JCM 900 4x12 Build Quality? 13ply Birch or MDF?

This is what it sounds like, when cones cry.

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Aquila Rosso
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Re: JCM 900 4x12 Build Quality? 13ply Birch or MDF?

Post by Aquila Rosso » Wed Jun 03, 2009 7:05 pm

During the '90s I was really into rack systems.
First I had JMP-1 and a Dual Monoblock running into a JCM900 1960a. I didn't like it.
Next I got a Digitech Artist Preamp/FX and a Mesa EL84 20/20 running into 2 JCM900 1936 cabs and that sounded much better, at least at medium volume.
Point is they didn't sound alot worse than the 1960a, for that kind of setup they sounded fine.
I think we were more easily pleased back then though.

After the rack era I got sucked into the modelling thing but now have returned to using tube amps.

Funny thing is that no matter what gear I've used over the years, my playing still sounds very similar no matter what setup I use.

I remember when we were just happy to have a decent gat, a wah that wasn't scatchy, a tube amp that works and a cab with Celestions in it, then we were "gig ready".
Now were have a bewildering choice of amps and cabs etc, it confuses the crap out of me, but is good.
Gibson LP Classic/Fender USA Strat Std/GMW Rhoads/ZW Wah/MXR ZW OD/SCOD/TS808 clone/Dist+/MXR 10 band/Smallstone/DSL100/1960a/PDI-03/GX-700

beaulieu
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Joined: Fri Aug 03, 2007 8:45 am

Re: JCM 900 4x12 Build Quality? 13ply Birch or MDF?

Post by beaulieu » Thu Jun 04, 2009 8:20 am

bdc wrote:
beaulieu wrote:I never really sat and compared a MDF cab to a Birch cab. I think the MDF might sound OK. I think when you are talkin guitar cabs alot of people do stuff thats a waste of time.I got a 1970 Marshall cabinet that some goofball used wood putty and RTV inside all the corners and the handles.Were talkin guitar cabinets...not bass cabinets. I would think haveing a 100% sealed cabinet would be more practical on a Bass cab and not a guitar cab.The most important parts about guitar cabs are the speakers and what its made out of. I just don't see how people think they are going to "improve" on something thats dosent need improving. Well speaker changes are fine but to take a Vintage cab and Hog it up with RTV and wood putty :? What was he thinkin??This thing was a mess inside. I really don't think a 4x12 cabinet with 25 watt speakers is going to benefit buy sealing up the handles and edges??
I have used silicone to stop handles from rattling....o
You don't want to record a cabinet with rattles
Or have your audience listen to your cabinet rattle.
The dimensions are more important than the materials......
You don't want air leaks in your Marshall cab, other than
maybe from an unused speaker jack. This stuff matters....
There are ways to do this stuff nicely......I've noticed rattles in lots of speaker cabinets.....Silicone and bracing can do wonders.......and dimensions have a ton to do with speaker movement and tone....It's that control of airflow.
I can't say I agree with everything you said..I hope we can agree not to agree....anyway Keeping handles and the whole cab from rattiling...this makes sense. But I think you are putting to much stock in the size of a cabinet. Now in a Bass cabinet I think this matters more. I once read about guitar cabinets and they said the most important things were speakers and construction...not size.If you had a regular 4x12 sized cab loaded with a peticular speaker then load that same speaker into a Jimi Tall cab(i think 4 inches taller) I don't think you are going to hear a difference.Another major factor in cabinet sound is what kind of grillcloth is used. Something like checkerboard is transparent as to Basketweave tames the highs alot!
69 SuperBass Plexi
12000 Series Bulid
73 1987
68 Nos 50 build
2554 Combo
2550 Silver Jub stack
71 LesPaul Deluxe
68,71,73 4x12

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