Ive decided i will embark on a building journey... to build a 412 cabinet, I just dont have the money to buy a marshall or mesa cab and really enjoy building, I figure i can put the celestions in a cab i build myself after the dimensions of a mesa oversized. What is the sturdiest and cheapest wood I can use to make the cab?
What is the best cheap wood to use for a speaker cab
- Thread starter Chazzy
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ehdwuld
A Ficus
Re: What is the best cheap wood to use for a speaker cab
oriented strand board
no really some sort of plywood
you want one with no voids or cavities in it
those hollows will affect the sound (IT WILL RATTLE)
I would suggest three quarter inch thick but one half inch would work if it were braced properly
oriented strand board
no really some sort of plywood
you want one with no voids or cavities in it
those hollows will affect the sound (IT WILL RATTLE)
I would suggest three quarter inch thick but one half inch would work if it were braced properly
Johnny the Kid
Shaunofthedeadologist
Re: What is the best cheap wood to use for a speaker cab
I always hear that builders are using some kind of pine plywood.
I always hear that builders are using some kind of pine plywood.
Myaccount876
Amira-Maker
Re: What is the best cheap wood to use for a speaker cab
Cabinets aren't something to skimp on. If it is worth doing, it is worth doing right.
Now do you want a cheap 4x12, and you'll be able to tell it is cheap, or do you want a cabinet that sounds great and suits your needs?
The three things you should never skimp on with a cabinet is the wood, speakers, and craftmanship (all of these aspects are equally important). If any of those three things are missing, the cabinet will suffer. The cabinet must be built sturdily so it doesn't rattle. Closed back 4x12s also have a lot of internal pressure going on - you don't want the cabinet to fall apart due to shoddy work. Also, you ideally want the material to be dense (no air pockets - usually either tightly layered plywood or really compressed MDF), durable (MDF will require a lot of thought for protecting the cabinet), yet still light enough to carry and be workable.
Personally, I recommend Marine Grade Baltic Birch plywood, 1/2" for a 4x12, with a lot of internal bracing, or 3/4" for anything smaller (the weight adds up). A lot the older tweed cabinets used pine, but if you're going for Marshall/Mesa Boogie, pine and other hardwoods are simply the wrong choice. Home Depot/Lowes/Hardwood store plywood simply won't cut it; their best stuff still isn't good enough. Especially if you want to stain/see the wood. You'll need to find a local plywood yard.
I also highly recommend neodymium speakers to keep the weight down. There are a couple good ones from various speaker brands, but I like the Celestion G12 Century Vintage speakers. They're like V30's with a bigger bass response, a less sharp - yet more broad - midrange, and a sharper high end attack. They're very efficient, and I highly recommend them.
Cabinets aren't something to skimp on. If it is worth doing, it is worth doing right.
Now do you want a cheap 4x12, and you'll be able to tell it is cheap, or do you want a cabinet that sounds great and suits your needs?
The three things you should never skimp on with a cabinet is the wood, speakers, and craftmanship (all of these aspects are equally important). If any of those three things are missing, the cabinet will suffer. The cabinet must be built sturdily so it doesn't rattle. Closed back 4x12s also have a lot of internal pressure going on - you don't want the cabinet to fall apart due to shoddy work. Also, you ideally want the material to be dense (no air pockets - usually either tightly layered plywood or really compressed MDF), durable (MDF will require a lot of thought for protecting the cabinet), yet still light enough to carry and be workable.
Personally, I recommend Marine Grade Baltic Birch plywood, 1/2" for a 4x12, with a lot of internal bracing, or 3/4" for anything smaller (the weight adds up). A lot the older tweed cabinets used pine, but if you're going for Marshall/Mesa Boogie, pine and other hardwoods are simply the wrong choice. Home Depot/Lowes/Hardwood store plywood simply won't cut it; their best stuff still isn't good enough. Especially if you want to stain/see the wood. You'll need to find a local plywood yard.
I also highly recommend neodymium speakers to keep the weight down. There are a couple good ones from various speaker brands, but I like the Celestion G12 Century Vintage speakers. They're like V30's with a bigger bass response, a less sharp - yet more broad - midrange, and a sharper high end attack. They're very efficient, and I highly recommend them.
Re: What is the best cheap wood to use for a speaker cab
I am good with wood, and the birch plywood i will look into getting... i will try and send a link tmo of the wood i want to buy. the speakers im putting in are ok, i cant buy more expensive ones, they are celestion g12l 35s or something rather.
I am good with wood, and the birch plywood i will look into getting... i will try and send a link tmo of the wood i want to buy. the speakers im putting in are ok, i cant buy more expensive ones, they are celestion g12l 35s or something rather.
Re: What is the best cheap wood to use for a speaker cab
Nothing is cheaper than a used 4x12.
CL and all the amp forums are full of them.
Do you live near me.?
I have two for sale, in great shape, that I would be happy to get 200 bux a piece for.
By the time you buy plywood, covering, baffle, jacks, t-nuts, etc, and your time.....I am not sure it will be "worth it".
good luck
Nothing is cheaper than a used 4x12.
CL and all the amp forums are full of them.
Do you live near me.?
I have two for sale, in great shape, that I would be happy to get 200 bux a piece for.
By the time you buy plywood, covering, baffle, jacks, t-nuts, etc, and your time.....I am not sure it will be "worth it".
good luck
Gone_Shootin
New member
Re: What is the best cheap wood to use for a speaker cab
Just Google up some local Hardwood Supply stores and ask them if they can get marine grade Baltic birch ply. 5/8" and 3/4" is the most common (actually it comes in metric, but people just call the stuff by it's closest standard size over here). It's not all that expensive.
Just Google up some local Hardwood Supply stores and ask them if they can get marine grade Baltic birch ply. 5/8" and 3/4" is the most common (actually it comes in metric, but people just call the stuff by it's closest standard size over here). It's not all that expensive.
Myaccount876
Amira-Maker
Re: What is the best cheap wood to use for a speaker cab
See if you can find a B-52 AT412. They're Baltic Birch Plywood construction, decent build quality, and can be had for as low as just a bit over $100. They only really could use a speaker change (V30 style speakers sound GREAT in them). Look into Warehouse Guitar Speakers, specifically the Retro or Veteran 30 (both are different spins on the V30). Also look out for used Eminence speakers. A pair of Swamp Thangs mixed with a pair of Governors would kick all kinds of heavy ass.
See if you can find a B-52 AT412. They're Baltic Birch Plywood construction, decent build quality, and can be had for as low as just a bit over $100. They only really could use a speaker change (V30 style speakers sound GREAT in them). Look into Warehouse Guitar Speakers, specifically the Retro or Veteran 30 (both are different spins on the V30). Also look out for used Eminence speakers. A pair of Swamp Thangs mixed with a pair of Governors would kick all kinds of heavy ass.
Re: What is the best cheap wood to use for a speaker cab
I will have to respectfully decline the your offer, sorry, I want to build it because I enjoy building things and want a project to work on over the summer. Not to mention the extra crap kmd 412 cab case that i am currently using will go to my friend so he can put some speakers in them...
I will have to respectfully decline the your offer, sorry, I want to build it because I enjoy building things and want a project to work on over the summer. Not to mention the extra crap kmd 412 cab case that i am currently using will go to my friend so he can put some speakers in them...
Chickenwings
Alnico 6/8
Re: What is the best cheap wood to use for a speaker cab
Make your cab out of good heavy ply.
Use your cheap speakers in the short term.
When you have some cash you can always install nice speakers and your cab will be able to keep up.
Make your cab out of good heavy ply.
Use your cheap speakers in the short term.
When you have some cash you can always install nice speakers and your cab will be able to keep up.
Re: What is the best cheap wood to use for a speaker cab
I got a sheet of of 3/4" 13 ply oak at Home Depot. It was at the bottom of the rack of their Birch plywood, which was sold out. It was dinged up on the edges and had some gouges and was probably there for years because the Oak ply I see there recently is either 7 or 9 ply. It cost me under $15 for the full sheet, they took 70% off. I used it to build a new baffle for a 4X12. I had to cut around some beat up edges but the section I used was void free where all cuts were made, including the speaker cut outs. That isn't typical because the Home Depot stuff is imported (China) and mostly crap. Online they show some domestic ply in stock at my local stores, including Birch, but they never actually stock it. What I'm getting at is that if you want cheap, you are going to be taking a chance. Personally, of the imported ply that Home Depot (or Lowes) has, I have done some back panels with Sande Ply but the stuff get's terrible reviews. I got a sheet that was almost void free and was decent plywood for "cheap" stuff but I think I got lucky based on the reviews. Don't use any of the Home Depot imported stuff if you don't plan on covering it. The veneer is very thin and tends to splinter when cut. I saw sheets of primed 13 ply at Lowes that looked ok on the edges but I think it was just primed Sande ply.
I used to build smaller speaker boxes (home audio) and subwoofer boxes (mdf with ply baffles) from 9 ply Baltic birch I got from a small, local mom and pop. This was years ago and the wood was $35, or thereabouts, for a full sheet. It was good, domestic birch, absolutely void free. Great wood despite not being 13 ply. But those days are over. That kind of money gets you crappy wood now. That, or you need to get real lucky to get a decent sheet. As I mentioned, I think I got lucky with the two sheets that I most recently bought. As someone mentioned, you will pay more, after tolex and grill cloth, etc. to build a 4x12 out of a quality ply (or maybe even crappy ply) than you can buy a good, used one made from good wood. Personally, I understand you wanting to do it yourself. But, you may want to consider paying more up front for a domestic ply. The cabinet that I replaced the baffle on was a yard sale MDF cab. I replaced the baffle and built a couple of back panels (closed and semi-open). It actually sounds fantastic but my point is that I wasn't going to spend a lot of money for good ply for this cabinet. If I were set on building one from scratch, I would suck up the cost and buy domestic birch ply that I knew was going to be void free.
For the record, I'm no carpenter or craftsmen. But, I can build a decent box. Or, at least I could before I screwed up my neck and then got old and achy.
I got a sheet of of 3/4" 13 ply oak at Home Depot. It was at the bottom of the rack of their Birch plywood, which was sold out. It was dinged up on the edges and had some gouges and was probably there for years because the Oak ply I see there recently is either 7 or 9 ply. It cost me under $15 for the full sheet, they took 70% off. I used it to build a new baffle for a 4X12. I had to cut around some beat up edges but the section I used was void free where all cuts were made, including the speaker cut outs. That isn't typical because the Home Depot stuff is imported (China) and mostly crap. Online they show some domestic ply in stock at my local stores, including Birch, but they never actually stock it. What I'm getting at is that if you want cheap, you are going to be taking a chance. Personally, of the imported ply that Home Depot (or Lowes) has, I have done some back panels with Sande Ply but the stuff get's terrible reviews. I got a sheet that was almost void free and was decent plywood for "cheap" stuff but I think I got lucky based on the reviews. Don't use any of the Home Depot imported stuff if you don't plan on covering it. The veneer is very thin and tends to splinter when cut. I saw sheets of primed 13 ply at Lowes that looked ok on the edges but I think it was just primed Sande ply.
I used to build smaller speaker boxes (home audio) and subwoofer boxes (mdf with ply baffles) from 9 ply Baltic birch I got from a small, local mom and pop. This was years ago and the wood was $35, or thereabouts, for a full sheet. It was good, domestic birch, absolutely void free. Great wood despite not being 13 ply. But those days are over. That kind of money gets you crappy wood now. That, or you need to get real lucky to get a decent sheet. As I mentioned, I think I got lucky with the two sheets that I most recently bought. As someone mentioned, you will pay more, after tolex and grill cloth, etc. to build a 4x12 out of a quality ply (or maybe even crappy ply) than you can buy a good, used one made from good wood. Personally, I understand you wanting to do it yourself. But, you may want to consider paying more up front for a domestic ply. The cabinet that I replaced the baffle on was a yard sale MDF cab. I replaced the baffle and built a couple of back panels (closed and semi-open). It actually sounds fantastic but my point is that I wasn't going to spend a lot of money for good ply for this cabinet. If I were set on building one from scratch, I would suck up the cost and buy domestic birch ply that I knew was going to be void free.
For the record, I'm no carpenter or craftsmen. But, I can build a decent box. Or, at least I could before I screwed up my neck and then got old and achy.
Empty Pockets
BadHairDayologist
Re: What is the best cheap wood to use for a speaker cab
Everyone I know who's built their own cab and loaded it with new Celestions has eventually said they should've just bought a decent used cab. Materials and time add up to a lot, plus good luck selling a used homemade cab for half the price of a used Marshall. Food for thought...
Everyone I know who's built their own cab and loaded it with new Celestions has eventually said they should've just bought a decent used cab. Materials and time add up to a lot, plus good luck selling a used homemade cab for half the price of a used Marshall. Food for thought...
Empty Pockets
BadHairDayologist
Re: What is the best cheap wood to use for a speaker cab
http://m.guitarcenter.com/Marshall-...2-Purple-Guitar-Cabinet-110420769-i3937867.gc
You could buy that, rock the **** out of it for 20 years, then sell it for a profit, or spend as much money on a set of decent speakers and a bunch of time building a cab somebody m8ght offer you $200 for some day.
http://m.guitarcenter.com/Marshall-...2-Purple-Guitar-Cabinet-110420769-i3937867.gc
You could buy that, rock the **** out of it for 20 years, then sell it for a profit, or spend as much money on a set of decent speakers and a bunch of time building a cab somebody m8ght offer you $200 for some day.
jacksontrader
New member
Re: What is the best cheap wood to use for a speaker cab
412 cabinets can be bought used for cheap. If you lived closer to me, I've got one that you could have. I used to think I needed a 100 watt head with a 412 to play live, boy was I wrong. I took all the speakers out of the cab and put them into 2 212 cabs, which is still pretty loud. Good luck.
412 cabinets can be bought used for cheap. If you lived closer to me, I've got one that you could have. I used to think I needed a 100 watt head with a 412 to play live, boy was I wrong. I took all the speakers out of the cab and put them into 2 212 cabs, which is still pretty loud. Good luck.
