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Post by benttop (Steve) on Jan 13, 2008 11:10:18 GMT -7
I've really been resisting getting a Z-Best - it's pretty heavy for a 2x12, and I'm not getting any younger. But the few times I've played out with the GT it just wanted a bigger fatter bottom end. So yesterday I strolled into Emerald City Guitars here in Seattle and what do you know, they had a nice red Z-Best sitting there. So I did the deal and came home with it. If you have a GT, you owe it to yourself to check this out. I'm not looking forward to the load in or load out, but when the lights go down that thing is going to roar. The Z-Best seems to be the exact setup the GT was designed for. For the first time in a long time, I'm considering playing with one amp again, and with no pedal board. There is no question it can do it - with both knobs straight up I'm getting beautiful cleans with my guitar on 5 - cleans that rival the Stingray in my view. And then when I roll the guitar volume up the GT just becomes a fire-breathing dragon. This amp with this speaker cab even rivals all those Trainwreck vids we see all over YouTube if you want my not so humble opinion. What remains is to actually gig it, but from my experiences in my studio I have a pretty good idea how that's going to fly. Dang, how does the Doc do it? ;D
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Post by Phil (aka Phil) on Jan 13, 2008 18:43:13 GMT -7
I hate to say I told ya so, but.... Phil
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Post by benttop (Steve) on Jan 13, 2008 18:48:09 GMT -7
Yeah, you did, and you were right, but I doubt you hate to tell me so.
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Post by Don on Jan 13, 2008 19:34:17 GMT -7
I need to jump on this bandwagon also Steve ... 'cause I told you so also!
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Post by bluzman on Jan 13, 2008 19:54:59 GMT -7
My Red Z-Best is only a couple weeks away I hope! When I test drove my RxJr. before brining it home it was plugged into a Z-Best and I couldn't believe the richness even at low volumes, but as I turned it up more and more I knew I was going to have to own one. If the one in the store was red it would have been in my vehicle that day! Waiting for Dr. Z products gives me something to look forward to.
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Post by benttop (Steve) on Jan 13, 2008 19:58:58 GMT -7
I need to jump on this bandwagon also Steve ... 'cause I told you so also! Indeed you did. I should listen to you guys more often if it's going to turn out like this! I tried mine with almost all my amps today, and it was great for all of them. But I have been working on a clip with the GT - it is just amazing with that amp.
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Post by Don on Jan 13, 2008 20:17:09 GMT -7
I need to jump on this bandwagon also Steve ... 'cause I told you so also! Indeed you did. I should listen to you guys more often if it's going to turn out like this! I tried mine with almost all my amps today, and it was great for all of them. But I have been working on a clip with the GT - it is just amazing with that amp. You'll have to let us know when you post the clip.
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Post by benttop (Steve) on Jan 13, 2008 21:07:27 GMT -7
You'll have to let us know when you post the clip. Well I'm breaking in new studio gear here, and having a devil of a time getting up on the power curve. Digidesign seems to love the appearance of their own words because their manuals and other written materials (ie, web page) are so flipping verbose that I could just choke the living.... oops... got carried away there. But really, I'm sitting here looking at the "getting started" guide. It's 187 pages. In the first six chapters it tells me something like eight times not to plug in the Firewire cord upside down. Once was excessive for such a triviality, but eight times caused apoplexy here..... Anyway, I did manage to get an mp3 out of the system today (after paying an extra $19.99 for the license to do so, then working through a convoluted combination of web pages, install files, and other minutia) but I wasn't real fond of the outcome, so we'll try again tomorrow.
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Post by taswegian on Jan 14, 2008 1:02:53 GMT -7
Well Thanks Alot Steve! You've just destroyed any chance of me NOT getting this amp! ;D ;D ;D
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Post by benttop (Steve) on Jan 14, 2008 6:45:52 GMT -7
Well Thanks Alot Steve! You've just destroyed any chance of me NOT getting this amp! ;D ;D ;D Was there ever any doubt? I'm so amazed at how this thing is working - I just HAVE to get a decent representation recorded so you can hear what I mean.
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Post by heynewguy (Ol’ Bill) on Jan 14, 2008 17:01:25 GMT -7
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Post by Phil (aka Phil) on Jan 14, 2008 17:43:36 GMT -7
Steve- A lot of the magic of the Z-Best is the great frequency spread resulting from the V30, G12H30, and port. I've never tried to capture that, but I'll bet you need at least three mic's, plus one for ambient. Good luck.
Phil
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Post by benttop (Steve) on Jan 14, 2008 20:28:17 GMT -7
Steve- A lot of the magic of the Z-Best is the great frequency spread resulting from the V30, G12H30, and port. I've never tried to capture that, but I'll bet you need at least three mic's, plus one for ambient. Good luck. Phil That's exactly what I've been thinking - mic both speakers, the port, and one for the room.
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Post by Don on Jan 16, 2008 15:14:16 GMT -7
Works for me!
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Post by benttop (Steve) on Jan 16, 2008 20:49:59 GMT -7
Well I've made a couple passes at a clip, but this new Digidesign 003 rack module is a lot dumber than I had realized. The stupid XLR inputs are WAY too sensitive for a guitar amp - I have the gain fully CCW and I'm still pegging the VU meters in Pro Tools. So I have to wire in a mixer between the mics and the 003 rack and take the mic signals through the line level inputs on the 003 rack. Huh? Why does this sound really dumb? Because it is! Anyway, I'll make another pass tonight to see if I've got the gain structure sussed out. Nothing will sound right with gain knobs set to minimum! Oh yeah, the GT is really growing on me.
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Post by real oldster on Jan 22, 2008 6:28:08 GMT -7
Four mics? But I only have two ears!
Help!
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Post by benttop (Steve) on Jan 22, 2008 6:46:00 GMT -7
Four mics? But I only have two ears! Help! In honor of this brilliant observation, I promise to mix all my clips back down to stereo, just so you can hear them too.
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Post by Telemanic on Jan 22, 2008 13:36:56 GMT -7
Yep they are the match made in tone heaven! A while back i made the mistake of talking myself into selling my Best cause of the size weight issue, ...... ooop's big mistake! At the Z-fest last june with ALL of the cabs availible for a/b'ing, i with great self disgust realized i made a big mistake for selling mine, .... or just showing up at all!! Before long it was apparent that "EVERYTHING" sounded better thru the Z-Best! Needless to say, i got another before my GT even showed up on my doorstep! The fest was an expensive trip! but worth every penny!!!
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Post by dock66 on Jan 23, 2008 13:16:36 GMT -7
No question,ZBest is the best 2x12 cab I've owned thusfar. Every amp I've tried sounded good thru it.
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Post by GIBBYMYLESPAUL on Jan 24, 2008 0:27:51 GMT -7
Benttop, I agree with your sentiments 100%! I was at ELITE MUSIC in MONTGOMERY,AL today and I got to hear the MAZ-GT through a Z-BEST 2X12 and OH MY GOD that amp is "COMPLETELY OFF THE FOOD-CHAIN"!! The most "ARTICULATE" overdrive I have heard on any amp! DOC has knocked it CLEAN OUTTA THE PARK on the MAZ-GT! (BRIAN-ELITE MUSIC) hadn't played a HB guitar through it yet and cranked a GORGEOUS HAMER MONACO ELITE through it and it was as the saying goes "THE ABSOLUTE CAT'S arse" and I mean bigtime! damn I thought the GALAXIE was a "FIRE-BREATHER"! WHOA! With a HB based guitar you can NAIL ROBBEN FORD tones with this amp and the Z-BEST CAB!! If I am fortunate enough to start gigging again down the road I will absolutely purchase a MAZERATI GT and a Z-BEST 2X12 cabinet! You can bank on it! ;D
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Post by Phil (aka Phil) on Jan 24, 2008 18:04:21 GMT -7
I hate ta keep sayin' "I told ya so....." ;D
It is a killer amp.
Phil
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