Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I'm looking to build a replica Ampeg Portaflex B15 cab. The one with the dual baffles. I thought I saw one made by a forum member awhile back. Anyone have any info ? (I have two very old rebuilt Altec 15s. 1 will get a new home) Thanks.

Check out this place.

I didn't make mine a portaflex fliptop, but I did use the Oliver-style double baffle in a pretty similar box to house a JBL E140. The construction process is pretty simple. I used 3/4" baltic birch plywood, which is really nice stuff to work with, and glued-and screwed butt joints, rather than the dovetails that require a fancy jig. It's fairly heavy, but bomb-proof.

Thanks Lads. I'll send Todd an email.

This was my inspiration photo of a real Oliver-style cab before covering. It looks like they used slightly thinner ply for the grille baffle than the rest (maybe 1/2"). On my cab I used 3/4" for the grille baffle as you can see on the second photo. I already owned it and didn't want to buy another sheet of thinner ply just for one baffle. The best decision I made was to do the covering using water-based contact cement ($11 per quart at the big box store) instead of that stinky, solvent-based version. It was soooooo much nicer to work with - especially in the living room. I bought the "Tolex" at a local fabric store in the upholstery department after doing some serious hunting. It's not blue-diamond, but it was dirt cheap in comparison to most being sold by guitar people and is the same type of stuff used on other amps, with similar durability. I found some great silver sparkle and considered trying a Kustom-style tuck and roll job, but figured I probably shouldn't push my luck.

Flip Tops have both the Blue Diamond and 70's black tolex for sale !

Yeah. I like Fliptops supplys. I cant wait to build one. Put my old 60s Altec 421A inside and my Ampeg B25B on top

My B-15 has an Altec 421A, and hooked up to my B-25 does indeed sound awesome, now I'm thinking maybe I should do the same and cover it in the 70's black tolex, would pair up realy nice with the B-25 !!!

VRICKY63 wrote:Yeah. I like Fliptops supplys. I cant wait to build one. Put my old 60s Altec 421A inside and my Ampeg B25B on top

thx1955 wrote:My B-15 has an Altec 421A, and hooked up to my B-25 does indeed sound awesome, now I'm thinking maybe I should do the same and cover it in the 70's black tolex, would pair up realy nice with the B-25 !!!

VRICKY63 wrote:Yeah. I like Fliptops supplys. I cant wait to build one. Put my old 60s Altec 421A inside and my Ampeg B25B on top

Yeah ! Tubes and Altecs ! Todd are those vents 1" ?

jps wrote:Check out this place.

Absoultely! Mark Gandenberger knows his stuff when it comes to building these cabs. I'd look into his cab first before going anywhere else. Great price, too. Afterall, the man built a B-15 unit for the guy that designed originally; that should be all the endorsement anyone should need.

thx1955 wrote:Flip Tops have both the Blue Diamond and 70's black tolex for sale !

As far as I know the 70's black Tolex is not the same as the original unless they've changed in the past few years, I could really use some too.