Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on May 9, 2008 9:23:31 GMT -7
I got tired of waiting for my 2X12 open back cab that I ordered with the Stangray head to come in. The head has been in for about 3 weeks. I ordered them together so I'm perplexed why they didn't come in together. As I said I got tired of waiting so I decided to go pick up the head today. I want to use it this weekend at a gig. I'll unfortunately I have to use it with my Z best cab. Can anyone tell me if its favorable to use the stangray head with that cab or am I better off just using the maz head and wait for the open back with blues to come in? I opened up the box and saw that there was a cool little anniversary plate on top of the stangray head.
|
|
|
Post by benttop (Steve) on May 9, 2008 10:24:37 GMT -7
There are a few guys here who prefer the Z-Best with the Stang Ray. You will no doubt like it, but I think you'll like the 2x12 open back better.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on May 9, 2008 10:43:55 GMT -7
Thats what I'm thinking to Bentop.
|
|
|
Post by telejas on May 9, 2008 10:45:30 GMT -7
you'll have no problems with the cab, but as bentop said - you'll like the other cab better
|
|
|
Post by gheston on May 11, 2008 9:14:48 GMT -7
We own both - and so we have had the luxury of side-by-side comparisons.
The open-back 2x12 with Alnico Blues just sounds "designed" for the 'Ray.
In fact, it may well have been...not sure...
BTW the Z-best is an incredible cab - it arrived a few weeks earlier.
We have now ordered a Maz Junior NR for our Z-Best.
Really hope you end up with a Dr. Z 2x12 open back for your 'Ray.
As Tom Petty so aptly put it, "the waiting is the hardest part".
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on May 11, 2008 11:53:32 GMT -7
The Stangray was awesome last night. > I always thought that the Kinmans, although great noiseless pickups, took away a little of the twang. Well the Stangray put it right back and then some. I'm not really liking the z best cab. I think its got a bit too much bass. I had a hard time getting a good fat sound with out too much bass overtones. It was a little bit ice picky on the higs.For sure I thought the Maz sounded better through the z best. Don't get me wrong I thought the stangray head was phenomenal. I"m just hoping the that when the open back cab gets here I'll be able to tame those low bass tones a bit better.
|
|
|
Post by benttop (Steve) on May 11, 2008 12:47:38 GMT -7
Everything comes to its proper place with the open back and Blues. You'll see...
|
|
|
Post by Hohn on May 11, 2008 16:26:00 GMT -7
Indeed. The open back 2x12 with Blues is really a package deal with the Stang-- they are practically inseparable in my mind.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on May 14, 2008 12:27:56 GMT -7
Just got an email from Brent that my Open back cabinet was shipped yesterday. All is right with the world again.
|
|
|
Post by benttop (Steve) on May 14, 2008 12:55:11 GMT -7
Congrats! You are going to seriously dig it.
|
|
|
Post by gheston on May 15, 2008 7:42:29 GMT -7
The hard part now is the mandatory break-in procedure.
You need to play 6 hours a day, 6 days per week, for 6 weeks, to seat the Blues' cones properly....
The devil you say? ;-)
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on May 15, 2008 8:00:55 GMT -7
The hard part now is the mandatory break-in procedure. You need to play 6 hours a day, 6 days per week, for 6 weeks, to seat the Blues' cones properly.... The devil you say? ;-) I see you also have the Carmen Ghia. I've been thinking of this amp to have as another head to play with my open back/blues. How do you like this head? How does it differ from the Stangray? From what I read about it it looks like I could use this head for overdrive and my Stangray for clean. I'm dumping my Maz 38 as I find that the Stangray was more the tone I was after but I still want to have a second head for backup and to use as a second channel for a more overdriven tone. I'm thinking the Carmen Ghia would be the ticket. As for getting that many hours a day on my open back. That will be impossible due to work and the start of golf season. But I will give it my best effort.
|
|
|
Post by benttop (Steve) on May 15, 2008 10:13:42 GMT -7
As for getting that many hours a day on my open back. That will be impossible due to work and the start of golf season. But I will give it my best effort. Exactly the reason I've never taken up Golf!
|
|
|
Post by gheston on May 16, 2008 1:29:35 GMT -7
Golfnut I posted a reply to your Carmen questions but it disappeared.
My bad, no doubt.
Too sleepy to re-write tonight so I'll leave you with this.
The Carmen Ghia head is a work of art, and it's probably one of the safer $1,000 investments I have ever made.
How much do you spend on golf?;-)
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on May 16, 2008 6:28:34 GMT -7
How much do you spend on golf?;-) About 2 Stangrays worth a year.
|
|
|
Post by gheston on May 16, 2008 9:26:56 GMT -7
Ever see the movie "Men in Black"?
The Carmen Ghia is the "Noisy Cricket", minus the noise.
It's a great little amp in a small form factor, but big sound.
Only two controls - yet a wide range of tones between the two settings.
Add a Keeley, and it tames the Z-Best with ease.
It looks funny to see a small 18-watt amp sitting on the Z-Best, but wow...
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on May 16, 2008 10:54:42 GMT -7
Ever see the movie "Men in Black"? The Carmen Ghia is the "Noisy Cricket", minus the noise. It's a great little amp in a small form factor, but big sound. Only two controls - yet a wide range of tones between the two settings. Add a Keeley, and it tames the Z-Best with ease. It looks funny to see a small 18-watt amp sitting on the Z-Best, but wow... My thought was to have it sit atop the open back with blues along side the stangray A/B to act as a second overdriven channel.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on May 29, 2008 8:53:09 GMT -7
I have a sinking feeling I am never going to get my open back 2X12. I waited for over 2 months for the head and cab to come. The head came after just over 2 months. After a couple more weeks of waiting for the cabinet Dr Z asked me to get Long&Mcquade to resubmit the PO. They did and a couple weeks later Dr Z informed me that the Cabinet had shipped. well its over 2 weeks later and still no sign.
|
|
|
Post by benttop (Steve) on May 29, 2008 8:57:32 GMT -7
Sounds like the Doc is at the mercy of a load of extraneous forces working against you. It's too bad those forces have conspired to delay your acquisition...
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on May 30, 2008 11:27:23 GMT -7
Yeeeeeesssssssss. ITS HERE. I just got the long awaited email from Long&Mcquade that my Open back with blues is here. I will be picking it up on the way to a gig tonight. So the first time I will hear this thing is on stage.
|
|
|
Post by Joey Beverages on May 30, 2008 11:42:27 GMT -7
Yeeeeeesssssssss. ITS HERE. I just got the long awaited email from Long&Mcquade that my Open back with blues is here. I will be picking it up on the way to a gig tonight. So the first time I will hear this thing is on stage. where you giggin' at? cheers always, eh Joel
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on May 30, 2008 11:48:55 GMT -7
Yeeeeeesssssssss. ITS HERE. I just got the long awaited email from Long&Mcquade that my Open back with blues is here. I will be picking it up on the way to a gig tonight. So the first time I will hear this thing is on stage. where you giggin' at? cheers always, eh Joel A place in Brampton Ontario called "Eastern Passage".
|
|
|
Post by Joey Beverages on May 30, 2008 11:52:27 GMT -7
cool - if I'm in the neighborhood I'll stop-in ...
|
|
|
Post by benttop (Steve) on May 30, 2008 12:07:55 GMT -7
Well congrats! We expect a full report in the morning!
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on May 31, 2008 8:51:25 GMT -7
Well this cab was well worth the wait. When I first picked it up the first thing I noticed was how much lighter it was. That sure is a bonus. I was a bit worried about picking it up then putting it on stage without playing around with it. But this cabinet with the ray head was simply amazing. I just love how the tone is just there. You basically turn it on and dial in the amount of fatness you want. I noticed this cabinet is less bright than the z best. With the z best I had the cut knob almost off and the tone knob on my tele dial back. With the new cab I've got the cut up some and the tele tone knob wide open. Everything to me sounded so much better. Even my pedals were better sounding with the openback.
|
|
|
Post by benttop (Steve) on May 31, 2008 13:08:46 GMT -7
I thought you might feel that way. That cab, with those speakers, is a bit of magic with the 'ray. We can get all technical about it, but the bottom line is it just plain smokes.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jun 3, 2008 7:04:35 GMT -7
I've used the Z Best cabinet with the Celestion Vintage 30 and the G12H30. I currently use the Open back 2X12 with Celestion Blues. I much prefer the Open back cabinet. The Z best was loud, harsh and with the Ray head the bottom end was just too much. No matter how much I turned down I always got volume complaints from the audience and the band. I first used the open back this past weekend and everybody loved it. I felt I could hear my self really well on stage and no one complained about the volume. The drummer commented on how much better the tone sounded.
|
|
|
Post by gheston on Jun 3, 2008 19:19:42 GMT -7
+1, as they say.
The Z-Best is a great cab - but the "perfect match" for the Stingray/Stangray is the 2x12 open back w/twin Alnico Blues.
I'm hoping our Maz Junior Head is a great match with our Z-Best.
We are waiting - but we do have plenty to play with while we wait!
|
|
|
Post by Jan on Jun 3, 2008 19:36:22 GMT -7
I'm hoping our Maz Junior Head is a great match with our Z-Best. It is indeed. I have a Jr NR and Z-Best. Two things about this combination - be prepared to be shocked how loud it is. The Z-Best can hold it's own against a lot of 4x12 cabinets. It really is too much for a house amp. It needs a big room to fill. Also be prepared to hate it at first. You hear a lot of comments about how harsh a Z-Best can be - it is and will be until you get the Celestions broken in. You will turn it on one day and wonder who broke in, stole your screeching ice picks cabinet and replaced it with one that sounds nice. Okay, three things - get a dolly for it.
|
|