- Feb 12, 2006
- 60,947
- 5
- 220,555
- Disclosures
- Development Engineer-Mesa Boogie, Development Engineer-Genzler (pedals), Product Support-Genz Benz
Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
Anyone know how to take the baffle off of a Late 60's Fender Dual Showman cab
- Thread starter bobyoung53
- Start date
Question to all about the construction of the grill cloth and frame. By cutting the cloth off, wouldn't it give a more advantageous access to doing whatever is necessary for getting the frame off? And I think it might be a good idea to remove the speakers, for their safety.
Fender had switched to making a slot in the side panels, top and bottom panels then glue the baffle (probably particle board by then) into the slot. So pounding the baffle is NOT the way to go! OP, post 9, has said there are no screws from back side of baffle other than speakers which would be prudent to remove so they don't get poked. Work on removing the grill from the front. I would suggest scrounging up some stiff wire that would fit the gap around the grill frame, bend a few wires into an L shape in addition to any of the previous suggestions like posts 20, 19, 16 (is shown with grill frame removed), 12 in no particular order, etc.
These grill panels sometimes fight like crazy. You might as well cut the grill cloth after you remove the speaks.
and good idea to remove front corner protectors as they may impede progress as mentioned. reinstall when done.
Hope it goes easy for you.
These grill panels sometimes fight like crazy. You might as well cut the grill cloth after you remove the speaks.
and good idea to remove front corner protectors as they may impede progress as mentioned. reinstall when done.
Hope it goes easy for you.
Last edited:
Thanks to all for the suggestions, I have already decided that if the baffle board is glued in and there's no frame for the grill that can pop off someway it's going to stay the way it is, it sounds good and I don't want to destroy it. (I know my handiwork 
). But every place I've read about these glued in baffle boards always mentions a frame that pops off. I'm used to Ampegs where they come off easily. So I'll try these suggestions on Wednesday, my next day off. I do appreciate all the help and suggestions. Oh, it is particle board, the rest of the cab is plywood. I'm afraid to cut the grill cloth off just in case.
). But every place I've read about these glued in baffle boards always mentions a frame that pops off. I'm used to Ampegs where they come off easily. So I'll try these suggestions on Wednesday, my next day off. I do appreciate all the help and suggestions. Oh, it is particle board, the rest of the cab is plywood. I'm afraid to cut the grill cloth off just in case.
Ya know, these guys specialize in tolex, grill cloth, even some generic Fender-ish unloaded cabs. You might try giving them a call, I'm pretty sure you wouldn't be the first.
Invalid Link Removed
Invalid Link Removed
D130's are great skinny string speakers, won't take much power with Bass so beware.
Not talking a sawzall something like this guy below to get between the baffle and cleats although much thinner. A razor knife as a last option.
Hopefully just stuck from the years and tears staining the cloth.
DO get the rubber hammer seriously. After a few good hits if it sounds more like a rattling sound instead of a "bong" keep going. If it sounds like a solid "bong" you most likely have some joint cutting to get through. The cloth was stapled to the baffle board stretch tight with maybe a few dabs of glue on the baffle face, but usually not. The old days speaker cabs were not much more than a way to carry the speakers around. If they looked good and managed to sound good it was one heck of a win.
The head is only 85 watts so with two they'll each be getting about a little more over 40 watts, if they blowe I'm going to recone them as D-140's although I'm going to take care of them, most of the time it'll be sitting in my bedroom. These things do sound really good though with a bass though, great for round wounded Rickenbackers, P basses etc.
OK I just pulled on the wood slat that is accessible through the hole on the middle of the grille and it is a frame, part of the frame pulled away middle of it and I could hear the velcro ripping sound so I am now a happy man. Will report on my progress sometime Wednesday.
Keep in mind that Velcro was made much better way back in the 1900s than the stuff we can get these days.
They can really stick on.
With the grille cloth cut away, I place a piece of rubber or leather on the baffle so prying won’t damage the speaker baffle board. FYI, if you ever have to replace the grille frame, rather than stick building it, I like to cut a new one out of a single sheet of plywood. Glue fabric store black felt onto the front of the grille frame, trim it at the edges and openings. The padding makes the installed grille cloth look better.
Success! Grill came off in one piece I took the top corners off and slowly pried it off with a small screwdriver. You can see where the Fender insignia came off, top left corner, it looks new there with the blue stripe showing. Now to pull the staples out, they're 1/2" (I think) and spaced less than 1" apart so that's going to be another job. The tolex isn't in bad shape, I need to clean it off and replace one wheel.
IMHO, it would be cheaper, easier, better, etc, to just build a new grill frame if you have any sort of building skills at all. It doesn't have to be nearly as flimsy as the original either -- there's an acre of available area on the baffle board before you would even come close to interfering with the loudspeakers.
This cab is as close as Fender ever came to a decent bass cab during the entire Silverface era, as far as I'm concerned. Congrats - it should rock pretty good.
This cab is as close as Fender ever came to a decent bass cab during the entire Silverface era, as far as I'm concerned. Congrats - it should rock pretty good.
I just pulled the staples off the top of the frame with a tiny screwdriver, there had to have been at least 40 of them. Three more sides to go. I think I'll reuse the frame, it is flimsy but not that bad, it's 1/2" fibreboard. It's in very good shape.
I think the bottom speaker was reconed in 1980. There's a little sticker there from Rosner Custom Sound that says serviced in 3-26.80.It also has Fender PN with 6 numbers stamped in ink on the frame. The cone seems a little darker too.
When we pulled up the old carpeting in our house for all the renovation work that we've done we must have pulled out a few hundred staples! Screwdriver, pliers and a flashlight in hand(s).
Rosner Custom Sound is still in business
Yup, my wife held the flashlight, these things are buried so deep I have to pry them up.
Yup, my wife held the flashlight, these things are buried so deep I have to pry them up.
The fibreboard may require special staples for that type of wood. It depends on the product. You also might need an air (best) or electric stapler to get the job done. An upholsterer can help.
Last edited:
Thanks, I just finished pulling them out and was scratching my head wondering how I was going to restaple it, electric it is. Would you cut it to fit first or staple it first? I'm leaning toward stapling it first with the electric.
Leave it big, stretch it and get the lines pretty, staple, trim.
it’s going to be great!
it’s going to be great!
