Anyone ever attempt a recone?

[shortfuse]

Thinking about reconing  a celestion g12m.  Kit comes pre assembled & seems like a pretty straight forward project.  Have any of you ever done one?  Do's and don'ts?
Seems to me the most critical parts are cleaning out the coil hole or groove.  Shimming the coil to glue cone.  And setting the coil depth but the OE pre assembled kit should take that equation away I would think.
Any advice appreciated.

[FYL]

Reconing using a prebuilt kit is quite easy. Here's a short how-to video using VC + cone assies: Peavey speaker recone 18in Black Widow

[shortfuse]

That's a good one also there are several on you tube if you watch all they all seem to each give you a little something different.  My main concern is the coil depth in the magnet but reading more it seems that half the depth of the coil meaning mark the coils mid point on the coil itself and leave the mark just visible at the top of the magnet slot and when shimming lock it in that position to glue to the cone.
I am going to give it a shot ordered my kit tonight with the adhesive I will post results later.

[punkykatt]

Please let us know how you make out.

[Ed_Chambley]

I have reconed many.  Too many to count.  Very easy, just needs to be clean in the work area.  Take your time and they will work out fine.  Just check it to see if you have any rub first and make sure you can get rid of it before using the new parts.  The frame can be warped.  I usually do this before I order and recone parts.

[shortfuse]

I was going to order the classic re-cone kit but after I received this e-mail I have been trying to find the heritage kits but no one I have asked seems to know where to get them.  I am all caught up on other projects so I think I am just going to order the classic kits.  But after talking to several people who have done it they say it is easier to use a kit where the coil and spider are not already attached but takes longer because there are more steps and glue drying time.

Heres the e-mail I received from Doc at Marshall


Hi Steven

                The Heritage G12M repair kit has recently been issued but it will take a while to get to the various outlets. Best advice is to have a look on the Celestion website and find your nearest dealer/distributor who will point you in the right direction. A 1972 model is kind of between the Heritage and current Classic so you could use either the Heritage or G12M Classic recone kits. The recone kit is the same for the G12M and G12H.

                The G12-65 Heritage is the same recone kit as the Classic Lead 80, the only difference between the two speakers is the magnet size.

 

Regards

Doc

 

From: Steven Macaione [mailto:stevenmacaione@att.net]
Sent: 08 December 2012 21:41
To: drdecibel
Subject: Heritage G12M Recone Kits

 

Hi I have 4 early 70’s G12M’s Specifically 0ct 25 1972.  I have been looking for recone kits but all I see is a G12M – G12H kits.  I asked and they told me that this kit is all there is for G12m Heritage or Non Heritage.  Is that true?  Is it the same cone I would think not but I could be wrong?

Also is there a recone kit for the Heritage G12-65 I have 4 of those also needing recones.  Someone said it is the same as a Classic 80.  Is that true also and where in the US can I find these 2 kits G12M G12-65?

[shortfuse]

Well I finally had a weekend with nothing to do so I attempted my re-cones and like Ed said I took my time did a lot of reading watched some vid's and I am glad to report that the 2 1970's G12M's I re-coned were a great success.  I used the factory dropin replacements and I can't tell a difference in the sound between the two old ones with the original cones and the new factory replacements.
I am glad I am now able to redo these as it only cost me 86.00 for the two kits.

[Slimtim]

good job.how hard was it?

[Ed_Chambley]

Well I finally had a weekend with nothing to do so I attempted my re-cones and like Ed said I took my time did a lot of reading watched some vid's and I am glad to report that the 2 1970's G12M's I re-coned were a great success.  I used the factory dropin replacements and I can't tell a difference in the sound between the two old ones with the original cones and the new factory replacements.
I am glad I am now able to redo these as it only cost me 86.00 for the two kits.

Glad you jumped in.  Nothing hard about a recone if you have a good speaker to start.  It is simply a matter of taking your time.  I never attempt them unless I have 3 days.  Takes about an hour total.  First disassemble and clean and glue up the new parts.  Leave it alone for 24 Hours, then test with low power.  Be patient and wait another day.  Then I hook them up to a variac for breakin and also to make sure my work is solid before I install them.

For a trip down the rabbit hole, read up on changing the magnet structure.  It is very cool to recone and there are lots of possibilities for checking out different designs cheaply. Now that you have completed this, keep on the lookout for old Altec speakers or JBL AlNiCo's.  Great speakers for anything and valuable too.  Most times the only problem with them is dry rot.

I read where Eminence is making Weber Speakers for Fender now.  Seems strange, but understandable.

[shortfuse]

good job.how hard was it?

Was not that bad and I have been using them everyday since with no issues.  Like Ed said just take your time and make sure you clean up all the old glue.  And that is a PIA.