Boogie Road Ready woes...

SUBass · #1 10-06-2010, 08:28 PM

I picked up a used RR 6x10 cab last week...It's pretty sweet...Definitely a different vibe than my 98 Ampeg 8x10. It's cleaner...Deeper really.

I finally got a chance to crank things up this evening and now I'm a bit bummed. The left side of the front baffle has come loose from the left side of the cab and and now the cab rattles pretty bad from about A-C. So now what? I honestly don't see how you could repair this thing. There's a groove in the sides that the front baffle "slides" into and I'm guessing is glued in place. I'm gonna call Boogie in the morning and see what they have to say but I'm thinking I'm kinda eff'd here.

Any thoughts?

James

KramerBassFan · #2 10-06-2010, 08:35 PM

I want to say its Velcro-d in?

Try pushing it back on....

j.kernodle · #3 10-06-2010, 08:46 PM

Wow, the baffle? the board that the drivers themselves are screwed into? I just checked out the design on my road ready 4X10 and can't imagine that happening on mine. Hopefully someone can chime in with some repair advice. Sorry to hear that.

KramerBassFan · #4 10-06-2010, 08:57 PM

And, are you sure it isn't the grill cloth?

j.kernodle · #5 10-06-2010, 09:23 PM

Hey Kramer, if his roadready cabs are like mine, there are no velcroed on grill clothes to speak of. These have pretty heavy duty metal grills that are screwed into the baffle There are little rubber bushings between the grill and the baffle to prevent vibration.

SUBass · #6 10-06-2010, 09:24 PM

Yeah...The baffle.

I've pulled the grill off already...tightened all the screws to the speakers....When I hit an A there's a farty, raspy rattle/buzz that goes away when you push on the front baffle (speaker board). If you lightly rest your finger up against the joint where the baffle meets the left side of the cabinet you can feel it vibrating. You can also feel the side move in relation to the front if you tug on it.

There doesn't appear to be any screws that hold the side to the front...It's just a glued dado joint that I'm guessing didn't have enough glue on it when it was made. I'll call Boogie in the morning and see what they have to say. I already talked to a woodworking buddy of mine that suggested we might be able to "fix" it with a cleat glued/screwed from inside the cabinet to the front and side.

Total buzz-kill.

KramerBassFan · #7 10-06-2010, 09:49 PM

Wow, sounds like it shouldn't be TOO hard to fix.. best of luck!

Jim Campbell · #8 10-06-2010, 10:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SUBass

Yeah...The baffle.

I've pulled the grill off already...tightened all the screws to the speakers....When I hit an A there's a farty, raspy rattle/buzz that goes away when you push on the front baffle (speaker board). If you lightly rest your finger up against the joint where the baffle meets the left side of the cabinet you can feel it vibrating. You can also feel the side move in relation to the front if you tug on it.

There doesn't appear to be any screws that hold the side to the front...It's just a glued dado joint that I'm guessing didn't have enough glue on it when it was made. I'll call Boogie in the morning and see what they have to say. I already talked to a woodworking buddy of mine that suggested we might be able to "fix" it with a cleat glued/screwed from inside the cabinet to the front and side.

Total buzz-kill.

if off warranty i'd yank the drivers,go in thru the holes and screw a few L brackets or a nailer strip to that side of the inside baffle and inside the side panel and screw it together.... if you can see if there is a reason for the failure inside you may find a non invasive repair possible....

gastric · #9 10-07-2010, 05:28 AM

I'd phone Mesa before doing anything drastic like removing drivers.

Nightlyraider · #10 10-07-2010, 07:10 AM

I truly hope removing four bolts from around a driver doesn't qualify as drastic.

Open the cab up and look inside it; you'll be able to see whats really come loose most likely.

It is strange to hear about this though, I've always thought of the RR cabs as nearly indestructable.

tdvt · #11 10-07-2010, 08:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SUBass

I already talked to a woodworking buddy of mine that suggested we might be able to "fix" it with a cleat glued/screwed from inside the cabinet to the front and side.(

Your friends method is the way to go & will work fine.

If you can work some glue down into the joint before you add the cleat, that would be even better. Rest the cabinet so the bad joint is horizontal (on the bottom) & try to work some glue down into the joint (Titebond would be good). A few small holes (1/8" or so, working from the inside) angled down into the joint might make it easier to get some glue down there. Then add a 3/4" X 3/4" cleat to the inside of the joint, for the entire length of the joint. Glue & screw the cleat into both panels. Pre-drill the cleat, slightly angled holes will make it easier to fasten them & will keep it from splitting. Be sure to scrape any paint or sealer off where the cleat will be, to make sure the glue can bond.

SUBass · #12 10-07-2010, 09:58 AM

Quote:

Open the cab up and look inside it; you'll be able to see whats really come loose most likely.

It is strange to hear about this though, I've always thought of the RR cabs as nearly indestructable.

It's definitely the dado joint where the front baffle "slides" into the side panel. You can tug on the left side panel and feel it pull from the front baffle. Pull on the right side panel and it doesn't budge. I've always thought of the RR cabs as indestructible too. Guess I was wrong. Or maybe it's just my usual bad luck.

I've gotta say...Having torn into this cab...I'm less than impressed with how it's built considering how expensive these things are (were) new. Looks like Boogie has stopped making the RR's too. I can't remember the 6x10 price...But the 8x10 RR was like $2k!! I would expect T-nuts and excellent bracing. Instead the drivers are screwed right into the baffle (granted almost everyone else does the same thing) and some mediocre bracing. Actually...The bracing would've been fine had they shot this one joint up with enough glue to hold it.

James

**Chef** · #13 10-07-2010, 10:14 AM

Like this, yup...

Quote:

Originally Posted by tdvt

Your friends method is the way to go & will work fine.

If you can work some glue down into the joint before you add the cleat, that would be even better. Rest the cabinet so the bad joint is horizontal (on the bottom) & try to work some glue down into the joint (Titebond would be good). A few small holes (1/8" or so, working from the inside) angled down into the joint might make it easier to get some glue down there. Then add a 3/4" X 3/4" cleat to the inside of the joint, for the entire length of the joint. Glue & screw the cleat into both panels. Pre-drill the cleat, slightly angled holes will make it easier to fasten them & will keep it from splitting. Be sure to scrape any paint or sealer off where the cleat will be, to make sure the glue can bond.

SUBass · #14 10-07-2010, 12:38 PM

Well...No help from Boogie....It's old cab. Sooooo....Time for cleats, glue and screws.

I think it's time to start making some cabs.

James

Jim Campbell · #15 10-07-2010, 12:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tdvt

Your friends method is the way to go & will work fine.

If you can work some glue down into the joint before you add the cleat, that would be even better. Rest the cabinet so the bad joint is horizontal (on the bottom) & try to work some glue down into the joint (Titebond would be good). A few small holes (1/8" or so, working from the inside) angled down into the joint might make it easier to get some glue down there. Then add a 3/4" X 3/4" cleat to the inside of the joint, for the entire length of the joint. Glue & screw the cleat into both panels. Pre-drill the cleat, slightly angled holes will make it easier to fasten them & will keep it from splitting. Be sure to scrape any paint or sealer off where the cleat will be, to make sure the glue can bond.

i would not glue until i was certain that the dado is clear of debris and the baffle sits perfectly in place.....

SUBass · #16 10-07-2010, 01:07 PM

Quote:

i would not glue until i was certain that the dado is clear of debris and the baffle sits perfectly in place.....

I'm not sure how I would even get to the dado without destroying the cab...That's what sucks about it. I'm guessing that the sides and top are glued into the aluminum extrusions since there's no screws or rivets.

I'm thinking I'll patch the cab as best I can and move on.

BAH!!! This stuff makes me want to start making my own crap.

James

oddgrowth · #17 10-07-2010, 01:14 PM

RR's are built like tanks, and are virtually indestructable.

I currently have 3 - (2) 1x15s, (1) 2x10 and used to own a 2x15.
that cab must have been really abused to have something like that happen.

BassmanPaul · #18 10-07-2010, 03:36 PM

Mistakes happen in anything that human beings make. mesa is no different. If it's made of wood then wood, glue, screws and a little ingenuity will fix it.

SUBass · #19 10-07-2010, 09:35 PM

I tackle cabinet repair on Saturday.

In case it wasn't clear...The cab was fine prior to a brutal assault of my GK 1001rb. I played two different shows this past weekend with it, a mic'd up IEM band rehearsal, and some random practicing. Unfortunately, after a couple of moments of hitting the "rails" on the 1001rb last night, the cab mechanically broke down.

Abuse? Maybe...But the 1001 is rated below the power capabilities of this cab and knowing the sensitivity of the speakers, an engineer should be able to figure out the max SPL of the cab, understand the forces at play, and design a cab that's capable of mechanically withstanding that. All that said...I think this cab is still capable of handling it just fine...I just think when it was made, someone failed to put the appropriate amount of glue on THAT specific side of THAT cab. :/ After it's years on the road, a maxed out 700watts of juice was the last straw and it gave out.

I'll go in with some cleats, glue and screws and patch it up.

James

kcarr · #20 10-08-2010, 08:05 AM

Hope that solves the problem. I just bought a RR115 and RR410 new that local store had on closeout. He still has an 810 available. Posts on here were very helpful and hopefully I won't have any problems. Sounds like you had a rare bad experience.