How to Cover a Cabinet with Tolex or Leatherette.......Part 2 

People like you are the reason I love you tube. That amp looks better than just about anything that comes out of a store. Your workmanship is impeccable and I'm sure it inspires thousands of others besides myself. You've made a beautiful thing that anybody on Earth would be proud to own. I had to go and get my hat and put it on so I could take it off to you. Very nicely done!!!

10 years on and this is still very useful content. Covering my custom cab tomorrow, wish me luck!

This craftsmanship is so hard to come by these days. Thank you very much for these incredible instructional videos. Well done sir, well done.

Several years ago I followed your tutorial to reskin a wooden box for a 1930's violet ray enclosure. My project turned out perfect! It's time to do another one so I'm reviewing your most excellent how-to videos. Thanks Again!!!

I just finished binge watching the entire series!! I've learned a lot!! Thank you, Uncle Doug!!! Cheers!!

Hi Uncle! I have to pause this video for a while so I can write you a BIG THANKS for making me feel happy inside(I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one feeling this way). You know how you feel inside when you discover something new that is so simple but just never thought about it or that no one showed you and you get that funny, happy, full of joy feeling inside, well you just did it again to me when you mentioned putting the contact cement container in warm water before using it. Those little things you mention in your video's makes all the difference. Not only that but the knowledge your are passing on to us is amazing my friend. The way you talk also is nice cuz so many other users have great info to pass on but because sometimes they are so dull and monotonous, a person just can't watch and listen to learn. But then we find you! You are doing an excellent job as a teacher. Don't waste your energy on the thumbs down and the haters because the rest of us surely appreciate the time you are spending to create these videos to pass on your knowledge!!! I just found your channel a day or two ago and I can't get enough. For sure I'm going to watch the majority of them if not all. I built a couple of guitar pedals(nothing fancy but good for me as a project) when I was in college and wanted to try a tube amp but never did. You've given me that bug to start scrounging parts to build one. It will be spring clean up here in a few months. People get a week to throw away whatever they want. It will be the perfect time to get free parts. I've got a Peavey Audition 110 w/o Reverb that I picked up 2 years ago in our spring clean up. The person put it in way so someone would see it. I was on my 50cc scooter(I have a 95 CBR600F3 too) when I found it. It as seen better days but still sounds awesome. The logo is sorta melted and some plastic controls button too, the grill cloth as a 1 1/2 inch hole in it. The tolex is all torn, one corner of the wood is not attach no more, and I need to fix a few things inside. But even with all that, I love it. Except the electronics, all the rest gives a nice touch to it. I will be doing an enclosure and use all the rest of the parts. I may even get the parts to fit it with reverb cuz the circuit board is ready for the parts. I'm starting the project soon so that way when spring clean up gets here I will still be all primed up to build a tube amp and that will be an awesome project. You gave me an idea in this video that I will not share here but will send you a pm about it just in case nobody as ever done it before. Ciao Uncle!

Fantastic explanations on everything. Best tolex video I've seen.

Uncle Doug, I wanna be just like you when I grow up. Thank you for the mountain of wisdom.

Robert Rand, your comment came without any reply capability, but I wanted to thank you for an excellent suggestion. I never considered using wooden wine cases for amplifier cabinets, but will definitely keep it in mind for my next amp project.

HI Uncle Doug. I just Tolexed a speaker cabinet over the weekend and used your method for doing corners--it gave me the best result I've ever achieved. Thanks for all your great tips and techniques.

I´ve watched a lot of YT-vids witch claimed to show how to tolex. But your´s really *do*. Others showed how to wrap it on, its the silly part. You teach us to do corners and furthermore all details. So my next Instrumental Amp project, will be a little head and after looking at your tolex videos, i will try it by myself :) Thanx so much for teaching us how to really do the tolex job..!! :)

Very cool. My older brother started building PA cabinets in 1965 and later built his own amps and bigger PA cabinets ... He was an ace at applying Tolex and grill cloth.

Hello Uncle Doug, I really think you do a professional job on your videos. If I had to guess, in a former life, I'd bet you were an engineer whose made many a presentation for product or design...it shows. It takes one to know one and I can tell. Well, we share the same interest and hobby, and I thought I would pass along a little tip about something to your viewers. If one does not have the tools or the space to make the box, or you've had as much fun as you are ever going to require making one yourself, you can pay a visit to your local liquor store or wine merchant and find a nice finger jointed wine case. They come in 7 standard sizes that make nice 8in or 10in cabinets. Most vineyards do a quality woodworking job on these cases to make them appealing for presentation and they usually come in knotty pine or basswood. A little purchase of liquor now and then from the merchant makes the asking and receiving go a bit smoother. If you google "wine case" you can get a lot of good information about these cases and see pix of the best looking ones. Hope this helps. Regards, Robert Rand

You posted this almost 5 years ago and here I am following this tutorial to recover my old Marsland projector cabinets today! If it comes out close to what you have accomplished here, I will be one happy fella! Thanks so much for posting this.

Steve Brower, your comment did not have reply capability, so I will respond here. The heat gun is actually a little too intense for warming up the vinyl upholstery material. I generally use a hair dryer instead for that purpose and to speed up the drying of the contact cement. As for removing the old material, I would suggest a heat gun (use very carefully) and a putty knife, and some lacquer thinner (with no heat gun) if necessary to dissolve the old glue. You're welcome, Steve. I'm glad the video was helpful.

Doug... I don't know if you're gonna read this, but on the off chance you do... This video gave me the motivation, confidence and believe I was missing to finally turn my boring 2x12 into a custom cab with new Tolex, metal grill front cover, custom speaker set up and adjustable tilt angle. I've always toyed with the idea but never went through with it because I didn't believe I could do it... but you are right. It's fine if something doesn't work out in the first attempt. Thanks a lot. You're a great inspiration, an accomplished craftsman, an extremely talented teacher/instructor and an awesome ball man for Mr. Rusty!

Wonderful series! I will be taking a used Kustom Tube12a and building a head cabinet. Will be sure to refer to your videos! Thanks! Mike.

one of the best video tutorials i have ever seen, it shows clearly how to do it, it guides you thru the critical phases to get a good finish. thank you so very much for sharing your knowledge !!!!

I really appreciate your work, Doug! Hope that someday i'll make a beautiful cabinet and amp like you do. Greetings from Hungary! Keep up the good work and the very precise and informative videos! András

Perfection.... engineering, science and just rare good work.

Very Nice Build! - But you covered up your pretty box joints

Hi! I’m not making guitar amps but rather pinhole large format film cameras with a similar design. Your videos have given me exactly what I needed to wrap my cameras in leatherette. Thank you soooo much

Hey Doug and Rusty, I've been binge-watching your videos for the past week and I've been enjoying them and learning a lot. Thanks very much for all the time and effort you've put into them. I've been thinking about building a champ-style amp for quite awhile now and your videos have made me think that I could actually do it. I like the idea of getting the parts myself instead of buying a kit. Due to limitations imposed by my living situation, I would not be able to build or cover a cabinet. Do you know of a source for cabinets like the one you built here? I know there are champ-style cabinets available, but they're designed to hang the chassis from the top instead of installing it on the bottom. Any thoughts on this would be appreciated. Thanks again and keep up the good work! -- Patrick

Every one of Doug's instructional videos is rock solid, solid gold standard

Patrick McNamee, your inquiry did not allow for a Reply, so I'll answer up here and hope you see it. I think it's a great idea for you to build a Champ-style amp. Besides, the cabinet, the chassis is another challenge for most first-time builders. I believe that Weber sells chassis if you need one, and Mojotone offers amp parts and cabinets: www.mojotone.com/amp-parts/cabinets Best of luck with your project.

I'm sure glad I watched this series before I attempted to do this myself! Thank you Mucho! this was very impressive and educational! Now at least I might attempt it.

Uncle Doug you are the best(all ranges). You have inspired and taught me how to do many things...including the cabinet build I am currently working on...BTW which is kicking my butt. I made many mistakes and redos, most of which could have been avoided if I had paid closer attention to your instruction...what a learning experience. Unfortunately I ruined a couple of pieces of vintage(salvaged) grill cloth most identical to what you used here..sadly---but chalk it up to a learning experience...Thank you from the heart for all your extraordinary hard work, you are an inspiration!

I'm about to start my third guitar case using your method as closely as I'm able to adapt it to cases rather than cabinets. The first case came out very well, the second case came out even better. I am very confident this third case will also come out well, thanks to watching this video again before each project. I really appreciate the time and effort you took to make such a detailed and clearly explained video.

Thanks for another well done tutorial Doug. It is nice to see there are other folks meticulous enough to time their screws whenever possible. The overall selection of componentry makes for a very classy look.

It’s been well over twenty years since I read “Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance;” but my takeaway from that had to do with the concept about work and craftsmanship being a form of worship/meditation. Bravo! I declare you the Pope and Dalai Lama of El Paso, Texas!

Very high quality workmanship and it shows. Very nice Uncle Doug.

Hi Doug I know this is an older video but I cannot thank you enough for putting it together. It says this video was made 6 years ago. I have to tell you 6 years ago I never thought I would start playing guitar to the point I would build an amp. I acquired an old Gibson GA-5T chassis that I am almost finished building a cabinet for. My last step is putting the tolex on. Your video series has been such a good reference for me. I cannot thank you enough. Thank you thank you!

Thank you very much for these amp build videos. I made a 1 x 12 cabinet and followed all of your instructions. It came out great. Even the Tolex. Thanks again.

Just built a 2x12 cabinet. For covering it with Tolex I followed this video. The cab came out perfect. This is a must watch video if you want to learn how to cover a cab or amp. GREAT job Uncle Doug, and many thanks for taking the time to share your knowledge with everyone!

Good looking build, Doug. Sounds good, too. Thanks for making such a clear and complete instructional video!

I've got a super small cabinet to tolex and it has been stressing me out more than a baby. Then I watched this! I am looking forward to the job now. Uncle Doug and Rusty to the rescue once again.

Great job. I was undecided whether just to stain the wood or cover it and your videos convinced me to go the extra mile and finish it properly. Thank you and Rusty for your hard work.

Nicely Done Uncle Doug!! I have a Hot Rod Deville (4x10) that I am going to attempt this weekend. Thank you for the excellent explanations and the time it takes to put something like this together. It is no small undertaking. Much appreciated.

It was nice hanging out with you and Rusty! I very much appreciate your kind help and great explanation of this process as I move forward with my own. Thank you for sharing your experience with all of us.

Just finished my first speaker cab build today it turned out excellent! Your videos showed me everything I needed to know and gave me the confidence to do it. Starting another build tomorrow!

Just a note: I have built several speaker cabinets but always had trouble with the vinyl adhering properly. My problem, it seems, is that I was using spray adhesive on both the vinyl and the wood. That also makes a messy job of it. Your technique of mixing spray adhesive for the vinyl with brushed-on contact cement makes a lot more sense. Thank you, sir.

Doug, this build is a thing of beauty.

Great Job Doug. I am retolexing and old 60's Fender 2-12" speaker cabinet for the first time and your video will be helping me in a huge way. TY and keep up the great work. I am 60 and the last 7 years in a band (recently ended) called SideTraks, but all our You Tube video's were under the search of 'Quigfest'. My last name is Quigley. Anyway, no band right now, so I am doing the same type of restoration projects. PS: I am the Bass player in the band. TY again Doug.

Excellent video series Uncle Doug. I've built a Fender Champ (just the electronics within the chasis) but have never built a cabinet. This series will be a great resource for myself and I am sure a lot of others to follow. Thanks for sharing the knowledge!

hi there. You are just like God, seriously, i'm making my own pedalboard and i'm looking a video like this for a long time, and it's being very helpful for me. Thank you so much regards from Brazil.

Thanks for your flawlessl instructional video!! I've been working on a 2X12 speaker cab and did'nt know for sure if I was capable of covering it in Tolex or Leatherette or not until you answered all of my questions in this video....Thanks for all the time and effort you put into this video, especially having to hold a camera in one hand while doing all the difficult parts and now I'm sure I can make mine look at least close to your great work, Thanks Again!!

Gee, I hope Rusty didn't get offended when you switched to the hand held camera. All in all, what a great project and fabulous result. In fact, you were so perfectly detailed that I realized that I am not capable of taking on this project at my present skill level, so I shipped my Fender Twin shell to a professional to get it recovered. Thanks for helping me make that decision, and thank Rusty too.

Thank Uncle Doug for this great tutorial on applying tolex. I have an old Fender Twin that didn't have covering when I got it. I have been fretting over trying to do it myself but after watching and learning I now have the confidence to tackle it. So let the fun begin... Thanks, Dean

Doug, these videos are very inspiring, as a young man with lots of time and a love for constructing, these videos make my day and make me want to build more! Thanks, Joey.

Thanks a lot uncle Doug, you can be proud ! Your videos will really help me for my cab 🙂

Nice work on this amp! I have been thinking about making a 2x12 cab just for fun with my 11 yr old son, and your videos on this amp have been motivating. You are really thorough in your tips and the quality of the work really shines. Thanks for posting.

Thanks a lot for this video. You have such a sincere and positive way of talking that it calmed me down and made me enjoy watching you play fetch with your dog (which in all other RU-vid videos I would've probably fast-forwarded through). You take pride in your work, without boasting, since it's obvious you really have the best interest of your viewers in mind. I wish a lot of teachers look at your videos and take inspiration from it. Kind regards from the Netherlands

A beautiful well done job. Seems patience is really the key more than anything here.

You have encouraged me to build my own amp....which is all now finished except for the cabinet. Thanks to you so very much.

I followed your instructions to the letter and it came out great. I made a few little errors but I managed to cover them up. Thanks so much!

Well done! I'm in the process of recapping and doing tone mods to my Pro Jr. Since it's apart I might as well bedazzle it with leather I reclaimed from a love seat in the trash. My challenge is the curved edges on the top. Your corner demonstration is invaluable. Many thanks!

I put tolex on my first speaker cabinet after watching this and part one. It turned out great. Thanks Uncle Doug!

This as always has been a perfect tutorial ,...the sound has been pristine and crisp. The customers should be be toxon happy with your reengineering the amp . # choo ... Chico,Detroit

Very nice to see, good explanations and funny intermezzo's with Rusty. Thanks Uncle Doug!

Thank you Doug. I just finished following along this diy for my now tweed 6g15. The same with my 5f1 about a year ago. Take care.

Man,I’ve covered maybe 6 or 7 cabs and heads (I’d have to count) and the corners never get easier. I’ve gotten better but they aren’t EASY. I think it’s one of those skills that has to be done on a fairly regular basis to really get great at it. At least for us mere mortals ! Thank goodness these tutorials are here for remedial courses. And if all else fails, corner protectors look good. Or you get your friend with the woodworking machines to do the cabs!😊

Must be nice to have an uncle like you to have a cabinet covered :-))) YOU ROCK, UNCLE DOG!!!

Very well made, you can clearly see you have the skill and patience...

I know, I'm commenting again. But, I followed your directions this weekend and i'm very happy with the results. Thank you again for making a seemed difficult operation understandable and fun. Best regards to Rusty.

Thank you Uncle Doug! Your videos were a great help to me as I stripped my old Fender Bassman 10 amp and recovered it with navy blue vinyl fabric! You are a great teacher and excellent craftsman. Cute dog, too.

Nice CCR lick at the end 👍. Great instruction, incredibly informative. Thank you sir

Incredible! I'm brazillian, and i want to thank you for sharing your knowledge with us! This video helps me a lot... Congrats for your great work and teaching skills! I'm seeing your others videos now and learning a lot, thanks for all!

Great job Doug, your passion, attention to detail and workmanship are inspiring. Thank you!

you set the bar at a challenging yet attainable standard here uncle doug ,the result is incredible ,and its a unique amp! i reckon this series exeeds the definition of masterclass"

Nice job. It's good to see someone share their techniques in detail. Being a master finish carpenter/flooring installer, and guitarist for almost 30 years, it is inspiring to see. I love teaching what I have learned from my father, and from all craftsman I have had the privilege of learning from. Thanks for sharing your knowledge...Steve

Hey Doug. I’m colin from Norther Ireland. Really enjoyed your video. I have an old Selmer treble n bass mk2 that has been slowly disintegrating in my studio. I love the amp and would hate to see it die completely but there’s no one here that can re-cover it for me without having to ship it to England. I think your video has given me the confidence to give it a go myself. Thank you very much for taking the time to make it. I’d say give my best to Rusty but I just noticed the video is six years old and he looked to be enjoying his twilight years even back then. Hope you’re doing well Sir. Best wishes, Colin

Doug, thank you for these videos, they are so clear and easy to follow. I know this is an older video but very much appreciated your leaving it up for access all this time. Just great.

Thanks for this, Doug. It turned out nice. I got that princeton reverb done. Maybe you might remember. It turned out good. Wish I could have kept it, but some one else wanted it more than me. Hopefully some day I'll get to build one . These video's you've made will help me a lot. Thanks again.

Excellent Doug. Entertaining but most of all very Educational.Thank You so much. Very neat work. Patience is indeed a virtue.

Respect for Uncle Doug. Informative and my kind of humour. This is stuff that I wouldn't even think of doing but I really enjoy watching.

Fantastic project and excellent craftsmanship! I learned a lot of techniques from this series and now understand fundamentals of tube amp operation! Tubes were never covered when I studied electronics 35 years ago. Thanks for your videos. They are much appreciated!

You, Sir, are a master craftsman. Fender hasn't had this quality of craftsmanship since Leo and Forrest ran it, and possibly not even this much even back then. I'd be damned proud to own this amp.

Man your channel is such a treasure. I remember building a combo amp back in like 2004 and there was so little information available compared to now

A very nice job there Uncle Doug. I did a few of these about 5 years ago. Mine turned out very nice too. While my methodology differed slightly from yours, my finished product turned out just as nice. If I ever decide to do another I'll refer back to this video as I believe your step-by-step instructions are way better then winging it as I did the last time I built one. Thanks for sharing. You got a new subscriber today. :-)

This is fantastic !! Think Im going to try this on my Laney LC15.This is what makes RU-vid the greatest learning resource the World has known.Thanks.

I just want to say how much I appreciate your videos. I am currently knee deep in my first amp project and your videos have taught me almost everything I currently know about tube amps. This series in particular has allowed me to achieve great results in upholstering my own cabinet. Thanks a million and keep up the good work!

Absolutely brilliant video and very philosophical. Having watched this I am going to recover my speakers, did a poor job the first time, your little speaker looks fabulous!

I've recently used these videos to cover a 2x12 cabinet I made. Worked out great! Thanks for divulging your methods and going to all the trouble of recording them. I enjoy your channel content; amp and truck alike.

I feel so glad to have experienced your knowledge and insight. I wish I had an uncle like you. Now, I do. Thanks.

Very nice, Uncle Doug! I wish I saw this video when I started building and re-wrapping cabinets. I took some tips from carpet installers and then learned from my own mistakes. If I may add to WARM temperature warnings - I live in Arizona and all but the most industrial of adhesives melt and lose adhesion to what they were intended to adhere to and make a mess to the surroundings. I use spread-with-a-trowel floor adhesive for tolex and a proprietary Arizona upholstery spray for cloth-back vinyl and leatherette. Love your videos - Thanks!

Very impressive Uncle Doug. You have many great talents !

You are a fantastic teacher. Each step was well discussed

Really appreciate with your job Uncle Doug, greetings from Indonesia 🇮🇩🇮🇩

Thankyou. Worth every minute. No time wasted here.

Very god instruction, I'm glad I saw this before I jumped into covering a few cabs and heads, many nifty little tricks in there. Thank you!

Was looking at some videos to get ideas to build a 1 x 12 speaker cab and came across this. Excellent videos and top notch work 👍🏼 thanks for taking the time and making the videos!

Great vids Uncle Doug!! I watch these out on my tv some nights. Tonight I was watching this one and my cat Stormy jumped up to the screen to say hi to Rusty. She was pawing the screen and her little head was following Rusty up and down the screen, so funny! Thanks again for all your great knowledge!

Now I can cover my homemade 5F1 Champ with tweed..the real tweed, not the fake plastic tweed. Doug, your videos are like going back to college, only enjoyable. Hugs...Nyms

Thank you Uncle Doug for your great videos. I really appreciate your detailed explanation and tips. My husband and I have a big project in mind that has a lot of curves, corners and details. It is a Yamaha grand electric acoustic piano, the original tolex is destroyed.

Your video is EXACTLY what I was hoping to find. Thank you sooooooo much

Thanks so much Doug, I learnt a bundle to do my Drum-kit travel box.

So nice and the gold look sets it off, perfect

Uncle Doug ... A big tip of the hat to you on your super helpful videos !!! You are very good at all kinds of work from Electronics to woodworking , upholstery to narration etc . Thank you for taking the time to share your talents with RU-vid land !!

I greatly appreciate the detailed explanations you gave for all these steps. Thank you for the effort you put into this series.

Thank you Uncle Doug for inspiring me to pick up my soldering iron. This amp is beautiful. I'm just getting started, and I hope to be able to build my own amp some day.