Cleaning up a cab.

[unclejam]

How do you clean up your cabs?

just got this beast out of layaway and its a bit dirty.

 

[Hellbastard]

I usually remove the grid and the speakers, then I vacuum the inside, and after I get a brush soap and water, after I remove eerything with a clean rag.
But hey give us more info about that monster, It seems pretty solid and heavy, what speakers, horn etc?

 

[Bhuti]

Two words, compressed air. I'd also take off the grill, take out the speakers and inspect the connections and properly dust out every crevice possible. Slightly dampen a rag with lukewarm water and a tiny bit of soap and wash down the exterior.

Have fun with the new cab.

 

[WashburnBass]

i had an old roland amp that was in the same condition, cleaning it with a warm damp (not soaking) rag should bring off most of it, if its still not the way you want it after that. get some vinyl paint, i used this on my roland before i sold it and for an amp that was made in 83 it looked brand new.

 

[Hellbastard]

I forgot to tell that if you want the cab to shine you should get some kind of liquid silicon and spray the cab with a little bit of it. I use silicon on a 20 year old peavey and it looked as new after I did that.

 

[unclejam]

I usually remove the grid and the speakers, then I vacuum the inside, and after I get a brush soap and water, after I remove eerything with a clean rag.
But hey give us more info about that monster, It seems pretty solid and heavy, what speakers, horn etc?

It is a Crate PS-1510H Rated @ 125Watts 8Ohms

Pretty light and is about 15 inches deep

115x110+Horn

loud and bass for miles


Thats all i know if you find something tell me

 

[riffraff]

A fairly stiff bristled brush, diluted Pine Sol in a spray bottle, elbow grease, lots of rags. Apply the spray liberally and brush up into a lather, then dry off. Try an old tooth brush for removing gunk in the corners. And I will cut a cardboard disk out of a large box to place over the speaker(s) before cleaning the baffle. A softbristled toothbrush also works for lightly dusting a speaker cone.

For nicks in the tolex, if the tolex is just peeled back, I reglue with wood glue (cuz that's what I have around) and clamp overnight with duct tape.

To patch missing tolex, cut a graft patch from somewhere unobtrusive, like the bottom, or maybe back up along the side inside the port. I use an exacto knife to shape the original hole into something rectangular, then cut a patch to fit. Glue and clamp overnight with duct tape.

I tried ArmorAll once to clean a cab before patching. Not a good idea. The duct tape wouldn't stick to the cleaned surface, too slippery.

I've renewed several cabs this way with excellent results.

 

[Curtybob]

I'm a big fan of finishing up with some Turtle Wax 2001 spray. It smells kinda like leather. The guys in the basement always welcome that smell over the regular mustiness. I think my rig is used for more of an air freshener than anything.

 

[Rattman]

I'm a big fan of finishing up with some Turtle Wax 2001 spray. It smells kinda like leather. The guys in the basement always welcome that smell over the regular mustiness. I think my rig is used for more of an air freshener than anything.

Oh man!! This post really put a smile on my face.. very good mental image.. thanks!!

 

[Curtybob]

Did I mention I play for a Villiage People cover band? I'm the hairy italian biker.

Just kidding. I'm not italian.

 

[coolrunner989]

Did I mention I play for a Villiage People cover band? I'm the hairy italian biker.

Just kidding. I'm not italian.

But you still play in the cover band, and have a bike, right?

 

[locolobo85]

I use 409 and a lot of brush/rags on the cabinet and an old toothbrush and resolve on the grill cloth.

 

[Curtybob]

But you still play in the cover band, and have a bike, right?

You know me all too well.

That's funny stuff, but back OT... I was kinda serious about the formula 2001 stuff. I have taken note of the difficulties this introduces to patching, but you can also prep an area for patching with rubbing alcohol or something to that effect. And, it really does smell like leather. This adds to the multi-sensory effect of the biker costume for the cover band.

 

[ErnieD]

Y
M
C
A

 

[unclejam]

Y
M
C
A

lol

 

[AngryJason]

I had an older 2-10 cab in black tolex that was pretty filthy when I rec'd it. Removed the hardware and Washed down cabinet with warm water and soap to remove the grime, and let it dry completely. Then, rubbed some black liquid shoe polish into the tolex finish, and then buffed it out. Once dry. I hit it with some armor-all and a soft rag. Good as new in less than a day

 

[eedre]

Along the same lines...

does anyone have suggestions for whitening up the piping and badge on Ampeg cabinets. My newly acquired 810E is very yellowed from years in smoky environments. I didn't notice when I bought it, but sitting next to my newer HLN, it looks very yellow.

 

[Curtybob]

You could try some toothpaste on a damp rag... it's a very fine abrasive, so you could also try rubbing or polishing compound to see if that will cut down to a whiter material under the stained outside. but yeah, that piping is gonna be a pain to make look right.

I've used a product called Goof-Off to clean up vinyl covered ceiling grid, and it does work, but I don't know what would happen to the piping or even the tolex and grillcloth around it. So If you try that, do a itty bitty test spot somewhere.

Alternative would be covering the piping with white electrical tape.... but that could be a mess if you ever decided to take it off.

 

[jsingles]

how might one go about cleaning a cab that has carpet and Not tolex? is it possible?

also how hard is it to replace a Grill

 

[locolobo85]

Strip the components. Brush it with a mild soap and water mix. Then use convertible top cleaner to clean and protect since the tolex is very similar to convertible top materials.

Flat black spray paint for metal grills and screw heads.

A toothbrush and Resolve carpet cleaner for mesh fabric.