Post by garysgearreviews on Nov 2, 2014 0:34:20 GMT -7
So my first adventure into the vintage amp world ended abruptly and sadly as some of you know. I bought a vintage deluxe reverb and fedex smashed it. So I was forced to return it, not really forced but it made the most sense.
Before I bought it I was looking at Zs. I was dead set on a z28. I went to Rock Block and played all the Maz series, the M12, a Z28 1x12 combo and a non-MV Remedy. I'm a big 6v6 guy so I was dead set on the z28. But after playing all of them the Remedy just blew me away ( and I didn't realize it was also a 6v6 amp), more so than anything else that day, or ever maybe. But it's so damn loud! I live and play in Nashville. Most the clubs here are small-medium sized and they usually mic your stuff anyway. Could I just gig with the REM on half power the whole time? I'm generally opposed to Master Volumes but I trust the Doc. I haven't played a MV Rem but I need to.
*****EDIT: I just realized to that the Rem has a solid state rectifier. How does that affect things? I generally prefer tube recs but I'm not savvy enough to know why. I just know most amps i've like in the past have had tube recs. BUT, I had a 6w Valvetrain Concord. It was SS rectified (because it was class A, single-ended I think. This is me trying to sound smart) and I loved that amp. But there's just something snobby in me that's like "it's not all tube, man." Yeah, I'm an idiot.
Another thing, I am surprised by so many people likening the Rem to a Marshall-style amp. I thought with the 6v6s and the 12ax7 preamp that it would be more in the Fender zone. Am I nuts? That's why I wanted to know (as the title of the thread states) if any of you guys use the Rem for country gigs. I need something clean that I can put a small pedal board in front of and twang out with my single coil telecasters. I need to be able to play it at gigs as well as in my apartment for gear demo videos. Does the half power switch actually make it a 20 watt amp? There's one in the classifieds i'm tempted to jump on but it's the non-MV model.
I like the idea of the Rem for a couple reasons:
1. 6v6 power section
2. 12ax7 preamp
3. half power switch
4. I just loooooooved the clean tone I was getting when I played one (non-MV model) at Rock Block Guitars. But even on half power, the whole store was shaking.
Should i just stick with the z28? Is it a better amp for country than the Rem? I know it's 22 watts which is better but it has the EF86 preamp and I'm not too familiar with that setup. I worry with the way it's voiced that it will be a rather dirty amp. I still have one available to me. It's perfect to, the same one I mentioned before. Z28 chassis in a Mather 1x12 studio combo (so it's crazy light and slim) loaded with a Gold. The other advantage here is not having to buy a speaker cab. I wish they made the Rem in a combo.
*********The biggest question I guess is this: Am I ready to make the jump from old Fenders to the Dr Z camp? I'm just so used to Fenders but I've owned several and now have zero so obviously they never really grabbed me like they should. I just want that experience where I get an amp and immediately know I'm going to keep it forever. Hasn't happened yet, but I also haven't owned a Z yet
Before I bought it I was looking at Zs. I was dead set on a z28. I went to Rock Block and played all the Maz series, the M12, a Z28 1x12 combo and a non-MV Remedy. I'm a big 6v6 guy so I was dead set on the z28. But after playing all of them the Remedy just blew me away ( and I didn't realize it was also a 6v6 amp), more so than anything else that day, or ever maybe. But it's so damn loud! I live and play in Nashville. Most the clubs here are small-medium sized and they usually mic your stuff anyway. Could I just gig with the REM on half power the whole time? I'm generally opposed to Master Volumes but I trust the Doc. I haven't played a MV Rem but I need to.
*****EDIT: I just realized to that the Rem has a solid state rectifier. How does that affect things? I generally prefer tube recs but I'm not savvy enough to know why. I just know most amps i've like in the past have had tube recs. BUT, I had a 6w Valvetrain Concord. It was SS rectified (because it was class A, single-ended I think. This is me trying to sound smart) and I loved that amp. But there's just something snobby in me that's like "it's not all tube, man." Yeah, I'm an idiot.
Another thing, I am surprised by so many people likening the Rem to a Marshall-style amp. I thought with the 6v6s and the 12ax7 preamp that it would be more in the Fender zone. Am I nuts? That's why I wanted to know (as the title of the thread states) if any of you guys use the Rem for country gigs. I need something clean that I can put a small pedal board in front of and twang out with my single coil telecasters. I need to be able to play it at gigs as well as in my apartment for gear demo videos. Does the half power switch actually make it a 20 watt amp? There's one in the classifieds i'm tempted to jump on but it's the non-MV model.
I like the idea of the Rem for a couple reasons:
1. 6v6 power section
2. 12ax7 preamp
3. half power switch
4. I just loooooooved the clean tone I was getting when I played one (non-MV model) at Rock Block Guitars. But even on half power, the whole store was shaking.
Should i just stick with the z28? Is it a better amp for country than the Rem? I know it's 22 watts which is better but it has the EF86 preamp and I'm not too familiar with that setup. I worry with the way it's voiced that it will be a rather dirty amp. I still have one available to me. It's perfect to, the same one I mentioned before. Z28 chassis in a Mather 1x12 studio combo (so it's crazy light and slim) loaded with a Gold. The other advantage here is not having to buy a speaker cab. I wish they made the Rem in a combo.
*********The biggest question I guess is this: Am I ready to make the jump from old Fenders to the Dr Z camp? I'm just so used to Fenders but I've owned several and now have zero so obviously they never really grabbed me like they should. I just want that experience where I get an amp and immediately know I'm going to keep it forever. Hasn't happened yet, but I also haven't owned a Z yet