Making a 4x12 cab

i just got back from the hard ware store with a couple sheets of 5/8th mdf, i have opened up my marshall 1960a cab and drawn up some plans, and not to mention i found a good deal on some green vinyl....

im going for it. im building a 4x12 cab, maybe 2 or 3 if i get the hang of it. in a attempt to become the loudest band in my area while still being able to buy beer we found that the solution was to build some cabs. any one out here have any experience with this? or maybe even some solid plans? its to late to start building tonight but maybe putting a little more thought in to this wouldn't be a bad thing. illl try and take some pictures of the process. wish me luck

Zack

Plans

let us know how this thing turns out. I'm curious what the sound differences might be between your Marshall cab and a home-made one. Good luck!

Alright, i put a couple hours in to the first cab and heres where its at.

http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc250/empirehancock/P1010028.jpg

http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc250/empirehancock/P1010029.jpg

its not quite perfect but its not bad at all, and for a first attempt i couldent be happier. we still have to do some bracing but its coming together nicely. remember liquid nail is your friend. more pics will come with more progress.

alright, i was able to do part of the bracing today. slowly but surely its coming together.

http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc250/empirehancock/P1010034.jpg

http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc250/empirehancock/P1010033.jpg

my buddy is coming over tomorrow and we should be able to finish the box, i hope. today i think im going to order up all the fixings like the casters and handles, maybe even some swanky grill cloth.

Hey, its looking good. What kind of wood are you using? (whats mdf?)

I don't know anything about Wood or cab design. I just know what a good cab is supposed to sound like. What speakers are you planning on putting in it?

My friend has been building me Pine cabs. I'm not totally happy with the pine, so I want to try whatever a good marshall cab is made of. I'm hoping he can build me the perfect 2x12 closed back cab.

My friend has been building me Pine cabs. I'm not totally happy with the pine, so I want to try whatever a good marshall cab is made of. I'm hoping he can build me the perfect 2x12 closed back cab.

Then you want 3/4" voidless Birch plywood.

If you put bracing on inner corners (glue & screwed to one surface before assembly) it lets you keep the screws away from the outer edge, letting you round off the outer edges giving a better finish. Also add all the way round on the inner front a 1/4" x 1 1/2" deep batten this gives the cab a thicker appearance.

I love MDF (medium density fiberboard) for subwoofer boxes....for a fixed-install PA or for car audio.

For guitars and bass cabinets....

It's way too heavy...if you're planning on carrying the cabinets to gigs.

It (purposely) has no tonal qualities. It's totally dead.

With those thoughts in mind, once you get your speakers loaded in it, I'd predict that you'll have an extremly heavy, extremely loud, extremely directional cabinet. Whatever the character of the speakers is naturally...that's exactly what the cabinet will sound like.

I've found that I much prefer void-free baltic birch for guitar cabinets. Solid pine is ok too. I've got a 2x12 cab that I made last year....all the sides are solid pine...the front and rear baffles are baltic birch. Sounds wonderful.

I was purposely staying away from commenting on MDF as a guitar cabinet material; thanks for taking up the slack there, Tex! I'm with Scotele as to keeping the screws on the inside, if you're going to use screws to hold the panels together. I fear for your screwed butt joints, though.

:oops:

thanks for the info guys, there is a lot of good tips here. i wish i didnt have to use the mdf however 12 bucks a sheet sure beats the hell outta 35 bucks a sheet for birch. at this point im just trying to provide my self and the other guitar player in my band with too much guitar amp for as little as i can. im not even going to load the bottom cabs, as much as i would like to. people hear with there eyes at live shows, and i am one for going over the top. when i have a little bit more money i might have to go get some birch.

Is mdf particle board? If so I hate the stuff just because it is heavy and it does chip out. Birch plywood is the way to go or even plain old plywood over particle board. Just my two cents if I am going to build something I want it good and the amp companies and cabinet companies use it because it is CHEAP and they can make a better profit. That does not mean it is a better product!