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Date: July 10, 2008 at 08:52:08
From: billybythelake
Subject: Re: Good method....


I like this method for selectionof materials.

ALso remember that the luthier materials were selected and " cured " for future use to ensure that the wood was properly seasoned befoe making an instrument so it had much less chance of drying out after assembly and causing problems like cracking or warp.

Whenever possible that should also be a consideration for cabinet wood especially if you are using wide single panels assuming you can find them.
For laminated ( edge to edge ) panels where a wider board is made from thinner pieces try for straight grain that runs in opposite directions on adjacent panels to cut down on warpage and avoid any knots where possible as the grain could have a tendency to separate near knots and cause problems or the knot itself might not be as well 'cured' as the remainder off the wood ( the problem seen with white tolex cabs where the oils in the wood came through the tolex from below and made those brown spots ).
If possible looking for well cured wood could be the key to a long lasting cabinet that does not develop buzzing problems when the wood has aged after assembly ( no warp or cracking under the tolex or tweed or what have you used ) . Uncovered cabs with finish wood look better and last longer when good wood is chosen for the build just as is true for furniture but covered cabs should not skimp on quality if you are looking for a lasting product.

On the other hand cheap stuff for short term use has always been a choice ( like when some bands made small cabs for listening to vocals while performing on stage for example ) and they can be replaced easilly at low cost but never give the best performance.

One of the reasons for using composite materials aside from the cost savings was that they are less prone to the problems of natural wood. Ply has many layers running in different directions that cut down the tendency for warp and splitting but can have voids beneath the surface and unless marine quality are more moisture damage prone.
Fiberboards of all types are even more dense which can be either stronger or lighter depending on what basic wood and materials were used but usually have less tonal response.
If a neutral or non resonating cab is being looked for they might be the answer but if you want the cab to be " alive the method suggested sounds like a good way to select and test what you build.

Sorry for the log winded post just got caught up in thinking abiut the characteristics and the materials.

:^] b


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