Rawcabs!

[Bill Moore]

I was going to get a local guy to sell me some box cut wood to build a cab for my 5E3 project, but he is selling out. I cannot get any decent wood from the lumber store, and didn't want to build the thing out of ply using biscuits. Looking on the Bay, I found a cab that was assembled with dovetails, and there isn't a knot anywhere in the wood! I started working on it last night, but thought I'd share a before pic before I cover it up!

[Enzo]

That's a nice looking cabinet.

[mozz]

This guy makes some nice cabinets too and will do custom dimensions also.
TRM pine Tweed Deluxe 112 cabinet for 5E3 chassis. Unfinished Project. 11" deep. | eBay

[Bill Moore]

That too is a good looking cab, mozz.
This one is slightly tapered, 9.5" at top, and 10" on the bottom. I don't know if Fender built them like that or not.
I installed the grill cloth last night, and thought I had it dead on, (I pulled twice as many staples as I installed). Looking at it today in the sunlight, I see once again I have a few bobbles in my install!

[mozz]

I don't have a original but i do think they are tapered. The seller link on eBay i sent makes them even deeper, 11". I am going to try one of them deeper ones on my next build, which is about 4 projects away. Wish i knew some grill cloth tricks, others will chime in on that.

[Steve A.]

I was going to get a local guy to sell me some box cut wood to build a cab for my 5E3 project, but he is selling out. I cannot get any decent wood from the lumber store, and didn't want to build the thing out of ply using biscuits. Looking on the Bay, I found a cab that was assembled with dovetails, and there isn't a knot anywhere in the wood! I started working on it last night, but thought I'd share a before pic before I cover it up!
[ATTACH=CONFIG]41729[/ATTACH]

Can you post a link to the auction or the seller? Assuming that this wasn't just a one time deal...

The cabinet looks great and I know a lot of people are looking for a good source.

Thanks!

Steve Ahola

P.S. Is this the seller? I really like his very reasonable shipping charge...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/rawcabs-1x12...s/302157985798

P.P.S. Damn, I wish I knew about this guy when I had to pass up a great deal on a Marshall DSL-40C because it was too damned heavy! (I got the DSL-15C instead which lacks the alternate modes for the two channels.) A lot of people wish that Marshall made a DSL-40 head...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/rawcabs-unfi...-/291944740609

I see that the builder lives in Fresno which might explain why the shipping charge to the SF Bay Area is so reasonable... it might be a little higher going to the East Coast.

[Bill Moore]

Steve, it was only $23 shipping to me!
He showed another cab with grill cloth installed, (Oxblood), so I asked him if he would do one in wheat, but he declined.
We never see wood that clear around here, the forest service doesn't let any logging anymore, except fire supression. The fellow I was referencing had a business building cabinets out of the small diameter wood availlable. They actually look pretty nice when fitted together to make a larger piece.

[mozz]

East coast USA shipping from Rawcabinets, $51. I have gotten half/dozen cabinets from west coast and it's usually ~$30 range.

[The Dude]

...... it was only $23 shipping to me!......
......We never see wood that clear around here, the forest service doesn't let any logging anymore, except fire supression.....

That's a killer price and that wood is beautiful. It's a shame to cover it up.

[Chuck H]

That's a killer price and that wood is beautiful. It's a shame to cover it up.

I thought the same thing! I did some knotty pine cabs for a guy (to match the "old pub" style paneling I did in his man cave). A 4x10 and a 2x12 cab, a head and one combo amp. First I artificially aged the wood with a lye solution. No neutralizer. Then a coat of amber shellac followed by a sanding sealer. Sanded lightly to flatten any raised grain. Then two coats of urethane. The paneling and cabinets looked like they'd aged and yellowed for a hundred years. With darker grain streaks, blackened knots and some of that iridescent translucence where you can see into the grain. Those four are the only amp cabinets I ever personally made for any amps I've sold.

[The Dude]

I was imagining it with a colored stain, then clear coated- like a translucent guitar sort of thing.

[Chuck H]

I was imagining it with a colored stain, then clear coated- like a translucent guitar sort of thing.

Sort of. Guitars don't usually get stained either. Tinted color coats are put over a sanding sealer. Many good "tone woods" don't stain all that well because of their softness and densities. Pine is no exception. It takes stain terribly. Blotchy and uneven.

I actually had two steps inverse on the last post. After the artificial aging I used sanding sealer, light sand and THEN amber shellac and two coats of urethane. The amber shellac has good transparency (compared to pigmented stains). Normal people don't have good access to things like aniline dye and paint stores only offer ready made stains or pigment based alternatives that aren't acceptable for this level of finishing. But amber shellac, if you like it's color, does have the right look. The artificial aging combined with the amber shellac is definitely an "antique" sort of look. If not a little repro looking. But it's still cool. I still need to try to get some photo's to show off (even though my photography skills aren't the best). No promises, but this thread makes the effort more compelling.

[The Dude]

I'm certainly not anywhere in the same area code as an expert, so I would certainly take your advise as a pro. I once stained/dyed a vintage drum kit green and had it clear coated. It turned out very well and looked like a factory finish. Maybe I was lucky? Maybe because it was a different wood that took stain/dye well? I did the same thing to a cheap squire strat after stripping the factory finish. It turned out equally well. For reference, I believe the drum kit was maple and the guitar was alder. I'll try to find some pics.

[tbonuss]

Normal people don't have good access to things like aniline dye and paint stores only offer ready made stains or pigment based a.

Would this aniline dye not work? It was recommended to me by a cabinet maker. 17 bucks for 5 colors. I used the red on a pinewood derby car for my youngest. After a half dozen (or more) coats of urethane, it looked like a great guitar finish. I was thinking about using it on a guitar. Oh, I sanding sealed it first.
http://https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00BAKWTMQ/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[Chuck H]

Would this aniline dye not work? It was recommended to me by a cabinet maker. 17 bucks for 5 colors. I used the red on a pinewood derby car for my youngest. After a half dozen (or more) coats of urethane, it looked like a great guitar finish. I was thinking about using it on a guitar. Oh, I sanding sealed it first.
http://https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00BAKWTMQ/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Well, I'm ancient. The internet has certainly changed what "easy access" means. Even so, my experience ordering things on line for specific things like this is that it often turns out close, but not really what I wanted Then refinements mean more ordering and waiting, shipping charges, finding alternative vendors with the "other" thing, etc. Too frustrating.