eBay seller reveals Armor All use on JBL K120 - what to do?

[Rusty the Scoob]

I had a pair of speakers coated with hard plastic epoxy by the guys at New England Speaker per their recommendation. I thought they were crazy when they suggested it, but when I got them back they sounded about the same to me and they lasted forever. So I guess I wouldn't be too freaked out by a little armor-all.

[ugly rumor]

Yhea, and Jerry thought a super II," lost its Sparkle" after a tour. COME ON! I politely disagree with that, unless he bangs up the magnets for them to loose their molecular arrangements. It takes a MUCH longer time for a magnet to loose strength through natural age. Ive heard 40 year old pickups that sound killer. Being a touring musician like Jerry you can demand just about anything with your gear, I think it may have been Jerry's heart that wanted to keep his friends employed and busy, and a touch of, "there's nothing like the sound of some new pickups," kind of thing. As for his speakers, I am sure they sounded like huge farts after he was done touring with them for a year. He kept those speakers thumping pretty much year round back then to the brink of the Mac's clipping levels for HOURS a show. Not that they couldn't handle it, but I am sure they got hot and "wet" in the semi truck during transport, then put back into normal inside conditions for a few days, then again with the humid "outdoors", and so on. Anything that expands, contracts and then gets spanked well usually wears out over time, no matter what it is. I can tell my body has....

I think it had much more to do with the cones and spiders than with the magnets and voice coil. They can last just about forever. And you're right about his touring conditions versus our light bar-hopping. But I do agree that for his situation and with his experience and dedication to quality, he was right. The same situation applies to us, but on a much slower scale. A car in a museum doesn't wear out like one driven daily.

[strumminsix]

Yhea, and Jerry thought a super II," lost its Sparkle" after a tour. COME ON! I politely disagree with that, unless he bangs up the magnets for them to loose their molecular arrangements. It takes a MUCH longer time for a magnet to loose strength through natural age.

I've read it more than once where Jerry had his pickups changed for that reason. I do agree he was wrong but it's what he thought.

[tcsned]

Yhea, and Jerry thought a super II," lost its Sparkle" after a tour. COME ON! I politely disagree with that, unless he bangs up the magnets for them to loose their molecular arrangements. It takes a MUCH longer time for a magnet to loose strength through natural age.

I've read it more than once where Jerry had his pickups changed for that reason. I do agree he was wrong but it's what he thought.

Perception = reality for those perceiving it.

I've got a '55 Gibson lap steel with an original P-90 that's as strong and badass as a brand spanking new one. Jerry did have some pretty acidic hands from what I've heard but I don't see how that demagnetizes a pickup. I play with a guy who corrodes his hardware so bad that he has broken several stop tailpieces on his Les Paul but he has never destroyed a pickup.

[strumminsix]

Yhea, and Jerry thought a super II," lost its Sparkle" after a tour. COME ON! I politely disagree with that, unless he bangs up the magnets for them to loose their molecular arrangements. It takes a MUCH longer time for a magnet to loose strength through natural age.

I've read it more than once where Jerry had his pickups changed for that reason. I do agree he was wrong but it's what he thought.

Perception = reality for those perceiving it.

I've got a '55 Gibson lap steel with an original P-90 that's as strong and badass as a brand spanking new one. Jerry did have some pretty acidic hands from what I've heard but I don't see how that demagnetizes a pickup. I play with a guy who corrodes his hardware so bad that he has broken several stop tailpieces on his Les Paul but he has never destroyed a pickup.

I really don't think any pickups go bad from normal usage in a lifetime. Just saying he did.

BTW, I do relate the acidic hand issue. I turn strings purple after 1 show of playing if I don't wipe her down multiple times.

[hogan]

BTW, I do relate the acidic hand issue. I turn strings purple after 1 show of playing if I don't wipe her down multiple times.

I can turn a whole audience green in a matter of a few measures, but that's a whole other story.

[waldo041]

Healy has stated to TS;

He changed speakers every four to six gigs because the voice coils would go up in dcr as well as the ceramic magnets of the E120’s would self-degauss. When we lost the trade deal with Rhodesia (where we got the cobalt for alnico [aluminum, nickel and cobalt] magnets) all the speaker manufactures went to ceramic magnets which sucked to say the very least.

this phenom, if true, would most definately happen with the more susceptible alnico K120. in this healy comment we also see the reason why jerry moved to the ceramic e120's.

another friend who had access on the inside stated to me;

the thing about jerry changing out his pickups because the magnets wear out is true, but it was all in his mind because irwin and i tested the magnets and they did not change or weaken. irwin was smart enough to record this information back in the alembic days when jerry would have them re-charge the standard strat pickups in that strat.

while i think that your average listener cannot hear such a subtle change in magnet strength, i believe jerry was not you average player. he played night and day for hours on end and he obviously could hear even the smallest change. it was also quoted that he could hear when the house voltage dipped even a couple volts. so this all may be myth or legend, but it was all definately something he felt needed addressing.

peace,
waldo

[Pete B.]

'Can't remember where I saw/read this, but Garcia has also stated in an interview that he didn't think "magnetic-pickups" in general were a very good method of signal transfer.

"He changed speakers every four to six gigs because the voice coils would go up in dcr..."
I wonder if anybody recorded the increase in VC-DCR over the course of 4-6 gigs?

[JonnyBoy]

I wonder if some of the guys have a huge box of Jerry's old pickups they may want to sell a few of...

Did he repair his speakers or buy new ones?