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Post by scottdownsouth on Dec 18, 2017 2:52:57 GMT -7
Gday folks, I’ve been toying with a speaker swap in the Mini Z for a little while. I don’t really like what I’m hearing out of the stock Ramrod, kinda plain sounding at lower volumes and harsher top end when cranked was my opinion of it. Not patient enough to give it time to break in properly, only to find out I still don’t like the tone I started looking at Alnico options, Red Fang, Celestion Gold etc. I always remember liking greenbacks in some Amps I had back in the day so when I stumbled across one today for a good deal I thought “It’ll be fun to play with until I get the cash up for the Alnico”.
So I put it in this afternoon, dialed in the volume to 9.00 o’clock, stuck the P90 equiped SG into the middle position and strummed a big old G chord. Juicy! I liked what I heard. Much warmer than the Eminence. Up to 12.00 on the volume and a bit of bridge crunchiness, then on to 3.00, both pickups into “Woman tone” territory. I really like this speaker! It’s smooth and warm, doesn’t have the harshness I found with the Ramrod. I’ve lost a little volume (not fussed) but to my ears I’m getting the tones I wanna hear. Time will tell whether curiosity gets the better of me and I go for an Alnico, or I may just leave well enough alone.
Cheers, Scott.
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Post by pcns on Dec 18, 2017 9:32:58 GMT -7
I'm a fan of Greenbacks. To me its like the SM57 of speakers. Its reliable, you know how its going to sound and it gets the job done. I should mention versatile too!
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Post by mudman on Dec 18, 2017 9:41:07 GMT -7
Nice! I was playing my mini z this morning testing out my les paul. I put in a bugle boy 12ax7 which seems brighter than a mullard but higher gain than a tung sol and let her rip. Crazy good through the celestion blue. Glad you found a combo you like!
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Post by scottdownsouth on Dec 20, 2017 6:55:55 GMT -7
That's what I like about these little amps. Just 'cos they don't have a tone knob, doesn't mean you cant adjust the tone! Its also taught me how to use my volume and tone knobs on my guitar more effectively.
Cheers, Scott.
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Post by scottdownsouth on Jan 29, 2018 21:14:48 GMT -7
Celestion Gold 10” ordered. I pick it up next week. Curiosity killed the cat, right?
Cheers, Scott.
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Post by premiumplus (Dave) on Jan 30, 2018 8:07:45 GMT -7
I love the Celestion Gold 10". It rips with my Carmen Ghia and I can't think of an amp I've tried it with that it didn't sound good with. It's a great, great speaker.
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Post by scottdownsouth on Feb 14, 2018 8:21:36 GMT -7
Gday Folks, I can see what all the fuss about the Celestion Gold is now. More push than the greenback, and an awesome break up that is rich and throaty. Nice harmonics. Hard to explain tones isn't it? :-) Sounds really good with P90s running into it. Ive just put a deposit on a Gibson SG Standard too, so Im now counting down the time until I can give the Humbuckers a run through it. Cheers, Scott.
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Post by freddieg on Feb 15, 2018 0:39:13 GMT -7
I did the same thing in my CG 1x10. I tried the greenback, it was really nice but for me i lost too much volume and the breakup was too early. Although it did sound really good.
I prefer the gold for the added alnico chime and additional headroom as the CG breaks up pretty early anyway.
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Post by premiumplus (Dave) on Feb 15, 2018 13:06:34 GMT -7
I've got my Gold 10 in an extension cab, same size as your Mini that I put a piece of wood above the speaker grill to fill in where the amp used to be. I think I'm going to plug it into the extension speaker jack on my Cure in about 2 minutes and try it out. I bet it's going to sound great.
EDIT: I did and it does!
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Post by scottdownsouth on Feb 23, 2018 12:21:42 GMT -7
I've got my Gold 10 in an extension cab, same size as your Mini that I put a piece of wood above the speaker grill to fill in where the amp used to be. I think I'm going to plug it into the extension speaker jack on my Cure in about 2 minutes and try it out. I bet it's going to sound great. EDIT: I did and it does! Ive got the feeling the Alnico Gold is one of those speakers that sounds good in anything. Its got great rich tones!
Cheers, Scott.
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Post by 54lpjr on Jul 8, 2018 15:24:07 GMT -7
I was pleasantly surprised by not only how revealing and musical the Gold is through the Mini Z, but also with how far the jump in tone was as there are more harmonics and chime, especially in the clean tones - enough of a difference that they seemed almost nonexistent through the Ramrod. I believe that the OD characteristics of a ceramic is a better suite for the Mini Z.
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Post by donovantyler on Oct 17, 2018 22:58:18 GMT -7
I just got my brand new Mini Z today! Wow wow wow! Mine has a 10-inch Red Fang in it :-) I really really like what I'm hearing. So thick yet chimey! Thing is pretty dang loud! I had to play it with the attenuator all the way to the right today and my neighbor two doors down texted me turn it down. So I put the volume a little shy of 9. Nice cleans! I put it up to 1 and 3 once but I didn't get to really let it rip! I wish the attenuator went down farther. I'm loving my mini z!
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Post by LuckyBlackCat on Oct 18, 2018 6:01:15 GMT -7
I just got my brand new Mini Z today! Wow wow wow! Mine has a 10-inch Red Fang in it :-) I really really like what I'm hearing. So thick yet chimey! Thing is pretty dang loud! I had to play it with the attenuator all the way to the right today and my neighbor two doors down texted me turn it down. So I put the volume a little shy of 9. Nice cleans! I put it up to 1 and 3 once but I didn't get to really let it rip! I wish the attenuator went down farther. I'm loving my mini z! I love my Mini Z. I use two different speakers with it and love both for different reasons: Red Fang and Greenback. RF is nice and chimey, but definitely WAY loud. Greenback is my go to...great rock tones and much quieter so I can turn it up to get drive at lower volumes. Greenback is 95db rated where RF is 102db I believe, so there’s a significant volume difference. You may want to explore the GB if you are having trouble opening up the Red Fang due to volume. Enjoy! I always say that if I had to choose beteeen my Maz 18 and my Mini Z, it would be a tough decision, and I may just end up choosing the Mini!
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Post by donovantyler on Nov 8, 2018 20:18:37 GMT -7
I just got my brand new Mini Z today! Wow wow wow! Mine has a 10-inch Red Fang in it :-) I really really like what I'm hearing. So thick yet chimey! Thing is pretty dang loud! I had to play it with the attenuator all the way to the right today and my neighbor two doors down texted me turn it down. So I put the volume a little shy of 9. Nice cleans! I put it up to 1 and 3 once but I didn't get to really let it rip! I wish the attenuator went down farther. I'm loving my mini z! I love my Mini Z. I use two different speakers with it and love both for different reasons: Red Fang and Greenback. RF is nice and chimey, but definitely WAY loud. Greenback is my go to...great rock tones and much quieter so I can turn it up to get drive at lower volumes. Greenback is 95db rated where RF is 102db I believe, so there’s a significant volume difference. You may want to explore the GB if you are having trouble opening up the Red Fang due to volume. Enjoy! I always say that if I had to choose beteeen my Maz 18 and my Mini Z, it would be a tough decision, and I may just end up choosing the Mini! I'm running into the same problem... The Red Fang is really nice sound but it's so damn loud! Even on level 4 of attenuation I can't really put it past 9 o'clock in my house. Does the Greenback have all the nice chime and cleans too? And when you turn it up to one or two o'clock is it all hell breaks loose and glorious? That's a hell of a drop in decibels - 7 decibels! Does it still get loud enough?
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Post by LuckyBlackCat on Nov 8, 2018 20:49:22 GMT -7
I love my Mini Z. I use two different speakers with it and love both for different reasons: Red Fang and Greenback. RF is nice and chimey, but definitely WAY loud. Greenback is my go to...great rock tones and much quieter so I can turn it up to get drive at lower volumes. Greenback is 95db rated where RF is 102db I believe, so there’s a significant volume difference. You may want to explore the GB if you are having trouble opening up the Red Fang due to volume. Enjoy! I always say that if I had to choose beteeen my Maz 18 and my Mini Z, it would be a tough decision, and I may just end up choosing the Mini! I'm running into the same problem... The Red Fang is really nice sound but it's so damn loud! Even on level 4 of attenuation I can't really put it past 9 o'clock in my house. Does the Greenback have all the nice chime and cleans too? And when you turn it up to one or two o'clock is it all hell breaks loose and glorious? That's a hell of a drop in decibels - 7 decibels! Does it still get loud enough? Greenback still sounds great clean, not as chimney though. Still plenty loud if you want, but no longer clean. I can dime it (and do) and it’s loud but not just deafening. Max volume lets me cop a decent Warren Haynes Mule sound. I suggest trying the Greenback but keeping the Red Fang in case you want louder and cleaner. That’s what I do.
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Post by donovantyler on Nov 8, 2018 21:47:17 GMT -7
Thanks for the info Lucky.. so there still is cleans? The red fangs is pretty cleanish till about 9:30 Oclock. The the breakup starts ramping up. The sad fact is I've never really played this thing without the attenuator on 3-4 except for once when I was over at my guitar Tech house with it. I imagine that if I didn't have the attenuator on at all that there be better chime. I still have nice tone for Al Green and Etta James and... What we used to call R&B... With my Telecaster? Thanks lucky!
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