Gabkits vs mojo combo cabinet

[spareribs]

Hi am planning to build my first 18 watt amp. I see that the Mojo cabinets look great but the gabkits prices seem much lower. Is it because the Mojo cabinets are stronger?

I like both sights because they can customize a green color. But I am leaning toward the gabikits because they seem to be a better bargain.

[zaphod_phil]

Gabriel Bucataru (Gabi) is the person who created this 18watt.com BBS. His work is of an extremely high standard, and if anything, very likely to be even better quality than Mojo's. I guess the reason his prices are lower is because he's a one-man outfit, and doesn't have all the running costs of a larger company, like Mojo.

[ur12]

Hi am planning to build my first 18 watt amp. I see that the Mojo cabinets look great but the gabkits prices seem much lower. Is it because the Mojo cabinets are stronger?

I like both sights because they can customize a green color. But I am leaning toward the gabikits because they seem to be a better bargain.

You can't go wrong with Gabi's cabs or his prices. Great stuff!!

[Reason]

Hey, I just noticed this thread. It isn't very obvious from the gabkits site, but my company builds the cabs for gabkits, under the name of Rhyme Musical Enclosures. Rhyme is just the name of the legal entity that we build our cabs under...we also have other brands.

Here is a shop tour vid (done for our Stage Craft brand)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Od0F_RgtK-I

Best,

[Mr_dB]

Hey, I just noticed this thread. It isn't very obvious from the gabkits site, but my company builds the cabs for gabkits, under the name of Rhyme Musical Enclosures. Rhyme is just the name of the legal entity that we build our cabs under...we also have other brands.

Here is a shop tour vid (done for our Stage Craft brand)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Od0F_RgtK-I

Best,

Fun tour, and great choice of music.

[rjgtr]

I own a Mojo cabinet that I used for my first 18watt. It is generally a very well built cabinet and I like what Mojo offers.

There's one thing about the Mojo cabinets I don't like. They are completely generic and do not include the mounting wings for 18watt chassis. Mojo expects you mount the amp on the back panel and then mount that to the rest of the cabinet.

With a real 18watt the chassis is mounted to wings on the inside of the cabinet and then the back is used to close the openning, which is a lot better structurally. This is also how Fender did their tweed amps. Of course Mojo is also pushing this cabinet for use with other chassis, like the JTM45 chassis, which mounts differently than the 18watt. So it is a more generic enclosure.

However, there's two reasons it is better to mount using the wings with an 18watt. One it is structurally stronger, especially considering the 18watt chassis. Second, it lets you take the back off and work on the amp, without totally removing it from the cabinet. And sure you can just add the wings yourself, but why if you can get a suitably built cabinet already.

I think the GabKits cabinet would be better suited to an 18watt build, since the people building it are intimately familiar with 18watt amps.

[bitsandvolts]

Both Gabi and Anthony are simply fantastic people to do business with. Their prices are fantastic, the quality is on par with anything else out there...and even if you don't feel compelled to keep the money within the 18w family, they're super-fantastic guys.

While I haven't had bad dealings with mojo, I've never bought anything more than a piece of tolex from them...so I can't comment from a position of authority, either way...

But I have bought stuff from both Gabi and Anthony throughout my entire amp building existence. Both fantastic dudes! You will never wrong with them....

[michaelcauley]

Hey Guys,
I got a mojo kit,small box head cab,The only concern for me is the plywood is half inch,My plexie from 1969 is a bigger head box but it is 3/4 ply.Now that might be because it is a wider cab,does anyone know if small box heads were built with 3/4 in the day.The 69 just looks a bit beefyer.
The mojo is nice and looks great.Im happy with it.

[rjgtr]

The 1/2 ply will work fine for a head cabinet.

[WaZaK]

I personally feel that any 1/2" material cuts joint strength down to an absolute minimum - if the cabinet corners have a significant round over - unless the cabinet corners are reinforced inside.
3/4" gives more room for abuse. But maybe I just like to play safe ........
A busted tube can be changed in a few minutes.
A re-cab takes days. (I'm speaking from experience!)
Not a problem anyway, if no-one gets over enthusiastic on stage and you are your own (very careful) roadie.

[michaelcauley]

Hey Guys
I just want to say that the large box cabs,mostly 100 watters are 3/4 ply.
Its that way on a 69 marshall,40 watt roccaforte,I measured the cab length 29 inches ,on my mojo kit cab 26 inches its 1/2 inch ply,that has to effect the joint in the corners.I think I would like these kit cabs to be the traditional 3/4.They look great,really clean tolex.I agree with WaZaK.
I dont think these 1/2 cabs are going to fall to peices or even loosen up over the years sitting in my home .But if you travel and play it might make a diff in a drop accident.Anyway I work with wood for a living and in my 48 years i watched molding get smaller,wood substitutes,vaneers ect.
But a head cab is less than a 3rd sheet of ply,what the heck go for the 3/4 ply The front view looks beefeyer too,Thats my 2 cents Later

[michaelcauley]

Hey guys,Im back can you tell im out of work?.I just looked at all my amps,
Boogie heads ,marshall,fender,roccaforte,even my liittle p20 Diaz,All are 3/4 ply.Only thing thats not are 2 small box kit amps,Sorry staying home for 2 months gets alittle crazy.Then every day my wife says "what did you do all day" Mike C Oh,I just have to say This site is AWSOME and always helpfull

[zaphod_phil]

I have come across a few different things which tell me that the bean counters are firmly in control over at Mojo. Typically, it's found in small quality details, where they can save a couple of dollars off the cost, like in wood thickness or interleaving of transformer windings.

[Brewmaster]

I need to add that the tolex on the Mojo is of lesser quality than Rhymes, it is much thinner.

I built the monting brackets myself for the Mojo. The Mojo does use screw and anchors. Overall I much prefer the Rhyme.

BTW....Trinity builds a great cab as well.

[lektrimojo]

I just got my hands on a Black Jack 2x12 Heirloom from Stage Craft and it kills the mojo cabs I've had before. Much better quality and attention to detail. Real happy with it!!!

[Snooty]

I have one head cab from Anthony, Gabkits, and one 212 open back cab and they are both of high quality. Very nice cabs and Anthony was very good to work with.

Mark