back loose.

pleat

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Re: Help Removing the back off cab [message #25301 is a reply to message #25294]

Tue, 26 July 2016 09:05

Epidrake
Messages: 28
Registered: July 2016
Location: NYC

Junior Member

Thanks again guys. I used a combination of both techniques. The big flathead screwdriver finally got it off.

I'm confused about the speakers. They are labeled 137 7034 which means they are CTS from 1970. They are ribbed and have doping around the edges but the magnets are round and huge. I thought the bass speakers have square magnets? Looks like someone messed with these cabs because the inside wooden brace has been taken off. Could these be the guitar speakers? The voice coil looks too small for bass speakers. Either way the speakers are correct for Kustom, just not sure if there is a way to know why they were replaced and how long ago it was done.

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Re: Help Removing the back off cab [message #25302 is a reply to message #25301]

Tue, 26 July 2016 15:25

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

Senior Member

The CTS 12" bass drivers did have the round magnet. From your description, black with silver threads in the grill cloth would place the cabinet as the cab that was sold as the K150-1 slant metal face bass amp. I also venture to say from the dull Kustom badge logo the word Kustom is off set to the left of the badge. If the speakers have the Kustom logo paint stamp, they would be original issue. The guitar speakers for that cabinet would be branded with a KEI logo and could be either square or round magnet speakers. Probably 12 ohms on the KEI logo plate.

pleat

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Re: Help Removing the back off cab [message #25303 is a reply to message #25302]

Tue, 26 July 2016 15:28

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

Senior Member

Just an update. I just found a older 2x12 CTS bass cab with square magnet speakers, so I guess that kustom used what ever was available at the time.
pleat

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Re: Help Removing the back off cab [message #25304 is a reply to message #25303]

Tue, 26 July 2016 17:13

Epidrake
Messages: 28
Registered: July 2016
Location: NYC

Junior Member

Pleat, you are amazing. I guess they are bass speakers with a small voice coil. No Kustom words on the speakers but clearly CTS speakers. They are both labeled 8 ohms and wired for four ohm load. The magnets are huge. Maybe Alnico? I wonder why they took out the wood brace?

Time to try to clean the grill cloth. Not looking forward to it.

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Re: Help Removing the back off cab [message #25305 is a reply to message #25304]

Tue, 26 July 2016 20:06

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

Senior Member

Not sure about amazing, but I used to sell Kustom's back in the 60's and 70's when I worked in a music store. The 8 ohm speakers are not original to the cab. I don't think you mentioned what amp you are using with the cabinet? The Kustom K100 piggyback amp wants a 8 ohm total load and the slant metal face K150 also wants a 8 ohm load.

If you do try the car wash to clean the baffle board and grill, remove the port tubes and the power wash will clean all the dust and dirt behind the grill cloth and makes easy work of bringing back the silver threads.

pleat

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Re: Help Removing the back off cab [message #25306 is a reply to message #25305]

Tue, 26 July 2016 20:56

Epidrake
Messages: 28
Registered: July 2016
Location: NYC

Junior Member

Yes, you are amazing. Thanks for the advice on the port tubes. I wasn't sure what to do with them.
There are two 8 ohm speakers wired in parallel giving me a 4 ohm load. I'm using a Custom K200 PA amp which can drive the 4 ohm load.
I'm really starting to wonder if someone put guitar speakers in here at some point. I guess there is no real way to know. 1970 is a long time ago, even for an older guy like me. I was born in 1961.

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Re: Help Removing the back off cab [message #25307 is a reply to message #25306]

Tue, 26 July 2016 21:42

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

Senior Member

As StevenM said earlier the CTS will be a little darker sounding speakers but I love the K200B-5 PA heads. Nice and fat sounding compared to a K200B-2,3 or dash 4 head with the bright channels. If you like the tone from the amp and cab, your all set to rock, and a little easier to haul around than a 2x15 cab.
pleat

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Re: Help Removing the back off cab [message #25308 is a reply to message #25307]

Tue, 26 July 2016 22:00

Epidrake
Messages: 28
Registered: July 2016
Location: NYC

Junior Member

Thanks again.
Part of the mystery solved. The speakers are indeed CTS 8 ohm 12" from 1970, but they are GUITAR speakers. Same ones used in the early Ampeg V4's and V2 cabs. I don't know who or why someone would go to the trouble of putting in guitar speakers from 1970, but for my purposes, they should be fine. The K200 is as you described. I love the sound and it blew my lead guitar player's mind when he tried it. He's a real pro, 35 years in a top Greek American wedding band. Very famous in my community.

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Re: Help Removing the back off cab [message #25309 is a reply to message #25294]

Wed, 27 July 2016 05:42

stevem
Messages: 4775
Registered: June 2004
Location: NY

Senior Member

When you describe the huge magnet of the speakers is the magnet bolted to the speaker basket with 3 flat head screws, or can you post up a picture of one?

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Re: Help Removing the back off cab [message #25310 is a reply to message #25309]

Wed, 27 July 2016 08:52

Epidrake
Messages: 28
Registered: July 2016
Location: NYC

Junior Member

How can I post a picture here?
There are no visible bolts.

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Re: Help Removing the back off cab [message #25311 is a reply to message #25294]

Wed, 27 July 2016 11:23

stevem
Messages: 4775
Registered: June 2004
Location: NY

Senior Member

it's ok, if there are no bolts or screws than its not a Alinco magnet as that's all I was curious of, thanks!

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Re: Help Removing the back off cab [message #25312 is a reply to message #25311]

Wed, 27 July 2016 11:36

Epidrake
Messages: 28
Registered: July 2016
Location: NYC

Junior Member

Thanks. That's one hell of a huge ceramic. I probably have the same speakers in my 1971 Ampeg V4 full stack. Explains why they are so heavy.

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Re: Help Removing the back off cab [message #25314 is a reply to message #25305]

Wed, 27 July 2016 21:41

Epidrake
Messages: 28
Registered: July 2016
Location: NYC

Junior Member

I got the whole cab apart. Not easy but I couldn't have done it without you guys.
Pleat, just one question. Why should I take out the ports before cleaning the baffle? The speakers will be out. Won't taking out the ports screw up the grill cloth?

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Re: Help Removing the back off cab [message #25318 is a reply to message #25294]

Wed, 27 July 2016 23:44

slk854
Messages: 192
Registered: January 2015

Senior Member

The cloth is stapled all around the holes. They did not spare any staples. If yours has the insulation remove all of those staples also. If you don't the grill board will fine one sticking up and hinder you getting it back in easy. I always staple that insulation back in after I get the grill/speaker board back in, just because that is how it was.

Steve

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Re: Help Removing the back off cab [message #25321 is a reply to message #25318]

Thu, 28 July 2016 09:21

Epidrake
Messages: 28
Registered: July 2016
Location: NYC

Junior Member

Thanks Steve, you beat me to the question I had. I took out the staples on the insulation because I couldn't get the baffle out with them there.
Man oh man, this cab is built like a tank. I appreciate the warning about that sticky black goo. Even being careful, I got it all over my arms.

Time to clean the grill cloth. Until I exposed the edges, I didn't realize how incredibly dirty it was. Looked like it was dark grey and couldn't see the silver threads.

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