L55 Glass Tops and Mats

[Wagner]

Hi,
What was used to make up the difference of the badge's thickness under the glass top?.
On the pair I just acquired there is nothing but flat black MDF with the badge in the corner so the glass is not properly supported.
Thanks!
Thomas

[hjames]

Hi,
What was used to make up the difference of the badge's thickness under the glass top?.
On the pair I just acquired there is nothing but flat black MDF with the badge in the corner so the glass is not properly supported.
Thanks!
Thomas

I believe I've read that originally it was a black, foam-like material with a cutout for the badge. But over time, the foam deteriorates, just like the foam surrounds on the drivers. I think one membered mention using matting material from a framing store to replace the worn out foam.

[Wagner]

I believe I've read that originally it was a black, foam-like material with a cutout for the badge. But over time, the foam deteriorates, just like the foam surrounds on the drivers. I think one membered mention using matting material from a framing store to replace the worn out foam.


Thank you very much! I would love to see a piece of the original material, or what others have used. Can you remember if it was a heavy board stock like one uses for matting pictures? Or is it an open cell?
I'm not terribly hung up on keeping this aspect 100% original as it is easily reversible. Just something that comes close.
I've also played with the idea of using felt under the glass and moving the badge to the grille, or even not using a badge at all.

Thank you again,
Thomas

[hjames]

Thank you very much! I would love to see a piece of the original material, or what others have used. Can you remember if it was a heavy board stock like one uses for matting pictures? Or is it an open cell?
I'm not terribly hung up on keeping this aspect 100% original as it is easily reversible. Just something that comes close.
I've also played with the idea of using felt under the glass and moving the badge to the grille, or even not using a badge at all.

Thank you again,
Thomas

I think you can use whatever material is readily available to you.
From what I've seen, the trick is to make the glass level with the edges of the wood ...
so whatever you use needs some thickness ... at LEAST the thickness of the badge ...


See this thread - http://audioheritage.org/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=21467

[Wagner]

I think you can use whatever material is readily available to you.
From what I've seen, the trick is to make the glass level with the edges of the wood ...
so whatever you use needs some thickness ... at LEAST the thickness of the badge ...


See this thread - http://audioheritage.org/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=21467

Thank you very much for your help.
Thomas

[Wagner]

Also wondering if anyone has successfully polished out these glass tops; mine have a fair amount of small scratches.
They're not too deep, and I may have a "good side" and a "bad side", I haven't examined them that closely yet; been restoring grille frames.
Any product that will help? I have not consulted the glass shop as of yet. It's not that bad, the scratches are relatively minor, but anything that is effective on glass would always be useful to have.

Regards,
Thomas

[hjames]

Also wondering if anyone has successfully polished out these glass tops; mine have a fair amount of small scratches.
They're not too deep, and I may have a "good side" and a "bad side", I haven't examined them that closely yet; been restoring grille frames.
Any product that will help? I have not consulted the glass shop as of yet. It's not that bad, the scratches are relatively minor, but anything that is effective on glass would always be useful to have.

Regards,
Thomas

If they are scratched, it might be better to get a local quote on 2 new pieces of smoked glass ... I put 1/4 bronze smoked glass tops on all my bigger speakers and its def worthwhile - its fairly cheap per pair.

We talked about this a couple years back ...
http://audioheritage.org/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=17694

[Wagner]

If they are scratched, it might be better to get a local quote on 2 new pieces of smoked glass ... I put 1/4 bronze smoked glass tops on all my bigger speakers and its def worthwhile - its fairly cheap per pair.

We talked about this a couple years back ...
http://audioheritage.org/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=17694


I just finished a restoration on a beautiful Lane table. Real Lane hardwood from Altavista.
I had a piece of glass cut for that, 24 7/8" x 19". Standard 1/4" with finished edges. Cost? $40 bucks and some change, and they were (I've used them for years) the most reasonable in my area.
I used to isolate all my equipment with plate glass and Vibrapods (still do actually) and had quite a few pieces made/cut to order. It was very reasonable. Last piece I had done was about 5 years ago at the same shop. It appears glass prices have doubled in that time.
Money is EXTREMELY tight right now (two children in college). I'll find the money for surrounds and passive parts, but fresh glass tops is a luxury that will have to wait a bit.
Have to go the restore and refurbish route for the most part right now. ;)
Regards,
Thomas

[hklinker]

I bought the badges off ebay and had smoked glass cut for less than thirty bucks. The felt was shot so I went to Sears and bought those black waffle mats you line tool drawers with. Not only is it a nice effect under the glass, now the glass doesn't slide off and break when your buddies decide to help you move!:)

[Wagner]

I bought the badges off ebay and had smoked glass cut for less than thirty bucks. The felt was shot so I went to Sears and bought those black waffle mats you line tool drawers with. Not only is it a nice effect under the glass, now the glass doesn't slide off and break when your buddies decide to help you move!:)


Glass prices; + plus 1 for living in Florida over California! ;)

Thomas

[SEAWOLF97]

our local CL had this pair last week for $150 ...gone quickly,,then reappeared ..
for past readers of my comments abt my friend "Flipper" ..the "tell word" is THANK ....looks like a fast $200+ for phlipping phees..:(

VINTAGE JBL L-55 speaker - $350 (ne-82 ave)


for sale,one pair vintage JBL L-55 with glass on top the speaker in pristinel condition and working ,just come take alook and hear them THANK

[Wagner]

Putting the finishing touches on the cabs, they look great! :)

Grilles proved the most difficult to re-skin (without seams or folds) as any I've ever done due to the transition to an extremely sharp edge.

Damaged, pitted badges, cleaned polished and black lacquered, ready for wet sanding to bring the letters and edges back. (these early ones are a pain; they are a copper based alloy of some sort and plated with silver/chrome, removing spots where this had separated from the base metal as well as cleaning up detail damaged from the glass, sans mat, crushing them has proven to be tedious, as the copper color will quickly start to show. But they came out (are coming) well) Much easier to restore the all aluminum alloy ones. Thankful they at least were still with the boxes!

I'm almost ready to select a piece of something for the mat under the glass.

JBL made it simple; exactly 1/2" thick puts the glass dead level with the top edge of the cab.

So my question is; is the general consensus, (as "hjames" indicated), that it should be black?

Thank you all,
Thomas

[Wagner]

Well I have a solution. A 1/4" sponge rubber pad, "OSH" part #OSH-2065738. Comes in other thicknesses as well.
Was still a nightmare to obtain a piece that hadn't been damaged from repeated rolling/unrollings and multiple pieces of tape, in one case DUCT TAPE to keep it "rolled".
The damn sheet is only 1/4"X18"X42":blink:

Anyway, cuts well, looks beautiful under the glass and absolutely will not slip once in place.
I think this sheet has been under the cutting table at Orchards since I arrived here 25 years ago.
Only real complaint; I could have gone with a material 3/16" instead of 1/4" and had a Hell of a lot of options with far less driving around. I insisted on finding something 1/4" as (2) sheets of 1/4" glass filled that indention PERFECTLY and was absolutely level with the top edges of the cabinet :bouncy:

Well guess what? 1/4" sponge rubber pads'll put that glass, yep you guess it, about 1/8th of an inch over the top! ;)

I think it will settle and compress a bit. I scrubbed it thoroughly this morning and dried it in the Sun as it was so filthy from the store. I think that may have "fluffed" it a bit.

Don't know how it was originally as the catalog sheet photo in the archive was clearly taken with the pad remove so the badge would be evident. Also after the time I have invested resurrecting these badges, a little extra thickness to prevent contact with the glass is fine. Tomorrow I will wet sand them and give then their clear finish coat and will post a picture of the "glass top, pad 'n' badges restoration".

I've gone the distance with these and I originally hadn't intended to. I just got into having new details to deal with that the basic cat coffin doesn't offer.

These are going to come out very well.

This Summer's acquisitions:
L100 (A) - Done - Custom Hardwood and "Zilch Cloth" Inserts on original frame - VERY SEXY!
L55 - Cabinets and cosmetics 99% Done
L112 - Providing the Sound Track - Need moderate cosmetic refresh - grilles are DONE

I love it,
Thomas