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I'm toying with idea of not replacing cloth grill covers.
From one viewpoint, looking at the machines from an artistic angle, they do not seem to enhance and often detract from a machines looks.
Any other opinions?

John, having a Fifth over the Fourth weekend.

I think you can go either way. I put a grill cloth in my Amberola 50 and I like it. It looked good without it too but I live in a dusty area and it keeps it cleaner. Tom B

I've not replaced the cloth in any of my A series Diamond Discs. Some of them had repro cloth in them when I purchased them. I removed it. More interesting to be able to see inside and better sound quality imho.

With the post 1914 cylincer and disc models I'd probably lean towards replacement.

It depends. Some machines had grain painted horns even though there were grille cloths that obscured them. Those I would be more likely to leave exposed. In other cases if the original cloth is in tatters I try to find a replacement as close as possible to the original--provided I can find out from the remains of the original or from someone here what the original was. It just looks better. Most of the people to whom I demonstrate my machines are not nearly as thrilled by the sight of a battered old metal horn as I might be. That cloth was originally installed for a reason.

If you look you can often find silk remnants in the right color at very low cost on eBay. As far as I know silk was what was originally used, particularly in better machines, in the early machines before rayon and such became common. A silk chiffon is excellent as it is sheer enough not to hinder sound passage and has a little bit of stretch to it that helps in mounting it without wrinkles and can be found with an appropriate low sheen.

Clay

FloridaClay wrote:It depends. Some machines had grain painted horns even though there were grille cloths that obscured them. Those I would be more likely to leave exposed.

Clay

That is true: but if an early machine with a painted horn (as on my A-80) was upgraded with grille cloth prior to sale, it might be considered part of its history.

It all depends on how you want to present it.

Bill

I'm usually very dissatisfied with the grille cloth sold today. It is not made from silk, but is synthetic cloth. I bought gold which is too bright. In old tips articles, they tell you to soak grille cloth in coffee to darken it, but that only works with natural cloth. Coffee does nothing and dye does nothing to synthetic cloth.

I tend not to replace old grills, so far I have been unsuccessful in making the replacement one match the age of the machine, so the new cloth it stands out as an obvious replacement and does not look good.

Carlos,
I agree. I haven't seen any that look good.
When in doubt,
Leave them out.
John

I think they take away from the looks of some woods like tiger oak.

billybob62 wrote: Any other opinions?

John, having a Fifth over the Fourth weekend.

Opinions?