Post by John on Oct 11, 2010 4:38:00 GMT -7
I originally posted this in the Z-28 section, I thought it should go here too:
Someone posted a 'what's the difference in tone' thread, and I had the flu and couldn't respond...at least not with anything that required thought and context. But I'm feeling better now.
So for a little background. I've had the Remedy for over a year now. Used it on many gigs. I've used it with humbuckers and single coils, open back and closed back cabinets, mostly loaded with greenbacks. I picked up a Z-28 combo recently...it came loaded with a greenback. (my favorite speaker) I changed out the speaker for a G12H30 (clone from Warehouse Guitar Speakers). I've only played one gig with it, and I've used a tele with it almost exclusively. I did crank a humbucker through it for a few minutes, though.
The major difference in these amps is due to the pre-amp. The style of preamp of the 28...along with it's use of the ef86 tube make it a different animal than most amps you'll run across. Because of this ef86, the 28 can take on the character of the guitar and it's player. Not that the Remedy can't, but the 28 seems in pass along the character of the pickups and guitar being used.
Now since I've used the 28 with a tele only...I'd say it's less of a distortion generator. This may change as I try it more with humbuckers....as I said, it passes along the guitar sound. Because of the ef86, it's very dynamic. I've also had other ef86 amps by the Doc: Route 66 and a Stangray. It's been a while since I've had the 66...but I just sold the Stangray. As soon as I plugged in the 28, I could feel the similarity of the Stangray. No, not the tone..but that ef86 up front is so dynamic...there's a certain way the Doc uses it in his amps. It's different. Neither good nor bad...just different. And because of this sensitive preamp tube...it soaks up everything your guitar gives it. By that I mean every nuance and thing you do with your fingers and pic will be transmitted....with clarity. If you're a sloppy player and have been hiding behind distortion, forget it, the 28 will out you. I also can't stress enough to play with the tone controls. As I stated in another thread, we guitar players never want to have our knobs less than the 1/2 way mark. But on the 28, it's essential to play with them. I do think the 28 has a bit of a lower midrange focus and will not belt out the chimey overtones of el84 based amps. Which is why I didn't like it with a slightly midrange oriented speaker like the Greenback. So I chose a speaker with a recessed mid and sparkling high...the G12H.
The Remedy has a more traditional guitar amp tone. It's a much more aggressive voiced amp than the 28 (and a lot of others). One of the most beautiful things about the Remedy is it's compression and overdrive as you turn the guitar volume up. We all know this amp is squarely in the Plexi camp...and the plexi is a derivative of the Fender tweed bassman. The 28 does not share this style of compression/overdrive as you turn things up. Yes, the 28 does overdrive and compress....but there's something about the way the Remedy does it. It's why the Bassman and early Marshalls were so popular. When you crank the guitar volume on a cranked 28, there's still a certain clarity and percussiveness that comes through....it's neither good nor bad....just different. When doing the same thing with the Remedy, it seems to change the character of the amp to something different. Again, neither good nor bad. The Remedy's overdrive is more of a 'blooming' style...where the 28 doesn't seem to 'bloom'.
I noticed I contradicted myself when talking about 'different character'. Perhaps this will summarize: The Z-28 takes on the character of the guitar and it's player more than the Remedy, but doesn't seem to change it's (the amp) character much.....where the Remedy changes it's character by turning the guitar volume up and down. Again, yes, the 28 will also change with guitar volume...but it doesn't seem turn into a different animal like the Remedy.
I'm tired now. Please excuse my mindless drivel...
Someone posted a 'what's the difference in tone' thread, and I had the flu and couldn't respond...at least not with anything that required thought and context. But I'm feeling better now.
So for a little background. I've had the Remedy for over a year now. Used it on many gigs. I've used it with humbuckers and single coils, open back and closed back cabinets, mostly loaded with greenbacks. I picked up a Z-28 combo recently...it came loaded with a greenback. (my favorite speaker) I changed out the speaker for a G12H30 (clone from Warehouse Guitar Speakers). I've only played one gig with it, and I've used a tele with it almost exclusively. I did crank a humbucker through it for a few minutes, though.
The major difference in these amps is due to the pre-amp. The style of preamp of the 28...along with it's use of the ef86 tube make it a different animal than most amps you'll run across. Because of this ef86, the 28 can take on the character of the guitar and it's player. Not that the Remedy can't, but the 28 seems in pass along the character of the pickups and guitar being used.
Now since I've used the 28 with a tele only...I'd say it's less of a distortion generator. This may change as I try it more with humbuckers....as I said, it passes along the guitar sound. Because of the ef86, it's very dynamic. I've also had other ef86 amps by the Doc: Route 66 and a Stangray. It's been a while since I've had the 66...but I just sold the Stangray. As soon as I plugged in the 28, I could feel the similarity of the Stangray. No, not the tone..but that ef86 up front is so dynamic...there's a certain way the Doc uses it in his amps. It's different. Neither good nor bad...just different. And because of this sensitive preamp tube...it soaks up everything your guitar gives it. By that I mean every nuance and thing you do with your fingers and pic will be transmitted....with clarity. If you're a sloppy player and have been hiding behind distortion, forget it, the 28 will out you. I also can't stress enough to play with the tone controls. As I stated in another thread, we guitar players never want to have our knobs less than the 1/2 way mark. But on the 28, it's essential to play with them. I do think the 28 has a bit of a lower midrange focus and will not belt out the chimey overtones of el84 based amps. Which is why I didn't like it with a slightly midrange oriented speaker like the Greenback. So I chose a speaker with a recessed mid and sparkling high...the G12H.
The Remedy has a more traditional guitar amp tone. It's a much more aggressive voiced amp than the 28 (and a lot of others). One of the most beautiful things about the Remedy is it's compression and overdrive as you turn the guitar volume up. We all know this amp is squarely in the Plexi camp...and the plexi is a derivative of the Fender tweed bassman. The 28 does not share this style of compression/overdrive as you turn things up. Yes, the 28 does overdrive and compress....but there's something about the way the Remedy does it. It's why the Bassman and early Marshalls were so popular. When you crank the guitar volume on a cranked 28, there's still a certain clarity and percussiveness that comes through....it's neither good nor bad....just different. When doing the same thing with the Remedy, it seems to change the character of the amp to something different. Again, neither good nor bad. The Remedy's overdrive is more of a 'blooming' style...where the 28 doesn't seem to 'bloom'.
I noticed I contradicted myself when talking about 'different character'. Perhaps this will summarize: The Z-28 takes on the character of the guitar and it's player more than the Remedy, but doesn't seem to change it's (the amp) character much.....where the Remedy changes it's character by turning the guitar volume up and down. Again, yes, the 28 will also change with guitar volume...but it doesn't seem turn into a different animal like the Remedy.
I'm tired now. Please excuse my mindless drivel...