Worlds Best Built Cabinets

[MetalManiac]

The Mathers cabinet thread got me to a' thinkin.
What are the worlds best cabinets. Not strictly soundwise. We all know that , as illustrated by the 335 thread, Plywood can and does sound amazing, so only becasue a cabinet is built to highest standards, doesnt really mean it will sound the best I suppose.
So, this coming at a tangent more from a build quality standpoint.
As far as I can tell, Cornford cabinets are about the best qulaity available.
I came so close to getting a 2x12 Cornford for ridiulously cheap, but seller flaked.
Then I have heard awesome things about Bogner Cabinets./
Finally, Ornage seem to be a cut above.

I do love the way old Marshall cabs. sound, but again, this is about build integrity moreso than sound.

 

[Mr 9finger]

Re: Worlds Best Built Cabinets

I think it really depends on the purpose of the cabinet. Ported, sealed, half back, open back, oversize etc....

There's really only so many ways you can dice it for each given purpose. I'm not a firm believer that older cabinets are better. Granted, I don't have any experience with many old cabinets. To me, plywood is plywood. As long as each holds to the dimensions and design specifics, there really isn't a "best". 5 makers could make the exact same type cabs and the only difference be the name.

There's just not enough variables to make one better than the other IMO. Now if we're talking about loaded cabinets, that's a whole different ball game. Then you get into differences in the speakers, even within the same model. You have variances in the voice coil winds etc....I think more depends on what drivers are being used with what amps and the characteristics of those 2 combined mate up with the design of the cab.

 

[Van Noord]

Re: Worlds Best Built Cabinets

I'm working up to ordering a custom 4x12 from a local guitar cabinet building company called Voltage.
My friend loves his and a respected local amp builder swears by them. (James Peters)
So I have two V30's and two Vet30's sitting in boxes that I want to put to use.
http://www.voltageamps.ca/Voltage_Guitar_Cabinets/VB_412.html

I'm most likely going to get it covered in black tooled western tolex with Mesa black jute grill.

 

[metalmachine]

Re: Worlds Best Built Cabinets

I am actually very curious about voltage. I am just afraid of shipping cost from Canada to usa

 

[King IzzO)))]

Re: Worlds Best Built Cabinets

It's a tie between Crate and Ibanez cabs, I saw it on the internets.

 

[jmh151]

Re: Worlds Best Built Cabinets

Most quality cabinets are made from finger joined or dovetail joined plywood. Marshalls have always used finger joined birch plywood. my Carvin uses poplar plywood which is lighter. I don't know what type of joint Carvin used, but their cabinets, due to the different plywood, are lighter in weight than Marshall's.

Plywood is favored for cabs since its generally much lighter than solid wood and most of the time stronger. Most of all, plywood, and even MDF, is sonically neutral, so you only hear the speakers.

IMO the biggest impact with cabinets is what speakers they have, if they're broken in. New speakers sound harsher than broken in speakers.

Also, there is a huge difference between open vs closed back. If playing in your house, open back tends to spread the sound out, giving you a room filling 3D tone. Playing live, you want the sound to be projected, so you use a closed back. IMO I prefer cabs that have an open/closed back option.

Mixing and matching speakers in a 2x12 or 4x12 lets you tailor your sound as well.

If porting was so effective for guitar, more companies would be doing it than GBenz or Earcandy.

There isn't one best cab. IMO each cab needs to be tuned to The amp and what the player wants. I'm facing this delimma now deciding between 2 1x12s or a single 2x12 for the EVH 5150 III 50 watt amp I just ordered, or using the Carvin 2x12 I have which has different
Speakers

 

[CapoFirstFret]

Re: Worlds Best Built Cabinets

Just from cabs I have lifted, handled, heard, and seen with my own eyes, the Bogner cabs feel and sound like the best constructed cabs I've ever encountered. Are there better ones out there? Maybe, but I've never come across them.

 

[jeremy]

Re: Worlds Best Built Cabinets

solid pine cabs are lighter than the birch ply cabs in my experience

 

[speed2dirt]

Re: Worlds Best Built Cabinets

Just from cabs I have lifted, handled, heard, and seen with my own eyes, the Bogner cabs feel and sound like the best constructed cabs I've ever encountered. Are there better ones out there? Maybe, but I've never come across them.

+1

 

[crguti]

Re: Worlds Best Built Cabinets

in my book, Engl and Orange make the best cabs.

 

[d1dsj]

Re: Worlds Best Built Cabinets

I still have 2 and have had nearly all of the Cornford cabs and whilst I love the sound I wouldn't say they are better build quality than any other good quality speaker box. As they are made of pine with a ply baffle and back, I have seen cabs where the pine has shrunk or split! In my experience my Mesa cabs were easily the best built cabs followed by Orange but I have heard Engl are awesome. I just found that the Mesa cabs were just too dark for my taste but they are bombproof!

 

[eschoendorff]

Re: Worlds Best Built Cabinets

I do love the way old Marshall cabs. sound, but again, this is about build integrity moreso than sound.

WHY? In music, the latter should dictate the former. Otherwise, you simply have furniture or fixtures.

 

[SlyFoxx]

Re: Worlds Best Built Cabinets

I imagine the cab sounds just fine but you wouldn't know it from that clip.

And their comments about rear loaded cabs being more directional could somebody shed some light on that thought process? The wave length for a 1K tone is a foot long and 1K roughly translates to high C (1st string fret 20). I can't imagine the 1/2 inch front baffle works like a horn to contain the sound at frequencies much less than 7K. Low E creates a wave that's about 13 feet.

 

[Stratman]

Re: Worlds Best Built Cabinets

solid pine cabs are lighter than the birch ply cabs in my experience

Sound better too!