DIY Cabinet

Here are my two cents: as mentioned, getting a closed back cab right is...a challenge. Since you are thinking about an open back cab, it's easier, but the construction is important. The corners are dadoed and cleated, but finger, dovetail, or just butt joints can work. I also recommend building a multi-piece back panel, so you can experiment.

Working with tolex and grill clothes kinda sucks!

For this one, I went with the dimensions of a Mesa large 1x12, in some striped African Mahogany. It sounds great open, and weak closed. I've also run half a dozen speakers through it. It's got a Jensen 100 watt Blackbird in it right now.

It's below the two THD heads.

DV1IkwG.jpg


A little closer.

lg7Y02X.jpg

Cool amps!
 
What speaker should I put in it? Leaning towards some kind of Celestion Vintage 30, but I'm very open to recommendations.

I see Cannabis Rex and Swamp Thang speakers mentioned very often. Weird names, to be honest.

I play both clean and with distortion (which is why I got an Archon). I also play with both single coils and humbuckers. A speaker that sounds great with all combinations is preferred.
 
Last edited:
You can buy the UK made Mesa version of the V30 for about the same price as the plain Jane Chinese version, IMO the Mesa is the better buy. I find the Chinese version has a nasty hole in the treble/2-4K range that steals a lot of articulation when playing hard rock, the Mesa evens that out. The WGS Veteran 30 is another nice alternative.

Or, if you’re into mixing speakers, I like the Cream Alnico, Creamback 75, or CL80 with the Chinese V30’s. I have an IR loader and I like to tinker!
 
Ok fellas, let the record show, he asked for this! :D

Just kidding, @Toolmaster Of Brainerd , you didn't really ask for ALL of this. But you're gonna get it.

I've made a few cabs now, recently finished these 1x12's to pair with my also new Sweet 16 LTD head, and a couple years ago I did a tall/offset speaker 2x12 closed back to match with my Custom 50.

The 1x12's
50256856133_b6c466d94e_c.jpg

50257515241_4b3f3a03d8_c.jpg


The 2x12
44327754145_c318f7d89e_c.jpg

43425430070_53fb3648cf_c.jpg

44327754505_7fe7792489_c.jpg


So, yes, you can successfully build cabinets... I mean, I did it!

BUT

You need to know what parts you need, and have a solid plan, or they can become expensive in a real hurry! I'm talking buying parts just to see what works, not knowing what to get, etc. Like @sergiodeblanc said, that stuff adds up fast.

StewMac may be a good source, but their upcharge for what are not actually expensive parts is often pretty hefty. I did most of my parts for these as a combination of AmplifiedParts, Mojotone, and a local Ace Hardware with the world's most kick@$$ hardware selection of fasteners, etc.

This is probably going to be way more information than you really hoped for, but if you decide to undertake this project, please read on, because it'll save you a boatload of money.

First, cabinet type and materials - basically, you have 3 types: Closed back, open back, and ported. In a closed back cab, the overall volume, as well as the specific dimensions, can influence the behavior of the speakers and the overall tone. Open back cabinets generally don't impart much tonal influence, they're just a box that holds a speaker, and since they're open, their enclosure is... Earth's atmosphere. Although materials, resonance, etc. can play a part. Ported cabs are like closed cabs on crack, don't go there unless you have a build plan for a time tested design, because tuning the porting is a complex science at best, trial and error at worst, you don't want to go just "winging it" for the first time unless you have a specific blueprint.

Closed back (and ported) cabs are usually made from birch plywood. It's sturdy, and effectively kills all resonance, especially as you increase the number of plies. The goal with most closed cabs is to defeat resonance of the cabinet material itself, and rely on the internal volume and internal dimensions of the cabinet to influence the response of the speakers. Open cabs, on the other hand, at least the most respected ones, are usually made from solid pine. Being open, there's no internal air space to influence the speakers. Whereas the laminations of plywood kill resonance, solid pine will resonate, so you get some influence there. All of that being said, of the cabs I've made, all have sounded really good, and I basically picked the dimensions without calculating EQ influence (more on that in a minute). The two most important things to choose are speaker type and cabinet type. You should pick the kind of enclosure you want, open or closed, and what kind of driver you want in it. The rest does make a difference, yes, but not as much. Closed cabs are usually punchier and fuller in the bass, open cabs are usually brighter on top and skinner in the bass. Put another way, closed cabs are often the choice for hard rock and metal, open cabs for lighter styles, but that's a generality. When it comes to mathematically designing dimensions of a closed back for tone, it's kind of a crap shoot, unless you want to get into some pretty heavy physics and digging deep for speaker specs, and even then, it's minutiae compared to open vs. closed and speaker types. Guitar speakers are incredibly "colored" frequency filters compared to something like PA speakers, and have less linear EQ response over their volume range, so manufacturers like Celestion often don't publish all the info one would need to really tune a cabinet mathematically.

Now, into the literal nuts and bolts of a cabinet build...

First choice, how are you going to build the cabinet frame? Finger jointed cabinets (which I think are actually "box joints" in the world of woodworking) are the most respected type for guitar cabs, but not absolutely necessary if you don't have the tools. I made all of mine with plain butt joints, reinforced with a 1.5x1.5" board, with both countersunk screws and wood glue, as you see here:
50261246266_71b1c9a2d4_c.jpg


u.
Genuinely a great post!

Picking up these semi-custom made cabs used is a cheap affair and you can get massive bang for the buck. If you have the right tools at your disposal and don’t mind spending almost full retail of a production cab, it’s a fun project. But like mentioned, you can break the bank on extra cool hardware and exotic coverings. Hey, it’s only $$$.
 
I brought home an Archon 100 today, so I will probably be building a cabinet over Christmas. It's go time!

What type and style of cab are you building?

I’m going to go against the norm and say to avoid V30s. V30s came in every cab I’ve bought in the last few years. PRS cab, Mesa cab, Dr. Z cab.... and I’m not a huge fan of V30s.

They do somethings well of course. But a single coil and a fuzz pedal? Never made that work in 20 years of trying. Single coils in general? Never liked them. My favorite cab/speaker for my Archon is my Mesa Thiele/Eminence EM12. But I just ordered a Warehouse EM12 so we’ll see if that is as good, or even better. I like the balance and the “get out what you put in” aspect of this type of speaker.

In th 2x cabs, I’ve gone to mixing speakers. My Dr. Z has a V30 and a Warehouse ET65 and it sounds great. My PRS now has a V30 and a Warehouse ET90 and it sounds better than before as well. I may drop a couple Scumbacks in the Mesa cab. Lot of V30s for sale. LOL.
 
Definitely planning on open back. I was going to make a small 1x12 cabinet, but the Archon would not fit on top of it. I could put the cabinet on top of the Archon but then the knobs are basically at the floor and that's uncomfortable. Plus, I would get laughed at by real guitar players, and I can't have that.

I'm thinking if I have to build the cabinet as wide as the Archon, then I might as well build a 2x12. I might only put 1 speaker in it for now but I think it makes sense to leave myself the option of putting in a second speaker.

How does the sound change when you use 2x12 or 4x12 cabinets?
 
mQJJTx8XzBm03pN5eY4jeaO5k-KT-TBZ7n7aX5eM1OlsFUTwqK12faqxZi2KruQ2C2yXvwhzMmGj7QM-hgyhfvTkK59ufbWs700Jcxe4q32ttyUED1RT7rUdDotBIwoyf4txeeNvh5MV3d628wjO335DH9JZnIyIKNb1oAZBsr-0chU7u-QbzOhZVo8ErVMvg25aq3MK1ibIdFnkuAVGX09_ZIHospPZH9vwRXGhR1W3MuBEUfChCffN3QSvysq0C1HuM5y0HhRbkKiQuiJgfpW_LjmEZgF0SUdzEXYiMcfMRryKr4GzgbKSxx8DtoJ25MGTlKmG4WpF3QVys8M4RxZHP-NNLR0nUlfKo8nTpchfD7oVCYMlugjDoKM3kAnWGNvmWoLH2aYrvvVPfR5SOfKscFFyquCmPdLDVY7JaYJ0zas23bYkhZoAcDhl12GEiTkCatvvzEboWXEZoEv3MvdBL8-le1sxjMuk0TlwnXpfH08NuDe5SOMtFZRceyLSeKE9o5_hE5IpQgKH1woqnNAPrnFce8tW1A833CcjIYleWSvmY26v5ZnzSRKiamCj_1dybj0tYo0c8YNOSDiBwRxPACu2jj1e6b1gYXRq-3NL0x-wxqGnnYvPeMk1i1VRttKNjxJGOgWqBGvqgry5a_nwpV1sFltFxg2DKlhuH8HJln8M8JwzTUkwRssz=w1157-h867-no

HC9Jf8ZGM28Aiaz9foDDnTiJp67ILnVGRG0MZ6QDgAOj15I-9_Vkz0Frhvjp_1bqWhgjVIJwG59Qp9kfNgdYYCcFHCfvjbZTgct8anXk3TIE-wP5xAfNdCSqHmlWV2Hftw1dJAi26OdmIJtMGAx5uTS-99Oy7GifYqDf6gz6uyKGQXPaNnLaFv_2ZAN1RtxIV1Xtb7JwqUwX43hGh75pYkwIqw2aZlzvk5cjYzbSASqQmg1V0y1jvqBkCN8Xra2HbXp8P8B3mYv2I9efv-5MRIhFTkQOwETAbPr8iyeOlMwovOC1Hb7GvGTohPj9aHl9Mrl0L8IlcmAktBKm8iLZaIHLBAgxsqPqEIZx7bFrXmrwBP6WkCGfy-H7kBPgW4ncSczXrCTz4vD_lSWIdeU_nH216a7zhaH9xWveZqjqFQtd4kiklOEB_iwI0BWbHnvwyL_Sr8M4ELvxGeuewVQQvNfnJ3O726CDKBjmJG3y0Ghj30hWncccGZbKyizmLH0nhRtOzMGqdtD0QBGErVDBP1U7rHz6-meI89GqTZdvFNUwtvKqP3iVNhnI4Lb7eeiO_-_zRst31Mwju240UNtK9XdhRrmUeQswSpwuT9jmu9rUvXVbaEjPNgAi0T8AqrtGLMIOkHl7rWIljcvbPq35uziaSErGv7anaf3b3i_DhPdJ8iio1Yxustr4ILF_=w651-h867-no


It's done!

Made from old growth douglas fir. 2x12 cabinet. Frigging heavy, but a lot of that weight is the speakers. It has feet on 2 sides so it be placed horizontally or vertically. I am very happy with the result. I have a few more things I want to do to it eventually... but for now it's functional and so much fun.

Right now it has a G12-65 Heritage and a Cannabis Rex. I like the G12-65 a lot, but I don't like the Cannabis Rex at all. Too fizzy with gain. I'm thinking I want a WGS Retro 30 to replace the C Rex. But they're proving hard to find used, so we'll see.
 
My guitar hero is a 'tone god' and still used the same pine plywood 2x12 cabinet he built in college for over 20 years. I plan on doing the same (though likely with some aesthetic updates) along with building the head from a kit.


Trey-Anastasio_2009.jpg
There was certainly something special about the tone of that Mark III head and two V30 plywood cabinet (plus the fiberglass insulation and chicken wire)! Although Trey’s been running the Komet 60 head and Ampikabs for the past five years. Trey is a ninja.
 
mQJJTx8XzBm03pN5eY4jeaO5k-KT-TBZ7n7aX5eM1OlsFUTwqK12faqxZi2KruQ2C2yXvwhzMmGj7QM-hgyhfvTkK59ufbWs700Jcxe4q32ttyUED1RT7rUdDotBIwoyf4txeeNvh5MV3d628wjO335DH9JZnIyIKNb1oAZBsr-0chU7u-QbzOhZVo8ErVMvg25aq3MK1ibIdFnkuAVGX09_ZIHospPZH9vwRXGhR1W3MuBEUfChCffN3QSvysq0C1HuM5y0HhRbkKiQuiJgfpW_LjmEZgF0SUdzEXYiMcfMRryKr4GzgbKSxx8DtoJ25MGTlKmG4WpF3QVys8M4RxZHP-NNLR0nUlfKo8nTpchfD7oVCYMlugjDoKM3kAnWGNvmWoLH2aYrvvVPfR5SOfKscFFyquCmPdLDVY7JaYJ0zas23bYkhZoAcDhl12GEiTkCatvvzEboWXEZoEv3MvdBL8-le1sxjMuk0TlwnXpfH08NuDe5SOMtFZRceyLSeKE9o5_hE5IpQgKH1woqnNAPrnFce8tW1A833CcjIYleWSvmY26v5ZnzSRKiamCj_1dybj0tYo0c8YNOSDiBwRxPACu2jj1e6b1gYXRq-3NL0x-wxqGnnYvPeMk1i1VRttKNjxJGOgWqBGvqgry5a_nwpV1sFltFxg2DKlhuH8HJln8M8JwzTUkwRssz=w1157-h867-no

HC9Jf8ZGM28Aiaz9foDDnTiJp67ILnVGRG0MZ6QDgAOj15I-9_Vkz0Frhvjp_1bqWhgjVIJwG59Qp9kfNgdYYCcFHCfvjbZTgct8anXk3TIE-wP5xAfNdCSqHmlWV2Hftw1dJAi26OdmIJtMGAx5uTS-99Oy7GifYqDf6gz6uyKGQXPaNnLaFv_2ZAN1RtxIV1Xtb7JwqUwX43hGh75pYkwIqw2aZlzvk5cjYzbSASqQmg1V0y1jvqBkCN8Xra2HbXp8P8B3mYv2I9efv-5MRIhFTkQOwETAbPr8iyeOlMwovOC1Hb7GvGTohPj9aHl9Mrl0L8IlcmAktBKm8iLZaIHLBAgxsqPqEIZx7bFrXmrwBP6WkCGfy-H7kBPgW4ncSczXrCTz4vD_lSWIdeU_nH216a7zhaH9xWveZqjqFQtd4kiklOEB_iwI0BWbHnvwyL_Sr8M4ELvxGeuewVQQvNfnJ3O726CDKBjmJG3y0Ghj30hWncccGZbKyizmLH0nhRtOzMGqdtD0QBGErVDBP1U7rHz6-meI89GqTZdvFNUwtvKqP3iVNhnI4Lb7eeiO_-_zRst31Mwju240UNtK9XdhRrmUeQswSpwuT9jmu9rUvXVbaEjPNgAi0T8AqrtGLMIOkHl7rWIljcvbPq35uziaSErGv7anaf3b3i_DhPdJ8iio1Yxustr4ILF_=w651-h867-no


It's done!

Made from old growth douglas fir. 2x12 cabinet. Frigging heavy, but a lot of that weight is the speakers. It has feet on 2 sides so it be placed horizontally or vertically. I am very happy with the result. I have a few more things I want to do to it eventually... but for now it's functional and so much fun.

Right now it has a G12-65 Heritage and a Cannabis Rex. I like the G12-65 a lot, but I don't like the Cannabis Rex at all. Too fizzy with gain. I'm thinking I want a WGS Retro 30 to replace the C Rex. But they're proving hard to find used, so we'll see.

Am I the only one that's getting this?
I wanna' see!!!
 
My cousin built for me an EV 2X12 cab that had the popular flight case look back in the day. It was fabulous but later I wanted a 4X12 slant.

I traded it in and it was so perfect that the store thought it was legit. Again, I was a kid so no judgement please......
 
I really like crafting because it always arouses interest and curiosity, primarily if you use additional resources. Personally, I like using matohash.com because it's always good to find something new and try things out. I am more than sure that you will find it interesting and compelling because you can learn many cool things with your own hands. It makes me happy because now I have a great way to add to my crafting ideas. If you are interested in this, now you can find exactly what you were looking for
 
Last edited:
I always love it when folks build their own speaker cabs, and are actually happy with them!

Good on ya!

It's something I've never been able to accomplish.
 
There's some really nice wood-work shown here...and I'll assume they're sound kicks a$$ ... and a great short study on cab configurations...
I never gave different cabs much thought. Hell, until a nice, kinda long writeup be our very own Les , I never even considered a tube amp, now its all tubes, all the time!!! (Seriously, BIG Shout out to Les!!)
(I used to be strictly a Roland Jazz Chorus guy)

I remember as a youth seeing Jaco's Acoustic cabs, with the folded 2 X 15 configuration, the one with them facing each other.
And more recently, I've picked up a couple Schroeder bass cabs with the "hidden" added speaker...incredibly MID-heavy, but tons of sound for a small package. (and used, cheap $$$)

After taking the grills or backs off different cabs to look around, tighten things up, replace the input/or place a new fuse(small light bulb) on different cabinets,
its interesting how much goes into the actual box itself, which I used to think was just a box. Its still a learning thing, which I love!!!!

Enjoy 'em all!!!!!
 
Last edited:
Back
Top