My new custom 1x12 cabinet

Ben

Joined: Feb 11, 2007
Posts: 591
Encinitas, Ca

Posted on Mar 27 2014 01:56 AM

I have been wanting to try making a cabinet for years but after scoring a bro deal on another JBL D120F from member Skip "Elrey" Baker a couple of months ago I finally got around to working on it. I just finished it up today and I am really stoked with how it came out. It's very similar to a vintage design Fender cabinet. The main differences being that it's an open back design and that I used wood pin joints and then glued and screwed cleats on the inside instead of finger joints...but it's rock solid. I've made my own speaker baffles and done the grill cloth before but I had never done the tolex...it really was kind of fun and isn't that hard. So far I've powered it with my Bassman and Tremolux heads, and used it as an extension speaker with my Super Reverb and Deluxe Reverb....and it sounds killer with everything. I have some construction pix if anybody wants to see the details.

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Surf_Skater

Joined: Sep 06, 2012
Posts: 1300
Lawrenceville , GA
United States

Posted on Mar 27 2014 05:03 AM

That looks great.

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SanchoPansen

Joined: Jan 04, 2011
Posts: 1588
Berlin L-Berg
Germany

Posted on Mar 27 2014 05:13 AM

Jup, looking good. How heavy is it?

—

The Hicadoolas

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artdecade

Joined: Aug 30, 2012
Posts: 399
Twangsville
United States

Posted on Mar 27 2014 08:58 AM

Looks awesome... Can't wait to see the construction pics!

—

To Boldly go where no Tiki has gone before...

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Skiltrip

Joined: Mar 09, 2014
Posts: 92
New York
United States

Posted on Mar 27 2014 10:00 AM

Great job there. I like it! I love 1x12 cabinets. I have a Seismic brand slightly oversized 1x12 cab I got for $99, loaded it up with an Eminence Texas Heat. I like yours way better though. Again, great job. I wish I had the patience/time/skill to build something like that.

—

Guitarist for Northern Tides from Hudson Valley, NY.
Northern Tides on FB

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Badger

Joined: Nov 16, 2013
Posts: 4536
Wisconsin
United States

Posted on Mar 27 2014 10:04 AM

That came out beautimous!

—

Wes
SoCal ex-pat with a snow shovel

DISCLAIMER: The above is opinion/suggestion only & should not be used for mission planning/navigation, tweaking of instruments, beverage selection, or wardrobe choices.

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kick_the_reverb

Joined: Feb 26, 2006
Posts: 1338
Escondido, CA
2 News Pins

Posted on Mar 27 2014 04:46 PM

Very nice Ben, construction pics please
Ran

—

The Scimitars

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Ben

Joined: Feb 11, 2007
Posts: 591
Encinitas, Ca

Posted on Mar 27 2014 05:03 PM

I enjoy projects like this but I learned a lot too...one of the things is that guys like Beaver Bottoms Bob Kennedy and JD Newell are doing us a service by making the products they do at such reasonable prices...those guys aren't getting rich off of us. They definitely deserve what they ask for their cabs.

I might do things a little differently on the next one but everything was pretty straightforward and required just a few basic tools. Here's a few construction pix starting with some humble pine from Home Depot. I joined the corners with regular Titebond wood glue using corner clamps and then initially secured each corner with screws. Checking and double checking that it was perfectly square. Then once the glue set up I removed each screw one at a time and drilled out the hole for 5/16" wood pins...then glued and hammered the pins in place.

Then I hit it with a router and a 1/2" round over bit and started installing the interior cleats with glue and screws...the interior will be stained black so I used black screws.

Test fitting the hardware. If use use the Fender style corners you need to countersink the corner holes before you tolex.

I practiced tolexing by making these little coasters first

Then did the back panels. The old school DAP contact cement is the shit...noxious as hell but it sticks like crazy. I used brush on for the wood and spray on for the tolex...you've got to have it in the right place with this stuff...no second chances but it's a great system!!!

The baffle is 1/2" birch plywood from Home Depot with a 1/4" frame.

Laying out the grill cloth.

Installing the speaker...a battered old D120F...sounds incredibly sweet though! It was missing the vent screen but I made one out of stainless steel screen that was originally a sink strainer.

And here's the finished product

Under my trusty Tremolux...ready to record....

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Noel

Joined: Mar 15, 2011
Posts: 8528
Back in Piitsburgh, Pennsylvania, where I grew up.
United States

Posted on Mar 27 2014 05:06 PM

Really nice rig!

—

This is Noel. Reverb's at maximum an' I'm givin' 'er all she's got.

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Ariel

Joined: Aug 29, 2009
Posts: 1556
Israel
Israel

Posted on Mar 27 2014 05:43 PM

Beautiful work!
I like the pins system.

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Hammond101

Joined: Feb 22, 2013
Posts: 342
SoCal USA

Posted on Mar 27 2014 06:29 PM

Nice work Ben. The cab has a perfect look. I'll give you a call to discuss details.

—

Keep it Drippy Brothers and Sisters!

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mad_dog

Joined: Sep 23, 2008
Posts: 349
Montclair, NJ

Posted on Mar 27 2014 07:16 PM

Nice work!
MD

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hlieboff59

Joined: Jun 27, 2008
Posts: 576
Marlboro, New Jersey
5 Download Pins

Posted on Mar 28 2014 08:01 AM

gorgeous and beautiful work! I need to get me 1x12 cab too. I have a crate powerblock that I want to take when we jam at my friends house in Long Island. I'm getting too old to schlep my 72 twin reverb up and down the stairs, car, etc.

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vintagesurfdude

Joined: Nov 28, 2011
Posts: 795
Prescott Valley, AZ
United States

Posted on Mar 29 2014 01:50 AM

WOW! nice cab! I really like the idea of using dowels in the joints. Looks like it made rounding over the edge a lot easier. Thanks for the construction photos.

Last edited: Mar 29, 2014 01:50:55

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Ben Joined: Feb 11, 2007 Posts: 591 Encinitas, Ca	Posted on Mar 27 2014 01:56 AM I have been wanting to try making a cabinet for years but after scoring a bro deal on another JBL D120F from member Skip "Elrey" Baker a couple of months ago I finally got around to working on it. I just finished it up today and I am really stoked with how it came out. It's very similar to a vintage design Fender cabinet. The main differences being that it's an open back design and that I used wood pin joints and then glued and screwed cleats on the inside instead of finger joints...but it's rock solid. I've made my own speaker baffles and done the grill cloth before but I had never done the tolex...it really was kind of fun and isn't that hard. So far I've powered it with my Bassman and Tremolux heads, and used it as an extension speaker with my Super Reverb and Deluxe Reverb....and it sounds killer with everything. I have some construction pix if anybody wants to see the details. Top
Surf_Skater Joined: Sep 06, 2012 Posts: 1300 Lawrenceville , GA	Posted on Mar 27 2014 05:03 AM That looks great. Top
SanchoPansen Joined: Jan 04, 2011 Posts: 1588 Berlin L-Berg	Posted on Mar 27 2014 05:13 AM Jup, looking good. How heavy is it? — The Hicadoolas Top
artdecade Joined: Aug 30, 2012 Posts: 399 Twangsville	Posted on Mar 27 2014 08:58 AM Looks awesome... Can't wait to see the construction pics! — To Boldly go where no Tiki has gone before... Top
Skiltrip Joined: Mar 09, 2014 Posts: 92 New York	Posted on Mar 27 2014 10:00 AM Great job there. I like it! I love 1x12 cabinets. I have a Seismic brand slightly oversized 1x12 cab I got for $99, loaded it up with an Eminence Texas Heat. I like yours way better though. Again, great job. I wish I had the patience/time/skill to build something like that. — Guitarist for Northern Tides from Hudson Valley, NY. Northern Tides on FB Top
Badger Joined: Nov 16, 2013 Posts: 4536 Wisconsin	Posted on Mar 27 2014 10:04 AM That came out beautimous! — Wes SoCal ex-pat with a snow shovel DISCLAIMER: The above is opinion/suggestion only & should not be used for mission planning/navigation, tweaking of instruments, beverage selection, or wardrobe choices. Top
kick_the_reverb Joined: Feb 26, 2006 Posts: 1338 Escondido, CA	Posted on Mar 27 2014 04:46 PM Very nice Ben, construction pics please Ran — The Scimitars Top
Ben Joined: Feb 11, 2007 Posts: 591 Encinitas, Ca	Posted on Mar 27 2014 05:03 PM I enjoy projects like this but I learned a lot too...one of the things is that guys like Beaver Bottoms Bob Kennedy and JD Newell are doing us a service by making the products they do at such reasonable prices...those guys aren't getting rich off of us. They definitely deserve what they ask for their cabs. I might do things a little differently on the next one but everything was pretty straightforward and required just a few basic tools. Here's a few construction pix starting with some humble pine from Home Depot. I joined the corners with regular Titebond wood glue using corner clamps and then initially secured each corner with screws. Checking and double checking that it was perfectly square. Then once the glue set up I removed each screw one at a time and drilled out the hole for 5/16" wood pins...then glued and hammered the pins in place. Then I hit it with a router and a 1/2" round over bit and started installing the interior cleats with glue and screws...the interior will be stained black so I used black screws. Test fitting the hardware. If use use the Fender style corners you need to countersink the corner holes before you tolex. I practiced tolexing by making these little coasters first Then did the back panels. The old school DAP contact cement is the shit...noxious as hell but it sticks like crazy. I used brush on for the wood and spray on for the tolex...you've got to have it in the right place with this stuff...no second chances but it's a great system!!! The baffle is 1/2" birch plywood from Home Depot with a 1/4" frame. Laying out the grill cloth. Installing the speaker...a battered old D120F...sounds incredibly sweet though! It was missing the vent screen but I made one out of stainless steel screen that was originally a sink strainer. And here's the finished product Under my trusty Tremolux...ready to record.... Top
Noel Joined: Mar 15, 2011 Posts: 8528 Back in Piitsburgh, Pennsylvania, where I grew up.	Posted on Mar 27 2014 05:06 PM Really nice rig! — This is Noel. Reverb's at maximum an' I'm givin' 'er all she's got. Top
Ariel Joined: Aug 29, 2009 Posts: 1556 Israel	Posted on Mar 27 2014 05:43 PM Beautiful work! I like the pins system. Top
Hammond101 Joined: Feb 22, 2013 Posts: 342 SoCal USA	Posted on Mar 27 2014 06:29 PM Nice work Ben. The cab has a perfect look. I'll give you a call to discuss details. — Keep it Drippy Brothers and Sisters! Top
mad_dog Joined: Sep 23, 2008 Posts: 349 Montclair, NJ	Posted on Mar 27 2014 07:16 PM Nice work! MD Top
hlieboff59 Joined: Jun 27, 2008 Posts: 576 Marlboro, New Jersey	Posted on Mar 28 2014 08:01 AM gorgeous and beautiful work! I need to get me 1x12 cab too. I have a crate powerblock that I want to take when we jam at my friends house in Long Island. I'm getting too old to schlep my 72 twin reverb up and down the stairs, car, etc. Top
vintagesurfdude Joined: Nov 28, 2011 Posts: 795 Prescott Valley, AZ	Posted on Mar 29 2014 01:50 AM WOW! nice cab! I really like the idea of using dowels in the joints. Looks like it made rounding over the edge a lot easier. Thanks for the construction photos. Last edited: Mar 29, 2014 01:50:55 Top

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My new custom 1x12 cabinet