EC Collins Grill Cloth

[HeeBGB]

OK this thread is fueled by this thread on TGP
http://www.thegearpage.net/board/showth ... ?t=1200082

I am specifically interested in hearing about the EC Collins grill cloth that is on the Scumback Cab in the vid.

I'd like to hear opinions on the grill cloth. Does it make that big a difference in tone? Is it worth the money?

Anyone have any other clips and/or comparison vids?

[vibratoking]

C'mon man, fight it...fight it harder...don't let them assimilate you. Especially don't let them assimilate you and your money.

After all these years, we find out the grill cloth is the ONE thing that stayed consistent and caused the Marshall sound. Not the tubes, the circuit design, transformers, caps, resistors, chassis, speaker, wood, pots, pink wire ...Nope it was the grill cloth all along.

The changes in my ears probably chang the sound more than any of the base components in the amp design. If I use that grill cloth today, the sound will be way to dull compared to the 60s. I either need a time machine to transport me back to the 60s or I need an ear transplant with the corrected frequency response so that I can hear like I used to. I am sure that after I get the transplant, someone will develop new grill cloth for the implant and I will have to undergo another surgery. Hmmm it never seems to end.

After looking at the EC Collins website, I read that the new cloth is exactly the same in every way...but then I read this:

* The only improvement over the "Original" cloth that I made was that 1960s examples were manufactured with industrial grade fibers woven into the base fabric. Unfortunately, this produces a structurally weak cloth and most original pieces of "Bluesbreaker-Pinstripe" suffer from considerable rips and tears. Fortunately, the manufacturer of this identical fabric allowed me the choice of cloth QUALITY. The highest available grade is produced from fibers that are two-to-three times longer than the types chosen for industrial use. When woven to identical specifications, this quite logically produces a cloth that is 2-3 times as strong. This fabric is very expensive, but it looks the same, it feels the same, it certainly sounds the same, and this time around it promises to hold up much better and not "split" like 1960s Originals.

Nice of him to find the holy grail of all grill cloth and then CHANGE/IMPROVE it. Huh...?

Sorry, I just could not resist.

[Structo]

My cousin bought some of that cloth for his old BluesBreaker combo.

Seems like he said it cost about $500.
Sure made his amp look great!

Not sure about the tone change but it would seem it would cut the highs a bit just like the basket weave stuff.

I didn't play the amp so not sure what it sounds like.

The pinstripe cloth actually feels like rubber on the grey stripes.

So I guess you could call it tone cloth if you want.

[vibratoking]

$500 for grill cloth for a BluesBreaker? And he went throught with it? His BB has now gone down in value since it doesn't have the orginal cloth.

I'm starting to believe that we have all overlooked the knobs that we are using.

http://bobbyowsinski.blogspot.com/2012/ ... -knob.html

Come to think of it, the earth's magnetic field is constantly shifting which could cause massive interactions with ALL the circuitry in our amps. Where's that time machine?

[JazzGuitarGimp]

When something 'new and improved' is accompanied by an inconceivably huge price tag, I run the other way. Many years ago, I was asked to play at the NAMM show, in the Ribbecke Guitars booth. Tom Ribbecke had just finished an archtop guitar for me which was quite ornate. I showed up with just the guitar, knowing there would be an amp and a cable there. I got there and Tom went out to find an amp & cable - in addition to the amp, he came back with........ a $3,000.00 solid silver wire guitar cable. I couldn't hear a difference, and certainly not a $2,980 difference!

[Colossal]

While I do not doubt there is some acoustic effect and I laude the guy's extensive efforts in making a dead on replica, I put this choice of material up there for guys that just cannot settle for anything less than a true replica, have the disposal income for it, and truly value it for what it is. Much the same way some guys will gladly pay $55k for a Dumble. It's all truly in what you value and there is no right or wrong in choice. I'm glad there is demand for products like this even though I wouldn't personally choose to use it.

[vibratoking]

... I laude the guy's extensive efforts in making a dead on replica...

By his own admission, he didn't.

[xtian]

My buddy, a vintage guitar trader, is a proponent of this cloth. Of course, he's prone to hyperbole about most high end gear, so, you know. But the cloth looks and feels great. It's not sonically transparent. It cuts highs a little bit, I think, softening the sound.

[Scumback Speakers]

There was a side by side comparison of the EC cloth and the Marshall S&P (aka basketweave) cloth at Tone Merchants awhile back. Eight players went into a room, and we had a 50w Metro 1987 amp as the test amp. It was filled with nice NOS glass, including Telefunken EL34's (it was my purple 50w head), and Mullard preamp tubes. We brought in an LP replica with real PAF's and a 65 Strat (IIRC).

After an hour and switching between the cabs a bunch of times, 7 of us came out of the demo area convinced that the EC cloth did something special to the mids and treble that took us back to Cream, Ten Years After, Hendrix, etc.

One guy didn't get it. We all looked at him, he preferred the S&P cloth cab.

I have six personal cabs with EC cloth, ranging from a 1x12 to a regular stack, and a tall stack (tall top and bottom).

No it's not cheap, but it produces a unique sound you can't get out of any other grill cloth on the market.

Do I wish it was cheaper? Sure. Can you find a real pinstripe Marshall cab for less than $4-5k? No.

Here's what the BB RI and the EC cloth look like side by side.

[img:850:525]http://www.scumbackspeakers.com/cabinet ... m_both.jpg[/img]

[Colossal]

... I laude the guy's extensive efforts in making a dead on replica...

By his own admission, he didn't.

Let me clarify, I just don't care enough to read the webpage. Like I said, I respect the idea but do not relate on any level to the aesthetic requirement vs. cost to attain it.

[Reeltarded]

Spray paint makes it better.

[M Fowler]

Well there going to need to starting putting EC cloth on headphones or PA cabs because I'm finding more and more people are not even using amps/speaker cabs.

[Reeltarded]

Ear pods. Pinstriped ear pods.

[M Fowler]

Ear pods. Pinstriped ear pods.

Maybe Jim will start selling some just for us TAG guys.

[Scumback Speakers]

Ear pods. Pinstriped ear pods.

LOL, I can just see you guys with 12" wide ear pods and your pinstripe cloth hanging from the pod frame.

Maybe Jim will start selling some just for us TAG guys.

Sorry, I love the way the cloth sounds personally, and visually it's a real treat. But you have to understand that even if you buy in dealer quantities, it's like a 10-12% discount off retail. There's no money in it, it's just a cloth option for those who want the ultimate.

If you don't need that tone/look or can't cost justify it, that's fine, too.