What woods to build 90's 4 x 12 halfback w/metal grill?

Anyone know what type of woods were used in the construction of the older Mesa 4x12 half-back cabs w/metal grill, Black Shadow MC-90's on top w/EV's on bottom?

steelhorse said:

Anyone know what type of woods were used in the construction of the older Mesa 4x12 half-back cabs w/metal grill, Black Shadow MC-90's on top w/EV's on bottom?

Click to expand...

I don't know what woods but these cabs can still be found and aren't a white elephant yet (except maybe for the one's with white tolex).

I would think the materials, time and effort to build one would cost way more than finding another used one unless you are not in the continental US.

Whatever road you choose, I hope it gets you to where you are going.

I was asking because have one of them and they weigh much more than my JSX or Marshall cabs, and wondered why they did not because I wanted to build one. :shock:

I understand you want to build one. I am just saying building one would cost you way more than it would to buy another.

I think Mesa uses 13 ply birch.

Also, EVs weigh more than other speakers so that also adds to the Mesa halfback weight.

I know from personal experience. :wink:

No I don't want to build one, I was simply trying to find out what woods were used for the construction because of the weight and the density.

I also understand EV's are heavier but they're not going to cause the cab to weigh twice what my 1960A's weigh imo.

New cabinets are built using 13 ply but the old school metal gril cabinets were cheap 5 ply wood. I think your weight might be the EV's if you have those stuffed in the cabinets

I like how you put that it's made of 'cheap 5 ply' but you have a point, having EV's in there doesn't help the weight either.

I'm not convinced though that it is/not 5 ply. I have a cab that is 5 ply (I know because I had it built locally) and it has 4 EV's whereas my Mesa halfback only has two on the bottom and the non Mesa cab is still far lighter.

13 ply void less birch plywood.

Just an FYI for all those thinking of building one... If you want a good corner get a good router table and a miter lock router bit...

http://www.bladesnbits.com/merchant.ihtml?pid=667&step=4&lastcatid=156 <<< like that

they are designed to make a glue-able joint that is stronger than anything you could nail or screw. It will relieve some weight too (you don't need as much bracing as they are very strong joints).

These bits take a bit to learn how to use right, so get some pine boards to practice with.

It's interesting how folks still think I'm trying to build one of these things when all I was trying to do was find out what they were built with.

I don't need to build one, I already have one that I love.

steelhorse said:

It's interesting how folks still think I'm trying to build one of these things when all I was trying to do was find out what they were built with.

Click to expand...

Sorry, edited my post, it was a general fyi that I meant to post, not directed at you....

I'm definitely learning something about cabs I didn't expect to!

I think the EV's are about twice the weight of a celestion. Next week I will put each one on a scale and post the info. Also I have a vertical mesa metal grill cabinet I am tearing into in order to repair a corner joint and do a re tolex. I will take some pictures and post them. I can confirm right now that the corner joints are not lock mitre but rather a rabbit joint.

steelhorse said:

I was asking because have one of them and they weigh much more than my JSX or Marshall cabs, and wondered why they did not because I wanted to build one. :shock:

Click to expand...

Dude, sorry for the misunderstanding. A comma between "did" and "not" might have been more clear for this picky fellow. :lol:

I have similar cabs and they are not for the weak. EV speakers have tone by the pound.

Thanks for the info GTS

Even my old halfback weighed a shitload more than the average 4x12 and I didn't have EV's in it. People helping me lift it up stairs were unpleasantly surprised it was so heavy for being such a tiny 4x12.

sam adams said:

Even my old halfback weighed a sh!t more than the average 4x12 and I didn't have EV's in it. People helping me lift it up stairs were unpleasantly surprised it was so heavy for being such a tiny 4x12.

Click to expand...

+1

gts said:

EV-12L weighs ~18lbs each Celestion C90's come in about 7-8lbs. In a 4x12 with all EV's vs all C90's you have a 40lbs difference.

Mesa made their early metal grille 4x12's (and all other cabs too) out of 3/4" Luan (a Philipino Mahogany plywood). Somehere along the way they switched to 3/4" Baltic Birch, a 13 ply birch plywood from Russia. In the day of detente you could get it but it was called "Fin Birch" as it was imported form Finland, the US had trade embargoes on Russia at the time.

Luan will only be 5-7 plys (layers of plywood) as mentioned Baltic will be 13.

Click to expand...

That Luan is a very poor clone of Baltic birch, and is a pain to work with as it splinters no matter what you do. I have seen it in 3/4" and it can have about 13 plys but it is crap. Furniture company's will use it for the back panels of cabinets in 1/4". True baltic birch will come in 5'x5' panels but there are some company's making it now in north america and it comes as 4'x8' panels. I have seen it in Menard's and Home Depot. You know marshall always used the Baltic but Russia and Finland are not too far away from England, California is a whole lot further and the cost is a lot more to ship it to Calif. Now with more picky consumers and competition from more manufacters mesa has taken there game up to the top regarding there cabinets construction. But the old metal grill cabinets still rock regardless of what wood was used. I think the only thing different is if both cabinets fell down a flight of stairs the newer one's built with baltic birch would hold up better.