• The move to the new server is done. There are some software and database maintenance updates in process. This has us passing the hat around to help out. We appreciate any donations. Seriously, even a dollar helps. The payment page may be found here - https://www.audiokarma.org/support.html

Jbl l100 grill repair and recover.

mccuskerkt

mccuskerkt

Active Member
So I’ve got a set of JBL L100s, and the grille foam is long gone. The walnut trim pieces have also seen better days so I thought I’d fix these up using some leftover grille cloth from a previous project. As usual I am taking photos of the project in order to share my work, engage in some discussion and hopefully help you with your current or future project.


153AF442-C873-4279-9AA9-9DFA64E7D9D6.jpeg
We have to get rid of this. It served its previous owner well, but it’s time to go.
6EB7C14C-88E6-4A09-861C-90DDAC94E0AD.jpeg
I used a sharp chisel and mallet to remove the walnut strips. Just position the cutting edge between the particleboard and the trim piece and give a light tap, working your way down the grill. They should come off fairly clean and won’t require too much clean up. Any stubborn walnut can be pared off with the chisel or sanded down. Just be careful not to dig in to the very soft particleboard.
DEC1FA32-58AE-49DA-82A5-B0067004FB0E.jpeg
This is an unnecessary step, but since I happened to have the tools and materials, I took the opportunity to make a template so I can make an exact replica grill if I somehow break my originals or the particleboard turns to powder
4E54DEAD-8EDA-416E-A9FA-DFF29E9DBD88.jpeg
That’s as far as I got tonight—next is the walnut strips and the actual covering. See you soon
 

Attachments

  • F0CC1BCD-652E-4EAF-B76F-538A72446377.jpeg
    F0CC1BCD-652E-4EAF-B76F-538A72446377.jpeg
    122.7 KB · Views: 86
Last edited:
Register to hide this ad
Wow, that turned out looking really nice. Great work. My grill frames are toast on the edges too, So, I can just chisel the side trim off the front grill frames and replace them with mitered pieces of walnut and apply linseed oil ya think? Do the edge trim pieces get wood glued in place?
 
Go to my website. That clunky wood grille frame is an example of a product design flaw I see often. Seems speaker designer(s) give little or no thought to the speaker grille; they just leave it up to somebody else to come up with something rather than integrating the design of the grille in the overall design process. The L100 design could have featured a frameless foam grille if they had just altered the driver mounting a little.

BTW, I had the idea of marketing an updated version of the L100 (which JBL has recently done) 10 years ago and could have done so with some help. Still could introduce something competitive (with a sculptured grille) and for much less than the $4000 a pair they're getting, but I need an interested partner.
 
sonofagun231 said:
BTW, I had the idea of marketing an updated version of the L100 (which JBL has recently done) 10 years ago and could have done so with some help. Still could introduce something competitive (with a sculptured grille) and for much less than the $4000 a pair they're getting, but I need an interested partner.
Click to expand...

I am interested! To be honest, it wouldn't be that hard. They only use two capacitors, one 4uf and one 8uf cap for the midrange and tweeter and the woofer gets full range so what the problem is I say?! Lol. Sourcing some good drivers and replicating the enclosure would be the hardest part. After that, it's all down hill from there. Feel free to pm me with your thoughts. -Rec :)
 
Yes I make them and have done so painstakenly for (too) many years! They are a bit of a PITA to make without flaws. I've got an order to reproduce the Marantz Imperial grilles right now which again is a challenge - esp. when you have the budget of a pauper!

See my grille website for prices
 
Rectilinear1 said:
I am interested! To be honest, it wouldn't be that hard. They only use two capacitors, one 4uf and one 8uf cap for the midrange and tweeter and the woofer gets full range so what the problem is I say?! Lol. Sourcing some good drivers and replicating the enclosure would be the hardest part. After that, it's all down hill from there. Feel free to pm me with your thoughts. -Rec :)
Click to expand...

One of the problems with the L100 is that they only used caps and Lpads in the crossover:
http://www.troelsgravesen.dk/JBL_L100.htm
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom