Look at the bidding on these L-100's

[70salesguy]

L-100's

Thanks for the info on the "original" grills. Always love to hear from somebody who knows!

No, I didn't know that JBL offered replacement cloth!! Well, that explains everything! My set has a dark brown grill cloth and JBL logos that look positively perfect. Like they were professionally done. Everything neat, square, and perfect. Was the replacement grill cloth only intended to be sold to and installed by customer/owners, or could you have it done by the factory, or factory-authorized service centers?

I wrote to JBL asking about replacements for the foam units and got a reply that stated that the foam was no longer available, but that they had a cloth insert that was made specifically to replace the foams. I purchased 2 pairs directly from JBL and they shipped to me. You removed the foam and the cloth units were made on a slim frame that slipped right into the original foam frames.

I believe that they came with the logo, since I have the original logos with the velcro-type backing that went on the foams. The price was very reasonable - I wish I had bought 50 sets! They may have requested the serial #'s on the speakers, can't remember. They were only available in brown.

I have seen where some claim to be manufacturing an exact replacement for the original foams, but I would like to see a pair in person for myself. There is a listing on that auction site now for replacements for L-200's - @ $150.

I'd pay that if they were really as nice as the originals, but I believe I'm just as happy with the factory replacement grilles on my other 2 pair, since they are a "JBL" grille from the factory.

Now you know "the rest of the story" about your grilles.

Anyone have any personal experience with the "Quadrex" replacements?

Frazier also used a simular grille material on one of their models back in the 70's.

 

[Fisherdude]

Can there be any more perfect example of why this is such a great site?? Where else can you get this type of information, and so quickly!

Thanks a bunch, 70salesguy!

 

[riverrat]

I have a pair of 4311's. I understand that the L100's are the consumer version of the 4311's. Is there much difference in sound quality?

 

[johndoe3]

L100's quad grilles!

Wow! Original foam grills! Not very many survived.

The fake-o grilles in the L100 auction were sold at Radio Shack a few years ago. I recognized them right off. To me, they look like crap. Cheasy shallow quads. Foam doesn't quite fit right... Awfull!

Currently, a nice gent in Iowa is gearing up to reproduce the original L100 quadrex grilles. He has made a few and so far, people are very pleased with them.
He has had some help from a Lansing Heritage member to reproduce the exact colors that JBL used from pieces of original foam.
I have two sets on the way.

There is another Lansing Heritage member who produced a nice product. He's been making nice quad grilles for L100's and L200's for years now. For some reason, he is very hard to deal with and extruciatingly slow to produce. Very slow. I was on his wait list for almost one year for L100 quad grilles. :thumbsdn:

Hopefully, Indycraft will get going on his project and get the quads to us.
To me an L100 has to look like an L100. Those replacement grilles, JBL or not just don't cut it!

http://audioheritage.org/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=14746&page=2&highlight=l100

 

[hellhound94]

It seems to me that nobody ever has anything good to say about JBL speakers unless they themselves own JBL. Am I imagining this or what?

 

[70salesguy]

L-100's

I personally would be VERY happy to hear what the quality of the repro grilles is like when you get them. The originals were the best quality foam grilles I ever saw and set a tough standard to follow. I wouldn't mind paying a fair price for a really good quality product. :yes:

I had brown foams originally, so the brown cloth replacements worked for me and also looked pretty nice in my living room. The source of all chin music in my house thought the 4311's and 4312's made the house "look like a recording studio" (thanks for the compliment, what do you mean that's NOT a compliment?) :nono:

My best friend had the orange grilles and they looked nice flanking his round waterbed .

I think I need to start watching that auction site and try to pick up a pair or 2 of original grille frames in prep for some new foams.

PLEASE let us know how the new ones look and feel when you get them!

 

[Snow]

They're not original. The original grilles (in brown) were much darker and the pattern is cut much deeper. I sold these babies new and have several pairs.

There was some cheap aftermarket foam available to look simular but not as good quality as the originals. Check out his pictures and then the Lansing Heritage website and you will see the difference. They probably had these grilles on them when he got them and he THINKS they are original. :nono:

I wouldn't go as far as to say no originals survived, but the odds are verrrry slim.

I had an original pair I bought new BITD, stored in the special factory packing carton and they just dissolved into pile of mess. :tears:

Are you folks aware that in about 86 or so, JBL offered a replacement grille cloth insert to replace the foams? I had 2 pairs that needed them and bought the factory replacements. Very, very nice.

Here are a few pics. The first one is of a replacement grill. The second is of one of my speakers that have an older repacement. The 3rd pic is of an orginal grill that is rotting. REGARDS JIM

 

[70salesguy]

It seems to me that nobody ever has anything good to say about JBL speakers unless they themselves own JBL. Am I imagining this or what?

Think it may be because speakers are just so subjective. I once had 3 sailors come in to my store BITD with their re-up money wanting to buy a really nice pair of speakers (each).

After carefull listening, one bought JBL L-100's, one bought Pioneer CS-R700's and one bought Rectilinear (I think) IIIa's.

I personally have no use for Bose, but it's about the sound man, not attitude so I don't dog them.

JBL makes a big target for detractors and they didn't help themselves with some of the stuff that got JBL put on it in the later years.

I have no qualm with those who love Bose, Klipsch, Advent or anything else, but I do love my JBL's and Crown gear.

Here's an interesting point - people ACTUALLY hear differently.

If everybody loved JBL, imagine what they would cost used?

 

[pbda]

There is another Lansing Heritage member who produced a nice product. He's been making nice quad grilles for L100's and L200's for years now. For some reason, he is very hard to deal with and extruciatingly slow to produce. Very slow. I was on his wait list for almost one year for L100 quad grilles. :thumbsdn:

The guy on Lansing Heritage forums, sonofagun, made me a replacement set of blue quadrex foam grilles. It took a while, and they weren't cheap, but they are of very high quality. There's a photo or two of them in the thread entitled "New Quadrex Grilles on my Century L-100s". The attachment does not convey the color quite right (they are brighter than this) but it does reproduce the texture reasonably well.

 

[superdog]

after seeing the price rise on the current ebay jbl's it makes me appreciiate mine even more.I would not have had the recources to dish out that much for mine.They were a thrift store find for $34.99 in very good condition except for a plant stain on one and no grills.The grill frame is there but no grill.Even has the foam tweeter ring. i had read about the legendary status of these speakers before obtaining them and upon trying them i was not disappointed.They may not be for everyone but i am very happy with the sound.One of these days I will try to obtain some foam for the griils.These will definately be with me to the end.

 

[Clmrt]

There's an auction for them now. Clickity

Oh, no affiliation or whats-its

Maybe call JBL and see what these are - -

65394-01.....grille peg........$1.02
65394-02.....grille peg........$0.18

 

[johndoe3]

Here you go!

I personally would be VERY happy to hear what the quality of the repro grilles is like when you get them. The originals were the best quality foam grilles I ever saw and set a tough standard to follow. I wouldn't mind paying a fair price for a really good quality product. :yes:

PLEASE let us know how the new ones look and feel when you get them!

Right from the horse's mouth. Here is Indycraft himself plugging his L100grilles.
Check out the pics!

http://audioheritage.org/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=15394

 

[sleddogman]

I was just extremely fortunate to acquire (fall into) a pair of second gen L100s (non-Century) in nearly pristine condition two days ago for $100 from an elderly gentleman who was moving to a condo in a few weeks. They do have a rather nice sonic quality to them, whether I've tossed classical, rock, blues or jazz at them.

I also have a pair of 4311s I'm refurbishing and just found a pair of factory re-coned 2213H woofers used in the 4312's to replace a damaged 2213 (for what it would have cost to re-cone the single 2213.) They also handle 25 more watts than the 2213, so they'll probably end up being 4311/4312 hybrids. I want to do some comparisons once I get them back together, although I don't expect much difference as I've read that folks tend to say they're kissin' cousins to the L100s.

The thing I've just realized after reading this thread is that the black foam grilles on these L100s must be replacements, so now I'm thinking that perhaps blue would add a nice splash of color to the room... :yes:

 

[billyboyJBL]

do a search and you will find there is a guy that makes them new and sells them for $3.00 each on ebay.......no connection.....

http://cgi.ebay.com/JBL-Grill-Pegs-...ryZ61336QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

[70salesguy]

They're not original. The original grilles (in brown) were much darker and the pattern is cut much deeper. I sold these babies new and have several pairs.

There was some cheap aftermarket foam available to look simular but not as good quality as the originals. Check out his pictures and then the Lansing Heritage website and you will see the difference. They probably had these grilles on them when he got them and he THINKS they are original. :nono:

I wouldn't go as far as to say no originals survived, but the odds are verrrry slim.

I had an original pair I bought new BITD, stored in the special factory packing carton and they just dissolved into pile of mess. :tears:

Are you folks aware that in about 86 or so, JBL offered a replacement grille cloth insert to replace the foams? I had 2 pairs that needed them and bought the factory replacements. Very, very nice. :yes:

I had a pair that I bought out of a pawn shop back in 86 or 87 that I put up and saved for my son. They were in good shape and I took extraordinary pains to store them carefully and they survived the best of any pair I had ever seen, but by the time my son got them (2000), they too were starting to come apart. By the way, I told my son that we he got a good receiver, I had his speakers for him. He was 3 or 4 when I bought his L-100's.

What's a father to do?

If somebody can convert a word document to a pdf to post, I will send you a copy of the original letter from JBL that tells you have to install the factory replacement grilles. Some may find it interesting - it's dated August 17, 1982! I will have to send it as a word document to be converted. Either post or PM me.