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Post by mannyg on Jun 2, 2009 20:16:08 GMT -7
Every body here seems totally in love with the RX Junior. I bought mine about a year ago with a 1x12 Blue Cab and I am sorry to say that I think the love afair is over. There is a lot of hype with the Brad Paisely thing and all, and it's just not doing it for me anymore. The Gain is nothing like people describe. It is more of a grainy than gainey sound. I have all the pedals Zen drive, Maxon delay, Sparkle drive, keely compressor and the boss tube screamer. The cleans are okay but woudn't describe them as sweet in any way. Paisley plays thru a highly processed signal and the amount of money he spends on his tone is huge. The RX Junior is not a bad little amp but unless your doing a Paisley sputtering lick it just sounds kind of clunky and lacks richness of tone. I play thru a Custom made Telecaster and I have tried Joe Barden pickups, Don Mare, and Lindy Fralin as well as Adder neck pickup with this amp. To each his own but my search goes on.
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Post by groovergeorge on Jun 2, 2009 20:25:55 GMT -7
Sorry to hear you have fallen out of love with the RX jr. I have the Sr model. It is nothing short of superb. The RX is very percussive and has that in you face attack so maybe that wasn't your thing from the start. Have you tried a Maz jr? They ten to be a bit more versatile. Can I ask what camp you came from before getting your Dr Z? If you are used to playing fenders with 6L6'/6v6's then the RX is going to be perceived as quite different to your ears. Dr Z makes a variety of models to suit just about everyone's tastes out there. If you get a chance try a Carmen Ghia or maybe even a Z-28, I had both at one stage and had to sell because of financial reasons. Both those rigs are a blues/rock players dream.
Good luck.
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Post by Dustin on Jun 2, 2009 21:19:18 GMT -7
Different horses for different courses: maybe its just not where your ears are leading you right now. I'm still working my way around the tones available here, and I'm really lovin' the gain this thing puts out.
Best of luck in your tone search!
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Post by fastfrets (Bob) on Jun 3, 2009 0:15:25 GMT -7
Sorry to hear you aren't hearing the LUV. I get very different tones from my MAZ and RX Jrs and I love them both. As was said before, I you like the percussive attack that you get from the RXJr then things will be great. If that isn't what you are after, it probably is not going to do anything special for you.
I think the RXs and the Stang Ray all have this percussive quality mixed with the clean sound and this is one of the sounds I am after.
If its not doing it for you, I'm sure there is something else in the Z lineup that will do it for you. If you haven't tried the MAZ, you might want to give it a try.
Good luck in your search--tell us what you decide.
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Post by asattwanger on Jun 3, 2009 2:48:06 GMT -7
I don't know if the RxJr is the end search amp, but is quite the handy side kick to any thing in the Fender 6v6/6L6 lineup. You might want to try it through different speakers as the Blue has that sound. Greenback style speakers give it a different feel and texture for sure, but if the gain sound you looking for is more ultra saturated this is not the amp even with a speaker swap.
Good luck and I wish I had something to trade you for your RxJr, because I would love to have a second on or a RXES set for cleans....
DAVE
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Post by benttop (Steve) on Jun 3, 2009 5:51:24 GMT -7
Are your power tubes shot?
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Post by kruzty on Jun 3, 2009 9:59:22 GMT -7
So, what type of sound are you going for? You mention Paisley a lot, but I can't tell if that is the sound you are looking for or the opposite of what you are going for.
Personally, the amp became a real keeper when I turned the mids higher than the bass and treble. If I hadn't seen that tip on here, I probably wouldn't have the amp today.
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Post by JumpMarine on Jun 3, 2009 12:08:27 GMT -7
I had a slow start with loving my Jr as it is a very different animal than what I was used to with my 18w. Personally I didn't like it at all with a Blue, Gold or G12H30. The first speaker that spoke to me was a Greenback and then was totally blown away by Z 2x10 cab. When you said that it lacked richness the first thing I thought of was worn out power tubes. What I hear with mine is very rich, 3 dimensional, but somewhat on the bright side. I love the cleans and it takes my pedals beautifully. Sorry to hear that it didn't work for you.
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Post by mcook217 on Jun 3, 2009 12:33:35 GMT -7
Are your power tubes shot? that's what i was thinking.. sounds like the mojo in the tubes has run out.
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Post by bluzman on Jun 3, 2009 12:52:16 GMT -7
It took me a while to dial in my RxJr but I love it. Try a different EF86 tube also. With one of my Teles mine was very grainy (for lack of a bettah word) and I called the Doc and he suggested a darker EF86 (from a literal point and audio point). It works great! I think it would be a perfect pairing running it with the Remedy!!
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Post by Rich (fbb90) on Jun 3, 2009 13:38:11 GMT -7
Sorry about your Luck... If you've tried some of the above suggestions and they've yielded no satisfying results, trade the thing! Z makes many flavors of amps. I'm sure there's something that will give your ears what they want to hear. If you're chapped about your RXJr. and don't want another Z, you can always pick up a new overpriced Fender...
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Post by Eddie on Jun 3, 2009 16:18:38 GMT -7
Sorry to hear that, but I find it odd you have only posted here twice after having had the amp for a year and one of them is pretty negative.
Good luck, Eddie
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Post by mannyg on Jun 3, 2009 18:13:58 GMT -7
the amp sounds the same as when it was new so I think the tubes are alright. I do love Paisleys tone alot. I think I will try a new EF86 per bluzman, and yes it sounds just like he describes. Also a speaker switch might be something worth trying. Thanks Kruzty for the mids tip. Do any of you guys own a Tony Bruno? it might be the direction I go if I can't get satisfied.
I really appreciate the response and helpful hints all you guys have given me.
Manny
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Post by Rich (fbb90) on Jun 3, 2009 18:33:13 GMT -7
Ya know, another thing... You never mentioned what sounds you're looking for. If you're looking for help/assistance, that's one thing. But if you're writing to bash the amp or the people who enjoy it... While I respect BP's ability and tone, I don't particularly care for country. I don't want to play like BP (well, OK, maybe a little), and I don't want his sound. When I got this amp, I was looking for a great low wattage percussive Rock amp. This amp fills the bill for me. I agree, Eddie,... One post and this?
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Post by Rik on Jun 3, 2009 19:52:51 GMT -7
Sounds to me that if you don't dial it in with the tube or speaker that you should trade or sell it for a Maz Jr NR! Does the trick for many folks.
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Post by benttop (Steve) on Jun 3, 2009 20:38:31 GMT -7
the amp sounds the same as when it was new so I think the tubes are alright. I do love Paisleys tone alot. I think I will try a new EF86 per bluzman, and yes it sounds just like he describes. Also a speaker switch might be something worth trying. Thanks Kruzty for the mids tip. Do any of you guys own a Tony Bruno? it might be the direction I go if I can't get satisfied. I really appreciate the response and helpful hints all you guys have given me. Manny When I got my Stingray, it was a marvel of tone. I played it constantly for about a year, gigging every weekend with it. One day I realized I was fighting it - I couldn't get the tones I wanted, and it sounded brittle and grainy. During a set break I popped the back off and threw in my spare set of power tubes. THERE was my old Stingray back again! Power tubes wear slowly, and you sure don't notice anything dramatic. But one day you realize it just doesn't sound all that good. That's when you spend nineteen bucks and put in a new set. It will be the best money you've spent on your amp, if the tubes you're using now are shot. If not, you'll have a great new set for a backup. Either way, it's worth a try.
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jimik
Junior Member
Posts: 80
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Post by jimik on Jun 4, 2009 5:29:31 GMT -7
I can't get over the sweet sound of my RX Jr. I do want more so maybe a 2X12 cab is in order as well as a Maz someday but I love my RX. (anybody have a 2X12 Red) for sale?
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Post by Fiestared69 on Jun 4, 2009 9:00:41 GMT -7
I can't get over the sweet sound of my RX Jr. I do want more so maybe a 2X12 cab is in order as well as a Maz someday but I love my RX. (anybody have a 2X12 Red) for sale? Just so happens I do! It is an all Red Dr Z 212 combo cab that has been converted to an extension cab (replaced open valance with new sold valance) loaded with two Celestion Blues! $650 shipped and paypaled.
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Post by JumpMarine on Jun 4, 2009 12:53:18 GMT -7
It took me a while to dial in my RxJr but I love it. Try a different EF86 tube also. With one of my Teles mine was very grainy (for lack of a bettah word) and I called the Doc and he suggested a darker EF86 (from a literal point and audio point). It works great! I think it would be a perfect pairing running it with the Remedy!! What "Darker" EF86 did Doc suggest?
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Post by bluzman on Jun 4, 2009 13:12:34 GMT -7
It took me a while to dial in my RxJr but I love it. Try a different EF86 tube also. With one of my Teles mine was very grainy (for lack of a bettah word) and I called the Doc and he suggested a darker EF86 (from a literal point and audio point). It works great! I think it would be a perfect pairing running it with the Remedy!! What "Darker" EF86 did Doc suggest? I found my note pad that had it written down in. He suggested finding a tube with the darker metal shield as opposed to the brighter shiny shields you typically find on ef86 tubes. He said there were quality Chinese ones with that description and to look around. I ordered some from 2 or 3 sources. Some of them were useless for what I was going for. Some ef86s are weird in what results you get. I don't have the tubes handy right now but the one that worked best for me was in a blue and yellow box I think and wasn't very expensive. I don't know where it was made but I will check and modify this post when I do check. After trying a couple of them out it worked and it happened to be darker metal that tamed the highs for that Tele. updateThe one that worked best for darkening (out of the ones that didn't make noise) was a NOS Tesla with a solid shield, Czec with yellow print. Two of the four Teslas I got "rattled" and the dampers wouldn't help, but two work fine. I never found any Chinese ones with a solid dark shield and didn't look for too long though. When I was gigging with the ES 335 I put the Dario back in.
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Post by basementhack on Jun 5, 2009 12:17:30 GMT -7
Every body here seems totally in love with the RX Junior. I bought mine about a year ago with a 1x12 Blue Cab and I am sorry to say that I think the love afair is over. There is a lot of hype with the Brad Paisely thing and all, and it's just not doing it for me anymore. The Gain is nothing like people describe. It is more of a grainy than gainey sound. I have all the pedals Zen drive, Maxon delay, Sparkle drive, keely compressor and the boss tube screamer. The cleans are okay but woudn't describe them as sweet in any way. Paisley plays thru a highly processed signal and the amount of money he spends on his tone is huge. The RX Junior is not a bad little amp but unless your doing a Paisley sputtering lick it just sounds kind of clunky and lacks richness of tone. I play thru a Custom made Telecaster and I have tried Joe Barden pickups, Don Mare, and Lindy Fralin as well as Adder neck pickup with this amp. To each his own but my search goes on. The Rx Jr is the first Z I bought. I never anticipated it would be 'gainy' at all..either by what was posted on this site nor the sound clips. Matter of fact, the clip that sold me was the 3 1/2 minute clip on the Z site by Paisley. With the Blues, the amp has that 'squishy, on the edge of distortion' feel to it for me ....not 'gainy' at all. That's what I wanted. Even with the Overdose it does for me as advertised by the soundclips. Before the Paisley clip the only reference I had was Joe walsh and Funk 49 on the Eagles DVD. That being said, I even considered a Bruno recently. But I wouldn't expect one of those to be 'gainy' either ;D Just the good ol' 'clang & bang' of rock and roll...with a little extra kick when required. But that would be similar to a Rx Jr or Stangray, I would think. Keith
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Post by asattwanger on Jun 5, 2009 14:24:21 GMT -7
Keith,
What is your playing style like?
I ask because I can play straight up thrash metal punk on mine and it has plenty of gain for rhythm work, but and I'm sure what your talking about is when you play leads with a soft touch it isn't this gain monster blowing up every note ala Boogie.
Yes, the clean and broken up clean sound is outstanding and I have been wanting two of them more and more.
DAVE
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Post by basementhack on Jun 5, 2009 14:54:03 GMT -7
Keith, What is your playing style like? I ask because I can play straight up thrash metal punk on mine and it has plenty of gain for rhythm work, but and I'm sure what your talking about is when you play leads with a soft touch it isn't this gain monster blowing up every note ala Boogie. Yes, the clean and broken up clean sound is outstanding and I have been wanting two of them more and more. DAVE My playing style can be summed up as 'BAD' ;D But, I have my Jr and I've used it exclusively on the 212 open back with Blues and I've really only used that amp for my attempt at country-type playing or jangle -type rock. I'm sure if I ran it through my new Z-Best it would be a completely different beast. I should try it. Truth is I'v never really tried the Jr for the type of playing you refer to since I had a bunch of other amps I would go to for that. But you are correct. I'm agreeing with the poster hat it doesn't do 'super-saturated' and I never would have expected it. I agree with you it can do a great OD...especially with the Overdose engaged. The poster seemed to infer he was expected some sort of 'super-saturated' gain, which its not but its a beauty gain when kicked in. For example, when I first got mine I had a Fender Blues Deluxe combo. That was an eye-opener for me since the Jr chewed up the Fender and spit it out. The Fender could never get a nice, somewhat smooth OD ...the Jr got it though. It may have had more nods to the 'Old School' as opposed to the 'Boogie School', but I can't say it is 'grainy'. To be, the Fender BD was more 'grainy' for sure. Keith
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Post by asattwanger on Jun 5, 2009 15:39:29 GMT -7
Fender Blues Deluxe
I think they put a couple od pedal transistors in that and added a couple tubes for show.
I'll never forget. It was raining bad, had practice, I elected to barrow an amp, I got there and he was in the middle of swapping the tubes in the Soldano and I got stuck with a Blues Deluxe. I'll never do it again. My MMB has a better "real" guitar sound than the Fender Blues Deluxe. Like 10x's better.
The RxJr is my everything amp at this point. Be it punk, funk, country or what ever that other stuff is I know it will work at any volume I need it to. It some times sits out every once in a while so the little cousins get a chance to breath.
DAVE
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Post by basementhack on Jun 5, 2009 16:29:00 GMT -7
Fender Blues Deluxe I think they put a couple od pedal transistors in that and added a couple tubes for show. DAVE Funny...LOL ;D ;D ;D Yep...the key there is I HAD a Blues Deluxe ;D ;D ;D ;D I don't sell much gear, but that one was sold and the proceeds rolled into a Maz 18 NR head Keith
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Post by DRZ on Jun 6, 2009 6:45:47 GMT -7
Sorry to hear that, but I find it odd you have only posted here twice after having had the amp for a year and one of them is pretty negative. Good luck, Eddie +1 DR.Z
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Post by mangoman on Jun 7, 2009 9:05:12 GMT -7
Hey bud,
all I know about this amp, is that I traded it away for a Z28 (AWESOME AMP BTW) and miss that baby every day. One day, I will have enough dough again to get one....or maybe a Stang, or another Maz......
I should just sell my Savage and get back on the Z only train!!
Love this forum..
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Post by asattwanger on Jun 7, 2009 15:34:20 GMT -7
Awe man you make me feel bad.
When I see a picture of the Z-28 stack I miss it, but the RxJr is a better amp for me. We'll see how it works out with a three single coil set up guitar here pretty soon.
DAVE
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Post by 95strat on Jun 10, 2009 19:14:51 GMT -7
Fender Blues Deluxe I think they put a couple od pedal transistors in that and added a couple tubes for show. DAVE Funny...LOL ;D ;D ;D Yep...the key there is I HAD a Blues Deluxe ;D ;D ;D ;D I don't sell much gear, but that one was sold and the proceeds rolled into a Maz 18 NR head Keith I too had a Blues Deluxe. There's no comparison between the BD and the Jr. The Junior is in a totally different class. Junior: High class Blues Deluxe: Crap class
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