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Post by John on Sept 18, 2009 13:13:26 GMT -7
It just arrived (Friday afternoon)!!
I've got a very large room reserved for tonight. New strings on the '79 Les Paul Custom. Going to find out if I like Greenbacks or the V30.
It will be a loud night.
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Post by T-R☼CK ♫ on Sept 18, 2009 13:15:47 GMT -7
Remedy?? W/a LP, I'm guessin'.....it'll be the greenbacks.
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Post by benttop (Steve) on Sept 18, 2009 15:40:22 GMT -7
We expect a full report!
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Post by John on Sept 18, 2009 20:13:42 GMT -7
Took the Remedy to a large room. About the size of a 6 car garage. But it has concrete floors, walls and a hard ceiling. And pretty much nothing to soak up any sound. No carpet, no couches, no drapes...nothing. I forgot how reflective the room is. It makes a guitar sound like mud. I have a Verbzilla set to a small room slapback....and you couldn't even tell when I had it on...the whole room is small room slapback!! Rather dissapointing, you couldn't hear the clarity you want when testing an amp. I'll get my chance for a better big room soon.
But...
I took the Remedy with three 1x12 cabinets:
Avatar vintage with a V30 (openback, but not largely so, so it acts/sounds rather closed back.)
Avatar Cube with a Greenback (semi openback, sound even more closed back)
Small LOPO cab with G12H30 (closed back) -------------------------
And the winner......
GREENBACK
Not even close. Started out with the greenback. Played about 5 minutes, then 10 seconds with the V30 and 10 seconds with the G12H. I didn't need anymore time. The greenback was IT. The V30 actually sounded too bright. And the G12H was just awful. I've said before I really don't like the G12H with humbuckers...and boy, it sure was the case. (But Hendrix used it!!...yeah...with a strat!) But I really like the G12H with single coils. I tried a poor man's Z-Best with the V30 and G12H together..but no...it didn't sound good. Greenback all the way.
I've already taken the greenback out of the cube and put it in the vintage cab. Now the only decision I have to make is do I want to get a Weber greenback clone with a higher wattage rating, and lower efficiency because...
JEEZ it was loud! But I know so much of it was the reflective nature of the room. I can't wait to try it in another room so I can hear things clearer. A weber would allow me to not attenuate so much.
But the amp was great. I ended up with:
Bass: Noon Mid: 2:00 Treble: noon (originally had it up to 2:00 but moved it back down)
High volume: About 2:00-2:30 ish Bass volume: noon
Such incredible dynamics. I was using my '79 Les Paul Custom. With really well tapered volume pots. I also took my PRS SE..but the volume pot is crap. The taper is terrible. Turning the guitar volume down doesn't really do anything until you hit about 4. But with the LP, just turning the volume down to 7 makes a big difference in volume and gets you in the very sensitive range where pick attack is everything. I turned the guitar volume back up all the way, and if you picked lightly, it was clean....real clean. And just pick harder...and there's your crunch. Just awesome.
I have a 1971 100 watt non master volume Marshall Super Lead with a 1971 4x12 cabinet with greenbacks. (Kind of a holy grail of amps...you may have seen the other post about it lately) So I was spoiled by it's tone and dynamics 30 years ago, and I've been searching for it ever since. Just not at deafening volume. That Marshall is the loudest clap of thunder on the planet. I burned up two attenuators with it.
But back to the Remedy. When you crank the guitar volume, it's a blistering lead tone, and doesn't squish (and loose highs) like my Maz does. Nothing against the Maz...it's the EL84s. When pushed with humbuckers, the power tubes change their tone quite a bit and the compress pretty easy. But not the Remedy.
Now one thing I noticed. The amp really hisses loudly...like an old Marshall! And this is with the guitar volume off....so it's the amp. I'll wait until I can get it in another room. In this reflective room, you can hear a pin drop, and the hiss can reflect off the concrete floor. I'll wait until I'm in a room with carpeting....and SOMETHING that soaks up some sound.
Others have said they'd rather attenuate with the amp on full power rather than run it unattenuated at 1/2 power. I was pretty darn pleased running at 1/2 power with no attenuation. I guess I was expecting a little more difference in tone/feeling between full and 1/2 power. I'm pleased there wasn't.
I'll only be using a boost/overdrive pedal when I want super long saturated sustain. Otherwise, the Remedy has all the crunch you need. (I'm sure a pushed greenback helped along too.)
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Post by dzghia on Sept 18, 2009 22:39:57 GMT -7
John good to see the Remedy arrived. Looking forward to reading a follow up review. Especially concerning the hiss you mentioned. I have a Remedy on order too and I'm curious if the hiss is a common issue. Like you I have a Maz Jr and I'm hoping the Remedy is as quiet as it is!
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Post by John on Sept 19, 2009 5:26:39 GMT -7
Thinking about how it went last night...now I can't wait to try turning the bright volume down, turning up the bass volume...and trying that with the V30.
And I know it seemed loud because of the reflective nature of the room, but I can't really imagine any gig I'm going to play where a screamin' greenback won't be loud enough. Even at 98db. Maybe once in a while I may have the opportunity to play much louder...but do I need to? It may just be a 1x12 greenback for me for years to come.
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Post by Ryan (shorty) on Sept 19, 2009 5:38:47 GMT -7
Glad it finally arrived. I run mine through a G12-65 and it's amazing.
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Post by Joey Beverages on Sept 19, 2009 6:34:47 GMT -7
John,
glad to hear it arrived and that you are havin' fun finding the right speaker equation.
looking forward to hearing what you got to say as you get some more play-time.
cheers always, eh
Joel p.s. am a lil' jealous, though, as I'm still waitin'....
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Post by asattwanger on Sept 19, 2009 7:51:51 GMT -7
[glow=red,2,300] """"may just be a 1x12 greenback for me for years to come"""" [/glow]
I know what you mean, but an extra green in a open back really adds something to that texture.
Heck you haven't even tried it with a 4x12 yet. Yes, I know they are big {not too much bigger than a Z combo}, heavey {should have wheels}, and increasingly unpoppular, but if your digging the rock tones your getting now. Man your head is gonna spin!
I used to be a non-believer in the 4x12, but if your rockin out it doesn't matter it inhances the experience. Be it a 5 watt Swart, 15 watt RxJr {unF'ing real!!! It's the real reason I keep the amp} or a cranked Bassman. Man it's just a great balanced sound.
If I could buy another EVH 4x12 at the price I paid before I would in heart beat. Not that I get to use it all the time. Infact rarely, but when I do ______ Insert fave porn star on her knees infront of you______ feeling. ;D
DAVE
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Post by John on Sept 19, 2009 7:56:06 GMT -7
I WILL be trying the Remedy throught he 1971 Marshall 4x12 w/greenbacks...sometime..don't know when. Yeah, it's heavy, and really directional.
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Post by asattwanger on Sept 19, 2009 7:58:39 GMT -7
Just aim it at the singer like Blackmore used to and you'll be fine!!!!
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Post by John on Sept 19, 2009 9:28:07 GMT -7
And I realized this is the first 'new' amp I've purchased since 1984.
(not counting a tiny Vox Pathfinder practice amp)
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Post by asattwanger on Sept 19, 2009 13:49:03 GMT -7
Wow!!!
4x12 related. I had to drag myself out of GC a few mins ago. They had a Jimi 100 4x12 in there that was used, clean and a decent price. God I wanted it, but I need to stay focused for a big clean BF sounding amp.
DAVE
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