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Post by guitarman1 on May 10, 2006 7:07:42 GMT -7
My RX ES head showed up on my front porch last night after I ordered it from Willcutt's in Lexington, KY. They had a red head in stock and I ordered it on impulse, after sending back a disappointing Bad Cat Cub II to them. This thing just floored me. It sounds big and bold with harmonic complexity, big & tight low end, and chimey Vox like top end. It is very open sounding with percussive attack and note-to-note clarity not found in most amps. Notes kind of explode from this thing. I don't have an extension cab yet, so I just plugged it into the 12" Tonker in my Maz Sr. combo. Wow! I can't imagine how good this must sound with a Z-best. To me, this is a Vox AC30 on steroids, but it can also get some Fender sounds by rolling back the middle & treble controls. I haven't even messed with the Overdose much, cause I was just so happy with the stellar cleans. If this amp takes pedals as well as other Zs, then I've found the perfect amp for me. The funny thing is I never hear much about this amp...even on this forum. It has to be the most underrated & overlooked amp in Dr. Z's line. I know everyone is raving about the Stangray, but I can't imaging how much better it can be compared to the RX. If you've never played one of these, you owe it to yourself to try one. I've owned or played a Maz Invasion, Maz Sr, Maz Jr, Rt. 66, Mazerati, Ghia & 6545, but their cleans don't compare to the cleans on the RS EX. So far I just used it with my Strat. Tonight it will be a Tele & PRS. I can't wait to use the high gain input & overdose with some humbuckers. I'm also gonna see how it reacts with pedals tonight. I'm going to post this in the general forum too. I'm on a mission to get this amp some exposure.
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Post by teleking36 on May 10, 2006 10:38:46 GMT -7
i'm glad someone else feels this way about the RX ES!
i've had my RX ES head for just under a month now, and i'm still finding ncredible tones all over this amp. i feel like i'm plugging into a wall of amps when i play through this baby. incredibly 3D sounding with a really robust and complex character to it.
i'm running the RX ES thru a Zbest 2X12, which i reconfigured a bit. i swapped the Vintage 30 for a Weber Alnico silver bell and this had a definite change in the sound. I guess i didn't give the stock Zbest enough time with the head, but what i lost in overall punch from the vintage 30 i gained a real smooth tone out of the silver bell. I may go back to the vintage 30 and really spend some time comparing the differences and seeing what i like more. but in any event, this amp just sings! what i really wanted in clean tones is EXACTLY what this amp delivers. HUGE sound!
i also recently got an airbrake, which was great in finding out how much gain the RX ES has on tap, without tearing a hole in the wall. while i don't use the overdose often, it's definitely a change from the ODs on my pedalboard. but now i find myself using it all the time, even on low volume cleans. for some reason, the setting i use on the airbrake seems to make the amp even MORE responsive and touch-sensitive. with the volume @ 9:00 in the hi input, and the airbrake set to '4' on attenuation, i have found the best low volume clean tone i've ever heard. My AMS ash tele just explodes with tone out of this amp.
i know i'm rambling a lot, but i also feel that this amp definitely deserves more publicity than it gets.
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Post by guitarman1 on May 10, 2006 10:43:32 GMT -7
Good report teleking. I'm going to get an Airbrake someday. What magnet is on your Silverbell...Alnico or ceramic? Oops...if I could read, I would have seen you already said Alnico. My bad.
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Post by Deleted on May 10, 2006 11:18:14 GMT -7
To anyone interested on how the RXES sounds with the stock Z-best, all my clips were done with that configuration. I have actually tried the amp with a Z open-back cabinet with the Weber 50 watt Alnico Bluedog/Silverbell combination and I think I actually liked it better with the Z-best. The Weber smoothed the amp out quite a bit and it lost some of it's aggressive, biting qualities. It was not as percussive either with the Webers. The Z-best was just huge sounding and turned the amp in to a monster. I guess it depends on what sound your are looking for. I found the Z-best brought out more 'Fender' qualities in the amp while the Webers brought out the more 'Vox' qualities of the amp. Also the RXES with the Z-best sounded like a hot-rodded version of my 66 Fender deluxe reverb. El-84s do sound a lot like 6V6s, and this was one of the first things I noticed when I first tried the amp. I seemed to like the RXES low volume sounds more with the Z-best than the open-back cab w/ webers. They both sounded great with the RXES at high volume. The open back just begged for the RXES to be cranked through it. What a sound! I think the gainer part of the amp's character might like the Webers better than the Z-best w/ Celestions, thought again it depends on what you are looking for. The webers lend a singing quality to the drive sound much like the way a dumble sounds, while with the Z-best it is definitely a more aggressive, hard rock kind of sound.
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Post by Teleman on May 13, 2006 4:40:30 GMT -7
O.K.. I made the plunge and bought an RXES. Aftr bit of a slow start. 1/2 amp fuse problem, I was up and running. Initial trial at home sounded very good but after gigging with it last night. Yowsa!!! This may be one of the best amps I have ever played through and I played a bunch! Great tone at any level. Inhales pedals to the point where they seem to become part of the circuit. Can't wait for tonights gig to doit all over again.
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Post by frank4001 on May 13, 2006 7:19:50 GMT -7
One thing that really suprized me about that amp was the sustain eventhough the amp wasn't breaking up. Then when you turn you guitar up it breaks up beutifully. The clean sustain is something I had never experienced,"wait a minute my guitar isn't turned up but its still sustaining" and then the overdrive is just over the top. ..that amp on a gig is just great becuase its all there. The 2 inputs and dose switch make it the most versatile amp I've ever played too. I like the combo now because of the portability and the greenbacks(relativley ineffecient). Big places I go High Input dose up or off...Smaller places I use the Low and the dose switch up. Very easy to manage the level. I keep an Airbrake and a Deluxe Reverb with me just in case of really low volume situation and/or a breakdown...Havn't needed them yet...This thing is fun.
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Post by janinedoubly on May 17, 2006 10:47:26 GMT -7
I'm all in for the RXES!!! I've had mine now for over a year and it still impresses me!! I think the interest for the RXES got a bit overshadowed by the Stangray, since they came out so close to each other (in Z release terms). Two different amps, but like all Z's, equally cool for different applications.
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Post by kerryprotools on May 17, 2006 13:20:33 GMT -7
I'm sure glad other rxes users are giving a little love to the monster tone machine. I'm getting a little nerveous when I see Bradly P. standing in front of a mountain sized stack of Rays. No doubt the Ray is excellent, but I hope he doesn't turn his back on his first born-after all I bought mine because of the killer tones he pulled out of that box on "Mud".The other cool thing some people are missing is that if you stick a Zendrive in front of it clean - you have what I think i closer than Fuchs to the D*****/RObben Ford tone...and I think we all dig that vibe.
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Post by laurencer83 on May 27, 2006 22:22:30 GMT -7
O.K.. I made the plunge and bought an RXES. Aftr bit of a slow start. 1/2 amp fuse problem, I was up and running. Initial trial at home sounded very good but after gigging with it last night. Yowsa!!! This may be one of the best amps I have ever played through and I played a bunch! Great tone at any level. Inhales pedals to the point where they seem to become part of the circuit. Can't wait for tonights gig to doit all over again. hey, were you the one that bought the rxes from me? it was the blonde one with all the nos tubes. i wish i had the money so that i didn't need to sell that amp. it was/is a great amp. it's probably just as good as any amp over $3000. i bought it originally for $1000 even! i loaded it with some nos tubes and added my klon as a boost and what a sound. it's a very mean and agressive yet clean and subtle amp all rolled into one. props for the rxes!
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Post by DRZ on May 28, 2006 4:51:08 GMT -7
I agree with all your comments, as well as the title.
Since the release of the StangRay the RX ES was slipped back a bit in popularity, but it is an amp I'm very proud to have designed and built.
An original unique tone with plenty of percussive drive.
DR.Z
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Post by JASON (aka jgleaton) on May 28, 2006 12:25:52 GMT -7
Percussive is an understatement Doc! and thats exactly what I LOVE about the RX amps... the RX ES AND the original RX can really ROAR!! guitarman1 wrote... " I know everyone is raving about the Stangray, but I can't imaging how much better it can be compared to the RX. " well I have raved about the Original RX AND the RX ES, and I still consider the RX one of the greatest amps I've EVER heard... ( if you like the RX ES with the OVERDOSE switched OFF sound... find an ORIGINAL RX and CRANK IT TO ABOUT 2-3 o'clock with the bright and expand switches BOTH up!! and just STAND BACK!! ASK BW about his Original RX...he'll tell ya bout it... ) BUT the STINGRAY is similar and Different from both of these at the same time and EQUALLY amazing... the ray being SMOOTH to the RX being PERCUSSIVE... they REALLY compliment each other WELL.... we really need to rave about both of them! AND IF YOU REALLY want your MIND BLOWN... find someone with a STING/ STANG -RAY and run the RX ES WITH THE RAY together!!!! WOW... is one of the biggest sounds you have ever heard in your life... I cannot descibe it... just gotta hear it! and SEE what Brad and DR Z had in mind by designing them both.... Jason
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Post by Teleman on May 29, 2006 5:19:33 GMT -7
Yeah lawrence83 that was me. The RXES is working out great!
To the point where I'm thinking of putting my Maz 18 Jr. 1-12 up for sale. I've got the RXES, a Maz 18 Jr. Nr head and the Maz 18 Jr 1-12 combo so I'm a bit redundent in the 18 Jr, dept.
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Post by kerryprotools on May 30, 2006 11:31:52 GMT -7
I agree with all your comments, as well as the title. Since the release of the StangRay the RX ES was slipped back a bit in popularity, but it is an amp I'm very proud to have designed and built. An original unique tone with plenty of percussive drive. DR.Z Hey Doc, Please tell me the ES isn't next on the chopping block for the new line up of product. If word could just get out a little better about the versatility the ES renders w/ just a few minor tweaks like tube selection and pedal combo's I just know that amp cpould end up with legendary status. I talked to Alf (of Zendrive fame) and he cooked up a brew for my amp that included switching to all Telefunken NOS tubes and of course a original Zendrive to drive the bus and it was like the clouds opened up and heavenly smooth tones came aflowin' out of my two greenbacks. He also had me switch the speaker wiring to a 16ohm setup as instead of the 4 ohm stock config. It is now the best sounding/feeling amp I have ever played. I', glad because I had to trade a MAZ 18 head and Carman Ghia head to get the thing. I have no regrets, but I sure would like to get Ray to work alongside the ES. Sorry for the lonnnng mssg , but I get all worked up about my rig. THE QUESTION- Will you ever put out a true high gain machine such as a Fuchs or Dumble type outfit. I commend you on your quality in every area. Ithink Z's really are the best all around ap being made today. God Bless.
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Post by janinedoubly on May 31, 2006 16:34:55 GMT -7
The RX ES running with a Route 66 is also a KILLER tone. What's fun is the RXES provides the more compressed but wider bandwidth and the Route 66 just kills giving the mids a bit more punch. Instead of AB'ing them, run a splitter for both (or split in stereo!) and hit the amps with a nice clean boost. The RXES will compress and overdrive smoother, making the low end very billowy and the top end silky smooth, but the mids from the Route 66 will be a bit more punchy and throaty. Its a cool Dumble meets Marshall thing that is killer for gut bucket SRV stabs with not a hint of harshness. Oh, if only SRV was alive to savor the Z tone...I'm going out on a limb, but I bet he would've ended up a fan of the wonders of Z!!
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Post by myles on Jun 7, 2006 11:47:53 GMT -7
The RxES is a spectacular piece of work and has a very wide envelope of uses. I think that as the Doc said .... with all the talk on the "Ray" at the moment the RxES is not as high on the radar but .... go to a Brad Paisley concert and listen to what happens when you use an RxES and a "Ray"! They are both spectacular and very different amps. It would be hard to pick one over the other.
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Post by myles on Jun 7, 2006 11:51:09 GMT -7
My RX ES head showed up on my front porch last night after I ordered it from Willcutt's in Lexington, KY. They had a red head in stock and I ordered it on impulse, after sending back a disappointing Bad Cat Cub II to them. This thing just floored me. It sounds big and bold with harmonic complexity, big & tight low end, and chimey Vox like top end. It is very open sounding with percussive attack and note-to-note clarity not found in most amps. Notes kind of explode from this thing. I don't have an extension cab yet, so I just plugged it into the 12" Tonker in my Maz Sr. combo. Wow! I can't imagine how good this must sound with a Z-best. To me, this is a Vox AC30 on steroids, but it can also get some Fender sounds by rolling back the middle & treble controls. I haven't even messed with the Overdose much, cause I was just so happy with the stellar cleans. If this amp takes pedals as well as other Zs, then I've found the perfect amp for me. The funny thing is I never hear much about this amp...even on this forum. It has to be the most underrated & overlooked amp in Dr. Z's line. I know everyone is raving about the Stangray, but I can't imaging how much better it can be compared to the RX. If you've never played one of these, you owe it to yourself to try one. I've owned or played a Maz Invasion, Maz Sr, Maz Jr, Rt. 66, Mazerati, Ghia & 6545, but their cleans don't compare to the cleans on the RS EX. So far I just used it with my Strat. Tonight it will be a Tele & PRS. I can't wait to use the high gain input & overdose with some humbuckers. I'm also gonna see how it reacts with pedals tonight. I'm going to post this in the general forum too. I'm on a mission to get this amp some exposure. Cleans? You want to hear cleans?!?!?! Toss a 5751 in V1 and another in V3 .... Plug your humbucker into the low level input. Then name me another amp that has these cleans with the degree of dimension and just huge tone .... and feel free to A/B with "the king of cleans" as in a Fender Twin. Gee .... how come the RxES is even louder and bigger but not objectionable? I don't know .... part of the Doc's magic I suppose. I did this a while back on one of Brad Paisley's two RxES amps at the time before a show in Ventura with Zac Childs. By the way ... I apoligize for my lame hair in this shot .... it was on the beach ... wind and sun and 6000 years of kinky hair heritage I suppose.
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Post by billyguitar on Jun 7, 2006 12:31:42 GMT -7
I haven't been to very many places in my life but I can't imagine any place that I'd rather live in than Ventura. I've heard real estate values are slipping there but I don't believe they would ever slip enough for me to be able to live there. I think even with the stock tube configuration that the RXES is blessed with beautiful sweet clean tone. I don't think it's an underrated amp at all. I think it's just that the Stang Ray is the new thing and the new thing always steals the spotlight, at least temporarily. If that amp had a master volume and reverb it would probably be the only amp anyone, no matter what they play, would need.
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Post by myles on Jun 7, 2006 16:27:14 GMT -7
I haven't been to very many places in my life but I can't imagine any place that I'd rather live in than Ventura. I've heard real estate values are slipping there but I don't believe they would ever slip enough for me to be able to live there. I think even with the stock tube configuration that the RXES is blessed with beautiful sweet clean tone. I don't think it's an underrated amp at all. I think it's just that the Stang Ray is the new thing and the new thing always steals the spotlight, at least temporarily. If that amp had a master volume and reverb it would probably be the only amp anyone, no matter what they play, would need. I see a lot of your points except .... I would rather live in Seattle ... better sailing then in Ventura although the Channel Islands are great.
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Post by anacephalic on Jun 8, 2006 10:37:52 GMT -7
i'm with you Billy on Ventura being way nice. I have the pleasure of going there a few times a year for work. Have to suffer through staying in the old part of town with all the cute antique shoppers. I haven't heard much about housing prices slipping though. my contractor bought a nice 1200 sq ft place a few blocks from the beach about 15 yrs ago for around $180k. now he figures it'd go for over $750. I've always thought Ventura is going to shoot up in price once Malibu gets filled up and people migrate further up the coast.
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Post by myles on Jun 8, 2006 10:51:14 GMT -7
i'm with you Billy on Ventura being way nice. I have the pleasure of going there a few times a year for work. Have to suffer through staying in the old part of town with all the cute antique shoppers. I haven't heard much about housing prices slipping though. my contractor bought a nice 1200 sq ft place a few blocks from the beach about 15 yrs ago for around $180k. now he figures it'd go for over $750. I've always thought Ventura is going to shoot up in price once Malibu gets filled up and people migrate further up the coast. Have you tried driving PCH between Santa Monica and Kanan? Ventura is a much more desirable spot unless you have the money to buy a place in Malibu and sit on the beach and never leave to go to work or anywhere. Actually, in the summer you are lucky if you can get a car out of a garage with all the people that double park in front of your garage door.
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Post by billyguitar on Jun 8, 2006 11:44:31 GMT -7
Yea, I feel so sorry for the Malibu folks! It would be awful hard to get one of the Ferrari's out of the garage without scratching it on the wife's Bentley if some scumbag parks out front! Seriously, I can see that being a drag. Those houses are built right on the road. I also hear they can't get insurance to help if the house gets washed away. It's a moot point for me. I'll never have the coin and nobody else I know will either.
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