Uh oh, more JBLs (L20Ts)

[budgetaudio6]

I didnt get that impression of thats what you did. You got enough JBL's and im sure you did all kinds of things with them, just pictured my self getting them all soaked up and it scared me...im hoping my koss dont swell all up from all the olde english i used on them.

 

[Zonker92]

Ha! I have made plenty of mistakes but I think I've managed to recover pretty well from almost all of them! I do a lot of experimentation that would make an expert cringe. :stupid:

 

[tmccullough]

Really enjoy my L20t3s. Nice sound from a small speaker. When I broke one of the tweeters I didn't bat an eyelash to spend $100 to replace it. That said, they only cost me $10 to start, so go figure. I need to get my L100Ts into service.

 

[Tullman]

I just finished restoring some L80Ts for my son, and the veneer is total crap on this whole series: L18, 20, 60, 80, 100. I have read that it's really a pressed and printed "wood product" that some call spaghetti veneer. It lifts and chips like a bastard.

But it's fine on these, thank the Lawd.

Yeah, the wood veneer on my 20's started peeling off. I guess I should try attaching it with some wood glue? Or, is there a better adhesive?

 

[Zonker92]

I used Titebond wood glue. Got it under the lifting pieces with a toothpick or wire, then clamped some glass over it and wiped off the excess before it dried.

 

[hjames]

Good to have some L20Ts around ... and a good buy!
I bought a pair off ebay maybe 8 years ago for that price - plus the cost to ship them to me!
They used to be the rear surrounds in my TV room, had them hung from the ceiling with eyebolts
through the side.

Now they are the mains running off an HK740 receiver tied to the macPro in my office.
Great bookshelf speakers - can't imagine I'd ever get rid of mine!

 

[reggaenaut]

Nice some purty JBLs!

 

[juniorJBL]

Are they done yet?

What is taking so long!!


Nice score Z!!:thmbsp:

 

[Zonker92]

Thanks! And yus, I yam a slacker!

So cute!

 

[Zonker92]

And so it begins ...

 

[JosephH]

Those are great little speakers. I picked up a pair of t3s for $80 and as single one for $27. I run them with my L100t3s for a terrific surround system. I lightly sanded the cabinets with some 180 sandpaper and finished with the Watco Tung Oil. I have the oak finish and I did not want to darken them too much. The veneer is thin on these but they can be refinished if you are careful. Good Luck!

 

[Zonker92]

Thanks! I'm cleaning these up for a buddy.

The cabinets are in great shape; that picture just shows me getting some rough crap off the bottoms. I'm gonna clean the veneer and hit them very lightly with 400 by hand. I'm thinking I may stain them a little darker, then give them a deep gloss finish with seven coats or so of tung oil, lightly hitting them with 0000 steel wool after each coat. That should cover and protect the veneer and give them a very lustrous finish.

The drivers need no work at all, except dusting.

I may replace the crossovers with custom charge-coupled ones.

And then ... on to my buddy.

 

[schuylercat]

Dangit. I am building an office system and looking for some little guys. I am also in Calgary, AB (move from the States last July) and there is a painfully evident dearth of available gear up here. Found an AKer here who might still have some little ADS L-300's that would work for me, but his post is kinda old. I would love a pair of these, if only I could find them.

Ah, well. Just gotta keep my eyes open. Nice deal your friend's getting there, too - there's some well-deserved karma!

 

[Zonker92]

Yeah, first I found some L18Ts and drove over an hour to get them, but the seller had posted a picture of some other pair; his actual pair looked like they'd been dragged behind a truck. The tweeters were crushed, all sixteen cabinet corners were crushed and someone had screwed screens over the woofers. Worst JBLs I've ever seen.

Then this pair came along at $120 (not a cheap price but not too high) and I went around badgering everyone I knew to find a home for them. After two weeks I finally found one friend who wanted them so I got them.

I'll try to remember to let you know if I see some more around here.

 

[Zonker92]

As I was saying in another thread, I now have some walnut stain and two coats of tung oil on. I'll be adding at least one more.

Before:

Now:

 

[bobabode]

Nice looking little critters, Zonker.

That's an 8" woofer in those?

 

[Zonker92]

Thanks! They're around 6.5". My buddy's gonna run them with a sub. I'm charge coupling the crossovers, then (with a sub) I plan to A-B them against my 250/Tis.

 

[juniorJBL]

I plan to A-B them against my 250/Tis.

You are just goin to through em to the dogs right off the bat?

Let us know how they fair!:thmbsp:

 

[Zonker92]

Haw. I can use the 250s as stands!

I'll be happy to report back when they're done. Still waiting on a bunch of crossover bits. I love these projects.

 

[Zonker92]

OK, finished them up (charge-coupled crossovers, stain, five coats of tung oil finish and new binding posts) and they really sound fantastic. I'm very pleased.

(Now if only I had some dang nine-volt batteries.)