Toros

Thanks for that advice; it is very helpful. It’s also good to know they have rollers with the linen effect as my favorite Tolex is Faun slub. I will still do that experiment just because I have invested so much mental energy into it already ha ha, but I suspect I will ultimately do the tuff cab option in the future. I am currently located in Berlin so I’ll need to look for a German version but it sounds like it shouldn’t be too difficult to find.

I plan to do some experiments over the next week or so. I’ll be picking up some mod podge, some spray lacquer, and some liquid lacquer. I might also get some contact cement. I’ll try out some various combinations of adhesive against different fabric weights and materials. I’ll try to document it and share the results here once done.

I like it; would you just use wallpaper glue or contact cement?

One thing I am particularly interested in trying to recreate is some of the finishes and textures of old Harmony, Airline, selmer, elpico type amps. Seems like a lot of those were made from veneered pressboard but I think it would be an interesting challenge to try and recreate the effect with wood and fabric or heavy wallpaper

I’d say denim isn’t all that different from Tweed in terms of density; how would you adhere it to the cab?

That turned out great; did you use the special textured roller as well or a standard roller?

Interesting. Thanks for sharing that; it seems like it would work well for getting a texture similar to Tolex as opposed to other paints that would give more of a smooth, furniture-like finish.

I’m wanting to try my first bass cab build soon and I’m looking to better understand some alternatives to Tolex for the finish. I did a fair bit of searching online and most of the results suggested were practical but not very aesthetically appealing. I know carpet, truck bed liner spray and regular spray paint are common options for cheaper Tolex alternatives, but this build will primarily be used at home or in the studio, and if I am going to look at it all the time, I’d rather not have it be an eye sore. I do think this thread could be a useful resource for amateur builders who want to try something different though. With all that in mind, here are my questions: Fabric alternatives: 1. Has anyone used lacquered fabric in place of Tolex? (I know Benson Amps have the Night Moves finish, which is a treated linen and McNeal Amps do combos covered in untreated Harris Tweed, both of which are quite attractive). 2. What level of protection am I giving up going vs using Tolex if I apply multiple coats of lacquer? 3. What would I need to know about edges to prevent unsightly fraying (would one double over the edges, or attach and then try and cut off the excess?) 4. Can I apply it with lacquer as the glue and finish, or do I need spray adhesive and then lacquer to finish? What works better? (Or even just mod podge?) 5. what weight of fabric would you recommend? (Or is it more about Thread count to prevent seepage)? 6. Does one type of fabric adhere more easily (ie. wool vs cotton vs polyblend etc.) 7. do you recommend a paint undercoat, or a layer of base lacquer, or directly on the wood? Paint alternatives: What are the best methods to paint and seal a cab so it can be pleasing to the eye, but also able to withstand a reasonable amount of wear? Finally, in also know clear coating is an alternative, but I would rather explore paints and other coverings as I’m not a massive fan of exposed grain finishes. If there are other alternatives I haven’t considered, please include them here and if this has been discussed already and I simply failed to find the thread, please redirect. thanks very much for your advice and I really look forward to seeing what this group has to share.