Resizing a Mesa 2x12 Vertical Cab

TLR -Would the resize be too easy for a competent amateur to completely mess up, and would it have a significant impact in the proformance of the cab.

Hey all, first post here. Recently picked up a Mesa 2x12 Vertical after a debate between that and the horizontal style. I liked the fact that the Vertical cabs were slanted but I did like the smaller size of the horizontal cabs. The vertical isn't a whole lot smaller than a 4x12. I'm pretty good with DIY construction but I've never worked with guitar cabs before. I was thinking I could take it apart, cut the top and bottom pieces to the correct length to shorten each side closer to the speakers and put it back together. The tolex and grill cloth are really my only concern. Would it require a professional set of skills to match the tolex up nicely and put the grill cloth back on? Would it sound different/bad when its smaller? Would it probably fall apart in two seconds after I put it back together?

-before you break out the jig saw, line the inside of the cab with some foam or acoustic padding-(staple it in)-to see if you like the results, I'd sell it and buy something else before cutting it up.

sg guy":106sa78u said:

-before you break out the jig saw, line the inside of the cab with some foam or acoustic padding-(staple it in)-to see if you like the results

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Put the foam in to simulate what the smaller cab would sound like?

sg guy":106sa78u said:

I'd sell it and buy something else before cutting it up.

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I really love the cab, I'd just like it to be more compact. It's between keeping it and shrinking it.

If you have the tools and ability to do this properly then it would be vastly simpler to build a cabinet from scratch to the dimensions you prefer. Just breaking an existing cabinet down to make it narrower by a small amount would be tricky to manage.

Those cabs speaker baffles are fitted with superior dado joint construction and braced. Grilles are wrapped around a separate grille board, not the baffle board.
Not to mention you would completely change the resonance the cab is tuned for. Would be very difficult to sell if you did this modification.
Dado joint construction is a fair amount of work and I do not think it could be done without completely disassembling the cab.
If you do not like the sound of the cab just buy a other one is what I would do.

Marykelly":2x6bvses said:

If you have the tools and ability to do this properly then it would be vastly simpler to build a cabinet from scratch to the dimensions you prefer. Just breaking an existing cabinet down to make it narrower by a small amount would be tricky to manage.

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This. It's much easier to get the materials and build one than to try to tear one apart and rebuild.

ToneDeft":3fxqctg2 said:

sg guy":3fxqctg2 said:

-before you break out the jig saw, line the inside of the cab with some foam or acoustic padding-(staple it in)-to see if you like the results

Click to expand...

Put the foam in to simulate what the smaller cab would sound like?

sg guy":3fxqctg2 said:

I'd sell it and buy something else before cutting it up.

Click to expand...

I really love the cab, I'd just like it to be more compact. It's between keeping it and shrinking it.

Click to expand...

-yes, the foam will mimic a smaller cabs volume-

-I built a 8x12 cab, loved it!! I recently moved to the west coast and decided to make a 4x12 & 2x12 out of it, it was more work than making the original 8x12, not to mention it broke my fuckin heart,