Ampeg BA series rant

[Woodstockz]

Originally Posted by Cactoose

That got it off. Thank you.

The cab looks very well glued, so I just tried the foam tape gasket tip. That didn't stop the rattle when playing certain notes on the E and A strings - so I'll try adding more glue.

While you have it open, you might want to add more batting material.

[Cactoose]

All joints have been very solidly glued (drying at the moment), I'm going to buy some more battling tomorrow.

Question: Heavy dense battling or deeper softer batting (like attic insulation)?


Thanks for advice - I'll let youi know how it worked out.

[Cactoose]

OK, after gluing, I bought some wadding from an upholster's and stapled a 3" thickness to the inside of cab, apart from front face and leaving a hole at the rear.

What an improvement - it doesnt rattle any more, it seems louder and tighter. A different beast.

Thank you again for you advice.

[Woodstockz]

Originally Posted by Cactoose

OK, after gluing, I bought some wadding from an upholster's and stapled a 3" thickness to the inside of cab, apart from front face and leaving a hole at the rear.

What an improvement - it doesnt rattle any more, it seems louder and tighter. A different beast.

Thank you again for you advice.

I'm glad that it worked out for you.

A little DIY never hurt anyone. OUCH!!! #@$%#$

[R Baer]

Hope the repair last. I have to say that as someone who has decades of woodworking experience, the strength in a wood joint comes from having properly mated surfaces, that have been properly glued and mechanically fastened with either clamps or screws during assembly. I seriously question the notion that squirting wood glue on the outside of the mated surface will make it stronger. Try this experiment yourself. Take two 6"x6" scraps of plywood and clamp them together at the edges to make a butt joint. Now add a bead a wood glue to that inside corner. Wait a few hours for the glue to harden and remove the clamps. Now test that joint for strength and see what happens.

[Woodstockz]

Originally Posted by R Baer

Hope the repair last. I have to say that as someone who has decades of woodworking experience, the strength in a wood joint comes from having properly mated surfaces, that have been properly glued and mechanically fastened with either clamps or screws during assembly. I seriously question the notion that squirting wood glue on the outside of the mated surface will make it stronger. Try this experiment yourself. Take two 6"x6" scraps of plywood and clamp them together at the edges to make a butt joint. Now add a bead a wood glue to that inside of the joint. Wait a few hours and remove the clamps. Now test that joint for strength and see what happens.

I agree that glue should be on mating surfaces, but some people here have reported that it works. Maybe it is just temporary. Maybe they should be gluing 1/2 x 1/2 strips along the joints for a longer lasting fix.

[R Baer]

It's possible that adding the glue might be fixing an air leak, or might be slightly reducing the vibration that is occurring between two surfaces that weren't properly mated in the first place and are rattling, but the glue won't add any strength to the joint itself. Strips are a good idea, but only if those strips have been clamped under pressure, or attached with mechanical fasteners. You have to force wood surfaces together under some type of pressure for a proper joint that will hold up in something like a bass cab.