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Post by mtmartin71 on Aug 13, 2007 10:39:18 GMT -7
OK. Basically, I've been using a Mesa Lonestar Special and find that the distortion channel is very inconsistent. I'm playing in a low-stage volume band and can never get that 30W amp past 9 or 10 o'clock anyway. Tried and Orange Rocker 30 and cranked it sounded good, but I couldn't get there nor could I boost it for a solo. So, I'm thinking of going the route of getting an amp with a great clean base tone at lower volumes and using a Green Screamer, MI Audio Crunch Box, and a Muff Pi clone to give me different distortion flavors and a Boost N Buff to give me a lead boost when needed. Enter the Dr. Z amps. I've been reading and many say they are great pedal amps and they certainly are simple from an EQ perspective (at least many are).
What base tone am I after? I really like the Marshall Plexi cleans...Jimi, John Frusciante, J Mascis. All of those guys pretty much play/played Super Leads (I think). But there is no way in hell I can get near that volume. How is the KT-45 dialed up clean? How loud does it need to get that clean or would you suggest a lower powered amp? The Route 66 also seems like a good one but I'm concerned about being too loud a clean to really sound good.
Thanks,
Matt
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Post by mtmartin71 on Aug 13, 2007 19:48:46 GMT -7
Well, that was quick. I found a reissue hand-wired Marshall 2061x for only $1050. Had to give it a go at that price. May give Dr. Zs a shot down the road.
Matt
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Post by taswegian on Aug 13, 2007 20:12:17 GMT -7
The Kt45 is probably a "louder" amp than the 66. At least it has more clean headroom. It by all accounts has the most clean headroom of any Z. It's hard to judge how much volume you need but the question probably is how low can the volume get on these amps and still sound good. I play alot of my gigs with a Route 66 set clean, knobs at about 10 oclock. Through a Z-Best cab this is plenty of volume and through an inefficient 1-12 it's a nice low volume sound for small or quiet gigs. (We play alot of Chili Peppers by the way) I'm sure a KT 45 would be a GREAT base for a pedal rig and the tones you're after. It just depends on if you can get the amp to work enough or just barely have it on. The Z-28 takes pedals well and at 22 watts is till very loud cranked up. Clean it is a very usable small club level and you'd probably find those tones in there also. Those three have the EF86 front end which handle pedals very well. The other route of course is to go into Carman Ghia, Maz 18 territory. Most guys would say for lower volume small club gigs those amps have plenty of volume and work well with pedals too. I can only recommend the 66 and 28 as that's all I've played. Both work great with pedals. The Z 28 is a little 'sweeter" with a sparklier top end it can get pretty nasty too depending on how you set the tone controls. I think it does a pretty good plexi although others place it more the fender camp. To me it's a Dr Z amp...'nuff said. The Route 66 is smokier very deep thick and big, and with those pedals mentioned would be a rock machine. It's a very warm amp, never harsh, which is why I like it. It sits in a mix very nicely.It still has a nice warm clean tone at lower volumes. With my 1-12 cab I can play anywhere and in fact I played "anywhere" with the Zbest for three years and I mostly play small clubs. It's always a tough call. Try as many as you can but really, I don't think you'd lose on any of the above mentioned. Most will probably recommend the maz 18 or 38 and they may be right. Good Luck.
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Post by taswegian on Aug 13, 2007 20:13:28 GMT -7
Well, that was quick. I found a reissue hand-wired Marshall 2061x for only $1050. Had to give it a go at that price. May give Dr. Zs a shot down the road. Matt Man I'll say, I didn't even have time to post!
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Post by groovergeorge on Aug 15, 2007 2:11:29 GMT -7
Dr Z amps don't sound good at certain volume settings like 2-3 on a blackface Fender Vibroverb, normal volume at 4' o clock and the brilliant and the brilliant and vibra-trem at 8pm and the cut at 10' or everything full bore on a 69' Marshall plexi non master volume. There's good clean settings with a strat on the Ghia at 10' o clock on the volume depending on your gig size requirements, the Z-28 has a little more headroom and with the right speaker will get you nice clean articulate clean phrasing devoid of too much hair up to almost 11', you can even run everything on that one at 3' and roll back your guitars volume for clean lines. If a bit more headroom is required I'm sure there will lots of readers who own a sting/stangray that including it's maker Dr Z that will tell you that if piano like tones are what you want then that will be perfect. for you. Then there's the KT45, I ain't got one but want one real bad, if you want a thud in your pants from the good Dr's clean 60 watter. Nothing will match this drinks glass glasses moving accross the table CANON!!!! It's so ironic that you posted a random question in the section of the most suitable amp that you could have purchased. I'm sure it won't be long before the Marshall takes a back seat to a KT45.
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