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Dynaco A25 Grille Cloth

I just mix up some bleach and water (maybe 1 part to 4) in a spray bottle. Spray just enough to dampen the cloth and let dry in the sun. Repeat. Repeat.
 
SecondSpin said:
Be careful not to get the wood grille frame wet with the grille clothes on. There are glues / and or coloring (purple) in the wood that will seep out and stain the cloth. Be very delicate when cleaning with any solutions or water.
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For clarity I've taken the old grille cloth off the frames and have been washing them in the sink. I used some laundry detergent and oxy stain remover that is available here in Aus and so far no luck. I did notice that some of the tan color of the cloth washed out, but the stains are still there. I may have another go, I guess there is nothing to loose.
 
Yeah I tried that. Despite my best efforts I could never get the cloth back on the frame correctly due to shrinkage and fraying at the edges. I was forced to do this after I got the frames too wet and they leached some dark color onto the cloth. Maybe you'll have better luck than I did.

If I were doing it again I'd try the bleach/spray bottle/sun method.
 
Merit/value of this input is questionable at best.

Couple of years back I knew someone who used a fabric that looked extremely close to the original. They said it was from shower curtains they purchased at HD. They were walking down the isle a randomly spotted it, bought it to try and IMHO hit a home run.
 
The rubber stain will not come out without some special treatment and I have no idea what that is. The yellowness came out because of the oxy-bleaching. Might be time to visit a local fabric shop and have a look around.
 
So if one really needs to change the grill cloth, what IS used the most? Has that ever been established on AK? I've got 2 pairs I recovered with fabric from Joanne's Fabric maybe 7 years ago. It works but not quite the burlap look. I guess it's no major thing as I haven't listened to either pair in 4+ years.
 
avguytx said:
So if one really needs to change the grill cloth, what IS used the most?
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That was my original question I guess..

It seems the consensus is the 18ct linen in lambswool color from 123stitch. I priced that up the other night and with the exchange and shipping its pretty expensive for me. My local fabric shop has some natural burlap, I may recheck that.. or just go plain black (that seems like a terrible shame)
 
I'd try the fabric shop for some rough linen. In my case, for the speakers I'm restoring, a cloth swap isn't going to work. The grill cloth is wrapped around a plywood frame and glued to the inside of that panel. The cloth is also a very decorative weave (no chance finding the same or even close). Resolve Upholstery Cleaner and some brushing got most of the ugly brown stain out. I might try a heavier duty flooring product to see if I get better results.
 
Like I said earlier, the linen 18ct from 123stitch is probably the closest fabric for a vintage look.
 
charlie_bird said:
That was my original question I guess..

It seems the consensus is the 18ct linen in lambswool color from 123stitch. I priced that up the other night and with the exchange and shipping its pretty expensive for me. My local fabric shop has some natural burlap, I may recheck that.. or just go plain black (that seems like a terrible shame)
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Yeah, a 36 x 55 piece is like $70. I guess to cover grills that's not the worst thing ever. I'm sure I'd recoup the expense if/when I sell them as I don't listen to either pair I have anymore. They are quite impressive when two pairs are stacked, though.
 
The pair of A25 speakers I bought on Ebay some 15 years ago had some stains on the grilles but was otherwise fine. However, my wife and daughter objected to the "old fashioned" look and wanted the off-white grill cloth switched to black. It turned out the local Radio Shack had some stretchy black grill cloth at a reasonable price so I bought some and replaced both grills. Well, I don't know about the old-fashioned part but they look really nice in black, and the new cloth has held up very well. I honestly can't say they look any different today than when I first installed the new cloth 15 years ago.

On another subject, if the OP hasn't already replaced the crossover capacitor, please make sure the speakers and the cap are fully broken in first. These particular A25 speakers are supposedly brand new which means they need break-in. Give them some time first before you start messing with the cap. My A25 speakers sound really good and they are 100% stock (other than the grill cloth).
 
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