66 Super Reverb baffle material

[Randall]

I am restoring a 66 SR that was knocked around pretty hard by Irma. It got totally wet, lost some speakers and the particle board baffle destroyed. I ordered a baltic birch ply baffle from Mojotone, but since this amp belongs to a touring blues player who loves this amp, I am getting nervous about what change it will have on his tone. The grille cloth on the original is only wrapped to the back on the top edge, the rest stop at the sides. I don't know how Mojo does it.

Does anyone have any insight on this subject? A local builder down here, Larry Rogers (RIP) would make wood replacements if a particle board baffle got wet, but I don't actually know if it was ply or solid boards.

[bob p]

I'm sorry for loss. It sucks when classic gear gets destroyed by a hurricane like that. Didn't the owner know to get out of town, and to take his most valuable possessions (like a BFSR) with him to a safe place?!? Just kidding, of course.

I would not have second thoughts about a Mojo birch ply baffle. That's the best material you can build a baffle out of, and Mojo does great work. In the big scheme of things, I wouldn't pause to think about how the baffle might change the tone of the amp. If the speakers got wet and are being replaced, THAT is where your tone change is going to come from. It's not like any finicky musician could blame you for the baffle changing the tone when he had to replace waterlogged speakers. If he's not happy with the tone, then blame Irma.

AFAIK everyone in their right minds made baffles out of plywood, not solid pine. Back in the day cabs were made out of pine boards, baffles were made out of plywood. Eventually both came to be replaced by MDF.

[Bill Moore]

I'm pretty sure all the Blackface era combos were particle board, (but I've only owned 2, '65, and '69).
A purist friend got on me for using ply for a Twin clone, he claims to hear a difference, (and he's older than I am!)

[The Dude]

I'm with bob p. I wouldn't give using birch ply a second thought. I can't imagine any major change in tone and it's much more durable.

[Randall]

I think there will be a change in tone to a player who is so in tune with his amp. Problem is, there is no way for me to know unless I hear from him. Whatever, he is getting a birch ply baffle, so we shall see.

[Randall]

I got the baffle from Mojotone today and installed it. It is very well done, and I like how they tweaked the top speaker over towards the other one a little to give more clearance to the PT. Amp isn't running yet, so it's too soon to tell how it will sound. Plus with a promo code I got it shipped for under $80, not bad.

[Leo_Gnardo]

with a promo code I got it shipped for under $80, not bad.

Nice to see you got a good price from Mojo. Last time I ordered a 12" speaker they slammed me on the shipping: $23 for third-day, prior to this shipping on this same item was $13. Needless to say, I don't order speakers from them anymore, I can get a better deal just about anywhere else.