EXPLAINED: How To Make A Guitar Speaker Cabinet

If you’ve been searching for how to make a guitar speaker cabinet, you should check out the instructions below. This is the type of project that can be time-consuming and require great care, so it’s important to have all of the tools necessary at hand. If you do not yet have these items, I recommend getting them first before delving into this project.

Important Tools to Have

• Cordless drill/screwdriver
• Circular saw, table saw, or jig saw
• Miter box and a miter square (for cutting angles)
• Belt sander with sanding belts (for smoothing out edges and surfaces)
• Countersink (to sink screws below the surface of the wood)

Would you rather just buy a guitar speaker cab?  We have a couple different buyers guides – best speaker cab, 1×12 cabs.  Also check out our article on 1×12 speaker cabs.

How To Make A Guitar Speaker Cabinet – Measurements & Materials Needed

To begin, I would recommend this video:

Step 1 – Cut the Exterior Parts

Measure the exterior of your speaker cabinet. This is to determine how much wood you need. Also, measure the entire outer edge of your speaker cabinet (all sides). These measurements will be used to make templates for the side panels and top and bottom panels.

You’ll then need to cut 2 boards that are approximately 1/4″ smaller than each of these measurements. Measure and mark these outer dimensions on the boards.

Step 2 – Cut the Interior Parts

You’ll need to cut 2 pieces of wood that will function like a frame for the speaker cabinet. Essentially, these boards will be cut into side and top panels (these are the parts that we have not yet figured out how to make). Again, you’ll need to measure and mark these dimensions on your wood. Once you have marked them, use a circular saw or table saw to cut them out of your wood.

Step 3 – Carcass Assembling

You’ll need to assemble the sides, top and bottom panels of your guitar speaker cabinet. The speakers will be mounted into the side panels, so make sure you place them in position and screw them in. In addition, you should drill pilot holes before you start screwing in any screws. This is to ensure that your wood does not split or crack.

Step 4 – Cabinet Finishing

Once you have the interior and exterior parts put together, all that is left is to sand everything down. This includes the edges. If any edges are chipped or cracked, you can use a belt sander to make sure that everything is smooth. To avoid splintering your wood, rub some wax onto the edges first.

Step 5 – Attach the Hardware

You’ll need to attach a wooden backplate to your cabinet. The hardware you use will depend on what type of speaker cabinet you have. If you have an angled back, I recommend attaching the plate by drilling screws into the bottom of each corner. This is to make sure that it is secured and holds itself in place when playing.

Step 6 – Assembly

You’ll now have to assemble the front and back panels. To do this, it is recommended that you use a wood glue for added structural integrity. In addition, there should be wooden dowels embedded into the front and back panels as well. This is to ensure that they are sturdy and can hold up against high volumes of sound. Also, I recommend not using glue in the center of your panel so that it can be removed if you need to replace your speaker in the future.

Step 7 – Provide Support For the Speaker Cabinet

You should now have to supporting piece that will hold everything in place. This piece is important because it helps to ensure that your speaker cabinet doesn’t fall apart. In addition, you can use this as a way to screw in speakers and other accessories that are necessary for playing the guitar. To make one, simply measure and cut another piece of wood to match the size of the interior. Then, glue and screw it in place using wood screws.

Step 8 – Pre-drilling Holes

You should pre-drill holes in the center for the speaker and any other accessories. I recommend using a counter-sink to make sure that the screws can’t be seen. You should also pre-drill holes for attaching all of the exterior parts as well. You’ll need to attach these with wood glue and a drill. In addition, there are different types of speaker cabinets that you can make aside from the one described above. This is to ensure that there are acceptable levels of sound and volume.

Step 9 – Finally, attach the speaker

You will need to attach your guitar speaker into your cabinet using a screwdriver. This is one of the final steps before you can play guitar with it! The speakers should be glued in as well so they don’t move around. Otherwise, you could find that your cabinet starts to come apart when playing. This is to avoid potential injuries.

I hope that this guide helped you out! Be sure to share it with your friends if you liked it. As always, happy building! If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask me in the comments below. I’ll be more than happy to help.