Fawn AC30 Inspired Cabinet Build

Over the course of the lockdown, I decided to try and build an AC30 cabinet from scratch and include a few stylistic choices.

Part 02 -    • The Faux Fawn AC30 - Build and Demo  

Links to videos and how-to's I referenced in the video:
Box Joints -    • Make this Box Joint Jig in Minutes! |...   (Woodworking for Mere Mortals)
Prop weathering -    • Adam Savage's One Day Builds: Snub-No...   (Adam Savage Tested)
Bob Ross -    • Bob Ross Remixed | Happy Little Cloud...  
Grill cloth tutorial - https://www.speakerbuildersupply.com/...

I've wanted an old fawn AC30 for a long time, but never seem to have the spare $10k for a nice one, so I thought I'd try to build something to approximate one. I realize the fawn tolex/rexine is basically impossible to find, which is the first major stumbling block, but I developed a few methods in my head for work arounds, so I decided to start on it.

I took measurements off my AC30 TBX and CC2 cabs and made notes off vintage amps I saw online until I came up with a decent amalgam of features and a basic setup I could change depending on what head I settled on.

The bullet points in my design brief were as follows:

-Fawn tolex
-Copper grill cloth
-Vintage style brass vents
-Orange leather handles
-60s style wood construction (finger joints)
-Speaker protectors
-Accurate 3/4" Baltic Birch plywood

Beyond that list, a lot of things are negotiable, but I also settled on the idea of using one Celestion Blue speaker and one of the matching/complimentary Celestion Gold speakers, when the time comes. I fitted the Blues out of my TBX for spacing purposes, and photos.

Tolex... I attempted to have my own made, which almost turned out, but was too frustrating and time consuming, so I gave up... and as I progressed through the woodworking bits of this project, I started digging the bare wood look, so I attempted to stain the amp a color that could pass for "fawn" if you were glancing by it.

I painted the grill cloth to change it from brown to copper-ish. I got lucky on the result. (after lots of testing)

For the head, no decisions yet. In the interim, I planned to use my CC2 head. Not ideal, but ok in a pinch, except for the clashing colors. (purple and orange) I don't see myself accidentally coming across a TBX head that's been pulled out of a cab or a vintage chassis that needs a new home... so I think the next best option is a kit build. That said, I am almost useless when it comes to electronics, so we'll see if I get around to it!

See part 2 for the conclusion of this project and the installation of the Vox MV50 head!