Easiest DIY Cab build

Branshen

Here's my situation: I've got a Vox Pathfinder and Celestion G12T-75. I've been thinking about building a cab, something that would be solid, give me a good tone, and still be there for me when I upgrade my amplifier.

However, I'm not much of a woodworker and don't have tools needed to produce beautiful dove tail joints. What would be the easiest thing to put together myself? I'm thinking a simple lacquered solid pine cab or similar..

Maxi

If you dont have to tools to make it look semi pro you can still at least make a good sounding cab you just need to find a cab size and design that you already like the sound of and then copy it as close as you can . You can substitute dove tails for finger joints or easier (cant remember the term) butted joints with wood screws . Open / closed back or removeable back panel .

I think touches like inset baffle board and routed (rounded) edges & corners make it look more like a proper cab also metal corners .

Just one note ....Check out the price of a harley benton cab and then compare that to the price of the stuff you might need , you might be tempted to forget it .

Branshen

Cheers for that @maxi. Ive seen the harley benton ones but I really think a solid wood one would make a noticeable difference. I'm definitely going to look at butt joints. I was just worried about making something solid enough to sit on while playing.

As for cabs I like, I can't say that I've tried any in particular that I really really like. I've played some great amps but they are usually combos.

Branshen

People don't settle with mdf or plywood guitars, I don't want to settle with mdf or plywood cabs.

ICBM

Branshen said:

People don't settle with mdf or plywood guitars, I don't want to settle with mdf or plywood cabs.

Plywood is an excellent material for guitar cabinets - possibly better than solid wood, depending on the sound you're going for. Solid can be overly resonant and bring out some not-so-good frequencies, with some amps. At the very least, you want the baffle to be ply not solid - even the classic pine Fender Tweed cabs were made like that. Blackface Fenders used particle-board!

Particle-board and especially MDF is not really good for guitar cabinets, no - but it is used in most (including very expensive) hi-fi cabs because it's very inert and non-resonant, which is exactly what you want for uncoloured reproduction.

It's all about application…

And actually, people do settle for plywood guitars when it's something like a Gibson 335 or 175 .

Branshen

@icbm you are truly an asset to the forum. Thanks man. Will consider the advice.

Maxi

If you inset the baffle board and inset the back board so that top bottom & sides wrap around they will give the cab all the strength you need . You can make it out of what ever you like but I would personally copy the materials of a cab that you already like the sound of .

As for joinery you just need to glue in some strips of wood on the inside to which you can screw the back and baffle board to .

I made a 2X12 out of ply with removable back so I can choose how resonant I want it . The inset baffle board gives me space to also inset the speaker grill cloth frame , its touches like that ,that make it look bought as apposed to home made .  Also I think sticking to dimensions that make it a good platform for plonking an amp head on top is a big plus but then you might want to pick up another G12T-75 .

ThePrettyDamned

I remember seeing a home made cab that was ply, and the guy basically screwed it together. Rough joins, very chunky...

Looked really cool.

DarnWeight

I use sliding rebate/rabbet joints on the few cabs I've built, and just added in a little extra bracing to taste.  They're pretty easy to cut with a plunge router, and aside from "locking" properly along the edges, they provide a little extra surface area for the glue to grab.  At least a couple of sash clamps will help if you're doing it this way.

This was an in-progress shot of my detuned/ported 1x12 cab mid-build...you can see the joint pretty clearly on the top right corner.  They roundover easily, and the joint doesn't especially peek through the tolex.

Cheap pine shelfboard with birch ply baffle and back panel.  I over-engineered this one a bit, but it sounds great and it's rock solid.

strat84

I built a 2x10 from plywood a few years back.. I did the finger joints by hand which wasnt to hard as long as your measurements are right.. Its the same size as a deluxe reverb, sounds good and its solid!...

Branshen

What do you guys think of this guy's build? Looks like something I can manage. I would probably finish with a reddish-brown Wudtone finish.

http://smyck.net/2013/01/09/how-to-build-a-guitar-speaker-cabinet/

Dimensions-wise, I found some cab plans by award sessions. Any opinions on this?

http://www.award-session.com/pdfs/GEAR_TALK_1.pdf

Re: Maxi's suggestion to make a 2x12, I think I'll start small first. The first one is never perfect, and if I catch a building bug, I'd definitely move up to a 2x12.

Cheers for the great replies!

Flanging_Fred

There are 4 really good YouTube video's of a French (Canadian?) guy building a clone of a Marshall 1912 cab. They are really instructive and are helping me build a 1x12 cab. Search for ' thefirstbab '.

A house move has stalled my build but I aim to complete it later this year. I'm up to here ...

http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb102/flanging_fred/Music/null_zpscb57b8e4.jpg

BTW it's fun to build but it's probably no more expensive to buy one!

Maxi

Nice Build !

Agree with the pricing aspect .

What we need are a few more skips filled with goodies from careless clear outs .

Maxi

I was watching some house renovation program the other day and they recon you can get old ply boards from building companies that would have been use for site perimeters (screens nice and thick) for nothing . Ideal ...look a bit knackered but im sure some have enough material intact at least for covering with vinyl .

Think I'll give skanska a visit .

Flanging_Fred

Maxi;126992" said:

I was watching some house renovation program the other day and they recon you can get old ply boards from building companies that would have been use for site perimeters (screens nice and thick) for nothing . Ideal ...look a bit knackered but im sure some have enough material intact at least for covering with vinyl .Think I'll give skanska a visit .

I think that only works if you have a camera crew behind you and offer the prospect of some free TV advertising.

Cynic? Moi?

Maxi

your probably right ...

might be worth a punt tho , I dont think they make money off them they might even have to pay to dispose of them .

Branshen

Thanks Flanging Fred! watching the video now!

Flanging_Fred

Branshen;127436" said:

Thanks Flanging Fred! watching the video now!

What do you think? I found them very interesting and oddly he seems to have the exact set of power tools I have. Weird.

Branshen

Great stuff. I'm pretty sure he had plans for it. There's no way he could have made an identical cab without.