JBL 4301B Restoration

Zonker92

All shiny and chrome
These came out of a recording studio (thanks, Bart!!) and had been painted black with holes in the tops and bottoms. They got cleaned up with new caps, paint and veneer. The foilcals were speckled with black overspray, but some rubbing compound got it right off!

I'm just firing them up now in my office, pending a more permanent installation there. So far I'm delighted, and the bass is really something from these little guys.

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Hey Zonkers!

VERY nice! I love the blue faces of these. Did you veneer right over the original, or strip it off? How are the grills?

And yes, surprising bass and overall output from these. I love mine, which also came from a voice over recording studio in Manhattan. They were never on the floor, or used for any music! They were refoamed just prior to my purchase. Pretty pampered life before I got them.

There are some on the local CL for a buck and a quarter. I was tempted, but I don't have any more room!

Looks like a nice setup in your office.

Glenn
 
Thanks, Glenn! I just veneered over the old veneer, on the theory that it would trash the MDF to try to remove it.

The grills are fine, albeit missing their foilcals. :( I may post a Wanted to Buy ad at some point or do some eBaying.
 
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Thanks, Mike, and welcome to the forum! I really appreciate the kind words.

FWIW, I do have the grills, just not the badges ("foilcals") that glue to the fabric in front; they look like this:

JBL4301b_zpse5942c6d.jpg
 
Oh! I got ya. New lingo here. I've to get up to speed. Even though I been dealing with speakers, somehow I missed that. Tell me more.
 
Thanks, Mike, and welcome to the forum! I really appreciate the kind words.

FWIW, I do have the grills, just not the badges ("foilcals") that glue to the fabric in front; they look like this:

JBL4301b_zpse5942c6d.jpg

Oh snap! This looks just like the photo from the CL listing of the ones I bought!
 
Thanks, Mike, and welcome to the forum! I really appreciate the kind words.

FWIW, I do have the grills, just not the badges ("foilcals") that glue to the fabric in front; they look like this:

Have you called JBL Pro Parts? I'm not sure if the foilcal was ever available separately, but for sure if they still have the grills, they will come with.

I ordered grills for my 4412A's by the part number in the S/M, they sent me ones for 4412's. Fit perfectly though.

Probably someone makes them. Epay?
 
Thanks, you guys! I'm running them on an old (1999) 80-watt Nakamichi 5.1 AV receiver; I think it was one of the first things I ever bought on eBay. It doesn't even have a digital decoder or inputs! But it does have a nifty internal cooling chimney with fans at each end, and a massive power transformer. :yes:

nakamichi_av10.gif
 
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Had some old Nak gear over the years and it always sounded real nice. Bet they play well together.

Bubbles would agree :thmbsp:
 
Someone at JBL sold their soul to Audio Satan when they designed that little woofer. It seems to defy the laws of physics.
 
Very nice work Zonk. I'll have to be on the lookout for a pair of these little gems.
 
Nice!

Very nice work indeed,I'm about to try and restore some 4331B's myself. I hope I can get as near the quality restoration that you have done here. Enjoy them.
 
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