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Post by tommyellison on Jul 24, 2007 9:07:19 GMT -7
I played a Galaxie at Elite Music in Montgomery AL yesterday and found it to be a really great amp. However I was dispappointed in a few things:
1. No channel switch on the amp itself. You have to use the footswitch to change channels. Would be nice to have the feature on the amp itself during practice at home w/o having to hook up the pedal each time.
2. No Reverb. I was under the impression it was to have one. This would be a more versatile amp if it had on-board reverb.
3. The volume level between the Clean and OD channel was mismatched. I had the clean set to Noon with the Gain channel set to 7-8 to equalize the volume level.
Just my opinions FWIW.
Waiting on the Evan.
Tommy
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Post by mfirst on Jul 24, 2007 9:18:19 GMT -7
did the old tweed amps that the galaxie was based on have built in reverb? I don't know. But if they didn't, that could explain Doc not putting reverb in it. I've almost got to the point where I don't like built in reverb very much. In live settings I think amps sound better without reverb, less mushyness to contend with, just pure tone.
I'm excited to hear a galaxie in person. I do agree with the onboard channel switch though, that would be nice to have.
Was the mismatch in volume intended to be a boost for the lead channel? That way you can hit the switch and have drive, and a boost for leads all in one switch.
those were my impressions of the intent of the amp.
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Post by kidmagic on Jul 25, 2007 9:54:59 GMT -7
I own a Galaxie and a 6545. I've also owned a Mazerati and a Z28. Here is a common thing I've notice about Z amps. They're meant for gigging levels - and to me that means reverb is not necessary. I agree - I love reverb at bedroom level, but live - no thanks. If Dr. Z did put reverb into this amp it would probably be more expensive, and possibly out of reach for me. I use these amps to play with my band and for that they are amazing at a reasonable price.
I also don't have a problem with the volume balance, since each side is controlled by it's own volume knob. Who cares if the knobs aren't lined-up - you can still match the output no problem.
Not trying to jump all over you here. Just not really feeling your complaints and wanted to offer a counter point.
One thing I think some people don't realize is that Dr. Z's are not for everyone. If you play primarily at home, or want multiple sounds out of your amp - then don't bother. Most Z's do one or two things really really well at gigging volumes - that's it. I love'm for it. But at home when I'm practicing I have a little solid state modeling amp - it sounds great with ten zillion options (that is, sounds great untiluntil you have to turn it up or record it!).
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Post by billyguitar on Jul 25, 2007 10:21:34 GMT -7
No Fender tweed amps ever had reverb. The first Fender reverb was a blonde seperate unit made for **** Dale, I believe, to go with his Blonde Showman. The Galaxie was never intended to have reverb but the Evan will. I'll choose a reverb amp every time over one without. I love it!
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Post by tommyellison on Jul 26, 2007 17:16:35 GMT -7
I own a Galaxie and a 6545. I've also owned a Mazerati and a Z28. Here is a common thing I've notice about Z amps. They're meant for gigging levels - and to me that means reverb is not necessary. I agree - I love reverb at bedroom level, but live - no thanks. If Dr. Z did put reverb into this amp it would probably be more expensive, and possibly out of reach for me. I use these amps to play with my band and for that they are amazing at a reasonable price. I also don't have a problem with the volume balance, since each side is controlled by it's own volume knob. Who cares if the knobs aren't lined-up - you can still match the output no problem. Not trying to jump all over you here. Just not really feeling your complaints and wanted to offer a counter point. One thing I think some people don't realize is that Dr. Z's are not for everyone. If you play primarily at home, or want multiple sounds out of your amp - then don't bother. Most Z's do one or two things really really well at gigging volumes - that's it. I love'm for it. But at home when I'm practicing I have a little solid state modeling amp - it sounds great with ten zillion options (that is, sounds great untiluntil you have to turn it up or record it!). Being a player that does play 50-60 gigs a year, I care about the setting on the amp. Its enough to have to adjust the pedal output/gain on the board and having a "balanced" volume level on the amp would eliminate just one more thing to fool with while your getting my gear as well as the sound system and other paraphenalia set for the evening. I have a Maz 18 Jr and was considering the Galaxie to provide more clean tone at higher levels. Alas, the drive channel was not a big feature for me. Still awaiting the Evan!!!
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Post by pappy on Jul 26, 2007 19:24:59 GMT -7
I love reverb, but I'll admit I've never gigged. But all my heroes use tons of reverb live. I used to say "no amps without reverb" but that's really limiting. So now I'm on the lookout for a used Fender reissue reverb tank. I seriously doubt I'll ever find it here, but maybe when I move back to Tucson. That way I'll have reverb on EVERY amp I play!!!
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Post by billyguitar on Jul 26, 2007 19:59:09 GMT -7
I've had one of the Fender reissue tanks for over ten years and it is a great reverb.
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Post by pappy on Jul 27, 2007 3:38:01 GMT -7
That's what I hear. I've head absolutely no cpmplaints about them. Why Fender still doesn't sell them is beyond me.
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Post by dock66 on Jul 27, 2007 6:38:21 GMT -7
I was over a friend's house the other day jamming,needless to say he had a reissue Fender reverb tank,it sounded great with any thing we played through.I'll take that tank any time.
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Post by myles on Jul 27, 2007 10:38:24 GMT -7
did the old tweed amps that the galaxie was based on have built in reverb? I don't know. But if they didn't, that could explain Doc not putting reverb in it. I've almost got to the point where I don't like built in reverb very much. In live settings I think amps sound better without reverb, less mushyness to contend with, just pure tone. I'm excited to hear a galaxie in person. I do agree with the onboard channel switch though, that would be nice to have. Was the mismatch in volume intended to be a boost for the lead channel? That way you can hit the switch and have drive, and a boost for leads all in one switch. those were my impressions of the intent of the amp. No reverb was on a tweed super, bandmaster, or pro. These were all 6L6 duet amps, same amp actually but different speaker configs ... Super - 2x10 Bandmaster 3x10 Pro 1x15 Reverb did not come into Fender amps until the later tolex years.
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Post by Michael Bartee on Jul 27, 2007 19:55:00 GMT -7
If your amp is cranked up enough to have the output tubes working hard an internal spring reverb goes to poop. They sound good as long as the output section is running clean (such as a master volume set up with the master down enough to keep the output section clean). It also works if you keep the amp clean and get your overdrive from a pedal or if you just always play with a clean sound. I personally prefer the sound of the output section adding to the overdriven tone. Of course running the amp cranked does limit the use of various effects, to me, delays and modulated effects don't sound very good into an overdriven output section either. In the studio we record the cranked up amp and add the effects in the mix, live we mic the amp and add the effects post overdriven amp at the FOH. Some go as far as to mic the amp, send that through their effects and on to a stereo pair of clean amps. Lots of stuff to move so I just go for the tone straight in with only a Wah and possibly a clean boost in front. As they say, turn it to the right and let er rip. ;D
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Post by mcgriff420 on Jul 29, 2007 14:07:10 GMT -7
I have a galaxie 112, and a Maz18 112 NR. I used to swear by my maz38 with reverb. until I noticed -as posted above, that at gigging volume I wasn't hearing/noticing it on or off. My three main gigging amps don't have reverb The galaxie, the maz18 and a Star gainstar by Mark Sampson.
Z's reverb is really really nice BTW. But I'm not missing it on the galaxie.
As for the seperate volumes on the Galaxie -they're working for me. i like them both at least at five then tweeze to taste to even them out. Yesterday I used the galaxie to record a whole raft of stuff for an upcoming album -rockabilly, Brad paisley type stuff, Colin james Blues type stuff and some Hard rock ala' buck cherry/GnR. With a wah and some boost on the gain channel -oh my freakin gawd that was suweeet! The amp tracks/sit's in a mix great too, I found I had the bass control pretty low compared to the treb and presence knobs.
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Post by kidmagic on Jul 30, 2007 8:17:45 GMT -7
Hey Mcgriff420 - noticed you put up a clip of the Galaxie. Nice. Sounds like your tele has pretty low output pups - really sounds great on the gain side. I've only been playing my Galaxie with hot PAF humbucker - huge difference. Was really interesting to hear your clip - sounds great thanks.
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Post by rubess on Nov 7, 2007 14:35:55 GMT -7
i'm disappointed that the Galaxie is yet another Z amp that doesn't have reverb. to me, a fine sounding reverb is part-and-parcel of great guitar tone, and i don't understand why it is not considered standard equipment on amplifiers of this caliber. sure, in many live situations, reverb isn't needed, but it's better to have it and not use it, then to need it and . . . .
also, a pet peeve, whenever someone asks for advice on adding reverb, half the responses are from people saying that they don't like reverb or don't use reverb. that's great, but not responsive to those of us who want our Z and reverb too!
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Post by groovergeorge on Nov 7, 2007 15:13:29 GMT -7
Like mentioned before, the Doc likes to keep his signal chain as pure and as uncluttered as possible. Amps like the Mazerati and Ghia have some of the most pure paths between guitar, input and speaker thereby resulting in the beautiful tone these models produce. I too love reverb, to me though I associate it with later model black and silverface Fender amps like the twin, super and vibrolux, etc. I think if you are craving that sort of thing, the Doc will be releasing his take on one of those circuits very soon. Oh yeh and the Maz series, which can be tweeked a little to sound Fenderish have models both with and without reverb, which do a nice job. Dr. Z is not the only boutique high end amp maker that leaves reverb out of many models. Look at Matchless for example!
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Post by flem on Nov 7, 2007 16:49:51 GMT -7
I have a 6545 that uses the same footswitch the same way. I built a simple plug in switch using a phono mono 1/4"male jack and SPST on/off switch insulating it in a small plastic box. Plug it into the footswitch input and switch it with my hand at the back of the amp.
Nice to have in my toy box in case the footswitch acts up.
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Post by kledbet on Nov 7, 2007 17:49:11 GMT -7
For those of you missing reverb and want a cheap fix try the Holy Grail, up to about 11 on the dial and am really surprised the quality of the sound. If you have some extra money to spend the Room Mate is an excellent reverb in a pedal style. I have a-b tested it against some pricey outboard units and it held its own extremely well.
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Post by Jones'n for Tone on Nov 7, 2007 19:12:28 GMT -7
For those of you missing reverb and want a cheap fix try the Holy Grail, up to about 11 on the dial and am really surprised the quality of the sound. If you have some extra money to spend the Room Mate is an excellent reverb in a pedal style. I have a-b tested it against some pricey outboard units and it held its own extremely well. Haven't tried either of the pedals you mentioned, but I've had pretty good luck with a cheap DanElectro DanEcho. It's what Tom Petty's guitarist Mike Campbell uses ( and he plays a $100K plus tele so I'd imagine he could afford any reverb unit going). The only issue with the pedals or the reverb tank for that matter is that reverb sounds best post distortion. So if you use a distortion pedal first then the reverb then the amp, it sounds sweet. But if you use reverb first then amp distortion, it kind of muddys the sound. An effects loop can be used for the reverb to remedy this but unfortunately the Galaxie doesn't have one. For clean sounds this is not an issue, but to get a good reverb on the dirty channel it would be nice to have on board reverb (or an effects loop). Just my .02
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Post by GIBBYMYLESPAUL on Nov 8, 2007 1:35:21 GMT -7
As several have stated Dr.Z's amps sound amazing with and without Reverb! I have had 6- Z's!A Carmen Ghia 1X12 combo, another CG Head and 1X12 cabinet, a Maz-18JR with reverb, a Mazerati 1X12 combo and now my new "GALAXIE 1X12 combo! The tone was so pure and rich on all besides the MAZ-18JR w/reverb that I didn't miss having reverb at all on the others! If you must have REVERB on your amps you either need to get yourself a reverb pedal (SEVERAL TO CHOOSE FROM) or ultimately choose an amp that has reverb from the Z-Line or another amp line. To say that Doc needs to have reverb on every one of his amps to me is "UNNECESSARY" and not warranted!
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Post by billyguitar on Nov 8, 2007 14:46:50 GMT -7
I think it's partly a generational thing too. Most guys over 40 have spent their young impressionable years playing Fender amps with reverb.
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Post by groovergeorge on Nov 8, 2007 14:51:51 GMT -7
I think it's partly a generational thing too. Most guys over 40 have spent their young impressionable years playing Fender amps with reverb. Shhhhh Billy, well I ain't over 40 but it ain't that far away
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