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Questions: building TL606 / thiele 1x15 cabs

z11111

z11111

Apr 10, 2012
48
9
Boston, MA
#1
Hey y'all,

So I'm kind of new to building woodworking projects. Years ago, I built a head cabinet for my friend's Twin Reverb and likewise built a solid 1960s-Fender-esque 2x12 cab and I grew up with family who were super into woodworking, so I guess I'm more of an amateur rather than an absolute beginner.

I'm looking to build two TL606 cabs. Currently I have one of the old Mesa Road Ready 2x15 cabs, which is obviously based on the TL606 (looks more like two fEARful enclosures tbh), but I would love to have two separate stackable 1x15s so I could have the versatility of bringing ONE to a smaller gig or rehearsal rather than one large rectangle... (I downsized from an SVT 8x10e to the Road Ready 2x15, so... :roflmao:)

TL;DR: I've obviously found the plans circulating online from Electro-Voice, I already have a few EVM-15Ls, but I had a few rudimentary questions from builders out there. I've read every forum post I can find about building them but am still in the dark about a few things because this would be my first build which isn't just a simple box

  • how do you make your joints on these things? just some titebond and intense clamping? based on pictures online, I haven't seen any TL606 builds with finger joints or dovetails, etc. What would you recommend?
  • the plans are nice because they include cut sizes for the wood pieces, but the layout / actual drawn blueprints are kind of confusing.
  • I have saws and sanders and such but should probably invest in a router...
  • essentially: does anyone have any more detailed information or some sort of documented step-by-step build process of their own cabs? or any tips for a first time builder?
Thanks!
 
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#2
z11111 said:
how do you make your joints on these things? just some titebond and intense clamping? based on pictures online, I haven't seen any TL606 builds with finger joints or dovetails, etc. What would you recommend?
Click to expand...

You can just use internal or external screws through the cleats to provide clamping force for the butt joints. You could also use pocket screws or biscuits and pin nails. Loctite PL Premium glue works fine for butt joints and is the default for many DIY'ers these days, but I do still prefer Titebond myself.

If you have looked at lots of TB'er builds I'm sure you've caught on to the concept of using thinner wood panels and adding appropriate bracing. In that case using clamps and doing away with the internal cleats (except for the ones that define the port) can work fine. Most people doing that are using lighter modern drivers too though, FWIW. You could do worse than to read through the early fEARful threads to get up to speed on bracing. If using old E-Vs in your build I would recommend with sticking with a 3/4" baffle, especially for your first build.
 
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#4
TL606 cabinets are very "old school", and it sounds like you're focusing on building them just because you're familiar with the Mesa Boogies. Although that's a legit reason, I would highly recommend that you look into getting plans for either a Bill Fitzmaurice design or look into the Greenboy fEarfuls. BFM designs are very efficient, the plans are reasonably priced and very thorough. fEarful cabinets take a different approach but are very successful and straightforward to build. Both offerings will probably outperform the TL606 and since it doesn't sound like you've bought drivers yet, you aren't constrained. There isn't anything magical about a 15" vs. today's 12" speakers, so why not further lighten your load?
http://www.billfitzmaurice.com/
greenboy.us speaker enclosures

Both are also offered as kits for self-assembly here:
DIY Speaker Building, Parts, Cabinets, Kits and Components | Speaker Hardware
 
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#5
I built one recently to match an old Boogie cab I picked up on CL, and because I think the EV-15L in a TL-606 is as close to magic as it gets. Heard a lot of nice cabs, but to me, nothing is as good. Anyway, as far as building goes, if you build to plans the whole thing can be built with only a couple tools. A table saw (or get the wood cut for you), a drill and a hand held jig saw. A router with a roundover bit would be nice, but a belt sander or rasp and sandpaper would work also. The original plans call for an outer plywood box and an inside fir frame. The inside fir frame gives you all the gluing area you need, so it does not require any joints other than butt joints. If you wanted to drop some weight, you could do some rabbet and dado joints, then make the inside frame from smaller stock, but as drawn it's fine. Not a light cab, but worth it IMO.
 
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#6
I'm very slowly working on cabs, when there is time and health allows... taking forever. Anyway, I bought a cheap store brand trim router when I was doing kitchen counter tops. That was intended for single use. I've been using it now over 20 years and worked very good to cut a 15" driver hole in 3/4" plywood baffle. Two passes and took some time. It came with a circle jig/fence. I didn't practice, and got a little burning which sanded out. I think I'll get a big one maybe.
 
#7
abarson said:
TL606 cabinets are very "old school", and it sounds like you're focusing on building them just because you're familiar with the Mesa Boogies. Although that's a legit reason, I would highly recommend that you look into getting plans for either a Bill Fitzmaurice design or look into the Greenboy fEarfuls. BFM designs are very efficient, the plans are reasonably priced and very thorough. fEarful cabinets take a different approach but are very successful and straightforward to build. Both offerings will probably outperform the TL606 and since it doesn't sound like you've bought drivers yet,
Click to expand...

Ahem...Link Removed

z11111 said:
I've obviously found the plans circulating online from Electro-Voice, I already have a few EVM-15Ls
Click to expand...

IMHO, the TL606 is a great first DIY build if you already have the drivers, already have heard and liked one of the cabs, and don't care about the weight. I've built 5 of them over the years, and to me they were every bit as good sounding in their own way as the fEArful 12/6 I had for a while, but not in the same sonic territory at all.
 
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#8
z11111 said:
Currently I have one of the old Mesa Road Ready 2x15 cabs, which is obviously based on the TL606 (looks more like two fEARful enclosures tbh), but I would love to have two separate stackable 1x15s
Click to expand...

I had two of the Road Ready/Diesel 1x15 Mesa cabs back in the early (very early) 1990s. I sold them to get an SWR Goliath, which I do not regret (and still have), but I'd sure like to have those cabs back. With the 15L speakers (which I had, the 400w version) they were light enough to easily move and had a staggeringly good tone. One on each side of the drummer would handle any environment. Just one was usually more than enough. You're going down a good path here if this is what you have in mind.

As far as the build, pretty sure Mesa dovetailed those things, because that's what they did with everything. Not butt-jointed. Dovetailed is far stronger and sounds better.
 
#10
abarson said:
I would highly recommend that you look into getting plans for either a Bill Fitzmaurice design or look into the Greenboy fEarfuls. BFM designs are very efficient, the plans are reasonably priced and very thorough. fEarful cabinets take a different approach but are very successful and straightforward to build. Both offerings will probably outperform the TL606
Click to expand...
+1. The TL606 is a forty year old design, and so is the EVM. Both cabinet and speaker technology have come a long way since the 70s.
 
#11
Rick James said:
+1. The TL606 is a forty year old design, and so is the EVM. Both cabinet and speaker technology have come a long way since the 70s.
Click to expand...

Good point, very true. But on the other hand, why do most of us want to play old Fenders based on technology that is sixty years old when today's tech is so far advanced? The old EV 15L in the TL606 sounds great. I still have one, and have built a couple for friends recently.

I think the point is, OP owns a few EV drivers and wants to build the matched cab for those drivers. Old school isn't necessarily bad school, just different school.

As far as joints, I'm not aware of any documentation that supports a dove tail, rabbit or butt joint affects sound in any way. As long as your joints are tight and secure. As mentioned above, I also prefer Tight bond over other adhesives. No real reason other than that's just always what I've used, and clean up is a little easier. PL is great stuff for sure. (as are other tube type adhesives) I have always used butt joints (I'm lazy), glued and nailed with nail gun. Clamps (some builders preference) or screws work well if you don't have compressor and nail gun. All methods just hold wood in place. Once dried, the glue does all the work. These are fairly easy cabs to build. Just make sure your cuts a nice and square.

Hey OP. If you have a few of those drivers and want to be adventurous, I have plans for the EV Eliminator cab. Way back in the day, I used to use two of these with my V4B. Talk about old school! I didn't use any of the high freq. stuff, though it does have all schematics for that part of assembly. It is a rear firing 15 horn. Like the old Acoustic 360, only a little smaller and for a 15" as opposed to an 18'. I kind of regret ever getting rid of them. Maybe I'll build another this summer? If anyone wants, PM me and I can email you a pdf file of what I've got.

They look like this. Of course, I didn't use horns or have EV logo...........

images.jpg
 
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#12
funkinbottom said:
Hey OP. If you have a few of those drivers and want to be adventurous, I have plans for the EV Eliminator cab. Way back in the day, I used to use two of these with my V4B. Talk about old school! I didn't use any of the high freq. stuff, though it does have all schematics for that part of assembly. It is a rear firing 15 horn. Like the old Acoustic 360, only a little smaller and for a 15" as opposed to an 18'. I kind of regret ever getting rid of them. Maybe I'll build another this summer? If anyone wants, PM me and I can email you a pdf file of what I've got.
Click to expand...

I had a knockoff of one of those, loaded with an Altec 421-8H. Used it with my B-15 and an EB-O for a while...talk about old school! Link Removed
 
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#14
The TL606 was important because somebody had done the design work, and shared the plans. But it's not magic. The TL606 is a basic ported box. The way that drivers and ported boxes work, haven't changed. Physics is physics. And most ported bass speakers designed today will have similar characteristics, because the bass still plays the same range of notes, more or less. The options for variation are not infinite.

Of course drivers have gotten lighter, and have more excursion. Longer excursion requires some attention to port air flow if you're recycling an old design. And some other things have improved: The theory is the same, but design exploration is easier thanks to widespread modeling software and the sharing of information over the Internet. And DIY'ers have made some progress in using thinner panels and other light-weighting techniques.
 
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#15
funkinbottom said:
Hey OP. If you have a few of those drivers and want to be adventurous, I have plans for the EV Eliminator cab. Way back in the day, I used to use two of these with my V4B. Talk about old school! I didn't use any of the high freq. stuff, though it does have all schematics for that part of assembly. It is a rear firing 15 horn. Like the old Acoustic 360, only a little smaller and for a 15" as opposed to an 18'. I kind of regret ever getting rid of them. Maybe I'll build another this summer? If anyone wants, PM me and I can email you a pdf file of what I've got.
View attachment 890025
Click to expand...

Sounds like a great combination, especially with the V4B. I have a V4 which I use for lighter shows and then an SVT-II Non Pro for everything else. Gonna stick with the TL606 for now because, as you said, I already have a bunch of EVM15Ls lying around, but dang sounds like a super nice concept. One of my favorite weird bass cabs I have used is one of those old Orange folded-horn 2x15s and the Eliminator reminds me of an improved version of that.

Thanks everyone for the information! Feeling much more confident about it now :) I'll be sure to document my process and post a build thread whenever I get started on this project.
 
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