Changing speakers (or: hbar is screwed)

[hbar]

So my '65 bandmaster cab has been out of commission for a while now. It seems one of the speakers tore out of the particle board baffle. So the 4 screws that go through the baffle and mount the speakers are no longer through the baffle, and where the screwed used to go is now a mess of crumbled particle board.

 

Bottom line: I need a new way to mount this speaker.

 

(1) Get a new baffle from Ampwares. This would probably be considered a "major" modification to a vintage amp, so I'd like to avoid this if at all possible.

 

(2) Instead of mounting the speaker with screws at 12, 3, 6, and 9, maybe shift all the mounts by pi/4 (45 degrees for the layperson). But then I have the problem of how to actually get screws through the baffle (and the grillecloth, which is currently pristine!!!). If somebody has an idea for this, I'd love to hear it.

 

(3) Add support "beams" to the baffle that would mount to the top/sides of the actual enclosure, and attach the speaker(s) to this. This is actually pretty easy and probably the cleanest solution, but I don't know what that would do the tone of the cabinet. Is the baffle typically considered a tone item in a cabinet? I'm sure the audiophiles would say so, but to what degree? This would also be a significant mod to a vintage amp, but if it's this or replace the grille, I'll chose this,

 

Seriously, any help you cats could throw my way would be super. Thanks.

 

 

[monkeyland]

i'd just rotate the speaker and drill new screws in. just make sure they aren't long enough to come out the front.

[hbar]

Originally posted by monkeyland i'd just rotate the speaker and drill new screws in. just make sure they aren't long enough to come out the front.

 

A perfectly reasonable idea. I guess I could put a washer and a nut on both sides of the baffle to give it a little more strength. That might be tricky, but not impossible, and definitely worthhwhile.

[monkeyland]

many cabs get shipped each year with just a wood screw going through the hole of the speaker into a particle board baffle. sometimes they pull out with the bigger speakers (i had a 215 cab once that did) but they should hold pretty well.

one thing to consider if you want to replace the baffle is that you could easily make one yourself out of plywood. i would think it would also be an improvement over particle board. just save the old baffle and then you can return it to stock if you like.

[hbar]

For the two people reading this thread, I'll tell you that I completed the work this morning, with good results.

I drilled 4 new holes 45 deg from the existing holes, and put 4 8-32 threaded rods (machine screws w/o heads) through them. I then put some large washers with tiny holes on both sides of the baffle, and put a nut on the other side of the baffle. Slipped the speaker over the screws, and bolted 'er down. Good as new!! Well, sort of. You can clearly see the washers through the front of the grille, but that's the price you pay for being cool, I suppose.

On the upside, since I had to change the screw locations, it now makes a square pattern rather than a diamond pattern, which is more in line with the square Fender asthetics. I may decide to redo it, only spraypainting the pieces black first. I thought of that before I started, but I was too motivated to just get 'er done. Sorry no pics, my female is using the camera.