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FDP Forum / Amp Mods, Repairs, and Projects / Tell me about a new cab and any effect on tone

NoMonks

USA

Stardom, one receipt at a time.
Feb 24th, 2012 09:23 AM Edit Profile Print Topic Search Topic
I am considering getting a nicely built cab from Larry Rodgers for my DRRI. Same size cab as the stock Fender, same 12 inch speaker bout.

But this one would be brown tolex, dark brown grill with tilt back legs. Purely cosmetic, me thinks. Just gussying up the ol gal.

However, would the finger jointed, solid pine used by Larry have any effect on tone vs. the stock cab? Just curious if anyone has experienced that when changing cabs, even cabs of the same size.

Thanks!

MLC
Contributing Member
**********

It's not just good..

...it's good enough.
Feb 24th, 2012 10:52 AM Edit Profile Print Topic Search Topic
I think it's common knowledge that brown tolex has a MUCH nice tone than black.

(;^D)

I think the most significant change in tone will be due to the tilt-back legs (i.e., you'll hear it better).
With an open-back cabinet covered in tolex, the type of wood and joining isn't going to be something you can hear. Well, *I* wouldn't be able to hear it, anyway.

littleuch
Contributing Member
*********

Michigan

T-boned and punctured
Feb 24th, 2012 11:20 AM Edit Profile Print Topic Search Topic
You can expect a brown tone, fer sure.

Ha. But suruslee...if the cab is same dimension with same open back porting I would expect the differences to be nominal, maybe even imaginary.

anteriorl5

USA

Feb 24th, 2012 12:14 PM Edit Profile Print Topic Search Topic
The materials used in a combo cab make a difference you can hear. Does the DRRI have a solid pine cabinet? Larry will make you a nice pine plywood baffle in 3/8" BC ply that will sound better than particle board. For the best tone, order the cab without tolex which does dampen the tone a bit. Would you put tolex over your acoustic guitar's top?

Steve Dallman
Contributing Member
*****

Merrill, Wisconsin

Dangit! Hot weather.
Feb 24th, 2012 02:02 PM Edit Profile Print Topic Search Topic
Pine is a nice choice for weight. Many swear by the "tone" of a pine cabinet, but once you wrap the cabinet in glue and Tolex, any tone addition is pretty much dampened out.

In a cabinet, the speaker produces the sound. Any contribution by the cabinet is due to the cabinet resonating. I personally prefer non-resonant cabinets as the resonance is not controlled, varies greatly by frequency and volume, and any sound that vibrates the cabinet, is sound that doesn't make it to your ears.

This is different than an acoustic guitar. The top of an acoustic guitar IS the speaker. The analogy to putting tolex on an acoustic guitar would be to put tolex on the paper cone of a speaker, which no one would do.

The baffle can make a sonic difference, but does it dampen the speaker by absorbing the sound from the speaker, or act as a very stiff, and heavy extension of the cone?

NoMonks

USA

Stardom, one receipt at a time.
Feb 25th, 2012 02:17 AM Edit Profile Print Topic Search Topic
Sounds like I'm safe with this change. I think I'm going to go for it next payday.

I love my DRRI, but when I see limited editions released I get envy. Haha.

This will take care of that. Tilt back legs will be super cool.

Cal-Woody

USA/California

Why do I keep fixing things that work?
Feb 25th, 2012 07:10 AM Edit Profile Print Topic Search Topic
If I had one built, it would have 2 back panels, (top/bottom) leaving the center open when installed with at least a 4" space, thus creating more low-end frequencies and giving more overall resonance to the whole rig, for an open back combo, but a nicely ported sealed back would add more low-end thump if you wanted to add some depth to the whole package!
But a partial open-back, keeping the cosmetics correct would definitely cover a fuller tonal pallet..........
Are you going to use the Fender head/cab locking braces, as they use on the old head/cab units or just have the amp and cab side-by-side?

Either way, it should be gorgeous!!!

Best regards and 'Yes' a certain amount of ENVY involved!

Woody

TennesseeJed1
Contributing Member
******

Anchorage, Alaska

Yes and no. But mostly no.
Feb 28th, 2012 09:48 PM Edit Profile Print Topic Search Topic
"However, would the finger jointed, solid pine used by Larry have any effect on tone vs. the stock cab?"

Perhaps. However, here are ten things that will have more effect on your tone than pine cabinetry:

1. New V1 12AX7.
2. Better speaker.
3. New strings.
4. New power tubes and bias.
5. Adjust your pickup height and set intonation.
6. Solid body guitar made from quality woods.
7. Turn amp up to Eleven (11). Or 12.
8. Drink more beer.
9. Take guitar lessons.
10. Do numbers 8 & 9 at the same time.

anteriorl5

USA

Feb 29th, 2012 07:47 AM Edit Profile Print Topic Search Topic
At higher volumes, a pine cab and baffle will resonate and move some air in all directions, not just front and back via the speaker. This disperses the sound some; makes it less focused, and as I think Steve is saying, less predictable. Tolex dampens this effect as does a thick, particle board baffle. A beam blocker, reverb, and/or a mic putting the guitar through the PA will make the cab type irrelevant.
I A/B'd a Super Reverb and a '53 Super amp a while back and really liked the Super for what I heard standing at the side of the amp, about 5 feet away. That cab put out a gorgeous sound I didn't get from the blackface amp. This effect was most apparent in a choir loft during a wedding we did. During communion, we extended a song with a 4 minute guitar solo and no blackface amp could have produced that tone.

SteavisSmokin

Netherlands

the blues hides in the strangest places
Feb 29th, 2012 03:25 PM Edit Profile Print Topic Search Topic
a super reverb and '53 tweed super are two different animals, but the main difference in cabinet construction are the plywood baffle of the '53 vs particle board of the super reverb. I much prefer plywood.. much thicker and fuller tone.

FDP Forum / Amp Mods, Repairs, and Projects / Tell me about a new cab and any effect on tone

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