How can I fix a broken speaker tinsel wire

[yann]

Hi,

I was wondering what would be the best way to fix a broken tinsel wire.
I have this Fender Super Twin Reverb speaker with a broken wire and I really would like to fix it as this part is not easy to find for replacement.

Here is the problem :


Any idea about the way to proceed ? I wanted to extend the remaining wire with another one but it will not last as the remaining portion is in a bad state...

[Leo_Gnardo]

I have used solder removal braid as a substitute for speaker lead-in tinsel wire. The challenge with your speaker is getting a good connection at the cone end. You may be able to scrape clean a portion of that remaining stub so you can get a bead of solder to stick to it.

[yann]

I have used solder removal braid as a substitute for speaker lead-in tinsel wire.

Here it is :



Seems to work fine, thanks a lot Leo !

[potatofarmer]

In the future, Weber Speakers sells tinsel wire as well as dust caps and all the parts you'd need if you wanted to recone a common guitar amp speaker. Shipping cost and time would make that silly for just replacing one tinsel lead, but just an FYI for anyone who's looking in the future.

[yann]

That's good to know

[Leo_Gnardo]

Seems to work fine, thanks a lot Leo !

Zut alors, yann you work fast! Looks like a 70's Eminence you have there. Hope it continues to work for you. Tough old speakers.

[yann]

This is because you have answered so fast ;-)

This speaker is one of the two speakers in the Fender Super Twin Reverb I have in the shop for repair.
The beast needed recap job, power tubes change, a reverb tank fix (broken wire again), and finally this speaker fix.

[drewl]

Nice.

So, any idea why speakers are constructed with that instead of regular wire?
Stronger/more durable?

I constantly have to replace broken rivets on the terminal strip on cheaper Fender speakers.
You have to be careful not to break the tinsel lead.

[Enzo]

Yes, it is made that way to be flexible. Regular wire is not.

[Leo_Gnardo]

any idea why speakers are constructed with that instead of regular wire?
Stronger/more durable?

More flexible. That lead in wire is waving around hundreds of times a second and expected to last many years in service. And usually it does. One mod I saw was to double up the tinsel wire but you had to do some further surgery: pop the dust cap off, remove the original from its solder bead, thread two new tinsel leads in, solder 'em in place. A lot of fiddling around to double the current handling ability of the lead-in wire.

Also, so that the wire isn't tugging at the back of the cone when it's driven with large low frequency signals. In the doubled up example, the lead-in wires were left a fraction of an inch longer so the cone could move to its extreme without the risk of popping the wire off cone or connector tab.

I constantly have to replace broken rivets on the terminal strip on cheaper Fender speakers.
You have to be careful not to break the tinsel lead.

Same here, and not only on Fenders. Mostly single rivet Eminence terminals. I don't feel I have the skill to drill out that rivet. Instead I mix up a tiny batch of JB Weld epoxy and cram that between the wings of the terminal strip and speaker frame. Sometimes have to hold the connector strip in place with a couple of alligator clips while the epoxy hardens. So far no repeat failures.

[drewl]

The rivets come easily by clipping the flat part with wire cutters and the if it doesn't pop out tap lightly with hammer and punch.

[g1]

In the future, Weber Speakers sells tinsel wire as well as dust caps and all the parts you'd need if you wanted to recone a common guitar amp speaker. Shipping cost and time would make that silly for just replacing one tinsel lead, but just an FYI for anyone who's looking in the future.

When I do autopsies on dead speakers I will sometimes de-solder the tinsel leads first and save them, just to have a couple on hand.

[Enzo]

I used to harvest them from blown subwoofers. Those big voice coils with long throws had nice long tinsels, so I just snipped them at each end, the bit saved was more than long enough for smaller speakers like 12 and under.

[yann]

Did not have the opportunity to have dead speakers yet (repair activity started only 2 months ago :-)) but for sure I will harvest some of these tinsels in future.

[Chuck H]

If it come up much you can always buy the stuff too. Or even if it comes up a little.?. One roll could last a lifetime.

https://www.google.com/search?q=Spea...w=1536&bih=775