Phonoland

Hello, Can anyone suggest a supplier in the UK where fairly original grill cloth be obtained...that as fitted to HMVs perhaps. Thanks. Peter.

I live in Australia, so cant tell you a specific supplier, but I've found that just about every gramophone/radio gram that I've owned has had different cloths. Even machines of the same brand. I usually try and save a small fragment of the original, then hunt around in every fabric & dress shop I can find. I've had a lot of luck in op-shops especially. Sometimes I've even got good matches by looking at the underside of garments.As you'd know, some fabrics look completely different on the "wrong" side. Even curtain fabrics will sometimes offer a good match, as long as they're not too thick. If you dont have a sample to go by, you might have to try and find someone with the same or similar model to go by. 9 times out of 10 though, you'll find at least a few threads stuck in the old glue, that will give a clue to the original colour at least.

If you can't source speaker grill cloth - I have found a reasonable replacement for gramophones can be made by using embroidery canvas. This can be bought in a variety of correct looking colours and mesh sizes. Its always worth a look in your local craft/sewing/hobby shop.
All the best,
Andrew Wilkinson

Shane, did you not have any luck with the UK "supplier" I offered you?

Steve- negotiations are under way (under a veil of secrecy of coarse )
Thanks for the lead!

Aha, I think you mean a veil of grille cloth

Hope it works out ok.