JBL Decade 36. So much for a simple refoam!

[HiFi in WYO]

All in all, the cabs are cleaning up pretty well. Still doing sanding work on them but I think they'll be presentable. Filled in the seams so hope those hold. The cabs aren't separating so that's good.

Obviously had a hard life, but they're not destined for the showroom.

 

[HiFi in WYO]

Looking better

 

[GD70]

Looking better

View attachment 1709850

Considering where they started, and where they're destined to go, they will be more that adequate for a car body shop, and sound good. If they end up on a high shelf than cosmetics aren't so important, but I'm like you, and would want them to look their best just for self satisfaction.
Fun project!
Glenn

 

[onwardjames]

Egad, what a mess.

Good luck with that. Looking better and better.

 

[93SCMax]

Way better than the first pic. I was originally thinking my cabinets were in better shape than yours...and I'm treating mine as lost. I may have to send you my set so you can work your magic on them . I hate to see an old set of JBL's go to waste.

Keep us posted on your progress.

 

[HiFi in WYO]

Camera doesn't do it justice, but I went with stain called gunstock. I didn't want to sand the veneer too thin so there are some stains but to me that's character. It's kind of a darker stain than I thought but I like it.

 

[HiFi in WYO]

Way better than the first pic. I was originally thinking my cabinets were in better shape than yours...and I'm treating mine as lost. I may have to send you my set so you can work your magic on them . I hate to see an old set of JBL's go to waste.

Keep us posted on your progress.

Yeah but now you're out of parts!

 

[HiFi in WYO]

Grills came mostly clean. May rescrub them a bit more. Now the hard part, leaving them alone for several hours before the urethane.

 

[GD70]

100 times better already!

 

[Chris Brown]

Restoration looks good. Shame on the one speaker being so gutted. If it were my personal speakers I'd set them to the side and perhaps wait for opportunities to pick up the correct drivers cheap. Otherwise the one working speaker would work well as a center-channel speaker for someone who is already using a pair or more in a 5.1+ system. I'm not a huge fan of the L36 overall, and it's one of the very few JBLs I've had that I ended up selling.

 

[HiFi in WYO]

All the correct parts are on their way. Then I'll recap and refoam. I also changed the binding posts because the originals weren't springy anymore. So with any luck, they should be good to go.

As for sound, I don't know anything about them, but the owner likes the sound so that works for me!

 

[HiFi in WYO]

Couple of coats of urethane this morning. Was still damp so pretty glossy. The finish is a matte/semi gloss.

 

[93SCMax]

That looks like the "Natural Oak" finish that was originally manufactured 1974-1976. Good job refurbishing these. The new owner should be proud. Can't wait to get your opinion on how they sound when recapped/finished.

 

[GD70]

Couple of coats of urethane this morning. Was still damp so pretty glossy. The finish is a matte/semi gloss.

View attachment 1710868

View attachment 1710869

Even better!

 

[galactus2]

I also changed the binding posts because the originals weren't springy anymore.

As for sound, I don't know anything about them, but the owner likes the sound so that works for me!

Anything you do to the original binding posts will only be an improvement. As good as the vintage 70's JBL Decade line sounded and sold (I had a pair of the L-26's for years), those were some of the worst binding posts of that (or any) era.

Many people that restore that line, even if it's just a re-foam, opt to change the posts, so you're not alone. Good work all around, and I look forward to seeing the finished product.

 

[moebuster]

I could not bring myself to buying a pair of correct woofers for these as I took them in trade a year or two ago sans woofers.
I have several 10” ads woofers
These being 328’s

I filled the port hole and added polyfil

Not bad.
Basically an experiment that will await
Another more inspired owner .
Or not

 

[HiFi in WYO]

Woofer came in today. Progress!

 

[HiFi in WYO]

Binding posts

 

[TudorTurtle]

Excellent work.

 

[GordonW]

If you still need a midrange- the LE5-6 is the original mid (black front finish). The LE5-10 is pretty much identical (also black front finish).

An LE5-8 or LE5-12 will also work fine- but to make it cosmetically match, the front flanges will need to be painted black (they come with a natural aluminum/silver finish on the flanges, but are otherwise identical to the LE5-6).

Regards,
Gordon.