[Neruda]

I did it. I actually did it. They're open. See? I told you I'd do it!

wow, I've never seen so much glue! For God's sake, did they have to use the whole stick? I used Skippy's water method (for a second time), which heated the glue and made it possible to seperate the two pieces. The cord inside is in really nasty condition; two of them are frayed nearly all the way through. My first job will probably be to resolder all the connections. No wonder I was hearing static!

After that, I'm going to do what I've been dreaming of doing for a long time: replace the grills. After that, I want to make the cord removable, and even make it a single entry if I can (and then replace the thick grado cord with a sennheiser replacement). My grados are in for some changes, baby!

A big thanks to the skipster for his excellent method for opening grados, as well as helping me through this whole deal. Then again, he's the one who got me into this mess by getting me to remove the buttons...members, please avert your eyes while I flip skippy the bird.

Beware the butterknife!

 

[bpm2000]

just curious, what is this "water method"?

 

[Neruda]

it's dangerous, but very effective. you heat water to boiling, then pour it into a cookie sheet (about 1/8-1/4" deep). while it's still really hot you put the earcups grill-down into it. you keep them there until you can't stand it anymore, then remove them. the earcups practically slide apart. (it takes a little bit of fiddling with them, but you'll feel them come apart). I think I left mine in for about a minute.

 

[bpm2000]

Crazy, crazy people, the lot of ya!

 

[skippy]

at least the butterknife actually helped you out this time

 

[Neruda]

yes, that's true (I used it to remove a particularly stubborn piece of the grill from one earcup).

 

[Apheared]

Sorry, but that 'popsickle zone' title is gone, now... hey Jude!

 

[Neruda]

psh.

 

[sapphiremodena]

Did you notice any improvements when you removed the button from the sr80's?

 

[Neruda]

nothing audible...

 

[Apheared]

what are you gonna re-glue em shut with?

 

[Neruda]

I might not even reglue them. They stay shut perfectly fine without any glue, and it would be easier to keep them open in case I wish to make more changes. Right now I have them with no grill whatsoever and I'm considering keeping them this way; they look really wierd

.

 

[sapphiremodena]

ooooh, post pics!!!

 

[Neruda]

no digital camera, sorry!

 

[eric343]

Send 'em to me and I'll post pics

Do you have a laptop? Go buy a Compact Flash card (memory, something like $20 for 5 megs) and go with the (out of packaging) card to CompUSA or your local digital camera-selling computer store. Pick a camera that takes CompactFlash media, stick yours in it, and take pics of your Grados. Take the card home, stick it into the CF to PCMCIA adapter you bought along with the CF card (unless you have a CompactFlash slot on your laptop (newer ThinkPads do IIRC) and presto, your pics!