FourT6and2
Well-known member
Are the rear panels sealed using double-sided tape or anything like that? I've read that they're sealed using gaskets. But does that mean the panel can still come off easy without breaking some sort of seal?
Greazygeo
Well-known member
Mine came off easy enough. There was some weatherstripping type material in there. But the came off. It is sealed pretty well though, the speaker cable will pop out if the amp is turned up enough. You can see it in the picture.
FourT6and2
Well-known member
Great, thank you. So that gasket isn't sticky on the side that touches the rear panel, right?
ChurchHill
Well-known member
Mine were a little sticky, but nothing that a little prying didn't fix. As above, it was easy enough.
Greazygeo
Well-known member
No I don’t remember it being sticky. But this cab is from 92. Pretty certain the original owner I got itfrom never opened it. The back panel does fit tighter than typical Marshall cabs, it took abit more work to get off. Not too hard though. Covering is a pretty thick covering too.
dave74
Well-known member
Sense the mid-2000s or so they have used a better weather-stripping style foam gasket sealer, but the older cabs used this really sticky stuff that sealed the panels and handles very tightly, so to get the back-panel off you would need to unscrew and pry-off one handle, then place a rod/bar of any sort into the hole and against one side of the inner back panel, then you could just tap the rod/bar thereby breaking-loose one side of the back panel. They come off quite easily if you do it correctly. Those were the older cabs that had the non-recessed handles.
fusedbrain
Well-known member
The small number of Mesa cabs I've had to open up have all been a bitch to get the back panel off.
Forget trying to pry between the back panel and the sides, you'll just damage the cab.
I've had success removing the jack plate and pulling from there, and also taking the handles off and pushing / prying from inside the cab, as mentioned above.
Forget trying to pry between the back panel and the sides, you'll just damage the cab.
I've had success removing the jack plate and pulling from there, and also taking the handles off and pushing / prying from inside the cab, as mentioned above.
ChurchHill
Well-known member
Yep, I've done both through the jack plate and through the handle. My cabs are from 2000 or 2001, I think. Through the handle was easier.
dave74
Well-known member
Best thing I found to go through the handle for tapping it out was just an old 18" hickory stick billy-club I keep behind the TV stand.
N
Nigel
Well-known member
Rewire that thing series-parallel and get that momentary contact switch jack away from your tone. Its contact patch is the size of a pen's ball point, and that's what joins the two parallel 2x12's in series.
Fiesta Red
Well-known member
Only the finest clubbed baby seals are used
GJgo
Well-known member
What these guys say about the older cabs is true. To add, I have seen (owned) newer production cabs that do not use the seal stripping.
N
Nigel
Well-known member
My '03 OS was difficult to open.
rstites
Well-known member
I've had to reach in through the jack plate on a couple to force it, though I've also used an auto body-panel tool on it. A screwdriver works, but I don't like prying with them as they always ding things up a bit.
John4021
Well-known member
I have been through 4 4x12's and each one was a cock sucker to get the back panel to break free.
FourT6and2
Well-known member
Totally. But my question is... are they sealed with something like double-sided tape or is that gasket somehow sealing it up and breaking the panel free breaks/tears/rips the gasket? Or is it just a tight fit?
FourT6and2
Well-known member
Both of my Mesa cabs are brand new. Bought this year. They do have a gasket around the handles. And the handles come off just fine. But haven't tried the rear panel yet. I'll get to it today or tomorrow.
ChurchHill
Well-known member
Didn't break or rip for me, just a tight fit.
John4021
Well-known member
The gasket, for lack of better terms, was like a double-sided rubbery tape that is thicker than your regular double-sided tape.
PLUS it stays in place. in place .
Every Mesa 4x12 i took the back off (mostly for no good reason) had to be hit with a nylon faced Hamer. real bitch Thank goodness it wasn't particle board.
Probably would have busted it.
dave74
Well-known member
Honestly even the older cabs are not that difficult if you know the technique. Pop the handle off, use something like a piece of broom handle that has been cut down to 18"-24", angle it through the handle hole and up towards the outer/upper corner, tap it fairly gently, then angle it down towards the lower corner and repeat. It'll pop loose after a couple back and forths.
