[jrebman]

Does anybody know somebody local (front range) that can do a top-notch job on re-edging a pair of JBL 136H woofers?

They don't need reconing, just re-edging with new foam surrounds.  I'd really like to avoid shipping them if possible.

This is the last major thing I have to do in order to put them up for auction -- otherwise the speakers are in outstanding condition.

Thanks,

Jim

[audioferret]

Just north of the intersection of Braodway and Evans in Denver is a shop called "Intrinsic Sound".  It is about three blocks north on the left next to where Moondance Audio used to be.  They repair vintage equipment and have a stock of various vintage equipment.  They may sell your speakers for you.

-AF

[jrebman]

AF,

Thanks for the info.  I'm actually very familiar with that neighborhood as that is where the Colorado Center for the Blind was (Colorado and Acoma) when I was going through rehab in 1995.

I'll give them a call today.

I thought you had been sent to Iraq -- did that get delayed or are you writing from there?  In any case, our thoughts are with you and all the others serving.

Thanks again,

Jim

[Wayne1]

Two other places you can try are National Speaker and Sound at 1599 S. Broadway and Speaker Repair and Reconing Service on 900 S. Pearl St.

[jrebman]

Wayne,

Thanks for these.  Turns out that Intrinsic won't do it -- they recommended Speaker Repair and Reconing, which is where I'm going to take them.

National told me they can only do it if they do the whole thing -- cones and all, but the cones and VCs are in perfect condition and several JBL experts said to only do the surrounds as the new cones and coils aren't as good as the originals. I've even been told that by a couple of JBL repair shops, and it would certainly be to their advantage to sell me several hundreds of dollars worth of time and materials as opposed to a $50 per speaker job.

Intrinsic will be a great place to take the Marantz 4400 for a checkup/tune up though.

This is quite a relief tonot have to worry about shipping 60 or 70 pounds worth of speakers and another 70 pounds for the receiver.

-- Jim

[Wayner]

Did you ever call JBL to see if they can do it? You would have to ship, but they would come back perfect.

W

[jrebman]

I did contact them about getting some original boxes for the L-300s and they replied something like: Nice speakers, but we have long since used all those boxes, but as with any other repair work you should contact your nearest JBL authorized dealer to see if they may have some.

These are big, heavy 15" woofers with 25 pound alnico magnets and 4" voice coils and getting a suitable shipping container won't be a trivial matter.  I'm already looking at $200 - $300 for shipping crates for the speakers when they are ready to go, and considering my most likely buyer will be in Japan, I'm really trying to minimize crating and shipping expenses for the project as a whole.

Junction City, Kansas looks like the nearest authorized repair center and that's just too far of a drive.

The thing I'm really worried most about is that I won't get my original cone and VC back -- it's been known to happen with the more valuable JBL woofers when unscrupulous repair centers decide to replace the whole cone assembly and then keep or resell the original.

I've had a few knowledgeable folks look at these and tell me that these are in rarely found excellent condition and I plan to keep them that way.  The only issue with the foam surrounds is that they are almost 30 years old and disintegrating.

-- Jim

[Wayner]

Bolt the 2 speakers together, face to face through the mount holes in the flange. They will ship together like a barrel. Use hex nuts in-between the frames for spacing and find a shipper that will double pack them. These are way too valuable to let some one else do......(fill in the blank) bad things to them.

Good luck

W

[jrebman]

Yup, that's how I normally ship speakers (or use nylon ties), but I've had some double boxed things get trashed by shipping companies, so that's what makes me nervous about doing this.

Well, I'll see what kind of response/advice I get from Harman International, though they can take weeks to reply t inquiries made through their web site.  If I had a direct phone number, that would be different, but as I recall, the last time I went looking fr one, I couldn't find it.  I'll give it another try.

-- Jim
o