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Post subject: smoky speakers
Posted: Sat Sep 05, 2015 10:52 am
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Took delivery of a 66 Vibrolux reverb last week, finally got to tear into her last night, looks untouched, RCAs and Mullards, 2 prong cord, etc.........But, my God, the man must have smoked 3 packs of pall Malls a day. I can see my way through cleaning everything but the Jensens, and they sound waaay to good to screw them up. Any ideas?


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Post subject: Re: smoky speakers
Posted: Sat Sep 05, 2015 2:43 pm
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I too have a '66 Vibrolux Reverb -- all original with it's Fender-marked C10NS Jensen's. My advice: leave those speakers alone! If you wish, you may gently clean the exteriors of the frames and the magnet assemblies using warm water with a mild detergent, carefully applied with a soft, clean rag (a cotton T-shirt is ideal). Do not let the liquid solution come into contact with the cones, the suspension systems, or the surrounds.

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: smoky speakers
Posted: Sat Sep 05, 2015 7:16 pm
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Thanks, won't think of washing them, blew off the dust (gently), and left them on dryer sheets today, might help some.
But I have a new problem now....One of the magnets is a bit loose, any ideas there?


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Post subject: Re: smoky speakers
Posted: Sat Sep 05, 2015 10:00 pm
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I'd strongly urge you to contact a reputable speaker rebuilder for advice and heed whatever recommendation(s) they offer. Orange County Speaker Service in LA is a very good shop as is Dusty's Speaker Reconing in Connecticut. I've had excellent service with both of those companies.

Speakers like these are worth their weight in gold......

Image

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: smoky speakers
Posted: Sun Sep 06, 2015 4:28 am
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Location: Province de Québec, Canada
Smoke smell are in the gril cloth .
1- Use vacuum cleaner
2- I use baking soda in the water and a piece of clothe to wash the grill .
3- After I use vacuum

I live the grill cloth on the amp

Baking soda is great for the tolex to


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Post subject: Re: smoky speakers
Posted: Sun Sep 06, 2015 5:32 pm
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A VERY light misting with some Fabreze helps with the smell too, but recommend you take the speakers out prior to spraying, those puppies are worth their weight in gold...maybe more!

T2

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Post subject: Re: smoky speakers
Posted: Mon Sep 07, 2015 1:45 pm
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This is just my own opinion...and in this case, it's the opinion of a smoker as well, however, unless you're having some specific issue with these speakers, I'd strongly suggest just leaving them alone. Honestly, if it's just a matter of "gee...wow...they stink a bit", then even if I weren't a smoker, I'd just chalk it up to all those late nights in smokey clubs...there was a time when such things were in fact considered "cool", if not part of the amps history (I remember Fender doing some relic amps that actually had cigarette burns, LOL).

These days there's just such a stigma against smokers...and it really has little to do with health or safety as much as personal perception, which seems kind of silly regarding something like a guitar amp. Personally I never really cared too much about how my amp or my guitars smell (as long as it doesn't smell like something's burning of course). My singular concern with a guitar amp is simply how the amp sounds and how well it suits my style of playing...I just can't imagine giving a guitar amp the ol' "sniff test"...just seems way too weird to me. Even if I had an amp that was actually stinky enough to bother me (say sprayed by a skunk), I'd just stuff one of those little pine tree air freshners in the back and be done with it. There are many things in this world that stink A LOT worse than cigarette smoke...but I digress.

In any case, if the cones are in fact damaged, you could, as others have already suggested, have them re-coned by someone qualified, however for the difference in sound and considering the age of the amp and speakers, I'd actually suggest just replacing the speakers (I believe Jensen makes a modern equivalent) and just keeping those old smoky speakers stored in a sealed box for posterity. Otherwise, unless there's a specific problem (other than smell or perception), again I really just wouldn't mess with them.

Just my own opinion.


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Post subject: Re: smoky speakers
Posted: Mon Sep 07, 2015 5:17 pm
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I've nothing against smokers, I like the smell of tobacco, and my Tele still has burns from me smoking, and that's been thirty years ago or more. But this amp was far beyond scented.....wiping a tube with windex turned a paper towel brown. it's down to a manageable mojo now I think...
As for boxing up the speakers for posterity.....F that, I'll be playing these till I'm done or they are.


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Post subject: Re: smoky speakers
Posted: Mon Sep 07, 2015 5:39 pm
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terickson wrote:
As for boxing up the speakers for posterity.....F that, I'll be playing these till I'm done or they are.


+1000

Follow my recommendations and your grandkids will be playing that amp and savoring its dulcet tones long after you start your dirt nap.

Imported Jensen's are a jerk-off......Chicago-made C10N's are pure pu$$Y.

:mrgreen:

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: smoky speakers
Posted: Wed Nov 02, 2016 4:52 pm
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It reminds me my old days i was very fond of these speakers.
TragusInfantigoRx


Last edited by jazz albert on Thu Nov 03, 2016 7:38 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Post subject: Re: smoky speakers
Posted: Wed Nov 02, 2016 6:09 pm
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Many of us still are.

:mrgreen:

Arjay

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