Ageing/Antiqueing tweed grill cloth?

[Voxbox]

Hi,

Apart from leaving the new grill cloth in a smokey bar for six months, which is now impossible in the UK, what's the best way to make new tweed grill cloth look like its from 1960?

I have  a 1960 Vibrasonic which I'm rebuilding. The grill cloth has been incorrectly replaced with oxblood coloured cloth, as the amp is from Jan 1960. The rest of the cab and appointments are original but in very good condition, however, totally fresh grill cloth would look out of place.
I did think about taking it to the local trout farm and ask them to put it in their smoke-house, but it would end up smelling of fish....
 

Any ideas?

Cheers, VB

[sluckey]

Tweed grill cloth??? The grill cloth was three different colors, depending on the year...

Tolex/Tweed: Pinkish brown (59-61) or brown Tolex (61-63)
Grill Cloth: Brown (59-61), Maroon (61-62) or Wheat (62-63) grill cloth

[Voxbox]

its a January 1960 model so that makes it Tweed grill cloth. i.e the grill cloth that was used on the tweed amps.

See Tom Wheelers book The Soul of Tone for examples. He says it changed to the maroon stuff in Aug 1960.

Is there something I'm missing?

Cheers, VB

[printer2]

I used a open weave plastic place mat for a grill on one of my amps. It would have looked out of place with it all nice and new, the mat was the color of the light colored sections. I used fabric paint from Walmart to give it a more vintage color, I also did not put it on evenly to give it a faded look. One method for antiquing cloth is to stain it with tea.

[Voxbox]

That's a great look!

Tea sound promising, I'll give it go.

Cheers, VB