18Watt.com

Thanks for the comments everyone!

I have been working on the prototype today and the back panel is almost done. I also cut the grooves for the two tone seperations.
I will be able to cover it soon.

I will post an updated photo later.

Dynaflow_Donnie wrote:Holy cow, a Watkins echo unit? Cool, did'nt know they made one. Thats a great cab, always thought the newer 18 watter would be cool in it, Be curious how it sounds out front with the splayed speaker setup. Good luck with it, prototype looks awesome.

Oh yeah, they made tons of echo units. The Copicat is probably the one piece of WEM equipment most likely to be found in a pawn shop in the USA, they were imported by Guild for a long time.

user669 wrote:Thanks for the comments everyone!

I have been working on the prototype today and the back panel is almost done. I also cut the grooves for the two tone seperations.
I will be able to cover it soon.

I will post an updated photo later.

What coverings will you be using? Have you found a reasonable facsimile for the original Rexene?

Mr_dB wrote:

user669 wrote:Thanks for the comments everyone!

I have been working on the prototype today and the back panel is almost done. I also cut the grooves for the two tone seperations.
I will be able to cover it soon.

I will post an updated photo later.

What coverings will you be using? Have you found a reasonable facsimile for the original Rexene?

Mr_dB
I have been searching the internet for the past couple days looking for a covering that comes close to what the vintage Dominator had, (that blue/white) and I have come close but nothing that just jumps out at me and says that’s the one...

I asked Charlie Watkins if it would be okay to make his cabinet and when I was looking up his contact information I noticed a photograph of a Vintage Dominator that was 2 tone black and cream I think unless it was a dirty white. So I was thinking about making the prototype really just stand out by using Black/Gold/Black.

What do you guys think? Want to see a dominator in black and gold?

I am not going to stop looking for something closer to the right stuff unless it just is not out there.

user669 wrote:

Mr_dB wrote:

user669 wrote:Thanks for the comments everyone!

I have been working on the prototype today and the back panel is almost done. I also cut the grooves for the two tone seperations.
I will be able to cover it soon.

I will post an updated photo later.

What coverings will you be using? Have you found a reasonable facsimile for the original Rexene?

Mr_dB
I have been searching the internet for the past couple days looking for a covering that comes close to what the vintage Dominator had, (that blue/white) and I have come close but nothing that just jumps out at me and says that’s the one...

I asked Charlie Watkins if it would be okay to make his cabinet and when I was looking up his contact information I noticed a photograph of a Vintage Dominator that was 2 tone black and cream I think unless it was a dirty white. So I was thinking about making the prototype really just stand out by using Black/Gold/Black.

What do you guys think? Want to see a dominator in black and gold?

I am not going to stop looking for something closer to the right stuff unless it just is not out there.

The Rexine covering used by British amp makers in the late 1950s seems to be used primarily for book binding. Here's one supplier with a color that's sort of close, although the texture is wrong:
http://www.fjratchford.co.uk/shades.asp?product_id=6

I thought I had a link for a British radio restoration supplier that has Rexine, but now I can't find it.

http://www.vintage-radio.com/trg/index.html

Sid Chaplin was the guy, but the samples on his page aren't particularly interesting.

I found this stuff here.

It's vinyl wall covering which said it was fabric backed and it is the same weight as most tolex (18oz) . I ordered a sample to check it out.

There are thousands of this vinyl wall covering out there and its cheap.

I just hope it's workable on a cabinet.

I have blue tolex but it's not the same as what is on the dominator.

Don't know if these folks can sort you out but the BL 45 looks very close.

http://www.fjratchford.co.uk/shades.asp?product_id=6

It's listed as Rexine RX 15 and RX 17 which I presume are weights.

The Rexine used on the old Brit amps was a paper-backed material, not cloth-backed. It's quite thin.

user669 wrote:I found this stuff here.

It's vinyl wall covering which said it was fabric backed and it is the same weight as most tolex (18oz) . I ordered a sample to check it out.

There are thousands of this vinyl wall covering out there and its cheap.

I just hope it's workable on a cabinet.

That texture looks good.

Here is the back panel, I had to make some ajustment to the vent cutout due to the chassis not being the same. I have to order some thin gold pipping to finish this you can see the lower right ran out of pipping.

Strat, thanks for the help. I do have some tolex that shade of blue.

The only thing left to do is buy up all the old books with that type of Rexine and rip the covers off!

Mr_dB, If it glues down on a cabinet well I think it will look good.

True the majority of Rexine was thinner than the Tolex we use but not all was paper backed. This 58 Selmer is definitely cloth backed. I'll have a look at an early 60's Dansette record player I have in the loft and check that.

The Dominator Cabinet is almost done. I have the tolex on and the piping, feet, handle.

I had to put in a special order for some white grillcloth and that comes in on Thursday.

By next weekend I will have it completed and will post a photo.

Please do... I'm very interested in the outcome.

Here it is everyone! black and gold Dominator style cabinet! OH and it has 2-12" speakers.
It sounds great with my bassman head and I bet a 36 watter would be killer in this cabinet.

<img src="http://www.ampcabco.com/pics/dominator1.jpg">

What do ya think??

Neato!

I see that on stage with a Gretsch 6120, an upright bass, and a cocktail drum set.

Here are more photos...
If you are interested in this cabinet and need help with building or tolex e-mail me and I can send you the dimenisons and methods that I used to make this cabinet.

<img src="http://www.ampcabco.com/pics/dominator2.jpg">
Here is the back of the cabinet.
<img src="http://www.ampcabco.com/pics/dominator3.jpg">
And the top

That is beautiful! Not being a real woodworker, I am interested in when these will be available to order from you.

Thanks.

gene

That really turned out nice user669! The piping, and other accents really look slick. I'd be interested in getting some details on the construction/dimensions you used. I"ve done one cab that is loosely based off the Dominator (very loose), but I always liked the retro look of the Dominator itself.

Great job Mike!!!

Needs a swanky slipcover now...

I would definitely be interested in the construction details... particularly how you attached/braced the angled corners. Would the chassis just fasten to the back... or did you build in a chassis shelf to support it?