What size cab/head to split mk2 combo into?

[Ozone7]

Hi

I have a Mk2A combo which I'm going to have split into a head an cab to help (allow!) portability.

It's being done by Zilla music in Brighton, UK.

The guys there have been super helpful so far, but I wanted to ask those amongst you who can help if you wouldn't mind passing on some advice for a second opinion.

Should the cab be larger in any way than the head? I'm thinking that the original mk2 cab and head option was probably the same profile front to back as well as side to side. Is that the case?

If anyone has original head and cab dims or could point me in the right direction, that would be great.
Also, any photos of your head/cab rigs would be amazing.

Zilla are suggesting that the cab is made slightly larger - a tad wider than the head and around 300mm deep.

I have the impression that a cab and head with the same depth and width would look neater, and seated feet would sort out stability issues. But maybe I'm missing something. I will of course talk this over with Zilla, but info from you guys as owners would be fantastic.

Thanks.

 

[igfraso]

You may want to check www.mesaboogie.com for cabinet dimensions.

 

[Ozone7]

Mmm. Yeah. I've had a look but couldn't really find what I needed.

Anybody actually got a head and cab they want to talk about?

That would be great!

 

[gts]

Hi

I have a Mk2A combo which I'm going to have split into a head an cab to help (allow!) portability.

It's being done by Zilla music in Brighton, UK.

The guys there have been super helpful so far, but I wanted to ask those amongst you who can help if you wouldn't mind passing on some advice for a second opinion.

Should the cab be larger in any way than the head? I'm thinking that the original mk2 cab and head option was probably the same profile front to back as well as side to side. Is that the case?

Nope.
Btw what sort of speaker cab are you looking to use or have made? A 1x12? 2x12? etc...

If anyone has original head and cab dims or could point me in the right direction, that would be great.
Also, any photos of your head/cab rigs would be amazing.

Is it a short head or a long head? Post pics of your combo if you are not sure or post it's width.

Zilla are suggesting that the cab is made slightly larger - a tad wider than the head and around 300mm deep.

I have the impression that a cab and head with the same depth and width would look neater, and seated feet would sort out stability issues. But maybe I'm missing something. I will of course talk this over with Zilla, but info from you guys as owners would be fantastic.

Most of if not all of Mesa's speaker cabs are deeper than the a Mark series head cab.
The width of a typical 1x12 used with a short head was close to the same in width as the head.

Fwiw it's really about getting good tone versus it looking "neater".

Here's an example of a short head matched with a Thiele cab (I made these a few years ago for someone on the board).

You can can an idea/ see how the width and depth of both look in relation to each other.

Thanks.

I've made many head cabs for Mark series amps over the years and quite a speaker cabs too.
There's quite few pics posted by members (as well as by myself) here on the boogie board (do a search).

Or go here to see a few:

http://s272.beta.photobucket.com/user/gtscabs/library/

(this is where the above pic is located too)

 

[Ozone7]

Hey. Thanks for the post. That does help.

I've been to your photobucket site and was particularly taken with the white set you made. Really nice.

So from what you say, it seems that the depth of the cab is ok to be a bit bigger. Which is fine: of course the sound quality is paramount and I have heard it say that the larger the cab, often the better the sound with the EV speaker. They did cram a lot into that little combo!

The head has not yet been built and there is a potential issue with the height, due to the reverb tank needing to be fitted low enough to avoid interference with the audio path. Any help with this? Is there a safe measurement that works? I'd really like to avoid an excessively tall head if I can help it.
(I believe the mesa units had extra shielding above the tank - is this true?)

I'm going to make the head (and now the cab) the same width as the original combo. I think that answers your question?

Again, thank you for your help.

 

[MrMarkIII]

... The head has not yet been built and there is a potential issue with the height, due to the reverb tank needing to be fitted low enough to avoid interference with the audio path. Any help with this? Is there a safe measurement that works? I'd really like to avoid an excessively tall head if I can help it.
(I believe the mesa units had extra shielding above the tank - is this true?)...

I use higher profile rubber feet on the head cab, so the tank clears the cab handle.
I believe these are Penn Elcom 9145 Rubber Feet, 1-1/2" x 1-1/2". Google "Penn Elcom", they make many sizes.
There's foil shielding in the inside top of the head cab to shield the open top of the chassis, and a sheet of shielding on the open top of the reverb tank.





(Yes, it's a blue stripe, yes, those are STR415's and STR416's, and yes, it sounds spectacular.)

 

[gts]

Hey. Thanks for the post. That does help.

I've been to your photobucket site and was particularly taken with the white set you made. Really nice.

So from what you say, it seems that the depth of the cab is ok to be a bit bigger. Which is fine: of course the sound quality is paramount and I have heard it say that the larger the cab, often the better the sound with the EV speaker. They did cram a lot into that little combo!

If memory serves me correctly a 1x12 open back speaker cab is 12-1/2" deep. And they are just about the same width.

The head has not yet been built and there is a potential issue with the height, due to the reverb tank needing to be fitted low enough to avoid interference with the audio path. Any help with this? Is there a safe measurement that works? I'd really like to avoid an excessively tall head if I can help it.
(I believe the mesa units had extra shielding above the tank - is this true?)

Yes there is a metal cover over the tank for shielding. You can see it in MrMarkIII's pic.
Tanks are put into heads with the open side up (in a combo they have the open side down)

Head cabs also have a cut out on the bottom for the reverb tank to fit into/ through.
The tank hangs out the bottom a bit (~1/4" or ~6mm) which you can just about see in one of his pics as well.
This helps a head from being as you say "excessively tall".

Fwiw He has put larger feet on his head but in my experience they aren't needed in order for the tank to clear the type of handle on the speaker cab in his pic.
But having/ using taller ones aren't going to hurt anything, they'll just make your cab a little taller.
If you want to avoid the head being taller just use the same size feet as are on your combo.

Btw is your IIA a widebody combo? Asking as it seems Mesa made quite a few widebody combos during the IIA period.

I'm going to make the head (and now the cab) the same width as the original combo. I think that answers your question?

Again, thank you for your help.