Exhaust System Questions, help would be appreciated

So I bought an '08 DC TRD 6-speed manual back in December. It has a magnaflow exhaust system already in it, chrome tip and everything. Chrome really isn't my thing, and the sound coming out the back is a little much for my taste. I had a buddy say that the chrome tip is what produces the majority of the sound? I thought it was more about the muffler..? or am I totally wrong?
Preferably I would love to chop everything up to the muffler and just have a pipe just pointing the exhaust down (my brother has this on his truck, when he got a new muffler he didn't want to pay for having the piping all the way to the back). What are the pros and cons to this (performance, legal, or anything else?). If I do chop the extra piping off is this something you think I could sell?
Thanks all!

 

Tip don't affect sound

 

I cut my magnaflow system off after the turndown at the axle. Took 2 minutes.

 

hmmm sounds like this could be even easier than I thought..
did it become even louder after you did this though?

 

It became quieter actually in my experience.

 

^^really? thats great! Thanks for your help

 

do you think a hacksaw would be able to do it?
And if I cut a the downturned part right after the back axle, will that effect the spare tire at all? It seems a little close but if I cut before the pipe levels out I think it would be ok... Any other opinions on this?

 

I did it with an angle grinder. No problem with the spare in 3 years

 

ok sounds great.. i'll have to do this really soon. thanks for your help kpt!