SFVC Cabinet suggestions

cheeseman · February 18th, 2006, 03:18 PM

I have a (I think) '64 SFVC. I've ordered a new cap kit and I've just replaced the rectifer tube, power tube and power cap. I bought this years ago without a speaker. It seems I thought at the time that an 8 ohm 10" Celestion was a good idea to shove in there, so I cut the baffle and stuffed her in, (sorry everyone, it was a long time ago and these amps were a dime a dozen in my little music store...)

Now, I was noticing that the cabinet SEEMS to be partical board, and I suspect it may be held together with hide glue, which, if you didn't know, can be reheated and reactived to disassemble and reassemble the cabinet.

So, my questions are;

Has anyone ever gone after one of these old cabinets with a heat gun and taken them apart? Is the glue indeed hide glue?

Did they make cabinets out of partical board in '64?

Does anyone have material specs (material types, thicknesses...) if I toss the cabinet and build a completely new one?

Any ideas on these questions would be appreciated!

CancerLeoCam · February 18th, 2006, 03:41 PM

I believe the baffle fits into slots in the sides of the cab and is glued. So the heat gun is out. You'll have to take the entire wood cab apart or bust the baffle and extract the wood out of the slots. Either way, just get a new repro cab or build one and tolex it yourself.

LPBlue · February 18th, 2006, 03:43 PM

I think I can help you since I have one of those cabinets in pieces right now. The top, bottom and sides are 3/4" particle board, the spkr baffle and grille frame are 1/2" particle board and the rear panels are 1/4" masonite covered in tolex.

Your amp is most likely a 74 since a 64 would have been a BF with a wooden cabinet. As for the glue used, I'm not sure what kind it was but there didn't seem to be much, rather the majority of the integrity of the box depended on a number of very long staples and the tolex covering.

cheeseman · February 18th, 2006, 04:17 PM

thanks for the feedback. much appreciated.

i suspect 74 is WAY more likely than 64. Thanks for that. I'm thinking at this point I'm just going to abandon the cabinet, and build a completely new one out of dovetailed spruce. I have a stock of 30 year old 12" wide pine planks that would look stupendous as a VC cabinet. Thanks for the dimensions.

Is there any need to save the old cabinet? As I say, it's partical board and the baffle has a crude 10" opening cut in it (which I could repair with a little time and effort), but it is an authentic Fender cabinet. I'm always happy to share, but it may not be worth the cost for shipping. Still, some folks are passionate about vintage stuff, and I'd hate to deny someone looking for something like this...

Jerry J · February 19th, 2006, 06:02 PM

I bought a '76 SFVC and had my woodworking buddy build a replacement cabinet out of knot free pine and a void free birch baffle EXCEPT its two inches taller and two inches deeper. That gave me the room to put in a Weber 10A125 which just sounds phenonimal and by making the cabinet bigger, I have the room to fit in a 12" speaker if I choose to.

You could sell the original cabinet on FleaBay or the want ads here BUT if I were you I'd keep it in case you want to sell the whole amp later (though I wouldn't recommend that because the VC just rocks)!

BTW, your amp has to be a '74 and not a '64 like was already pointed out. My VC cab has a plywood bottom and the rest is particle board. Really a cheap piece of wordworking. You will like the solid pine cabinet much better especially if you go with a bigger speaker.

cheeseman · February 20th, 2006, 07:40 PM

thanks for the advice guys. it's a great feeling to be able to tap into the online conciousness and set uncertainties aside. i always feel like i'm making the best decisions when i consult with you all.

i have some questions regarding cabinet theory. a hi-fi loudspeaker enclosure, as i understand it, is supposed to be dense and and heavy to resist sympathetic vibrations that may cancel out frequencies the speaker is producing. i understand that a guitar cabinet does not follow this principal, and i'm guessing that the use of pine for the cabinet actually favours vibration? is that true? if so, what does the vibration do to the tone? is making a more 'vibratable' cabinet a good thing? how about a cabinet that doesn't vibrate at all, like a 3/4" mdf cabinet? what does that do to tone? if the cabinet is supposed to vibrate a little, why put the speaker in baltic birch plywood? is the baffle supposed to vibrate? what does baffle vibration, or the lack of it, do to tone?

i hope i'm not putting too fine a point on it, but i'm just trying to understand the parameters of cabinet construction...

JohnnyCrash · February 21st, 2006, 12:32 AM

There's pretty much two kinds of wood in cabs today (other than the MFB particle crap)

13 ply baltic birch isn't exactly "sympathetic".

Solid Pine may have a little more flavor than the thick birch.

Either way, you probably want to avoid as much "coloration" from the cab becoming a speaker box itself.

Buy a replica replacement (there's a lot of good stuff out there now that looks EXACT) and toss or sell the original particle crap... or make your own like you're planning on.

February 18th, 2006, 03:18 PM	#1 (permalink)
cheeseman TDPRI Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Calgary, Alberta, Canada Posts: 87	SFVC Cabinet suggestions I have a (I think) '64 SFVC. I've ordered a new cap kit and I've just replaced the rectifer tube, power tube and power cap. I bought this years ago without a speaker. It seems I thought at the time that an 8 ohm 10" Celestion was a good idea to shove in there, so I cut the baffle and stuffed her in, (sorry everyone, it was a long time ago and these amps were a dime a dozen in my little music store...) Now, I was noticing that the cabinet SEEMS to be partical board, and I suspect it may be held together with hide glue, which, if you didn't know, can be reheated and reactived to disassemble and reassemble the cabinet. So, my questions are; Has anyone ever gone after one of these old cabinets with a heat gun and taken them apart? Is the glue indeed hide glue? Did they make cabinets out of partical board in '64? Does anyone have material specs (material types, thicknesses...) if I toss the cabinet and build a completely new one? Any ideas on these questions would be appreciated! __________________ Joe

February 18th, 2006, 03:41 PM	#2 (permalink)
CancerLeoCam Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Mule Deer-Mt. Lion Safari, CA Posts: 1,692 5 Photos	Joe, I believe the baffle fits into slots in the sides of the cab and is glued. So the heat gun is out. You'll have to take the entire wood cab apart or bust the baffle and extract the wood out of the slots. Either way, just get a new repro cab or build one and tolex it yourself. __________________ Everyone's your "buddy" or "friend" when they want you or something from you. If you're not willing to work for free why should somebody else?

February 18th, 2006, 03:43 PM	#3 (permalink)
LPBlue Tele-Meister Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Markdale Ontario...oot in the woods Age: 52 Posts: 267	I think I can help you since I have one of those cabinets in pieces right now. The top, bottom and sides are 3/4" particle board, the spkr baffle and grille frame are 1/2" particle board and the rear panels are 1/4" masonite covered in tolex. Your amp is most likely a 74 since a 64 would have been a BF with a wooden cabinet. As for the glue used, I'm not sure what kind it was but there didn't seem to be much, rather the majority of the integrity of the box depended on a number of very long staples and the tolex covering. __________________ It didn't make that smell when it was new, PULL THE PLUG!

February 18th, 2006, 04:17 PM	#4 (permalink)
cheeseman TDPRI Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Calgary, Alberta, Canada Posts: 87	74 sounds more likely thanks for the feedback. much appreciated. i suspect 74 is WAY more likely than 64. Thanks for that. I'm thinking at this point I'm just going to abandon the cabinet, and build a completely new one out of dovetailed spruce. I have a stock of 30 year old 12" wide pine planks that would look stupendous as a VC cabinet. Thanks for the dimensions. Is there any need to save the old cabinet? As I say, it's partical board and the baffle has a crude 10" opening cut in it (which I could repair with a little time and effort), but it is an authentic Fender cabinet. I'm always happy to share, but it may not be worth the cost for shipping. Still, some folks are passionate about vintage stuff, and I'd hate to deny someone looking for something like this... __________________ Joe

February 19th, 2006, 06:02 PM	#5 (permalink)
Jerry J Tele-Holic Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: NoVa Posts: 660	Sell the Cabinet on FleaBay I bought a '76 SFVC and had my woodworking buddy build a replacement cabinet out of knot free pine and a void free birch baffle EXCEPT its two inches taller and two inches deeper. That gave me the room to put in a Weber 10A125 which just sounds phenonimal and by making the cabinet bigger, I have the room to fit in a 12" speaker if I choose to. You could sell the original cabinet on FleaBay or the want ads here BUT if I were you I'd keep it in case you want to sell the whole amp later (though I wouldn't recommend that because the VC just rocks)! BTW, your amp has to be a '74 and not a '64 like was already pointed out. My VC cab has a plywood bottom and the rest is particle board. Really a cheap piece of wordworking. You will like the solid pine cabinet much better especially if you go with a bigger speaker.

February 20th, 2006, 07:40 PM	#6 (permalink)
cheeseman TDPRI Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Calgary, Alberta, Canada Posts: 87	cabinet theory thanks for the advice guys. it's a great feeling to be able to tap into the online conciousness and set uncertainties aside. i always feel like i'm making the best decisions when i consult with you all. i have some questions regarding cabinet theory. a hi-fi loudspeaker enclosure, as i understand it, is supposed to be dense and and heavy to resist sympathetic vibrations that may cancel out frequencies the speaker is producing. i understand that a guitar cabinet does not follow this principal, and i'm guessing that the use of pine for the cabinet actually favours vibration? is that true? if so, what does the vibration do to the tone? is making a more 'vibratable' cabinet a good thing? how about a cabinet that doesn't vibrate at all, like a 3/4" mdf cabinet? what does that do to tone? if the cabinet is supposed to vibrate a little, why put the speaker in baltic birch plywood? is the baffle supposed to vibrate? what does baffle vibration, or the lack of it, do to tone? i hope i'm not putting too fine a point on it, but i'm just trying to understand the parameters of cabinet construction... __________________ Joe

February 21st, 2006, 12:32 AM	#7 (permalink)
JohnnyCrash Poster Extraordinaire Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Lost Angeles and Orange County Posts: 7,128	There's pretty much two kinds of wood in cabs today (other than the MFB particle crap) 13 ply baltic birch isn't exactly "sympathetic". Solid Pine may have a little more flavor than the thick birch. Either way, you probably want to avoid as much "coloration" from the cab becoming a speaker box itself. Buy a replica replacement (there's a lot of good stuff out there now that looks EXACT) and toss or sell the original particle crap... or make your own like you're planning on.