Help me design a cab to work as 2x12 and 2x12/10

[Boudoir Guitar]

Alright, here's the brief.

(1). Able to swap between a 2x12" baffle and a 1-12"/1-10" baffle.
(2). I need to be able to store a Fractal FC12 in the "bottom" of it when traveling. I'm totally okay if the "bottom" when carrying it is actually a side when used with amp.
(3). It needs to be able to support a standard width rack case on top in use.
(4). Preferably not super heavy or cumbersome to carry.
(5). Open back.
(6). Will be wired in stereo driven primarily by digital modeler/solid state amp configurations, frequently used where one speaker gets one amp with heavy-effect signal (loads of reverb; deep tremolo; subtle-ish delay) and the other speaker gets a dry amp. Here, think like a Princeton Reverb with tremolo deep, reverb cranked and the other side like a Tweed-something. Not quite true wet/dry, but more wetter/drier rig.

I'm making it out of common white board from Home Depot (I think this is probably fir?) for weight and because I liked the sound of the 1x12 I made from the stuff years ago (and because I have juuuuust about enough leftover from a house project this summer to do cab and rack from). Thoughts so far on dimensions:

-Simplest/lightest would be to kind of copy a Mesa Fillmore 2x12 cabinet. It's basically 2 12" speakers crammed next to one another as closely as possible with a liiiiittle extra breathing room above/below each speaker, but not a ton. Worried it's going to be in no-man's land of being cumbersome, but also not sounding that big?

- I like the Victory 2x12 stacks (think V40 Deluxe)? Would probably put the handle on the long side with feet on both a long side and a short side so it could be used either tall/narrow or short/wide. The dimensions on those are such that a rack will fit on top. Should definitely sound bigger than the above...but maybe a pain to carry?

- Similar, but different, something like a Hot Rod DeVille where, like the Victory, speakers are offset from one another, but where the base of the cabinet is deeper than the top -- increases internal volume, but easier to carry than a cab that is deeper along its whole height.

- "Watt, you're trying to accomplish the impossible asking for a big sounding, easy to carry 2x cab; just make two separate cabs, that way if you are truly feeling lazy you can just grab one, and if you take the full monty then you have more flexibility with speaker spread/angle/etc." (to be fair, even if I build a 2x cab, will most likely absolutely make a single 1x10 cab that is 1" wider than a Princeton so I can fit the FC12 in the bottom of it). My fear with NOT having a 2x cab is that my laziness would mean I'd never take two separate cabs out of the jam room.

Appreciate any and all thoughts. My current speaker stash:

1 - 12" Weber Blue Dog Alnico 30 watt
1 - 12" Weber Silver Bell Ceramic 50 watt
1- 12" Eminence Alessandro
1 - 12" Jupiter LC-P
1 - 10" Weber Blue Pup (alnico I think? don't remember specs on this one)
1- 10" Fat Jimmy 1025, I believe ceramic.

I still haven't ever tried a Scumback and would like to.

 

[la szum]

Have fun!

My only suggestions is some Neos for speakers to keep the weight within reason.

 

[Boudoir Guitar]

My only suggestions is some Neos for speakers to keep the weight within reason.

I haven't found any that didn't sound fairly different from what they were trying to sound like? A pine open back 2x12 isn't THAT bad?

 

[bikescene]

Have you considered a baffle adapter from Mojotone? The speaker is meant to be rear mounted onto the baffle, which you could account for in your design.

I kind of forced the 10” baffle adapter to be front mounted so I could use 10” speakers in this gutted Roland Cube 60 can that I had lying around. Maybe the baffle could be flipped, and the adapter could be front mounted with the speaker rear mounted. I never bothered to look into it.

Here’s what it looks like:

 

[Boudoir Guitar]

Have you considered a baffle adapter from Mojotone? The speaker is meant to be rear mounted onto the baffle, which you could account for in your design.

I kind of forced the 10” baffle adapter to be front mounted so I could use 10” speakers in this gutted Roland Cube 60 can that I had lying around. Maybe the baffle could be flipped, and the adapter could be front mounted with the speaker rear mounted. I never bothered to look into it.

Here’s what it looks like:

Possibility -- but honestly, I've got enough 1/2" plywood kicking around that I'd probably just make two baffles. Swapping out a baffle isn't really any harder than futzing with the adapter, just takes more storage space.

 

[bikescene]

I’m curious to see what cabinet dimensions you settle on. I have similar speakers (Blue Dog/Silver Bell, 10” version of the Alessandro, some Jensen RIs) that I use in a 1x12 and 1x10.

I was thinking of trying to build a cab myself, and seeing some other designs would be very helpful.

 

[Boudoir Guitar]

Alright, pulled my JP Design 2x12 down out of the attic. It's 28" x 19.75" x 10". I've never felt it THAT much more cumbersome than a 1x12" in terms of weight, but the slight awkwardness of the 28" length requires a little more care getting through doors. Might mess with it some before committing to my own build. One option could potentially be refinishing it and using it as my 2x and then making standalone 1x12 and 1x10 cabs to complement.

Fillmore: 26.5" x 18" x 10"

Victory 2x12: 27.5" x 19" x 11.6"

HRDeVille: 24.25" wide x 21" tall x 10.75" deep at its widest, keeping in mind there is an amp chassis in that sucker. I believe it's a 1" taper from bottom to top, so 9.75 at top. This is right about the same dimensions of the '57 tweed twin reissue

Mojotone Blonde Bassman 2x12 is 30" x 20" x 11"

For poops and laughs, a Recto 2x12 Horizontal is 17.5" x 30" x (gulp) 14.25". I hate carrying cabs that deep.

 

[Boudoir Guitar]

My FM3 combo cab is, external, 22.75" wide x 20.5" x 10.75" and internal speaker box only is going up 16.25" height of that. That cab sounds Big with the Silver Bell in it.

 

[Boudoir Guitar]

Wait...Hm. I THINK I can squeeze a 10" and 12" speaker into the FM3 combo box. the FC12 can fit into the upper compartment where the FM3/PS170 used to ride. That could be a reeeeeally cool little rig.

 

[bikescene]

Alright, pulled my JP Design 2x12 down out of the attic. It's 28" x 19.75" x 10". I've never felt it THAT much more cumbersome than a 1x12" in terms of weight, but the slight awkwardness of the 28" length requires a little more care getting through doors. Might mess with it some before committing to my own build. One option could potentially be refinishing it and using it as my 2x and then making standalone 1x12 and 1x10 cabs to complement.

Fillmore: 26.5" x 18" x 10"

Victory 2x12: 27.5" x 19" x 11.6"

HRDeVille: 24.25" wide x 21" tall x 10.75" deep at its widest, keeping in mind there is an amp chassis in that sucker. I believe it's a 1" taper from bottom to top, so 9.75 at top. This is right about the same dimensions of the '57 tweed twin reissue

Mojotone Blonde Bassman 2x12 is 30" x 20" x 11"

For poops and laughs, a Recto 2x12 Horizontal is 17.5" x 30" x (gulp) 14.25". I hate carrying cabs that deep.

I’ve noticed that a lot of open back 2x12 cabinets were those approximate dimensions: around 27”x20”x11”.

I’ve been getting into 14” depth cabinets in the closed back configuration for heavier sounds because I couldn’t get my Celestions to sound like how I expected them to.

But for lower gain and clean sounds, I’ve been enjoying pairing my 11.75” deep cabs for Voxy and Tweedy sounds.

Cab dimensions are parameters that I’m finally paying attention to. It’d be interesting to see how someone would approach it from scratch.

 

[Boudoir Guitar]

I’ve noticed that a lot of open back 2x12 cabinets were those approximate dimensions: around 27”x20”x11”.

I’ve been getting into 14” depth cabinets in the closed back configuration for heavier sounds because I couldn’t get my Celestions to sound like how I expected them to.

But for lower gain and clean sounds, I’ve been enjoying pairing my 11.75” deep cabs for Voxy and Tweedy sounds.

Cab dimensions are parameters that I’m finally paying attention to. It’d be interesting to see how someone would approach it from scratch.

I find anything past 11" deep to be something that requires me to pick it up with both hands like a moving box which isn't really something I'm interested in -- If I felt like I really wanted something that big, It'd just be for staying put in my jam space and would be all 12" speakers, at least 2, maybe 4.

 

[PatF]

23" W x 29"H x 11"D would be all prime numbers. The fancy speaker designers think that is cool.

You could put a foam lined lid on the top with some latches for the FC-12.
FC-12 Dimensions. 20.2″ x 9.2″ x 3.5″ (512mm x 233mm x 88mm).

Some SVT style tilt back wheels and handle? Yes go 4!

 

[laxu]

- "Watt, you're trying to accomplish the impossible asking for a big sounding, easy to carry 2x cab; just make two separate cabs, that way if you are truly feeling lazy you can just grab one, and if you take the full monty then you have more flexibility with speaker spread/angle/etc." (to be fair, even if I build a 2x cab, will most likely absolutely make a single 1x10 cab that is 1" wider than a Princeton so I can fit the FC12 in the bottom of it). My fear with NOT having a 2x cab is that my laziness would mean I'd never take two separate cabs out of the jam room.

This is the way. I don't know about you, but I'm the kind of lazy who felt that just swapping speaker cables between amps was a pain in the ass. I bought another cab so I don't have to do that.

Or maybe you build a 4x10 so you have something that sounds somewhere in between a 2x12 and 4x12 without the excess bass and weight of a 4x12. Of course, comes down to if you can find the speaker complement that you love.

 

[Boudoir Guitar]

This is the way. I don't know about you, but I'm the kind of lazy who felt that just swapping speaker cables between amps was a pain in the ass. I bought another cab so I don't have to do that.

Or maybe you build a 4x10 so you have something that sounds somewhere in between a 2x12 and 4x12 without the excess bass and weight of a 4x12. Of course, comes down to if you can find the speaker complement that you love.

But this is the path to a blug amp…

4x10 is too big. 3x10 that could also work as a 2x is a compelling option, though.

 

[Boudoir Guitar]

Another data point that I'm logging here because it's turning into where I put all my data for this project is /13 FRT 2x12 cab: 27.5x20.5x10.5. That seems like a great size for a Big 2x12; for a 3x10, or for a 2-10/1-12 baffle.

At this point I need to get the J Design loaded up as a 1-12/1-10 and my old FM3 cab running and do some listening/thinking before moving forward.