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Post by Easyrom on Sept 15, 2015 9:41:21 GMT -7
Hi lucky Z-Luxers,
I keep looking at the Z-Lux month after month... I may pull the trigger someday, but I'd like to have your opinion first. How does the Z-Lux take the Brakelite? I'm quite used to the Brakelite (can't do without on my Maz 8, but find it pointless with the Therapy).
Here is my context: I'm a living room guitar player. I play for my own pleasure or with a few friends occasionally. I'm lucky enough to have thick walls and nice neighbors. To give you an idea, I play my Maz 8 with Brakelite on 2 on Pentode mode and with no Brakelite or Brakelite on 1 on Triode mode, and I set my Therapy Master at about 9:30 with volume at 3 to 4 and no Brakelite.
I have more than enough overdrive pedals (and some I find excellent), but I need to enjoy the natural overdrive of the amp from time to time.
So, would you guys say a Z-Lux on low power mode and a Brakelite deserve to be tried? ;-)
Thanks.
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Post by benttop (Steve) on Sept 15, 2015 11:20:09 GMT -7
Like you I have a place I can play a little loud. But I did set up and operate the Z-Lux with my Airbrake and it works as expected. The thing is, the Lux is quite a lot cleaner than the Maz. You can get some growl if you dime everything, but that's starting to get pretty loud (gloriously). I found the Airbrake tamed it fairly well, although I prefer it without. For the money, you might alter your thinking a little and go for a Z-Drive instead. It sounds great on my Lux, and ups the ante to three channels. Just sayin...
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Post by Easyrom on Sept 15, 2015 13:10:49 GMT -7
Like you I have a place I can play a little loud. But I did set up and operate the Z-Lux with my Airbrake and it works as expected. The thing is, the Lux is quite a lot cleaner than the Maz. You can get some growl if you dime everything, but that's starting to get pretty loud (gloriously). I found the Airbrake tamed it fairly well, although I prefer it without. For the money, you might alter your thinking a little and go for a Z-Drive instead. It sounds great on my Lux, and ups the ante to three channels. Just sayin... Thank you Steve. Actually, when I talked about the great sounding overdrives I have, I was thinking of my Z-Drive #60!
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Post by doctorice on Sept 15, 2015 14:02:06 GMT -7
I've not used a BL with my Z-Lux so far. Even though the Master is not a true master volume, such as the one on the Therapy, I've found it quite adequate to keep the volume down at home. Since you've got a Z Drive already, I'd bet you can get away without the BL. Anyway, if you've got a BL in the MAZ 8, you can always route the Z-Lux through it if needed or to try out the attenuator/amp pairing. I'll add that I use a BL and/or Air Brake pretty regularly. Even on a MAZ 8
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Post by Mark (Basement Enthusiast) on Sept 15, 2015 18:21:24 GMT -7
Not sure how qualified I am to contribute here, but at Mike's Ann Arbor Z-fest last month I plugged into the Z-Lux @ 20W, strummed a bit, and exclaimed, "Hey this is really nice. And it's not too loud... I could probably get by without a Brake Lite on this."
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Post by Easyrom on Sept 15, 2015 22:58:31 GMT -7
Thank you guys. I definitely need to try this amp, and there's any to my knowledge here in Paris, so I know what I have to do. Can't imagine selling my Maz 8 or my Therapy and can't imagine having 3 amps in a small apartment. So I need to figure it out!
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Post by premiumplus (Dave) on Sept 16, 2015 3:12:29 GMT -7
Easyrom, I see a Z-Lux in your future! It's funny how our choices in Z amps have tracked. I've got a Maz 8 and a Therapy, too. As far as the Brake Lite goes, I agree with you about the Maz-8. The BL is a necessity. It's funny, after I bought the Maz-8 I loved the BL so much that I bought another one, and although I tried it with all my Z amps, the only one that really needs it are the Maz-8 and the Mini-Z, which has one built in anyway. So the second BL has found a home in my 5E3 Tweed Deluxe clone and it works well there. The Z-Lux I ended up buying as soon as I got back from vacation, which included an afternoon with the good Dr. Z at his shop in Maple Heights, Ohio. After showing me around, Doc took me up front to the amp test area, and plugged me into a Suhr Tele, a Z-Drive and a Z-Lux. I was done after the first note...They're that good. I ordered mine as soon as I got home and I love it. It's easily my favorite amp, but I can't see myself selling any of my other Z amps. The Master Volume is very good on the Z-Lux, and in my house, I'm lucky to be able to play as loud as I want to. I just don't feel the need to crank it as loud as I might with the Therapy. I don't think that a Brake Lite is really necessary with the Z-Lux, because you really don't need to crank the amp super loud to get great tone. It's fat and clear...I can't find a bad tone in the amp. Put the Z-Drive in front and you've got it made, at any volume. P.S., Z amps stack well in small apartments...don't sell any of 'em!
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Post by benttop (Steve) on Sept 16, 2015 5:16:51 GMT -7
P.S., Z amps stack well in small apartments...don't sell any of 'em! They do stack up real nice:
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Post by Easyrom on Sept 16, 2015 5:50:46 GMT -7
Hi Dave, It's funny indeed, cause just like you I bought a second Brakelite before having the Therapy arrived... and sold it a few weeks after, cause I much prefer the Therapy master volume. So, if I understand correctly, you never use the BL with the Z-Lux. Isn't it a little bit frustrating not to be able to enjoy the amp overdrive? I know the Z-Drive is great, but it's not the same feel, so I do wonder... I don't want to pay for an non required BL, but I don't want to be frustrated! I find just like you that Z amps stack well... but my wife doe not agree. At all!
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Post by Easyrom on Sept 16, 2015 5:53:09 GMT -7
P.S., Z amps stack well in small apartments...don't sell any of 'em! They do stack up real nice: Wow, nice collection ! My two kids and my wife should have to stand one on another, just like your amps, in order to let me full the room with guitar gear!
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Post by Mark (Basement Enthusiast) on Sept 16, 2015 9:08:28 GMT -7
OK, wait... I may need to take back what I said earlier. The Brake Lite now comes in an elegant matte black! It's almost as if Doc has commanded me to put one in a black Z-Lux w/Z-Wreck grillcloth. So many awesome amps... so little time (and money.. and talent)!!
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Post by benttop (Steve) on Sept 16, 2015 11:23:05 GMT -7
One thing about the Z-Lux is that although it is pretty clean, when you hit that boost button to lift the tone stack, you get a lot more grind. I haven't experimented enough with it to say how much control you have, mainly because when I accidentally turned on the boost, I couldn't stop playing.
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Post by doctorice on Sept 16, 2015 12:52:45 GMT -7
One thing about the Z-Lux is that although it is pretty clean, when you hit that boost button to lift the tone stack, you get a lot more grind. I haven't experimented enough with it to say how much control you have, mainly because when I accidentally turned on the boost, I couldn't stop playing. I've heard said that the tone knobs still have some effect since the bypass is not 100%, by design. I didn't hear much difference, but I only spent a minute or two twiddling. I feel there's a nice range when boosted from the Volume and Master settings and, this being a Z, pretty much any adjustments to your guitar's knobs will have an audible effect. I'm a boost believer! (Not to be conflated with anything having to do with Bieber.)
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Post by premiumplus (Dave) on Sept 16, 2015 16:01:10 GMT -7
Easyrom, I think the Master volume on the Z-Lux does a great job at maintaining the grind, so I don't use the BL with it. Others may like the power tube overdrive and the BL, but for me the Z-Lux / Z-Drive combo is sublime.
Benttop (Steve), Nice photo, sir! And a superb choice of subjects...nicely stacked!!!
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Post by benttop (Steve) on Sept 16, 2015 17:43:42 GMT -7
Benttop (Steve), Nice photo, sir! And a superb choice of subjects...nicely stacked!!! Thanks for that. The only item in that pic that I still have is the convertible cab down front and one of the Airbrakes. I've switched out all the rest. But I have some tremendous memories made with those amplifiers - yikes! Hey - I should do a new "stack" pic.
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Post by doctorice on Sept 16, 2015 17:49:20 GMT -7
Yes you should, Steve. Got a nice new line up there.
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Post by benttop (Steve) on Sept 16, 2015 17:51:11 GMT -7
Yes you should, Steve. Got a nice new line up there. Smaller though..
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Post by Easyrom on Sept 17, 2015 1:24:40 GMT -7
Thanks to you all for your answers. I wish I could try the Z-Lux here in Paris, but there's any at the only Dr Z reseller in France. Is there any possibility that one of those who have both Therapy and Z-Lux make a demo to compare these amps in clean and dirty? That would be so great, don't you think? I know I'm optimistic!
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Post by premiumplus (Dave) on Sept 17, 2015 10:55:56 GMT -7
Trying to upload some files and making a mess. sorry!
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Post by premiumplus (Dave) on Sept 17, 2015 13:23:04 GMT -7
Hope this all works out! Here's a link: Therapy and Z-Lux So I uploaded some demos of the Therapy and the Z-Lux to Soundcloud, and I'm having a hard time getting them straight. But there are 8 tracks, in ascending file order like this: Therapy, dirty, master vol low, Strat bridge. Therapy, clean, master vol high, Strat bridge/middle/neck Therapy, clean, master vol high, Strat bridge/middle/neck (Note: all Z-Lux clips at 1/2 power, 20 watt setting) Z-Lux, dirty, master vol low. Strat bridge. Z-Lux, dirty, Brake Lite on 3, Master and Vol. both dimed. Strat bridge. Z-LUx, clean, Master dimed, Vol on 8:30. Strat, bridge/middle/neck. Z-Lux, clean, Master dimed, Vol on 8:30. Reverb then Tremolo added. Strat, bridge/middle/neck Z-Lux, dirty, Master about 9:00, Z-Drive Red Channel, gain dimed, Treble 2:30 Mid Full, Bass 12:00, no cut. Strat bridge. The Z-Lux is a combo, with the 12" Z12 speaker. The Theapy is a head, into a 2x10 Z convertible cab with the center panel open in back. The SPL in the room was kept at approximately 102dB, "A" weighted as measured on my Checkmate CM-140 meter. Mics were Audix i5, 3 inches from speaker grill into a Tascam DR-40 recorder. Standard Am. Strat, with Fralin Vintage Hots and SP42 bridge pickup. Please forgive my clams, this is the first time I've ever attempted to do a demo...hope someone gets some good information out of it.
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Post by benttop (Steve) on Sept 17, 2015 14:24:07 GMT -7
Hope this all works out! Here's a link: Therapy and Z-Lux So I uploaded some demos of the Therapy and the Z-Lux to Soundcloud, and I'm having a hard time getting them straight. But there are 8 tracks, in ascending file order like this: Therapy, dirty, master vol low, Strat bridge. Therapy, clean, master vol high, Strat bridge/middle/neck Therapy, clean, master vol high, Strat bridge/middle/neck Z-Lux, dirty, master vol low. Strat bridge. Z-Lux, dirty, Brake Lite on 3, Master and Vol. both dimed. Strat bridge. Z-LUx, clean, Master dimed, Vol on 8:30. Strat, bridge/middle/neck. Z-Lux, clean, Master dimed, Vol on 8:30. Reverb then Tremolo added. Strat, bridge/middle/neck Z-Lux, dirty, Master about 9:00, Z-Drive Red Channel, gain dimed, Treble 2:30 Mid Full, Bass 12:00, no cut. Strat bridge. The Z-Lux is a combo, with the 12" Z12 speaker. The Theapy is a head, into a 2x10 Z convertible cab with the center panel open in back. The SPL in the room was kept at approximately 102dB, "A" weighted as measured on my Checkmate CM-140 meter. Mics were Audix i5, 3 inches from speaker grill into a Tascam DR-40 recorder. Standard Am. Strat, with Fralin Vintage Hots and SP42 bridge pickup. Please forgive my clams, this is the first time I've ever attempted to do a demo...hope someone gets some good information out of it. Nice job! Love the sounds you're getting out of your Strat - it sounds like our approaches are very different, and I really appreciate the tones you're achieving there. Nice!
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Post by Easyrom on Sept 17, 2015 14:28:24 GMT -7
Dave, that's really nice from you! Very useful comparison, thanks a lot. Now, I really can not say that my GAS is going down, that's for sure! Thanks again!
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Post by premiumplus (Dave) on Sept 17, 2015 14:33:15 GMT -7
Thanks, guys...I hope that helps. I think the Z-Lux sounds as good with the Z-Drive as it does cranked with the Brake Lite. A little different flavor, but it's an inspiring tone for sure! Whichever you like, it's a fantastic amplifier.
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Post by waynelawkid on Sept 17, 2015 16:18:25 GMT -7
Hope this all works out! Here's a link: Therapy and Z-Lux So I uploaded some demos of the Therapy and the Z-Lux to Soundcloud, and I'm having a hard time getting them straight. But there are 8 tracks, in ascending file order like this: Therapy, dirty, master vol low, Strat bridge. Therapy, clean, master vol high, Strat bridge/middle/neck Therapy, clean, master vol high, Strat bridge/middle/neck (Note: all Z-Lux clips at 1/2 power, 20 watt setting) Z-Lux, dirty, master vol low. Strat bridge. Z-Lux, dirty, Brake Lite on 3, Master and Vol. both dimed. Strat bridge. Z-LUx, clean, Master dimed, Vol on 8:30. Strat, bridge/middle/neck. Z-Lux, clean, Master dimed, Vol on 8:30. Reverb then Tremolo added. Strat, bridge/middle/neck Z-Lux, dirty, Master about 9:00, Z-Drive Red Channel, gain dimed, Treble 2:30 Mid Full, Bass 12:00, no cut. Strat bridge. The Z-Lux is a combo, with the 12" Z12 speaker. The Theapy is a head, into a 2x10 Z convertible cab with the center panel open in back. The SPL in the room was kept at approximately 102dB, "A" weighted as measured on my Checkmate CM-140 meter. Mics were Audix i5, 3 inches from speaker grill into a Tascam DR-40 recorder. Standard Am. Strat, with Fralin Vintage Hots and SP42 bridge pickup. Please forgive my clams, this is the first time I've ever attempted to do a demo...hope someone gets some good information out of it.
Well done, Dave! Nice chops and tones. Thanks for taking the time to put this together.
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kfkm
Full Member
Revelator 61
Posts: 162
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Post by kfkm on Nov 23, 2015 13:58:36 GMT -7
I was looking to purchase a brakelite in black for my Z Lux and was wondering if it can be mounted on the bottom of the amp without any problems? There isn't really much real-estate on the side as the fan takes up the one side and I don't want to cover the tube chart on the other side. Has anyone tried this and can it be done with the amount of wire that comes with the amp.
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Post by doctorice on Nov 23, 2015 15:04:56 GMT -7
I was looking to purchase a brakelite in black for my Z Lux and was wondering if it can be mounted on the bottom of the amp without any problems? There isn't really much real-estate on the side as the fan takes up the one side and I don't want to cover the tube chart on the other side. Has anyone tried this and can it be done with the amount of wire that comes with the amp. It will probably be OK. I mounted a BL on the "floor" of a Z Wreck combo without an issue. I highly recommend using high-strength double-sided tape rather than using screws. It's the kind of tape that's used to attach numbers to mailboxes, etc. That's what I did with the Wreck. I ended up selling that amp, and there were no issues with the BL coming loose shipping from NY to CA. ztalk.proboards.com/thread/61288/screw-velcro
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Post by Easyrom on Nov 23, 2015 15:14:10 GMT -7
Actually, it's how the Brake Lite is mounted in the Z-Lux at the factory.
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kfkm
Full Member
Revelator 61
Posts: 162
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Post by kfkm on Nov 25, 2015 10:53:30 GMT -7
Looks like I will be ordering a black one this weekend for my Z-Lux. I guess it will be my own black Friday shopping deal for me. Used the amp at a gig last Saturday with my tele and no pedals and it sounded awesome. Great cleans and used the boost function for all of my overdrive needs. I just want to get that same sound in my house with the brake lite.
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Post by Easyrom on Nov 25, 2015 12:23:35 GMT -7
Looks like I will be ordering a black one this weekend for my Z-Lux. I guess it will be my own black Friday shopping deal for me. Used the amp at a gig last Saturday with my tele and no pedals and it sounded awesome. Great cleans and used the boost function for all of my overdrive needs. I just want to get that same sound in my house with the brake lite. I'd say you would be happy this way. I really like this amp and don't regret for a second that I went with included Brake Lite (which I ordered black, cause even if it's inside my amp, I like to like it ). The boost is great indeed, but I admit I do love to push the amp a little bit more with my Archer ikon (and sometimes I even push the Archer itself with an EP, to make my Strat and my Tele sound big and fat ).
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kfkm
Full Member
Revelator 61
Posts: 162
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Post by kfkm on Dec 5, 2015 19:24:29 GMT -7
Got my brake lite this week and installed it on the bottom with velcro. Man this amp sounds killer now at bedroom levels. Killer overdrive with my telecaster and just take off the boost to go back to clean sounds. The only pedal I like sometimes is my Fulltone 2B to add just a little bit more but this amp really needs nothing but a guitar and a cord. And a brakelite of course if you don't want to disturb the neighborhood.
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