Building Cabinet for Epiphone Valve Junior Head

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Phyl

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I've got an Epiphone Valve Junior Head and want to build a cabinet for it. I'll only be recording with it.

I was thinking of using an open back design because it's simple. I was also thinking a 1 x 12" configuration, but could be convinced otherwise.

Does anyone have speaker recommendations, or a reason why I should do other than an open back 1 x 12"?
 
hmmm ..... I'm getting ready to build two cabs especially for my Valve Jr. 'cause I'm getting ready to use it as my main gigging amp. But I prefer 10's plus I want the cabs to be exactly the same width as the head for appearance purposes so a 12 is out of the question. I chose the Emminence Red Coat RamRod 10 for 2 reasons .... it's efficient at 100db efficiency rating and since I'll be gigging need it as loud as possible and also I checked out the response curve because I want a solid midrange with a peak around 3k to brighten up the sound it naturally has a little bit.
So I'll build two 14x14 cabs and I'll make them fairly deep to get a little volume in there for bass response. I'll decide on open or closed back when I can test them both but I pretty much plan on open back.
Now I know this doesn't specifically address you questions since you'll be recording and might not want it loud but I thought it was interesting that this came up right as I was going thru the mental decisions.
I would look at response curves and try to get one that emphasizes the spectrum you like.
 
Thanks Lt. Bob.

I should mention that I'll use it mostly with a hollow body guitar played clean (mostly). I'm after a smooth jazz guitar sort of tone. Maximizing volume isn't an issue.
 
Yeah ..... going back and reading it, that was a pretty useless post of mine! :rolleyes:
That Epi's gonna have limited clean abilities ...... I'm sure youknow that.
I have found that running a digital modeler of some kind into it will let you get a bit cleaner sound out of it.
There are so many possible ways to go speakerwise ...... a single 12 would seem to be the most likely to ba a good all-around choice. I did, however, run mine into a 2-10 Gallien Kruger bass cab and it sounded great. The closed back gave it a much fuller sound than I was used to getting out of it. So for a jazz thing, closed back should be worth considering. For me though, I'm looking for a little more 'sparkle' on the top end so I'm thinking an open back for that.

As a Valve Jr. fan (and I do have about a dozen nice tube amps but I really like the little Epi), I'll be very curious to see what others recommend and what you end up doing and how it works out.
 
Okay, I found a 1x10 design I'm going to copy. The only detail I haven't decided on is how to join the baffle to the cabinet. Some manufacturers just screw/glue it to the internal bracing, but a few route a groove in the cabinet and make it an integral part of the enclosure.

Thoughts? It would make it impossible to remove/replace/repair the baffle in the future, but I like the idea from a woodworking point of view.
 
i've been procrastinating on this cab issue, all ears on this thread.

I have 2qty Celestion 12", V30 and G12 that have been sitting in the boxes for some time in the corner. I don't have much depth of G-speakers in this sense.

whats the guesstimate recommendation on using 2 speakers versus one? what would I expect in difference?

and which of the 2, V30 or G12 would be preferred for non-heavy metal tones, more chord's than lead. Probably cleaner volume levels.
for a HR only.

Of course the open back cab sounds easier to build (I'd think?) and one 12" would make things easier as far as carpentry work, which I'm capable but only a weekend shade tree carpenter.

EV jr...a cab and a SM57, hmmm?
 
I'm using one speaker because it's a studio application.

I expect a two speaker application would be better at 'filling' a larger space, especially if you made it an open back cab, since open back designs tend to spread the sound around the room more (better for gigging) and have somewhat less bass definition.

I can't comment on the merits of the V30 over the G12.

As far as woodworking, I think as long as you have access to a table saw and router you'll be fine. I've seen plenty of people build these things using nothing fancier than butt joints and internal bracing. I suppose that would work - at least in the short term - but after considerable time at loud volumes I can see that kind of construction failing. If you don't have a bunch of money invested that might be okay, you just throw the cab away when it fails and try something new.
 
the EPi 1x12 cab is only $129 with a speaker included. Its a half back/open.

I don't know if I can beat that MF/GC price at Home Depot, unless its really a cost cut cab concept.

For my HR, a road-worthy "tank like build cab" isn't probably needed,
if its open back there's not so much design to it either, I wouldn't think?
(as far as physics of volume, pressure, heat, insulation type, and all that, resonance, etc..).

I might go ask HDepot dewd to quote me 6 pieces of wood all cut for a cabinet, maybe some king serts and allen screws,wire and plug/jack I have laying around, I don't need front cover or vinyl.

I want as small as possible, cheap as possible..something to put these speakers in...or sell the speakers and buy the Epi cab and go have an Iced Tea?
:D


this is an interesting company...Lobo
http://cgi.ebay.com/New-1x12-Speake...3QQihZ014QQcategoryZ10171QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
 
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I need to build a cab myself. I have been harvesting old reel to reel tube amps and rewiring them as heads, and need to mount the four 8 inch speakers in something. Is there a preference to the type of ply the cabinet should be made of?
 
CottageIndustry said:
I need to build a cab myself. I have been harvesting old reel to reel tube amps and rewiring them as heads, and need to mount the four 8 inch speakers in something. Is there a preference to the type of ply the cabinet should be made of?
Click to expand...

Most builders recommend voidless plywood; Baltic Birch seems to be the most popular. It's pretty pricey though. I knocked my two cabinets together out of Home Depot plywood and put in some eminence Copperhead speakers.

Some builders use pine or other solid woods and talk about the relative 'tone' merits of each.
 
Phyl said:
some eminence Copperhead speakers.

.
Click to expand...
How do you like those?
I am choosing between them and the Governors. Thinking I want a more British sound and the Governors are a little more efficient but not much.
the Copperheads look interesting too though and I haven't absolutely made up my mind.
 
I'll know for sure in a few days - I still need to paint the cab and wire it up. All of this in between honey doos.

I made my decision after listening to the clips at the Eminence site. I think the Copperhead will sound nice when playing my Jazz box or Strat clean, but for crunchy stuff I'll probably buy a Rajin Cajun and put it in the other cab.
 
All I have is a laptop so the clips won't tell me much so ...... when you heard the clips the Copperhead sounded like a clean type speaker?
 
Lt. Bob said:
All I have is a laptop so the clips won't tell me much so ...... when you heard the clips the Copperhead sounded like a clean type speaker?
Click to expand...

Through my mixer and studio monitors the Copperhead sounded the best clean, but seemed a little thin in the crunch and overdrive samples, not as punchy as the Rajin Cajun.

I finished the cab this evening and have been playing around with it. You were right when you said the Valve Junior sucks for clean tones. I didn't think the guitar stated to sound good until about 12:00 -> 1:00, right when the amp starts to break up.

I've got some sort of rattle going on too. Very minor, but annoying none the less. I'm wondering if it's the speaker wire rubbing on the cabinet wall.
 
It sounds as if the speaker itself it rattling. All I have to do to hear it is hit a B on the 5th string; even playing a B softly will get it going. It's a metal on metal sort of sound, like a loose screw.

I wonder if it's a break in sort of thing.
 
may have gotten a bad one.

For a clean sound ...... do you have a modeler of some sort?
What I found is that if you use a modeler in front of the VJ .... you know how modelers have that unrealistically digital clean? Sounds sterile and just too freakin' clean?
Well you run that into the VR and the littlebit of break up that's always there is counteracted by the over the top clean of the modeler and you end up with a usable realistic clean tube sound.
 
A quick update - the rattling turned out to be a bad tube.

I've included a picture of the cabinets.

The one on the left is a Tone-tools knockoff with some features of the Port City Wave cab included; it's loaded with an Eminence 12" Govenor. Half blind dovetails and no void Baltic Birch.

The one on the right is an EarCandy knockoff with a Eminence 10" Copperhead. Home Depot Chinese plywood.
 

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i was considering building a 1x12 cab for a while

then i saw the new krank rev jr. combos...and the 1x12 cab that comes with, for only $200

:D
 
That sounds like a great price; I certainly couldn't beat it, especially when you consider parts and labor.
 
no doubt. especially when considering that the cabs are made of solid poplar, and include an eminence speaker - krank doesn't say which model, however.
 
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