Flason Posted October 27, 2003 Share Posted October 27, 2003 So I finally procrastinated enough and decided to get off my butt and work on the $400 1969 Khorns I picked up a couple of months ago. Sanded both down and will refinish. As I turned one up-side-down, a bunch of roach feces came out the bass bin. Took the woofer out of the one and there must be years of roach crap built on and around the woofer. Woofer and surround in general look intact and the voicecoil doesn't rub, but all the attached crap is sickening. Looks like I will be buying new woofers, so $400 turns into $650. But thats not all. I had to replace both tweeter diaphrams, which I did. So now $650 turnes to $700. Oh, but were not done yet. 2.5 yards of cloth for the grill. $700 turns into $740. Oh yeah. Add another $60 for wood condtioner, stain, poly, sandpaper, brushes, steel wool, $800. Plus the time and effort that I will count as pure enjoyment (right). I think I should have waited until I found a nice set locally for a decent price. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ssh Posted October 27, 2003 Share Posted October 27, 2003 Flason, You got a bargain if you can get them running right for $800-$1000.I just bought a pr of LaS for $800,& a squawker doesn't work.I'm putting ALKs in & still have a great value.Remember it's a long term investment.You'll love them for a long time. SSH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flason Posted October 27, 2003 Author Share Posted October 27, 2003 Ssh, I also bought a pair of '81 LaScala's a year and a half ago for $800. They needed to be refinished, but were sonically perfect. I like them so much it's probably the reason I waited so long before getting started on the Khorns. I just know the deals are out there if you're patient. Of course I may have reached my quota for good deals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael hurd Posted October 27, 2003 Share Posted October 27, 2003 Sounds like taking on a paint job for a friend on a vehicle that has " very little " rust. Lol! Usually, it ends up in panel replacement and a repair bill 4-5 times what was originally thought by the owner. Oh well, at least you have Khorns... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JCturboT Posted October 27, 2003 Share Posted October 27, 2003 Flason, Don't get down- A pair of Klipschorns for under a grand with new parts and refinishing sounds like a sweet deal to me. Plus there's pride in doing it youself. I'm sure when it's all done you will think differently. Jeff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arfz28 Posted October 27, 2003 Share Posted October 27, 2003 Flason, how about some before and after pictures of your restoration project.I bet after you are done with them you will be very happy with them.Hell k-horns for 1000 bucks, that aint bad at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flason Posted October 27, 2003 Author Share Posted October 27, 2003 Here a before of one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flason Posted October 27, 2003 Author Share Posted October 27, 2003 Here is a before of the other. One is almost complete, except for the new woofer, and the other got sanded today. I like the grain of the fir, so I'm just conditioning, staining, and urethan(ing)? over the wood and not even looking for veneer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ssh Posted October 28, 2003 Share Posted October 28, 2003 Man,you're going to be happy with those.You're just suffering from mid-project crisis.One of my best mods was to staple rubber stair runner material to the tailboard for a tight fit against the corner.I think you got a real bargain,Flason. SSH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Klewless Posted October 28, 2003 Share Posted October 28, 2003 Flason, If the woofers work OK, I would not replace them. A couple of less expensive options come to mind. 1. Carefully clean them with some kind of solvent which will not ruin the cone material. 2. Get them re-coned. Good luck on which ever you decide. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZAKO Posted October 28, 2003 Share Posted October 28, 2003 Cover the mouth of mids & tweeter with tape you dont want wood dust getting into voice coil gap. Keep sanding untill all dings & scratches are gone. It will be worth it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
formica Posted October 28, 2003 Share Posted October 28, 2003 ---------------- On 10/28/2003 10:03:13 AM Klewless wrote: If the woofers work OK, I would not replace them. ---------------- ditto... and I think they look great for the price! Wouldn't mind finding that type of deal myself... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WMcD Posted October 28, 2003 Share Posted October 28, 2003 I feel your pain. JCT is correct. I get bogged down in the middle of a project. Somehow the actual work never goes as fast as imagined. It is good to share with friends, take a rest, and go back with renewed spirits. I was going to write that I lived in a dorm room with worse conditions than your woofer. But didn't. Then there was this dream last night about a dorm room at I.I.T. being refurbished after years of non use. There were duck feathers between the window and the exterior screen. It makes some sense in that now there are ducks and geese outside the apartment window and I did stay at the I.I.T. dorms which has a roach problem. Err, I'm not going any further with this one. Congrats on the project. Are these the models with an F in the model number for fir plywood? Best, Gil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lynnm Posted October 28, 2003 Share Posted October 28, 2003 FWIW My 1982 Khorns were 100 per cent in terms of drivers/crossovers etc. but were in far worse condition cosmetically than yours and I paid about C$2500.00 for them when pickup and restoration costs are factored in. That said I have nearly finished the needed cosmetic repairs and my wife ( as in WAF ) has literally threatened to punt the family jewels to somewhere north of Pluto if I ever even think of buying any other speakers - Not because of the expense but because their sound and looks blow her mind ( and trust me she is no Barby Doll - To say the least ( She's got a better bod )- She simply now understands waddahell I been looking for all of these years ). She now asks me to play Miles Davis and Stan Getz when we snuggle up in front of the Stereo. The message ? Get the Klipsch's humming and get more music and errum comfort ! Get those puppies up and running right and neither you or your wife will never look back ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill H. Posted October 29, 2003 Share Posted October 29, 2003 Mike, Congratulations! Just think your almost half way done! I am glad to see you took a break and came on the Board! I wish you continued Success ........................ If I may ask, how is the WAF taking all this construction? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flason Posted October 29, 2003 Author Share Posted October 29, 2003 I think it was all the roach crap that put a little limp in my refinishing stride. It was disgusting to say the least. There is no way to clean it off. I wish there was. Had to be years of build-up. I live in FL (hence the name FL-son), but a call to the Orkin man every once in a while practically eliminates the pest issues. I will return to the project this weekend. These are the Khorns with the "F" in the model identifier. The box itself did clean-up real well and I did remove the tweet and squaker before I got started. As far as WAF, I don't have one of those. I have been raising the kids on my own for 12 years now. The hobby has been around longer than the girlfriend and I put up with her crap, so she has to put up with mine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZAKO Posted October 29, 2003 Share Posted October 29, 2003 You might a finer screen on back of horn to keep little critters out. It wonteffect bass responce. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flason Posted November 10, 2003 Author Share Posted November 10, 2003 I was able to clean the roach crap off the woofers as best I can. They are usable, but will be replaced with-in the next year. One is completely finished. I must say, it looks nice. I purchased some speaker grill fabric from JoAnne Fabrics for $7.99 a yard. Beats the heck out of the $52. per yard Klipsch was asking. They don't have the Klipsch emblems on them, but what other speaker looks like this? I will post some pics on Tuesday because the other will be finished by then. I did do some comparison with my LaScalas last night. I had a LaScala on the left channel and the Khorn on the right. I heard a lot more mid-bass with the LaScala. The hyper mid-bass seemed to extend to the mid-range on the LS. The Khorn didn't have such a foward mid section. It was a little more balanced than the LS, almost laid back. I will listen again tonight and update again Tuesday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Cornell Posted November 10, 2003 Share Posted November 10, 2003 Flason I paid $966.00 for type Ds, no tops, side grills,and no top grills you did fine, at least you have a full type C! Thats what i made the type Ds into, was a C! I spent 450.00, and 3 months doing it too. $450.00 just for all the cosmetic changes to a type C. They are still being fully enjoyed to this day, i miss my black beauties. The thing about roaches, it stinks bad especially if you wet it LOL! I have a reciever i bought once, had the same problem, at least you dont have to clean it out of electrical. I love my 1975 walnut K-hprns, that wasnt bad at all for $1,200. Keep going, youll come out just fine! Regards Jim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flason Posted November 11, 2003 Author Share Posted November 11, 2003 Here are a few pics of at least one of the khorns. I also included a signature on from the inside bass bin. I don't know who it is but it's on the inside of both. Thanks for all the encouragement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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