What's wrong with particle board?

[Cory_Dylan]

I swear, you guys make me feel dumber by the minute :laugh2:

I recently built a speaker cabinet (built damn well, mind you). It's made out of particle wood... *i think*. It looks like a bunch of sawdust. Sort of like MDF, but it's not. I've been reading article on here about amps and cabs and "particle board" keeps getting bashed... what's wrong with it? I used it because it's very strong, and when you see cabinets built for cars they're made out of the same stuff.

SO why is it so bad? Could I get better tone with different wood? I only used it becuase it's very strong and it will last and I've seen it used for speakers before.

 

[JOLLY]

Re: What's wrong with particle board?

Particle board isn't strong. Go outside and drop some and see what happens.

 

[FretFire]

Re: What's wrong with particle board?

Particle board isn't strong. Go outside and drop some and see what happens.

Exactly. It's ok in car applications because once you install them, they pretty much stay there from then on. Guitar cabinets are transported and have to put up with more bumps, bangs, and drops. Particle board is not good for a guitar speaker cab, IMO.

 

[Artie]

Re: What's wrong with particle board?

Edit: I decided to delete the crux of this post. The fact that particle board might have an application in audiophile speakers was irrelevant and potentially confusing to the subject at hand.

I wouldn't use particle board for a guitar cab.

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: What's wrong with particle board?

The reason it's not that great for guitar cabs, is because it has a dead sound, and no acoustical resonance. Since it's half sawdust and glue, it just sucks the energy away from the speaker, whereas something like birch ply will add to the sound, in a good way. Since you spent the time to build it, go ahead and listen to it with good speakers in it, and decide if it sounds fine to you. I wouldn't go to any added expense to tolex it until you hear it. All I know is that I've listened to Marshall budget cabs (particle) next to 1960A's (plywood), and the more expensive cabs sound far better. FYI, the current Marshall 2-12, the model 1936, is made of particle board and half the people who buy one, end up selling it. Not a fact, just my observation.

 

[Hellion]

Re: What's wrong with particle board?

A lot of medium grade monitors and speaker cabinets use particle board. I've used it in equipment racks and speaker cabinets. It seems to hold up fine, but it does erode along the corners and edges unless you protect it with corners and carpeting.

 

[Quencho092]

Re: What's wrong with particle board?

score! i cut the baffle for my 15 inch jbl out of birch and it's good!