Making a new speaker grill for a guitar amp or speaker cabinet

Breaking or losing the grill to your speakers can really expose your "sound" investments to all sorts of evils.  This Instructable shows you one way to fabricate a new grill for your speakers. 

The frame/grill needs to be fairly sturdy and be removable to access the speakers.  It's ok if the frame takes some effort to get off after it's attached.  You don't want it falling out unexpectedly.

I think the key requirement on this project is to use a single piece of plywood for your frame.  Everything else is negotiable.  A Negotiable Instructable - that should be a new category!

Step 1: Safety, Materials and Tools

Safety:  For the grill shown here, a number of power tools were used.  These included: table saw, router, drill with hole cutter, and a medium duty staple gun.  Each one of these has their own unique set of safety hazards - be sure to be familiar with any safety precautions for each before you proceed!!!!

At a minimum, ALWAYS wear eye protection and use hearing protection when power tools are in use (including your shop vac).  A snug pair of mechanics gloves are a great thing to have around anytime there are splinters or if you need a little extra non-slip grip.

Materials: 1/2" plywood, black speaker grill cloth, medium duty staples, paint primer, black paint, small nails, Velcro, Legos

Tools:  Tape measure, table saw, router with 1/8" straight bit, electric drill with 4" hole cutter, medium duty staple gun, 45/90 degree square, misc clamps, paint brushes

Comments

[Steve Dallman]

The test to see if cloth from the fabric store is suitable for grill cloth is to hold the cloth over your eyes. If you can see through it, it is sonically transparent enough to use as grill cloth.

[technovative]

Nice ible. Great amp, I too have a Peavy Heritage VTX and love it.

[bezzin mega mix]

cheers. One thing i love is modifieing speakers its just so much cheaper than buying a better speaker.

[bkv951]

Just replaced grille on Acoustasonic whose cloth was split in three places. Found exact replacement on ebay at very reasonable price. Used old cloth as template for new material. Used contact glue and staples to secure cloth to baffle board. Then, the crowning touch...used an ordinary hair dryer and coursed it around the edges of the new installation. Went around many, many times to diffuse the heat evenly and prevent any one spot from overheating. The material began to tighten up until a coin would bounce on it. I stopped there, replaced all of the logos and nameplates. Came out looking original. I'm so glad that you are here helping people to do a good job like yours.

[Re-design]

Nice job. I did something similar and used black sun shade material for my screen. It's available at local hardware stores and HD and Lowes. It works great and is very cheap.

[rghoff]

That's a good idea. I've been going to fabric stores and they don't have anything that's even close.

[Re-design]

Here's a link to my inst. that I used it on.