Cabinet material question?

[rmcfee]

I have seen some low priced 4x12 cabs out there (Behringer comes to mind) that are made of particle board instead of the "premium plywood" type such as Marshall and Traynors new cab.
They seem to sound good if you put Celestions in them but I don't have any thing to use as a reference.
Are there really any big tone differences in the two types? Thanks. - Rob

 

[Lake Placid Blues]

Re: Cabinet material question?

Usually plyewood or wooden cabs sound more resonate than particle board and the like. With a guitar cab your not wanting a nuetral sounding cabinet, as you would with a Hi-Fi cab, or PA cab, or monitor. With a guitar or bass cab, it's the sound of speaker cones, AND the vibrating wood, as well as the cabinet design. Birch plye is usually used for British amp brand cabs and those based off the traditional British cabs. Pine is associated with Fender cabs.

That's not to say that a cab made from pB will always sound bad, by comparison. Sometimes, they can sound pretty good. Nonetheless, usually real plyewood would be prefered.

Plyewood will be far more durable and tough, and plus it will weigh less as well.

 

[rmcfee]

Re: Cabinet material question?

Thanks. I finally broke down and bought the Traynor 4x12 that goes with my Custom Special 100 head and it sounds much better than the Behringer cab.
The Traynor is solid plywood with Celestion Vitage 30s. - Rob