I built mine from kits (older version with rounded corners). The new design looks to me like it would be more veneer-friendly, so you could probably achieve a similar look if you are handy or are willing to employ someone to do the work. The grill cloth is stretched directly over the front baffle and secured by pressing into a groove containing window spline. I had to trim down the bulge on the foam plugs by an inch or so so the cloth would lay flat.
If mine had had the rear-mount woofer design with roundover, I might have dispensed with the grill cloth altogether. Here is how they looked without the grill cloth:
Beautiful work Doug, as usual.
Mine are done in black gloss. Remember, getting a "piano black gloss" finish is extremely difficult. Mine looks like an automotive finish and has that sheen or reflection. Piano black gloss terminology is vague, it varies from finisher to finisher. I wanted a piano black gloss originally, but once I saw my current Abbeys, I stopped worrying. You can see a partial picture of it on my systems page. Of course, the picture does not do it justice, in real life, I like it a lot.
Even the standard black satin that jtwrace has is very nice and with the lights on dim or off, who cares, really
You can pm me off line and I can send you some more detailed pics by regular e-mail as the files are very large.
Anand.
