|
Author
|
Topic: Cleaning the voice coil on a BW?????
|
David Mullis
Member From: Rock Hill, SC
|
posted 07 January 2003 07:12 AM
profile
One of the guys I was in a band with a while back took a BW apart, and if I remember correctly, cleaned some gunk off of the voice coil using alcohol and a q-tip. I don't recall how the speaker worked after that, or if it did, but I couldn't help wondering.... Is this safe? Is this pretty standard? |
Bill Crook
Member From: Goodlettsville, TN , Spending my kid's inheritance
|
posted 07 January 2003 07:22 AM
profile
It works.......
Of course, one MUST be careful as to how they do it.
Bill
|
David Mullis
Member From: Rock Hill, SC
|
posted 07 January 2003 07:34 AM
profile
Interesting. The reason that came to mind is, the BW I'm using now sounds fine except for now and then I get a high frequency chatter (for lack of a better term). I thought I might give the cleaning thing a try. The practice place for the last band I was in was a dust bowl. After practicing there off and on for 6 months, the filter caps on my Session were covered in dust so, I'm thinking maybe the some of it got into the speaker too. |
Bill Terry
Member From: Bastrop, TX, USA
|
posted 07 January 2003 09:07 AM
profile
The BW (original) in my '83 Nash 400 started distorting real badly a while back. I took off the magnet structure and found that the foam filter that was in the vent hole had disintegrated into little bits, that then got in the gap. The heat or something had melted the bits all over the inside of the coil form (the thin aluminum piece that holds the windings), causing the whole basket to drag, aka distort. Fearing the basket was ruined, just for the heck of it I went ahead and cleaned all the goopy remains of the foam off of the coil form with some naptha (lighter fluid), put it back together and it's worked fine since. The BW is an incredibly durable speaker.Forgot to add that the goopy remains of the foam were also clogging up the gap in the magnet structure and had to be cleaned out as well.
------------------
Home Page
[This message was edited by Bill Terry on 07 January 2003 at 09:08 AM.]
|
Jerry Overstreet
Member From: Louisville Ky
|
posted 07 January 2003 06:39 PM
profile
Don't know about cleaning the voice coil itself, but the good folks at Peavey include instructions w/a replacement basket on cleaning the gap in the mag.
Fold a piece of masking tap sticky side out and go all through the gap to pick up any loose debris....This method cleaned up one of my old spider web 1501's I had decided to sell that had been stored in a closet for a few years...missed a sale cause I thought there was something wrong with it. Found out later it just needed the debris cleaned out of it and it has been great ever since.
|
Darvin Willhoite
Member From: Leander, Tx. USA
|
posted 07 January 2003 07:43 PM
profile
Anytime I clean the gap in a Black Widow magnet, I first blow it out with an air compressor, then fold masking tape around a business card with the sticky side out. This gives the tape enough rigidity to get to the bottom of the groove.------------------
Darvin Willhoite
Riva Ridge Recording
|
Terry Downs
Member From: Garland, TX US
|
posted 07 January 2003 08:07 PM
profile
Darvin,
The cardboard trick is a good one. Peavey was clever to make a field replaceable solution. The tape suggestion works OK, but since I always played in a place that had matches, I used the cardboard from a match book. This, as you say, makes it stiffer and a better cleaner.If you do have access to an air compressor, that is a good way to clean it in addition to the tape. I don't want to appear boastful, but my garage is plumbed in with compressed air outlets. Anybody jealous? |
Gino Iorfida
Member From: Oakdale, Pennsylvania, USA
|
posted 07 January 2003 11:19 PM
profile
When I put in the 1501-4 basket int he BW for my nash 400 (somene had a 1504-8 instead in there!), I had the same problem with the melted foam dust cover. Ended up it was on so bad, the tape didnt work to clean the gap....
What I ended up doing is a thin cotton cloth, soaked in rubbing alcohol over a piece of a venetian blind (already had the nice radius  and that did the trick for me... just dont let the wife catch you breaking pieces off of her blinds (then again, a whole blind is less than $5 at Walmart so hey, nice to have a chunk int he gig bag for such an occasion.
|
Jerry Roller
Member From: Van Buren, Arkansas USA
|
posted 08 January 2003 08:14 PM
profile
This is not the same thing but somewhat related. I had an aluminum dust cover on a JBL dented in and wanted to straighten it.
For some unknown reason I took a piece of double face tape (I think it is stickier than masking tape), I touched the tape to the dent and pulled the tape back loose and as it came off it completely pulled the dent out of the dust cover. It may never work again but it sure worked great that time. It would be worth a try if anyone has a dented aluminum dust cover.
Jerry |
David Mullis
Member From: Rock Hill, SC
|
posted 09 January 2003 06:03 AM
profile
I may just have to give this a try. Thanks guys! |
Mike Brown
Member From: Meridian, Mississippi USA
|
posted 09 January 2003 07:21 AM
profile
Thanks for the advice, guys. We use Acetone here in the service department to clean voices with, in addition to an air compressor. |
Mark Herrick
Member From: Los Angeles, CA
|
posted 09 January 2003 07:51 AM
profile
The tape technique for pulling out dents in aluminum dust covers was recommended to me also by a speaker manufacturer. They suggested using masking tape as it is not too sticky, but sticky enough to pull the dent out and then separate from the dust cap. |
Ken Fox
Member From: Ray City, GA USA
|
posted 09 January 2003 09:07 AM
profile
Hey Jerry, great idea! I have an old altec-Lansing, model 418B, 15" that has a small dent in it. I am using this ine in my fourth Vibrioverb clone, soon to be up and running. I am hoping the tone is a little warmer than the D-130 speakers I put int he other 3 clones.
Good info on cleaning the BW speakers here, too. I have seen the foam missing and crumbling before in the BW speakers, maybe it is time to consider a wire mesh retro-fit kit? Great speakers, that is the only weakness i have ever seen in them!! |
The Steel Guitar Forum
