L-100 fund raiser project

[Donald]

I have looked into a plate amp. Need to see how it would fit since the AMI required a tall narrow slot in the cab and the plates I have seen need a hole about 8 x 8.

[Audiobeer]

The heat in St. Louis has been a killer along with the humidity. Here's a sanding sealer coat on the set. I'll scuff sand and touch up after a highlight coat then sand again with some topcoats over that. I can't rush it with the humidity right now.

[Audiobeer]

Here's a pic of the cabinets with the final topcoats. I have to wet sand and rub the sheen to a satin finish. Hopefully I'll ship Monday Aug 1st!

[Don McRitchie]

Looks really nice.

[boputnam]

Originally posted by Audiobeer
...I can't rush it with the humidity right now.

No worries. Just to have you back doing the great work, and the training is mighty fine!

[Don C]

They look great. I like the masking paper too.
Anyway, I cant wait to see them with Sonofagun's cool blue quadrex grilles.

[Audiobeer]

I hate masking tape. It seems the fronts have had a dose of paint on them before. There are a few tell tale signs of touch up black on the foilcaps. When I peeled the tape off carefully some of the old paint came... also forcing the "should I paint the front" issue to be answered....YES. I masked in the foilcap labels. I tried an automotive heat gun but I'm afraid it will not come off without a tell tale sign of damage. I masked it in and use an exacto knife to cut around the foil. I always rub out the clear finish last because of the fact when spraying the black some overspray may leak through on the laquer. This way it will buff right off. I'm still on schedule for the 1st Don C.....Right back at you! Same address as on the box?

[Audiobeer]

I think they will look fantastic with the foam and drivers. The tell tale signs of where previuos velcro pad marks will no longer be apparent however I'll take a "before pic" so in doubt we'll know where they were supposed to go. I for one will be buying several tickets for the chance to get these piece of history knowing full well it's up to date and up to spec. Hey, maybe I can talk my wife into letting me get these so I can go with a smaller footpring in the family room.....you know and then I can toss the L-300s!

[Chas]

Awesome A-B!!!!

[Wardsweb]

Do you need new foam rings? My order came in today from JBL, so I have some extra. Just shoot me an email with a ship to and they're out the door.

[GordonW]

Holy F...

Luther, if JBL says they're out of stock on foam rings next time I call, I'll know why... you must've bought ALL of them!!!

Regards,
Gordon.

[JBL Dog]

I got to see the L100 carcasses live and in-person tonight.

BEE-YOU-TEE-FULL!!

Audiobeer is the man!



This message comes from JBL Dog

[Don C]

Wardsweb,
Thanks for the offer, but I think that we already have some on the way from Giskard, along with some emblems.
And yes, my shipping address is still the same, here on Jenifer Ct.

[Don C]

Here is a picture of the before and after of the crossover network. Not a lot of changes. First was the new L pads. These are Parts Express #260-255. They can handle more power than the originals, so they should be more reliable. They fit, just barely though. The only problem that I ran into was that the shaft length is 1 inch, while the originals had 3/4 inch. That would have had the knob sticking out on the baffle, and I didn't want that. I solved the problem by adding a sheet of 1/4 inch plastic between the L pads and the mounting board. I just cut out the plastic to fit, and used the networks to guide as I drilled some holes.
The other change is the addition of the bypass caps. These are .1ufd Kimber caps, also from Parts Express. This pretty much updates the crossover to the same spec as the one JBL used on the 4312.
I was was thinking of rewiring with Monster cable, but I decided that if I did, it would be a huge pain to get all of the wires into the terminals. As it was I had to enlarge the terminals on the L pads and also the ones on the terminal strip. Also, looking at those thin wires going to the original caps, I started thinking that it was ridiculous to worry about the other wires too much. I did shorten the cap leads a bit, thinking that a thin short wire is a bit better than a thin long one. So this it it, slightly updated, but still just simple L-100 crossovers. I hope to be installing them next weekend.

[Kim L]

This thread is a treasure! For those of us who are contemplating refurbishing our old L100's. I bought mine in 1975, I think, serial nos: 169567A and 170176A. I was still in high school and those puppies rocked! YES and Pink Floyd and ELP (and some Russian classical) and Tull...I dragged them to college, back and forth for four years. Everything was trash except the L100's (and maybe the Sansui 881). Then to graduate school. Then to San Mateo where they sat in storage for a while...then back to the South.

I do not think that I own any other material objects that I truly care about. And I own a lot of crap these days...if my house caught on fire, first I would get the kids, then the JBL's. These speakers represent an entire generation of teenagers who grauduated in the 70's and struggled through the misery index to finally succeed in the 80's. The end of the war, all that incredible 70's music. We could barely scrape up the $1.49 for a six-pac of Billy Beer, but by God we could crank up the Centuries!

Excellent choice! JBL Model L100 Century...Dare I say cultural icon?? I sense a revival, gentlemen; play the soundtrack to "O' Brother, Where Art Thou?" on your JBL's! "Crank it up!"

Oh yeah, I guess there were some audiophile types that thought they were okay as "bookshelf speakers", whatever that is.

Could you put together all the specifics of the restoration, including the steaming and refinishing of the veneer, and maybe add re-coning. Part numbers, sanding grit, the whole works into a book to sell? I would be the first to buy and support the project and this site!

Thanks,
Kim

P.S., I paid $319 each for my L100's, every dime I had. What cost $640 in 1975 would cost $2275 in 2003. Mine are worth a lot more than that.