4350's - My Pride and Joy

[saeman]

In answer to a recent question - the black baffle is ORIGINAL on this pair of 4350's. My restoration was to the outside of the cabinets. The baffle paint is JBL's typical textured finish and I did nothing to it other than spend several hours cleaning marks and misc residue off the paint. I cannot duplicate that original texture and was scared to death of screwing it up. It cleaned up well and both baffles look near new.

JBL's first monitors like the 4320 were walnut cabs with black baffles - before they invented the JBL BLUE idea. It is my guess that some time in early 74 they split to the blue on walnut/black on gray color scheme. Up to that point all of their pro monitors had black baffles.

In support of this statement - I received a scan from Robh of an original Tech Note announcing the arrival of the New 4350 Monitor, dated January 1973. It clearly shows a walnut cabinet with white woofs and black baffle. I was fortunate to find this pair and I have not seen or heard of another. I have seen two pairs with white cone 2230A's on blue baffles (second variation).

Rick

[Earl K]

Beautiful work Rick !

BTW, were you aware that at one point, some time back, "oldmics" had a few used 2230/135 cones ? They were in need of new surrounds ( and likely spiders ). Member "Thom" has a pair of 135(s) ( I do believe ) in his Flair ( somethings ?? ) .

There was also an older thread about a fellow who was selling his dads' ( I believe ) first generation 4350s . The 2230(s) had previously been reconed with black cones.



<> Earl K

[saeman]

Hi Earl: Thanks for the info and your comments. I am on the hunt for a set of 2230A's and will hopefully locate them. Since it was a very short lived model they're not laying around in piles.

All of the 2230A's I have seen have 135A written in pencil on the inside of the cone. It would appear that JBL made a pro version of the 135A and called it 2230A. The 135A was used exclusively in the L71 Verona and as one of the components options for the L45 Flair. Neither of these models were big sellers. JBL likely had a bunch of 135A cones available. 135A's do come along from time to time when some clown has strip[ped out a pair of Flairs. Since I part-in instead of part-out these guys are sometimes my salvation. I have bought them strictly to rob the cones to restore 2230A's.

Regards - Rick

[saeman]

A pic with my new cat proof tops. The stained glass hides the grain but keeps the tops in mint shape. The cats come down the stairs, usually about 100 mph, and shortcut to their food in the laundry room, thru the bannister and over the tops of my speakers. Why can't they just walk around like everyone else? They will need to sit here for a while til I make room for them elsewhere. They do make goou stands for my rear surrounds but need to eventually be moved out of the flight pattern.

[Rolf]

I have not made a comment until now Rick. I am stunned over your work.

Would you please take the trip over here, and finish my 4343's?

Compared to you I am a (butt head)

[Fangio]

Guten Morgen: Where are you in Germany? I will be in your neighborhood in a few months. ... I will be flying into Frankfurt and spending a few days near Stuttgart. I also plan to visit a good SAE friend in Bern. Let's have a bier and talk JBL.

Under discussion via PM.

I could bring my ax and chain saw if you need some restoration assistance. Rick

Uhm.. a scary thanks..?
No such tools neccessary currently, more gentle maintenance. Anyway, I'd suggest you take a break from wood dust and just enjoy your trip over here.

[saeman]

I have not made a comment until now Rick. I am stunned over your work.

Would you please take the trip over here, and finish my 4343's?

Compared to you I am a (butt head)

Hi Rolf: Thanx for your compliments as always. It's not likely I'll be coming your way any time soon but from a recent PM maybe you'll be coming to my back yard. I hope we get a change to talk.

It seems like everyone on the forum has their own little nitch in the JBL game and obviously mine is wood - but - I don't know a damn thing about running impedance curves, designing x-overs or reconing a woofer. I've read a gazillion posts by guys like Giskard, Ian, Widget, many others. who are talking so far over my head that I can't even make an intelligent reply. I'm equally impressed with all of these varied talents and they're all necessary to bring a project to completion.

If Scotty could beam me to Norway I'd enjoy spending some weekends working on your 4343's. Since we don't have one of those handy gadgets we'll have to continue sharing what we know on the forum.

Later - Rick

[Rolf]

From a movie: " yea ... Lunch". Hope we will sometimes have one ..

Seriously ... it won't take long no before I have "dressed" my 4343's. Pic will come.

Hi Rolf: Thanx for your compliments as always. It's not likely I'll be coming your way any time soon but from a recent PM maybe you'll be coming to my back yard. I hope we get a change to talk.

It seems like everyone on the forum has their own little nitch in the JBL game and obviously mine is wood - but - I don't know a damn thing about running impedance curves, designing x-overs or reconing a woofer. I've read a gazillion posts by guys like Giskard, Ian, Widget, many others. who are talking so far over my head that I can't even make an intelligent reply. I'm equally impressed with all of these varied talents and they're all necessary to bring a project to completion.

If Scotty could beam me to Norway I'd enjoy spending some weekends working on your 4343's. Since we don't have one of those handy gadgets we'll have to continue sharing what we know on the forum.

Later - Rick

[saeman]

I'd suggest you take a break from wood dust and just enjoy your trip over here.

Fangio:

No doubt I'll have a great time especially since I'll be visiting some audio friends while there. This trip is really for my son and I'm just going along to pay for everything and to make sure he doesn't try to drink too much beer. I told him a while back that I'd take him on a trip his senior year for doing well in school. He picked Germany and I didn't have any reason to disagree - so there we shall go.

I may bring a pocket full of saw dust and sprinkle it around every place we visit in Deutschland. Maybe it will grow into some 4345's or 4350's. Let's keep talking and hopefully we'll be able to arrange a get together.

Rick

[Rolf]

Fangio:

This trip is really for my son and I'm just going along to pay for everything and to make sure he doesn't try to drink too much beer. I

No No ... beer is a MUST in Germany. ... Anything under a gallon(US) in considered

HaHa

[billburgette]

The cat problem was easy for me. I put a towel on top of the speaker, put a piece of plexiglass on the towel, and rubbed the plexiglas down with some liquid silicone. (Copier fuser oil), super slicky stuff.

The siamese came running down the stairs as usual, stuck his head through the banister and did his typical jump onto the speaker. The look of confusion in his crossed little eyes was amazing as he IMMEDIATELY hit the speaker, made a wild kitty cat wail, and flew off the speaker at about twice the speed that he was travelling and wound up on the floor about five feet from the speaker.

The silicone was on the cute little pads of his feet and the floor was hardwood. The next five minutes were the funniest of my life. He had no idea why he was wildly spinning in circles on the floor but.....the good part......he never jumped on the speaker again. Easy fix and fun to watch. It's worth the wait.