Knobs in front style combo with easy access to chassis?

[aon]

Hi,

I've been starting to think about my next amp build and one aspect of it is the cabinet.

I don't like having the chassis vertically in the back (VOX / Tweed Fender style) as this makes it impossible to stack anything on top of the amp and still have access to the controls.

Then again, having the chassis horizontally with the knobs in front (as in Fender Blackface etc.) makes modifications and maintenance more difficult as you have to always lift the chassis out of the cabinet to gain access to it.

I'm trying to imagine a cabinet where the chassis would be horizontal but still be accessible from the top for the majority of tasks without removing it from the cabinet. Does anyone know if such a thing already exists in some amp?

Just off the top of my head one solution seems to be a bogner shiva-esque solution where there is a middle horizontal board for more structural integrity and the top cover would be somehow detachable. Maybe there could even be a large cut-out in the middle support board to make the overall height more manageable... Of course a picture would explain it better, maybe I can whip something up when I have more time.

The amp I'm thinking of building will most likely be quite small with a single-ended output stage and either a single 10" or 12" speaker, so the weight shouldn't be a huge issue. I'll try to make everything from scratch this time so the chassis from sheet metal stock and the cabinet from plywood, so I'm not really limited by what's readily available. But majorly complicated cuts and bends are probably beyond my skill level...

Any thoughts?

[jjasilli]

You could male a removable, cut-out panel on the top of the amp, with shielded underside.  It could be bolted from the top, or "blind" from underneath. 


The top might no longer be a good place for a handle.  Handle(s) could be placed on the side(s). 


Could be a problem with spilt drinks.

[pdf64]

Make the whole top or bottom panel removable, like a Traynor YBA1 Bassmaster.

[pullshocks]

I've built several with the removable top.  This picture is a little unclear, but this is a head cab.

[aon]

I've built several with the removable top.  This picture is a little unclear, but this is a head cab.

I took the liberty of going through your post history, I think these pics show the idea better  : https://el34world.com/Forum/index.php?topic=9954.msg125616#msg125616

[Latole]

As PDF64 wrote;
Traynor with top removed: