OMFG Crappy Marshall Cab!

[442w30]

I just got a great deal on a 2X12 Marshall (1936) I think.

The tolex was torn and I am replacing the speakers now. The cab was spray painted black, so I couldn't see the woodgrain, but I figured a Marshall would be good.

Anyway, the whole thing is made of MDF! I can't believe it. Haven't gotten to play through it, I am sure it's ok, but I was expecting a little better materials, especially for what these list for.

[Bengal65]

Hmm, strange. Is it used? Can you take the back off and see it's birch plywood the cab is made of? I know the backs are particle board, but the sides and front baffle plate are birch. They usually paint the face flat black (under the screen in front). Sounds like where it was torn and someone painted it black to make it blend in.

[442w30]

Nope, the whole thing. I tore a big chunk of tolex off of the top that was curled up and it looked like MDF. Took the back off and it's an MDF back, looked at the sides, bottom, and top - same thing. The front is mdf too. Apparently by reading harmony central reviews, this is common on the cabs built after 2000.

I can't believe that these sell for $525 at musician's frient with chinese celestions. At least this one had English celestions.

[Bengal65]

Wow, MDF! Crapola! I can't believe it. I think I will look elsewhere for cabinets. Thanks for posting this. I'm looking for a 2 X12 myself and thought about Marshall. I may have to go with Splawn. At least I know how he makes his!

[zeegler]

Lopoline.

[442w30]

Here are some pics.

[StukaJU87]

I would have never expected that from Marshall.

[Dreamland_Rebel]

yeah, 5 of the 6 sides of a standard marshall 4x12 are MDF. just the front baffle is real wood.

in your case, non of it is real wood. that kanda blows.

[rjohnstone]

That would piss me off.
Those are supposed to be Birch ply.

[Outlander]

I have read that particle board is actually better for speaker cabs as they are much denser than real wood. However for speaker mounting you need real wood as bolts and screws can chew their way loose in particle board.
Not that I agree with this, but I have seen this stated more than once.

[jackson1]

Birch plywood, glued together in a laminate construction, with the long wood grains going opposite directions for each layer, makes for a much more stiff baffle compared to MDF. Cabs built the original way using the Birch laminate construction, would be much stiffer (and stronger) compared to MDF of the same thickness.


Soundwise... well, that's another topic alltogether.

[jackson1]

yeah, 5 of the 6 sides of a standard marshall 4x12 are MDF. just the front baffle is real wood.

Eh, not the thousands I've seen. Only the back side is chip board. Here's a few of mine. All Birch laminate except the back side:

[rjohnstone]

MDF is a terrible material for something that gets moved around, banged and generally abused on a regular basis.
That shit falls apart too easy.
I can see the back panel being MDF, but the rest needs to be more durable.

[gregc]

I'm not surprised. There's too much poor quality, Chinese-made, crappy stuff in Marshall's output now. Even the 'classic' or supposedly high end stuff seems to have been subject to cost-cutting (in materials and manufacture) to fatten up the margins. It's a damned shame.

Actually, no disrespect meant to Chinese manufacture in general - some of it is actually OK (and let's face it British manufacturing doesn't have the best reputation!). But crappy MDF cabs at that price just ain't right IMHO.

[Bengal65]

I'm not surprised. There's too much poor quality, Chinese-made, crappy stuff in Marshall's output now. Even the 'classic' or supposedly high end stuff seems to have been subject to cost-cutting (in materials and manufacture) to fatten up the margins. It's a damned shame.

Actually, no disrespect meant to Chinese manufacture in general - some of it is actually OK (and let's face it British manufacturing doesn't have the best reputation!). But crappy MDF cabs at that price just ain't right IMHO.

+1 Damn, that sucks. I have lost my faith in Marshall. I bought a 1960B Cab a few months ago I need to take the back off. Well, Splawn and Avatar here I go! (Maybe not even Avatar, since they use Celestion. I'll have to specify Emminence speakers.)

I'm in direct dealing with faulty metals from China, also France right now for steel structures for the offshore oil industry. A lot of junk is on the market right now.