Fishman Loudbox tolex replacement?

[StormyMonday]

Especially on the early models the loudbox tolex is horrendous, almost embarrassing to be seen with it. So I stripped mine today after buying a nice replacement material. Lots of angles to deal with, my prior experience was fixing a chair cushion, so I'm struggling a bit. Has anyone done this type of repair and if so is there a trick to getting smooth angles? Thanks!
Top before pic;


Bottom after (the easy part)

[WilliamScott]

Doctor Jeff did a major renovation on his at this thread
Fishman Artist cabinet rehab complete!

[StormyMonday]

Doctor Jeff did a major renovation on his at this thread
Fishman Artist cabinet rehab complete!

Wow that's a whole 'nother skillset! I got some mojotone tolex, will make it work since anything us better than what it was. I used adhesive on the first side, should have stapled till I had a clue but it'll be fine.

[nevershouldhavesoldit]

anything us better than what it was.

Oh, how many times have I said that?!?!

Recovering with Tolex is hard enough when the corners and edges are all straight and square. I’ve used a hair dryer or my heat gun to soften it just enough so that it stretches cleanly and tightly around curves. It helps to pre-stretch it by warming and folding it around the curves to be covered. Let it cool, then repeat a few times until it holds the shape you need when cool. Every bend or curve needs to be done before you glue it on, for best results.

Don't overheat it! It’s better to do each bend or curve gently a few times than it is to overheat it and end up with thinning, lumps, ridges, waves, or perforations. You can also use a clothes iron over cloth to smooth the inevitable irregularities. A heating and cooling cycle will slightly shrink it back a bit from the stretch it gets when hot. Don’t ask how I know…

Remove all the panels you can, and bury the cut Tolex edges behind them when reassembled. Don’t try to cut it and glue the free edges down where they’re visible if you can avoid it. Don’t ask…

I will never again try to recover an amp. Finishing the wood itself is far easier, although particle board and most plywood intended to be covered doesn’t look great when finished and exposed, regardless of how good a job you do. Making new panels or covering with thin, flexible hardwood veneer does work well. But good veneer is expensive, and it’s easy to break while folding and bending it. Don’t…

Good luck!

[StormyMonday]

Oh, how many times have I said that?!?!

Recovering with Tolex is hard enough when the corners and edges are all straight and square. I’ve used a hair dryer or my heat gun to soften it just enough so that it stretches cleanly and tightly around curves. It helps to pre-stretch it by warming and folding it around the curves to be covered. Let it cool, then repeat a few times until it holds the shape you need when cool. Every bend or curve needs to be done before you glue it on, for best results.

Don't overheat it! It’s better to do each bend or curve gently a few times than it is to overheat it and end up with thinning, lumps, ridges, waves, or perforations. You can also use a clothes iron over cloth to smooth the inevitable irregularities. A heating and cooling cycle will slightly shrink it back a bit from the stretch it gets when hot. Don’t ask how I know…

Remove all the panels you can, and bury the cut Tolex edges behind them when reassembled. Don’t try to cut it and glue the free edges down where they’re visible if you can avoid it. Don’t ask…

I will never again try to recover an amp. Finishing the wood itself is far easier, although particle board and most plywood intended to be covered doesn’t look great when finished and exposed, regardless of how good a job you do. Making new panels or covering with thin, flexible hardwood veneer does work well. But good veneer is expensive, and it’s easy to break while folding and bending it. Don’t…

Good luck!

Many thanks! I have a heat gun and was wondering if it would help as cut and glue wasn't doing what I want. It's funny because just looking at it you think "Ah that looks easy" then you try it ugh. This will be a one time thing for me as well, another on a long list of one time things (why did we buy a fixer upper anyway?). Thanks again!

[StormyMonday]

Well it took a couple tries and it won't be confused with a professional job, but I'll take it over the pic in the OP!

[Herbie]

Great job! Quite challenging piece of re-cover job. And I think that tolex is harder to work with than for exampel tweed. Tolex is flexible but tweed is stiff and (usually) stays where You glue it. After a couple corners You start to know how to cut it.


I know, everybody does not like the tweed yellow or amber everywhere, but You can always dye it f.ex. black.

[BBGuitar]

It is too late now but if you had sent it to Fishman along with $50 + shipping you would have received it back with the new improved covering.

I have sent 2 LoudBox mini's in for repair and got back the current model both times.

On another note I have had good luck with spray on truck bed liner for speaker cabinets.