Thread: Fender amp copy
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Old 23rd Sep 2019, 12:43 pm   #14
ColinTheAmpMan1
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Location: Wimbledon, London, UK.
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Default Re: Fender amp copy

Quote:
Originally Posted by retailer View Post
After cutting the 2 front slopes I did a trial placement of the interior cleats and it was here I realised there was no room for cleats to strengthen the joints between the top panel and the sides, I started to think I had made an error of some sort, surely Fender did not rely only on glued finger joints to secure the top panel to the sides, a few hours of internet searching and I came to the conclusion that is how it must be, just to be a bit safer though I drilled each second finger and glued a 5mm dowel through into the top panel.
Fender did indeed use no cleats to strengthen the corner joints. If you think about it, it is logical, as finger-joints and cleats is a bit "belt and braces". Your idea of using some dowels to strengthen the finger-joints isn't a bad idea at all, but bear in mind that the two weighty items in the cabinet are the amp chassis and the speaker. The chassis is bolted to the top panel and so is well-supported. The baffle, with its cleats, will strengthen the whole cabinet, as well as supporting the speaker. I am sure that Fender would have been aware that they were designing to a price, but also considering the aspects of quality (at least until Fender were sold to CBS).

I have never seen a Fender cabinet that has fallen apart without some serious misuse, has anyone?

Colin.
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