Original Large Advent Restoration

[jozeppy26]

About one month ago I picked up a pair of original large advents for $10 (these are the walnut veneer ones with beveled front edge). Before you praise me too much on this deal, only 1 is a complete cabinet. The other cabinet is missing both drivers and beige grill cover but at least has the crossover.



Current Progress:
So far I’ve sanded these suckers down and began reapplying BLO, sanding with 320 grit sandpaper between coats. I’m really loving the look so far, smooth, matte, rich wood grain, most scratches and water marks are gone.



Now when looking online for replacement woofers and tweeters I’m finding that people are big on getting the exact fried egg tweeters down to a serial number range. Did the tweeter really change this much within this model or is this to differentiate between OLA tweeters and NLA (new large advent) tweeters? Or small advent tweeters? The tweeter I have is a fried egg tweeter with metal grate and black tape completely across the top and bottom (instead of some that show black tape just partially across).

 

[Old Guy8]

Can't answer your question. Have you checked out the Advent thread in AK. Also classicspeakerpages website has Advent section with much on versions differentiation info.
Edit: Fine refinishing work. After the third coat, the grain really pops.

 

[Lavane]

Nice work so far. Yet another reminder I need to refinish mine.

 

[jozeppy26]

Here they are after the 3rd coat.

 

[Doug G.]

Beautiful!

As to your question re tweeters, At first they had no metal grille on them and the leads did not go across the Masonite square, they came up at the edge of the cone and back down at the edge of the dome. These were the very early ones until about 1971.

There were efforts on Advent's part to stop damage to the domes in the field. First, they installed a window-type screen in the tweeter hole in the speaker board/frame to keep fingers, or whatever, from poking the domes through the fabric. When that didn't work, they installed an extra block of wood with Velcro directly under the tweeter to keep the frame from being pushed in too far.

Finally, with field problems continuing (some people don't know what being careful means), they installed the metal grilles right to the Masonite square and the leads then came up at the edge of the Masonite square and over to the cone. At the same time, Advent offered grilles to owners to install if they wished. You may see some with the grilles on but the leads still the old way. These may be ones with owner-installed grilles on existing tweeters. This was all before/during 1971.

The black tape over the leads on the Masonite square went all the way across until about 1975 when Advent changed to putting the tape part way across and it remained that way until the end of production in 1977/78.

The basic tweeter never changed, however, and they all sound the same.

The New Advent tweeters are easily discerned from the originals as there is no Masonite square and the grille is cut away at the sides.

The original Smaller Advent tweeters have green cones and a 2.5 inch square magnet. Later, Advent changed the Smaller Advent tweeters to the same as the Large Advents (3" square magnet), sometime in 1975, and, for a period in 1975 they might have green or orange cones. The large Advent tweeters could have green or orange at this time too as Advent used up the green cones.

Is there any date on your existing tweeter. Serial numbers on the cabinet back or on thin strips of paper inside the cabinet? Your tweeter would be pre-approx.1975, however.

Doug

 

[jozeppy26]

Thanks Doug! I’ll inspect for serial numbers. My tape goes all the way across so pre 1975 as you stated. I just don’t wanna obsess over finding another tweeter with tape all the way across if it doesn’t matter.

 

[Doug G.]

Yeah, it doesn't really matter but I think ones on eBay are about equally divided with maybe the later version a bit more available.

Good luck. In spite of some attitudes about Advents, they are great speakers.

Doug

 

[poolguy]

Beautiful!

As to your question re tweeters, At first they had no metal grille on them and the leads did not go across the Masonite square, they came up at the edge of the cone and back down at the edge of the dome. These were the very early ones until about 1971.

There were efforts on Advent's part to stop damage to the domes in the field. First, they installed a window-type screen in the tweeter hole in the speaker board/frame to keep fingers, or whatever, from poking the domes through the fabric. When that didn't work, they installed an extra block of wood with Velcro directly under the tweeter to keep the frame from being pushed in too far.

Finally, with field problems continuing (some people don't know what being careful means), they installed the metal grilles right to the Masonite square and the leads then came up at the edge of the Masonite square and over to the cone. At the same time, Advent offered grilles to owners to install if they wished. You may see some with the grilles on but the leads still the old way. These may be ones with owner-installed grilles on existing tweeters. This was all before/during 1971.

The black tape over the leads on the Masonite square went all the way across until about 1975 when Advent changed to putting the tape part way across and it remained that way until the end of production in 1977/78.

The basic tweeter never changed, however, and they all sound the same.

The New Advent tweeters are easily discerned from the originals as there is no Masonite square and the grille is cut away at the sides.

The original Smaller Advent tweeters have green cones and a 2.5 inch square magnet. Later, Advent changed the Smaller Advent tweeters to the same as the Large Advents (3" square magnet), sometime in 1975, and, for a period in 1975 they might have green or orange cones. The large Advent tweeters could have green or orange at this time too as Advent used up the green cones.

Is there any date on your existing tweeter. Serial numbers on the cabinet back or on thin strips of paper inside the cabinet? Your tweeter would be pre-approx.1975, however.

Doug

 

[poolguy]

I'm picking up on an old post, but it sounds like you know the story on the tweeters. I just picked up a pair of large Advents, utility cabinets with one orange and one green. I assume someone added the green one along the way. Do you know if the green tweeter would have issues with the original crossover? Haven't had a chance to get them set up yet. Any help would be great.
Mark

Beautiful!

As to your question re tweeters, At first they had no metal grille on them and the leads did not go across the Masonite square, they came up at the edge of the cone and back down at the edge of the dome. These were the very early ones until about 1971.

There were efforts on Advent's part to stop damage to the domes in the field. First, they installed a window-type screen in the tweeter hole in the speaker board/frame to keep fingers, or whatever, from poking the domes through the fabric. When that didn't work, they installed an extra block of wood with Velcro directly under the tweeter to keep the frame from being pushed in too far.

Finally, with field problems continuing (some people don't know what being careful means), they installed the metal grilles right to the Masonite square and the leads then came up at the edge of the Masonite square and over to the cone. At the same time, Advent offered grilles to owners to install if they wished. You may see some with the grilles on but the leads still the old way. These may be ones with owner-installed grilles on existing tweeters. This was all before/during 1971.

The black tape over the leads on the Masonite square went all the way across until about 1975 when Advent changed to putting the tape part way across and it remained that way until the end of production in 1977/78.

The basic tweeter never changed, however, and they all sound the same.

The New Advent tweeters are easily discerned from the originals as there is no Masonite square and the grille is cut away at the sides.

The original Smaller Advent tweeters have green cones and a 2.5 inch square magnet. Later, Advent changed the Smaller Advent tweeters to the same as the Large Advents (3" square magnet), sometime in 1975, and, for a period in 1975 they might have green or orange cones. The large Advent tweeters could have green or orange at this time too as Advent used up the green cones.

Is there any date on your existing tweeter. Serial numbers on the cabinet back or on thin strips of paper inside the cabinet? Your tweeter would be pre-approx.1975, however.

Doug

 

[Blue Shadow]

I'm picking up on an old post, but it sounds like you know the story on the tweeters. I just picked up a pair of large Advents, utility cabinets with one orange and one green. I assume someone added the green one along the way. Do you know if the green tweeter would have issues with the original crossover? Haven't had a chance to get them set up yet. Any help would be great.
Mark

Be a great question to start your own thread with and get answers from folks seeing your question, not an old thread. I got no idea of the answer but the orange tweeter was for the large advent and the green one was for a smaller model. Do they work or sound the same, I got no idea as I said.

 

[Doug G.]

Look at the magnets. That is the determining factor. If they both have 3" square magnets, they are the same except for the cone color. If the green cone tweeter has a 2.5" square magnet instead of a 3" square magnet, it is a tweeter made for the early Smaller Advents and will be less efficient than the 3" square magnet tweeter with the orange cone.

Doug.

 

[poolguy]

I'll check and see. Thanks Doug!