Cool Amp Project - Need Suggestions...

[Fluffypants]

I'm hoping a few of the amp gods in this forum can help me out a bit with this project I'm working on.

I have a 4x12 1974 Fender Quad Reverb collecting dust in my Dad's basement. I really love the way it sounds, but it's just too damn big and loud for my apartment. What I plan to do is rip out the chassis and put it in a new 2x12 custom-built cabinet. I have a few questions though...

1) The Quad has four 16 ohm speakers. If I reduce that number to 2, should I use 8 ohm speakers like the Twin Reverb? Or should I stick with 16s?

2) I read somewhere on the net about a modification for the Quad in which you install a switch that reduces the power output by 1/2. This would be really cool for my apartment, so the neighbors don't get *****y. Is this a difficult thing to do? I'm pretty handy with a soldering iron, and I'm fairly comfortable reading a schematic.

3) Finally, can you guys recommend a good place to get hand-made Fender amp cabinets?

Thanks a bunch!

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: Cool Amp Project - Need Suggestions...

I would go with a Mojo cab...just get a twin cab. What is the total load of the Quad, not the speakers but the "head"? As for cutting the power down it's still gonna me a loud mutha.

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: Cool Amp Project - Need Suggestions...

I meant to say...I think that a Quad is a 4 ohm total load Like Twin, if it is use 2, 8 ohm speakers and the impenedce will match up...in affect you'll be turning a Quad into a Twin...remember it is still gonna be very loud and very heavy...even if you pull 2 of the power tubes it's gonna be loud.

[Fluffypants]

Re: Cool Amp Project - Need Suggestions...

Yes, I just checked, and the total load is indeed 4 ohms. The four 16 ohm speakers are wired in parallel. So you're right, I would need to get two 8 ohm speakers to match up. Thanks a lot, dude!

It certainly is one LOUD amp, that's for sure. It also weighs about 90 lbs. Fortunately, it has wheels. I'm not too concerned about the weight though. It's just going to sit in my apartment. There's no way I'm moving that thing every time my band gets together. If it didn't sound so great I probably would have sold it, but I just can't let it go. It has that great shimmery, glassy, warm Fender clean tone.

Anyway, I think it's going to be really badass when I use it in a 2x12 configuration and lower the output a bit.

Any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated!