How to Repair Hole in Amp Grill?

[oceantracks]

I have a chance to get a great deal on a Lonestar Combo from a dealer who says it has about a 1 inch whole in the grill...would this be hard to repair...or would you guys go for this?

Thanks
Tom

 

[pine]

I'd do it, grill cloth replacement is not rocket science, though I don't know what mesa would charge you for the OEM siver cloth. You can buy the stock Fender and Marshall cloth all over the place online

 

[Telemaster]

Mesa will sell you a new grill, complete and ready to install for around $220. Your choice of jute, piping & color.
you can order one from any Mesa dealer.

 

[Kiteboarder]

$220 is a lot of money. That's fine if you need to replace the entire deal. I'm sure you could take it apart, undo the staples, and remove the piping. Then you could install the new cloth and staple the piping back on... and so on. That would save you quite a bit of $$.

The silver stuff might be a bit hard to find if you want it to look original. But then again, there are plenty of odd looking Lonestars out there. So a different color might not be a bad idea.

 

[plan-x]

You could DIY. But, it's going to be a tough job. There has been some others on this board looking for the silver cloth grill material and as far as I know, it's a mesa exclusive.

 

[Charles Reeder]

Hi!
If your Lonestar id the 'Blue-Pig' version...with the pewter grill cloth....I found a supplier.

Unfortunately I'm not at my computer where I keep all my files and I am moving about a bit...but I think I got some from 'Antique Electrical Supply'. Try 'googling' them. It was listed as an 'Emerson Radio Grill Cloth' from the 40s or 50s...but it was the EXACT cloth used by Mesa on the 'Blue-Pig' Lonestar.

I seem to remember that it cost about $35.00 for either a square yard (36-inches by 36-inches)... or a piece 36-inches by 24-inches. Can't remember which...but either piece will do a Lonestar cabinet.

To replace grill...you must remove all the screws holding the grill baffle to the speaker baffle. To do this you must remove the rear panels (from the back of amp) to acces the screws. I seem to remember there being about 9 or 10 black phillips head screws holding it on. But look carefully...as the screw heads blend in really well with the black that the speaker baffle is painted. After you remove all these screws you can remove the grill baffle from the speaker baffle from the front. Next,you have to seperate the top portion which has the Blue Vinyl and the Mesa Engineering Logo from the bottom part which has the grill cloth. You will need to pry from the back (VERY CAREFULLY) using a flat blade screwdriver (etc.) The two part are lightly glued together and will seperate without too much brute force. Then you pry up all the staples that hold on both the Grill Cloth AND the Silver Piping.

The hardest part is lining up the grill cloth while stretching it just enough to make it taut without causing runs in the fabric. I started by stapling the the cloth in place at the top in the center and then stretching downwards and stapling the bottom center. I then worked my way outward to the edges stapling as iIwent. VERY CAREFULLY. A good job is a bit time consuming and Patience Is Required.

Ditto on replacing the Piping.

Good Luck: Charles

 

[Charles Reeder]

I had a chance to access my files...and I beleive I got the LSC Grillcloth from Antique Electronic Supply doing business on internet at...www.tubesandmore.com .

I went to the site and I DO NOT SEE IT CURRENTLY LISTED... but I do think that's where I got it...It would have been in the Radio Grillcloth Section...listed as Emerson Herringbone Gray/Silver. It was 24" wide at $15.00 a foot....so it would have taken 3-feet to recover a LSC grill.

I had at one time found another supplier as well...and I will try and find their site and report back as to current availability etc.

Charles

 

[Charles Reeder]

I really went through my records and I was mistaken...it was NOT the supplier I have previously mentioned. They DID originally stock the Lonestar Classic (Blue-Pig) Pewter Cloth...but only had 12" X 12" squares left when I contacted them.

I DID OBTAIN a 36" X 48" piece from the following supplier:

Grille Clth Headquarters
716 Alene Road
Ambler, Pa 19002

Site: www.grillecloth.com

The Lonestar Classic Pewter Cloth is #37 (currently) on page #11 of their grillecloth catalog.

Current price for a 36" X 48" piece is $45.00, plus $2.00 shipping/handling.
Theuy also offer a 25" X 25" piece for $25.00...but that is really 'cutting-it-close' for use on a Lonestar....as the grill-baffle is approx. 25" wide. Granted...you do have to stretch the cloth somewhat when appying...but this leaves NO MARGIN FOR ERROR.
The 36" X 48" will allow you to 'mess up' the first try, get the job done AND have a spare piece for years down the road if it needs doing again!

This is the place I got mine from...and it was A PERFECT MATCH to the Original Cloth.

Regards: Charles

 

[Kiteboarder]

Wow! Thanks for that info Charles! Now I know were to look for cloth when I ready to build a cab! -D

 

[plan-x]

That is good info that I've never seen posted. Almost qualifies for Sticky status. As long as Charles keeps coming up with stuff that needs to be revisited/recalled, I guess his name search will have to do. Thanks Pig whisperer.

 

[Kiteboarder]

A post by Mr. Reeder usually counts as 10 posts worth of info compared to anybody else. :!:

 

[av8or3]

A post by Mr. Reeder usually counts as 10 posts worth of info compared to anybody else. :!:

+1 Amen