Unexpected problem changing speakers

GotTheSilver · May 24, 2015

OK, this is one I really did not expect. I have a Tone King Imperial 20th Anniversary that is an incredible amp, but I really want to try a different speaker in it. It came with a Celestion creamback. I have taken out all of the screws that were holding the speaker into cabinet. I expected the speaker to just come right out, but it is stuck! I cannot get the speaker off of the cabinet! It is just stuck like glue! As best I can imagine, perhaps the finish on the cabinet may not have been fully dry when the speaker was installed. Now it has all dried together in a way that it just not come apart! I have pulled as hard as I can! I tried putting a screwdriver under the lip of the speaker to pry it off, but only succeeded in denting the wood! This thing is stuck!

I don't want to damage the speaker or the cabinet, but how can I get this thing out????

renderit · May 24, 2015

One word. Chainsaw.

MikeSlub · May 25, 2015

Instead of a screwdriver, have you tried a putty knife?

garywright · May 25, 2015

the speaker came right off on my '99 Imperial when I tried a speaker swap ...fwiw, i wound up going back to the stock eminence ...mark bartel is a friend of mine but even he may be unsure as he no longer builds them himself ...however, he is very good about answering emails ...I'd go to the Tone King website, get his email addy then drop him a line before going any further,.

toxpert · May 25, 2015

Careful with that screwdriver / pry bar thing going on. It's easy to distort the speaker frame ....and you can end up with voicecoil rubbing and all kinds of trouble.

As Mike noted, a putty knife worked all around the edge of the frame would be much better alternative.

:salude

duaneflowers · May 25, 2015

Its a sign from above... stick with the creamback... :salude

GotTheSilver · May 25, 2015

Thanks for the input, guys. Since I don't have a chainsaw, I sent an email to Tone King. The contact email address on their website is for Jimmy Lovinggood, their head of Sales and Marketing. I think I will wait to hear back from them before I try anything else. I really don't want to damage anything!

garywright · May 25, 2015

hold on a tick :jim

garywright · May 25, 2015

try this for Mark...

mail@toneking.com

Minibucker · May 25, 2015

I have an Imperial as well from a few years back. Have not tried a speaker swap, but I have read the stock speakers come glued in (for better seal/contact or something) along with the screws. So yeah, careful work with a putty knife should probably do it. At worst, some of the gasket material will come off, but that's replaceable.

GotTheSilver · May 25, 2015

Minibucker said:
I have an Imperial as well from a few years back. Have not tried a speaker swap, but I have read the stock speakers come glued in (for better seal/contact or something) along with the screws. So yeah, careful work with a putty knife should probably do it. At worst, some of the gasket material will come off, but that's replaceable.

Well, that would explain it! I have never heard of speakers being glued into a cabinet.

MikeSlub · May 25, 2015

GotTheSilver said:
I have never heard of speakers being glued into a cabinet.

Neither have I! :hmm

JBLPplayer · May 25, 2015

Have you tried a baritone guitar and an octave pedal? Should get it lose.. I also have never heard of speakers being glued in. Having put most of Orange County Speaker works kids through college this would seem impractical in case of speaker failure.
Good luck.
Joe B

GotTheSilver · May 25, 2015

JBLPplayer said:
Have you tried a baritone guitar and an octave pedal? Should get it lose.. I also have never heard of speakers being glued in. Having put most of Orange County Speaker works kids through college this would seem impractical in case of speaker failure.
Good luck.
Joe B

Well, I don't have a baritone guitar and an octave pedal, but I do have a couple of bass guitars stashed away in a closet somewhere... :hmm

I have not heard back from Tone King yet (holiday weekend), but I did do some searching on the internet. Some people seem to believe the Imperial speakers are "lightly glued in". Others think it is that the speakers are sometimes installed before the paint on the baffle is dry. Either way, seems like I am not the first to have this issue with their Tone King. A putty knife may be the best solution, but I think I will wait until I hear something back from the maker before I do anything. I am sure they have to be aware of this. I can't be the first person to ask them about it.

Just to make sure it does not seem like I am bad mouthing Tone King (because that is not my intent), this really is an awesome amp! :yah

GotTheSilver · May 26, 2015

I got a response from Mark Bartel this morning. The speaker is not glued in, but stuck to the paint. See his response is below. I had also asked for a recommendation on a replacement speaker, so you can see his response to this as well.

I will try the putty knife this evening.

"Hi John,

Thanks for your 20th Imperial purchase, and for your feedback !

Your assumption is correct. The speaker is stuck to the paint on the baffle. Even when the paint has had weeks to cure, it can still stick like this when the speaker is mounted and tightened down. However, it is possible to remove it safely. If you have a putty knife with a thin blade (or sharpened at the edge), you can work it all the way around the speaker and gently pry it away from the baffle board.

From your description, I'd say that the stock Imperial speaker (which we are still using in the Imperial MK II) might be a great choice. We can sell those speakers as replacement items for $65 + shipping, if you are interested.

Mark. "

Bygone_Tones · May 26, 2015

GotTheSilver said:
I cannot get the speaker off of the cabinet! It is just stuck like glue! I have pulled as hard as I can!

Never use brute force with stubborn speakers! Always use a putty knife, or a strong feeler gauge to work it completely loose, and I mean completely loose. Because otherwise what happens is the gasket stays stuck to the cab and when you pull back on the speaker you will rip a big tear in the cone.

Some people do glue their speakers in. Perhaps not at the factory but I have had a few cabs where previous owners have done it. Or the cork gaskets can just become stuck over time on the older cabs.

GotTheSilver · May 27, 2015

Good news! I tried the putty knife last night and successfully removed the speaker without damage to either the speaker or the baffle. Here is Mark Bartel’s response to when I told him I got the speaker off.

“That's great news. I know it's a bit of a pain to have to pry the speaker away, but that particular paint in that particular thickness is essential in tuning the baffle board to sound the way it does.”

I’m going to trust that Mark knows what he is talking about when it comes to tone. Removing the speaker was kind of a pain, but I will take that if it means the amp sounds better.

Texas Blues · May 28, 2015

That IS good news.

And I feel your anxiety dealing with the situation.

Really.

I get freaky deaky whenever I have to adjust a truss rod.

A stuck speaker?

I would've had a doctor medicate me heavily to deal with that nightmare.

Seriously.

Problems with work?

Family?

Cake.

Microphonic tube?

I gotta' call 4 fat ladies and a priest to help me deal with it.

renderit · May 28, 2015

I'm not a fat lady or a priest! I am the Nope! Stop calling me.

MikeSlub · May 28, 2015

GotTheSilver said:
Good news! I tried the putty knife last night and successfully removed the speaker without damage to either the speaker or the baffle. Here is Mark Bartel’s response to when I told him I got the speaker off.

“That's great news. I know it's a bit of a pain to have to pry the speaker away, but that particular paint in that particular thickness is essential in tuning the baffle board to sound the way it does.”

I’m going to trust that Mark knows what he is talking about when it comes to tone. Removing the speaker was kind of a pain, but I will take that if it means the amp sounds better.

Glad my suggestion worked. I knew it would since it has happened to me. :jim

Unexpected problem changing speakers

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