Replacing speakers in a modified Wurlitzer 200A

[oomdik]

I'm repairing an early model Wurlitzer 200A and want to replace the faulty speakers.

From what I can tell, this model originally had its speakers mounted to the chassis, as is done with the 200, instead of in the lid as with most 200A's.

A previous owner removed the brackets - messy, see attached image - and then installed some non-Wurli speakers in the lid by drilling holes that do not match the standard 200A speakers.
Unless of course this 200A originally had smaller speakers installed in the lid, which I think is far less likely; this also wouldn't explain the bracket installation/removal from the chassis.

Anyway, I'm considering drilling 8 new holes and installing the new speakers in the lid. Manufacturing and installing new brackets seems like a daunting task.

If anyone has any suggestions regarding this I'm all ears!
If I drill the holes I might get some plastic hole plugs to fill the old ones. Either that or fill them with black dyed epoxy.

Thanks

[velo-hobo]

Doc Wurly's excellent website states that some of the early production 200A models had the speakers mounted to the chassis rail and not the lid. If I'm reading correctly, your piano which appears to have the updated amp+preamp would have been produced between October 1974 and April 1975, approximately.
Following the longtime policy of using up parts from prior models, this is a version of the 200A that has speakers on the amp rail, like a 200, instead of mounted on cover. Most known examples have atypical, non-chronological (higher) serial numbers in known range of 91xxx-93xxx, then 99xxx (USA) and 98xxx (Europe, 220Volt).

(86001L-86666L numbers seem to bookend the 9xxxxL run of rail-mount 200A's.)

All evidence suggests the earliest instruments were assembled from parts dating no later than August 1974 (European instruments in 98XXX) range), and from "latest parts" of October 1974 for USA instruments. This run continued until sometime in early 1975 (known March, possible April instruments). Instruments sometimes use up "pre-A" 200 series parts dated as early as January 1974, mixed with parts from 9 months later; so it is important to check as many date stamps as possible to assess the most likely approximate date of a given instrument.

As with some early non-hybrid 200A's, the hum shields are cut for the prior amp's heat sinks, and may fit poorly. Some do not have aluminum-tubed transformer wires (as with 200 series).

Around May 1975, production switched to instruments with speakers in lids, and numbering picked up in the prior 86XXX range.
I have a 200, and having worked on a number of 200As, I far prefer having the speakers mounted to the chassis rather than the lid. It's an additional annoyance to contend with from a service perspective, in terms of the speaker cable connector, as well as not having the speakers right there while working on it with the lid removed. Plus the lid is heavier and when it is removed from the piano, and the center of mass is lopsided so it's easier to knock it over.

If you want to have the speakers in the lid, I'd suggest drilling new holes to match the proper/factory mounting pattern. Original-style mounting screws with the decorative flower-shaped heads are available from online retailers.

Whether you bother to fill the old, wrong-pattern holes is up to you. Plastic plugs in various sizes are widely available online for low cost. Personally I would go that route rather than epoxy simply because it's faster, no-mess, and easily reversible if you don't end up liking it. A dab of adhesive could address rattling or the potential of falling out.

My 200 has had four extra holes drilled in the left and right sides of the lid since forever, probably to attach some sort of "upper deck" platform for another keyboard. It doesn't bother me, but I guess I don't have to look at it all the time while playing, as it is in your situation.

Lastly, if you really wanted to make it factory or just dislike having the speakers attached to the lid, you could source an original 200 amp rail and new production 200-style speakers. I don't know if it's OK to name retailers here, but both of them have pinned posts at the top of this forum.

You might eventually find an old 200 amp rail for cheaper on the auction site if you keep an eye peeled for it. I used to have one, but chopped the lengths to install the 200 amp in a 140B that was missing all the original electronics. This was back in the days before aftermarket, turnkey 140B amps hit the scene.