What are La Scalas worth that need to be reconed, refinished, and recapped?

[emmvette]

I'm looking at a pair of La Scalas that need to be reconed, refinished (from a bar, water stains included), and recapped due to age. They have the AL crossovers, and have a owner applied stained wood finish. What would be a fair price for these? I know I'll need to have the crossovers recapped, woofers either replaced or reconed - they were pushed too hard; they will need grill cloth, and I can refinish them myself. They are from the mid 1980s. Sorry, I don't have photos, but you have all seen rough looking La Scalas before. They are a little beat up, but not bad. Water marks from drinks being sat on them is mostly it. Any opinions will be appreciated. I'd like to get them if the deal is right, but I don't want to buy a money pit either. If you have any suggestions for other potential problems to look, that would be appreciated as well.

[Marvel]

The woofers may be ok. If they were cranked to damage the woofers, most of the bar crowd would have suffered hearing damage. The AL crossover is not one of the better ones, so the better option is to replace them with something else. That need not be expensive.The tweeters may need new diaphragms, but you won't know unless you can test or check out in some way. The AL crossovers used zeners as a tweeter protection circuit.Off the top of my head I'll say $300-$450.

Can you get pics and post them?

Bruce

[aj01]

Woofers - $220

re-cap - $100

cloth - $30

----------------

$350

It seems like La Scalas in decent shape are going for ~$800 right now, so I'd say $450-500?

[kg4guy]

You can get the woofer reconed at Orange County Speakers for $65. each plus shipping and you could build a nice pair of type A's for under $200. and sell the AL's for around a $100. or more on CL or Ebay.

[thefluffy]

Test all driver with an ohm meter if possible. In the case of my LaScalas, one of the woofers had been blown. The prior owner managed to toast the voice coil as well. My Dad's La Scalas had an intact woofer cone with a toasted Voice Coil. You really need to check the woofers with an Ohm Meter to be safe. As far as value.... if they are really trashed on the outside.... I'd say no more than 400.

Daniel

[JohnA]

I'd say they are worth about $500 as described. You don't want to end up with more than $1200 top $1300 in them when they are presentable.

Definately should change that Xover. According to Groomlakearea51, even Klipsch didn't use the Type AL for a whole year. I'd build some modified Type AA or buy/build some Type AL-2s or -3s. Search for those crossover types. We have the schematics on the Forum somewhere. Some of us just might gin up a custom design for you.

[Marvel]

Definately should change that Xover. According to Groomlakearea51, even Klipsch didn't use the Type AL for a whole year. I'd build some modified Type AA or buy/build some Type AL-2s or -3s. Search for those crossover types. We have the schematics on the Forum somewhere. Some of us just might gin up a custom design for you.

My AL crossovers sounded pretty bad. The ones I made are shweeeeeet! Thanks John! Someday you'll have to have a bike ride down to visit and give a listen to the Moondogs.

Bruce

[emmvette]

Test all driver with an ohm meter if possible. In the case of my LaScalas, one of the woofers had been blown. The prior owner managed to toast the voice coil as well. My Dad's La Scalas had an intact woofer cone with a toasted Voice Coil. You really need to check the woofers with an Ohm Meter to be safe. As far as value.... if they are really trashed on the outside.... I'd say no more than 400.

Daniel

Thanks for the tip; I'd like to do this, but don't know what you are talking about. Can you give me a more detailed description of how to do this? What is the result with ohm meter if bad, and if good? Thanks! Sorry for the dumb questions, I'm sure it is quite simple, I just don't have experience with this yet.

[Marvel]

You will need to disconnect the leads from the drivers to measure the resistance across the voice coils. The easiest way is to remove the leads from the terminal strip on the crossover. Just do one at a time so you keep them straight and re-attach when done measure.

If the voice coil is shot/burned through, etc., using a DMM on ohms, will give you an ifinite resistance or OL for open line. If there is also a continuity setting, you would have no sound (usually about a 1khz tone).

I don't even remember the exact or approximate values you shoud get on each of the three drivers (woofer, k55, k77).

If they are good, you will get an ohm reading aross the terminals.

Bruce

[Carbon_66]

I'm working on a pair of La Scalas tonight.

These values are in ohms and averaged for the pair.

Woofer 3.6

Mid 10.3

Tweeter 6.3

[emmvette]

Thanks to everybody for the opinions and help! I appreciate it.

[michael hurd]

I would say less than what people are offering, particularly if they stink like cigarette smoke. If you don't have a problem with them smelling like an old ashtray... then buy them. Once you get them out of a large area, and put them in a confined area, you will see what I mean.

If the wood is sealed with a urethane, you might be OK...