Building an amp!

[MN_JDTele]

Actually, I built the amp accouple years ago, but never got around to building custom speaker cabinets for it. So that is my winter project. I inherited some 10" x 12' oak planks from my grandpa after he died, and decided to use those for sentimental value. They had them as shelves when they owned the gifttree in hastings. The boards were a little weather worn and warped, so step one was to rip them all down to roughly 1.5" wide pieces and reglue them all together. Then they were run thru a planner and cut to width. The next step, was to cut the sides to length and using a dado blade and a home made jig, cut 3/4" finger joints in the ends. Saturday night I spent some time cleaning up the joints and dry fitting the sides together. Glued the first box up last night. Going to cut the finger joints to length on the other tonight and glue that one up.

Once those are glued and squared up, I will round all the edges with a router and move on to the front panels. The panels for the front are going to be stagered oak, with a hole cut in the middle for the speaker. They will be recessed slightly in the boxes, with a strip of cherry trim around the front. This is the general idea, poorly executed in photoshop

The amp itself will sit inside a similar box, but will have an open front and back so you can see the tubes glowing. I ordered leather handles, rubber feet, jacks, and jack plates that should be here today. Next will be the speakers. Planning on Celestion Blues.

The amp is a 1.5W tube amp.  I built this one using the fireflyPCB, but I am already scoping out schematics to do another higher wattage amp using point to point wiring

I've got a new aluminum case for it, as the other got buggered while drilling....

 

[dmraco]

"BUGGERED??" :icon_scratch:

Project looks cool.

 

[MN_JDTele]

Mis-drilled a few holes, and then my hole saw jumped drilling holes for the tubes and scar'd the case.  Since it will all be visible, I ordered a new aluminum case for the electronics and will be twice as careful drilling this time  LOL.

 

[OzziePete]

Wow, those speaker cabs look SOLID! You are gunna have to name them "Grandpa's Choice" or something like that, get a logo made up and slap that on the front cloth.... :icon_thumright:

 

[Cagey]

Nice job. I usually use dovetails rather than finger joints, but I've got a fancy jig for that so I find excuses to use it. Plus, I sometimes suspect I have masochistic tendencies <grin>

 

[crash]

Very nice, keep posting pics of the progress.  I'd love to build my own amp cabinet one day.  All the tools I have are for metalworking though :icon_scratch:

 

[MN_JDTele]

truth be told, all of my tools are for metal working also  LOL.  I like to build custom motorcycles.  But my neighbor has a killer wood shop and has been showing me the ropes.  He also has a 1973 Norton Commando that needs some TLC come spring.  So we get two beer drinking projects away from the wives for a few nights a week  LOL.  I thought hard at doing dove tails, but thought the wide finger joints would give a more massive look when routered off.  Having never done either, I also felt the finger joints would be more forgiving.  I routered up one cabinet last night, and it looks schweet....but I forgot my camera at home and didn't feel like making the pilgrimage thru the snow two more times for pictures  =(  I have a few small spaces to fill up before lacquring it, but also a few hours of sanding before that.  If I ever build more, I will likely do mahogany and dovetails.  I think two mini 4x8" cabs and a 5 watt amp would be a cool mini stack.  Not sure how the 8's would sound though.  :icon_scratch:

 

[jimh]

I've got a single Jensen 8' in a small homemade pine cab for my 1.5W Torres amp, and it sounds fantastic.  More bass than I was expecting.  I reckon a 4x8 mini stack would be brilliant  ccasion14:

 

[crash]

I see you are in the land of collapsing stadiums as well.  I'm in Rosemount.

 

[MN_JDTele]

Yup  LOL.  Not far from you.  I am over in Hastings.  My son is peeved they canceled Monster Jam

 

[MN_JDTele]

More Progress made.  Edges are all routered, initial sanding and filling is done, and the pieces for the front are cut.  Hoping to get the fronts glued up and anchored together tonight, and the final sanding on the boxes.  Starting to look like some speaker cabinets!!    :toothy10:

 

[Cagey]

Lookin' good! These are going to be some sharp amps.

 

[MN_JDTele]

My guy fell thru on the celestion blue speakers  =(  Can't afford full price on them.  Anyone got a good suggestion for an alternative?  Considering Weber Blue Dogs, but even those are upwards of my limit.

 

[Cagey]

Some reasonably-priced speakers that are still high-quality can be had from WGS (Warehouse Guitar Speakers). I've used their versions of the Celestion Vintage 30 and British Lead and found that they're everything the Celestions are at 1/2 the price. Because of that, I'd have some faith in their other offerings, and they do have an Alnico offering that may be competition for the Celestion Blue, but it's not cheap, either.

Another speaker that I have bought recently is Eminence's Delta Pro 12A, and I'm supremely happy with that. Everybody says they sound just like EVM-12Ls, so I had to try one. Sure enough, that is one badass speaker for a guitar amp.

 

[MN_JDTele]

Thanks for the input!!  WGS has a speaker listed that is very similar to the Celestion blue:  http://wgs4.com/content/BnB
But it is still more than the Weber version which has gotten some killer reviews also.  May end up that route in the end...

https://taweber.powweb.com/weber/blue12a.htm

 

[Cagey]

I forgot about the Weber. I've heard a lot of good things about those, too, so I think I'd be tempted to go that route as well. That damn AlNiCo alloy sure is pricey, isn't it?

 

[MN_JDTele]

It is.  Normally I wouldn't spend that much on speakers, but damn I am loving the way this amp is turning out!  I've got a set of 12" B-52 speakers that I robbed out of a speaker cab that I bought for $50 but I almost feel bad even considering using them  LOL.  heard nothing but good things about the Celestion Blue and Weber Blue dog with smaller wattage amps.

 

[MN_JDTele]

One front panel is screwed and glued!! The other is laid out on the bench and ready for the same. Hopefully get that one done another night this week, and the first sanded. Here are some better quality pictures:

The front will be recessed 1/2" with a cherry trim piece around the outside. Should look sweet once it is all lacquered up!

 

[Cagey]

Excellent. So, how are you going to do the cutout for the speaker without a center? Jigsaw? That's not gonna be any fun.

 

[Cagey]

Speaking of doing circular cutouts, I learned when I built my last 2 112 bottoms that you don't really want to make that cutout with the baffle installed. The ass end of the jigsaw or OD of the router base wants to hit the lip created by the baffle's setback in the cabinet, so you end up having to build things up to give your tool an open and level playing field. Just an observation, for whatever it's worth. If you've got a better trick, I'm interested.