baffle board size

[oo3]

redoing a couple fender cabs that stewed in katrina water - not a restore really just a redo, not worried about correctness, just function - baffle boards for these - both are either black or sliverface period - do i understand they used particle baffles on these ? - what was the thickness for a 2-10 possible vibroverb, for a 4-10 possible concert type - not really a fan of particle, thinking of going with the baltic birch - would 1/2" baffle work for these or do i need to go thicker? - i think the last time i posted anything was on the old site! - thank you - oo3

[Chuck H]

If they are BF era cabs they should have had plywood baffles. 4x10 cabs (like the Bassman and Super Reverb) used 5/16" but there were others that used 3/8". I have used 1/2" marine plywood (actually measures 3/8") with good results. Baltic birch should be great. I have never seen a BF amp with a MDF baffle but I have seen the less expensive SF models (specifically a Vibro Champ) with MDF baffles. I don't know much about the other SF models. But I did look in the back of a SF Twin Reverb that IIRC had a plywood baffle.

FWIW a popular mod is to change the baffle on some Fender combo's to a non floating type made of thicker material, like 3/4". It's better for bottom end and gives a more overall solid kind of sound with less acoustics and anti phase from the baffle itself.

Chuck

[oo3]

thanks for the helpful info - i had searched this site first. but didnt think to search archived forum till after i posted - there is some good info there also - oo3

[Bruce / Mission Amps]

If they are BF era cabs they should have had plywood baffles. 4x10 cabs (like the Bassman and Super Reverb) used 5/16" but there were others that used 3/8". I have used 1/2" marine plywood (actually measures 3/8") with good results. Baltic birch should be great. I have never seen a BF amp with a MDF baffle but I have seen the less expensive SF models (specifically a Vibro Champ) with MDF baffles. I don't know much about the other SF models. But I did look in the back of a SF Twin Reverb that IIRC had a plywood baffle.

FWIW a popular mod is to change the baffle on some Fender combo's to a non floating type made of thicker material, like 3/4". It's better for bottom end and gives a more overall solid kind of sound with less acoustics and anti phase from the baffle itself.

Chuck

As Chuck stated, use 13mm (1/2") Baltic birch with 1/4" plywood strips around the flat plane perimeter to hold the grille cloth off the baffle board.
The question about high density particle board baffles is open and I'm not arguing it ... I think most all of them were in fact particle board during and after the black face or silver face era and an odd thickness of about <5/8", plus, (with respect to the full floating black face baffle boards) the 1/4" plywood strips to hold the grille cloth off the actual baffle board.
There might have been some super heavy Twins or Super Twins with plywood but (although I can't be sure), I don't think so.
Tweed era amps were almost all 5/16" to 3/8" Douglas Fir plywood with the 1/4" plywood strips and used light weight AlNiCo speakers.
I have two black face Pro Reverb amps (1965 and 1967), a 1969 silver face Vibrolux and a 1973 silver face Deluxe Reverb in the shop right now and all four, in fact, are using 1/2"-5/8" thick particle board baffles.

[Chuck H]

"If they are BF era cabs they should have had plywood baffles."

O.K... I read that. I have worked on a Super Reverb that had it's baffle changed to 3/4" ply. So I thought it must be correct that the BF amps used plywood. I do know that the 4x10 Bassman baffle info is right though.

As I recall Bruce corrected me on a Princeton transformer Q about a year ago. Something else I had read and thought was correct. It's a good thing Bruce is around or who knows what kind of misinformation I might re-print...

It's true enough that the only way to really "know" anything is to have experienced it yourself... But, FWIW, I do think plywood is the way to go.

As for the 1/4" strips to suspend the grill cloth, that is how I did my last cabinet design and it worked out well. But I prefere my other designs that have a seperate grill on Velcro tabs.

Chuck

[big-daddy-59]

redoing a couple fender cabs that stewed in katrina water - not a restore really just a redo, not worried about correctness, just function - baffle boards for these - both are either black or sliverface period - do i understand they used particle baffles on these ? - what was the thickness for a 2-10 possible vibroverb, for a 4-10 possible concert type - not really a fan of particle, thinking of going with the baltic birch - would 1/2" baffle work for these or do i need to go thicker? - i think the last time i posted anything was on the old site! - thank you - oo3

build them the right way- that means 3/4 plywood or pine lumber for the case and 1/2in or heavier VOID FREE plywood for the baffles