Removing the grill cloth on my amp

[ericlingus]

okay so i'm learning about mic placement but having a hard time seeing exactly where the speaker cone is. Even with a flashlight. So could I just remove the grill cloth? What would be any downsides to this besides the speaker no longer being protected?

 

[peopleperson]

Means nothing. Do it.

 

[ericlingus]

thanks. I also hear it actually makes it sound better without it. Any comments on that?

 

[peopleperson]

I don't have jedi hearing, but I've never noticed a difference. If it were felt or leather, then yeah.

 

[ericlingus]

but totally okay to move then? It would make things much easier for me. I never even move the amp anyways. I'm not worried about damaging the speaker.

 

[cellardweller]

Personally, I would floam it upon removal of the grill cloth.

 

[ericlingus]

lol. Should I get it in hot pink or neon green?

 

[cellardweller]

Psst!

It's a little known secret that shortly it will be available in CHROME!!!

 

[ericlingus]

awsome! Do you think if I took apart my speaker and just floamed the shit outta everything in there it'll get me that "pro tube" sound?

 

[ericlingus]

oh and what color has the best tonal qualities? I hear hot pink gets you that real "vintage" tube sound.

 

[cellardweller]

Two words

Chrome DUDE!!!

 

[ericlingus]

so no worries? I am afraid to do it! But it will help me get a better sound im sure. Right now I am having a real hard time seeing the cone

 

[Alexbt]

When miking a speaker, I like to just listen for the sweet spot. You can't nail it just by looking.

Many engineers will tell you that you shouldn't be pointing it directly at the cone anyways, but on an angle.

 

[Dani Pace]

Grill on, grill off, which way does it sound better? How cloce to the speaker do you want to get with the mic? If you want the mic really cloce you either have to remove the grill or cut a hole in it, I recomend removing rather than a hole.
And contrary to popular belief, if you cut a hole in the grill it can not be repaired later with Floam.

 

[ericlingus]

I know I can't get it just by looking but I have been reading about mic placement for distorted guitar and I just wanna follow their examples. So when I have a mic at a certain position and like the sound, I know where it's miked exactly. But I don't know maybe i'll try harder with another flashlight.

 

[tarnationsauce2]

If it is a cloth grille the sound difference is negligible. I would not concern myself with removing the grille.
Such as this marshall grille:

But if it is a metal grille the metal can vibrate and cause buzzing of the metal against the cabinet, or resonance that'll cause a "strange muddy" sound that close-miking picks up and exaggerates compared to live playing.
Basically, tap the grille (play a bongo on it) and if it resonates, take it off.
I would remove the grille on these kind of cabinets (bass & guitar):
(provided it's ok with the client to take it off)

 

[Alexbt]

Resonating or not, if he was miking any of those cabinets, he should have no trouble finding the cone. I can see them just fine.

 

[metalhead28]

You should be placing the mic based on how it sounds, not on where it is physically in relation to the cone. knowing exactly where it is should just be considered a shortcut for getting started. I wouldn't ruin my grille for an easier shortcut. Sounds like a waste of time to me.

When you find a good spot, you can slap some masking tape or something on the grille cloth so you can remember where it was. You can't do that with no grille cloth!

 

[peopleperson]

Chrome DUDE!!!

Haha!!

Chrome IS tone.

 

[ericlingus]

yeah I just wanted to follow what slipperman said in that recording distorted guitars from hell page. But fuck it I don't wanna ruin it just for that.