ethan
New Member
Posts: 4
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Post by ethan on Apr 16, 2010 8:26:02 GMT -7
Hey guys, I'm happy to say that I just got my galaxie in today. It sounds awesome, though it's just crazy loud... like absolutely insane.
I have a few questions for you... I was having trouble dialing the eq the way I wanted. I could hardly get the volume 2 up at all to see what drive it had to offer, I keep hearing that it just screams and I'm excited for that, but holy beard of Lincoln that thing gets LOUD if you turn it up at all. At lower volumes i noticed the drive had a bit of plasticy buzz on top is that normal or does it fill out as it gets cranked? So... 1. You guys would recommend a Dr. Z attenuator? Which one? 2. How do you guys dial in your sound? Form what listening angle? Straight on front and center, no hiding or what? Maybe you guys could give me a lesson on where to listen from, because my chronic problem is that from off at an angle I can get most of the amps Ive dealt with to sound how i want, but dead on... where any mic would be... not so much. There is always way too much piercing and high end action and then when I turn that "pierce" down its just dead.
Help me out. Thanks, Ethan
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Post by JD on Apr 16, 2010 9:53:27 GMT -7
Ethan - welcome - the Galaxie is a great amp - simple but a wide range of tones. I use the Brakelite with mine on either 1 or 2 (after that you lose too much of the dynamics of the amp in a live situation).
I typically have my V1 at about 1 to 3 (depending on the git fiddle) and V2 at about 9:30 to 10:30. With humbuckers I open up the Presence control all the way.
The Galaxie can sound dry and grainy straight in front of it in a dry room or on an open outdoor stage. And I think at times my ears trick me into thinking this is not good - then when I hear the live recording or peoples comments - it is a different story - people love it. In a live room where I am hearing more of the reflections - it sounds great. So I think it is more a matter of whether the room/stage is live or dry.
Below is a video in a pretty live room - bass is probably about 9:30 and Treble at Noon to 1 ish, Presence dimed at V1 at 1; V2 at 9:30. Brakelite at 2 in Pentode mode. See Trock's (Tony) posting on the range of sounds in the Galaxie.
Also I think the only time I have played mine without an attenuator was on a big stage and it was still loud!
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Post by drew on Apr 17, 2010 2:32:00 GMT -7
Congratulations on your Galaxie. One of my fav Z amps. I'll try to answer your questions as best I can but everyone has a different idea of the sound they want to hear. I just hit a few clubs tonight to check out band. We saw two bands and both guitarist had the digital compressed OD that modern players seem to gravitate to, sounds like angry misquotes to me. Anyway I digress... If you have a Z amp then you know and seek great tone.
(At lower volumes i noticed the drive had a bit of plasticy buzz on top is that normal or does it fill out as it gets cranked? So...) What kind of guitar and pick-ups are you playing? I don't notice that but everyone hears things differently. Ch 2 at lower volumes is nice and swirly but maybe I've not had it low enough? I'd run Ch2 at around 11:00.
1) absolutely, the brake lite is nice due to it's size. It does not have a bedroom setting but I would not consider the galaxie a good bedroom amp. It's fine with a band setting and sits in the mix nicely. You can also use an Airbrake, I've got both and they work well with the gal. As JD said just a couple clicks works wonders to tame the gal.
2) I run V1 around noon-1:00 and v2 11:00 - 1:00. Treble noon, base 1:00 - 3:00 depending on the guitar, and presence at around 11:00. I use low powered single coil pickups. I always leaned my amp back to face the ceiling (sort of) so I don't pierce patrons ears and it allows me to turn it up a but more. The backs of my legs and ears don't seem to mind the volume. You can run your presence lower to cut some of the highs and still have the bounce and sparkle. Also you could try different V1, V2 and V3 tubes. Maybe a 5751 in V1 or V2. What speakers are you using?
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Post by mitch8686 on Apr 17, 2010 8:14:31 GMT -7
+1 to all of the above.
Another suggestion to help with some of the peircing highs you've experienced in the past is a set of weber beam blockers. Just look them up. I've personally never used them, but I've read that they're good for spreading the sound out from right in front of the speakers.
Using a 5751 in V1 is also a good suggestion mentioned. I also use one in V3 (balanced, of course). This, too will help keep things a little more tame.
I, too, am using a brakelite. I also agree that 1-2 clicks works well and is very transparent. Click 3 is good for at home and click 4 seems to make the power tubes compress more and adds a static-ish sound that I'm not too fond of.
Just give it time is the best advice I have to offer. A day or two isn't enough to figure out everything that this amp is capable of doing. The tone controls are VERY interactive and can add a substantial amount of drive to the tone when cranked up. I use the presence more to adjust for pickups than the tone controls. If yours is a newer version of the Gal, you'll have a Vol2 master instead of presence.
Anyways, good luck. Take your time, you'll figure it out.
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bartc
Junior Member
Posts: 59
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Post by bartc on May 1, 2010 7:55:43 GMT -7
I have a Galaxie as well, and found this combination to really help your issue. In the V1 I am using and RCA 5751. Tried a GE 5751 and it sounded a little flat. In the V2 I have Tung sol 12ax7, and the v3 (P/I) I have ECC81 JJ balanced from Eurotubes. This combination gives more clean headroom in the first channel, but the second channel still sounds like a Marshall. I find with one set of tone knobs you have to compromise if you switch between channels, as I can't dial in both with one setting to my preference.
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Post by Bluer Blue on May 13, 2010 21:12:26 GMT -7
Don't use electricity. Kidding of course, congrats! It is a beasty mutha, oh but the tone. I can't add any advice to the good options above. I did try playing from the hall with the Gal behind the closed studio (ahem bedroom) door, true story, but that really didn't work out so well.
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Post by mtlrecords on May 26, 2010 13:14:52 GMT -7
Sometimes the other guitar player in my band borrows my Galaxie head through a closed-back 60's Fender 1x15 cabinet (when he doesn't want to lug around his 60's Bassman) and he loves it! I think a key factor for him in a small space (this is a rehearsal space, about 25'x15") is to put the amp/cab setup a little bit off to the side, his right side in this case, and to keep it a little bit turned away from the band. This helps him use the amp without an attenuator and still get great tones.
However, some people may still find the Galaxie too loud, even angled away and with settings less than maxed out. A Dr. Z Air Brake could help or maybe it's just is too much amp for your situation. Different jobs require different tools, is what comes to mind. Perhaps a MAZ Jr. might fit the bill or a Z-28, if you are searching for a more "Fender" sound from a smaller Z amp.
Also, I am really attracted to the somewhat "American sounding" tones in small packages coming out of the 65 amps London and Lil' Elvis and the Swart AST 20MKII. All of these give you flexible Master Volume circuits, but the cost is greater than a Z amp.
My 2 cents.
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