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Post by fifthstone on Jan 31, 2011 17:45:32 GMT -7
I've saved up for a year for my first Z. I've been looking at the CG and Maz 18, primarily, but am considering a Galaxie 1x12 combo. I play mostly blues and classic rock with Strats and Teles, with pedals as needed (mostly Fulltone OD and fuzzes). My biggest influences are Cream, early-Clapton, some Hendrix, Doyle Bramhall and Bonamassa.
I'm looking at a 2007 model with presence instead of MV, as I don't really do channel switching, using pedals instead. I don't see as much love for this model as some of the other Z's. So I have to ask.
How is channel 2? Is it a useable distortion tone? How does it react to guitar volume changes? I do this alot to clean up.
Does channel 1 have a good amount of headroom before it starts to distort?
Thanks.
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Post by Rich (fbb90) on Jan 31, 2011 19:14:19 GMT -7
I've saved up for a year for my first Z. I've been looking at the CG and Maz 18, primarily, but am considering a Galaxie 1x12 combo. I play mostly blues and classic rock with Strats and Teles, with pedals as needed (mostly Fulltone OD and fuzzes). My biggest influences are Cream, early-Clapton, some Hendrix, Doyle Bramhall and Bonamassa. I'm looking at a 2007 model with presence instead of MV, as I don't really do channel switching, using pedals instead. I don't see as much love for this model as some of the other Z's. So I have to ask. How is channel 2? Is it a useable distortion tone? How does it react to guitar volume changes? I do this alot to clean up. Does channel 1 have a good amount of headroom before it starts to distort? Thanks. The MV mod is wonderful. It lets you set similar volumes between the two channels. Channel 2 will provide you w/ all the distortion/OD that you'd want (unless you're into Nu-Metal/Thrash). You really don't need an OD/Distortion box w/ this amp. You can set channel 2 to be as hot as you want. Channel 2 will also clean up quite well w/ your volume knob on the guitar (as w/ all Z amps). I play cover Rock/Alt Rock and originals. The Gal is all I need. I set channel 1 to be somewhat overdriven w/ my guitar's volume all the way up. When I roll back the guitar's volume, I get some great cleans. I set channel 2 to be a pretty hot lead/crunch tone. When I am only playing one amp, I'm using the Gal (I like to run two amps in stereo). When I run two amps, it's the Gal and something else...
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Post by vintageroad on Feb 1, 2011 8:46:08 GMT -7
The Gal (2x10) is my first Z, and I've had it since November. Like you, I don't do a lot of channel switching, so I wanted something that took pedals really well. Let me say that the Gal chews up and spits out most of the dirt boxes I've thrown at her (including a King of Tone v4!) What I mean is that for me, on C1, I'm able to get all the OD I need just by adjusting my playing and volume knob on my Tele. I have the MV mod for C2, but I haven't messed with C2 that much yet. But from what I've gathered, both channels clean up well by adjusting the volume.
Best of luck! It's a great amp!!!
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Post by fifthstone on Feb 1, 2011 18:53:45 GMT -7
Rich and vintageroad,
Thanks for your posts. This all sounds very good. It sounds like the Galaxie has everything I'd want, including enough volume for a good size stage if/when I start playing out again. Have either of you played the Carmen Ghia and/or the Maz 18? If so, how would you compare the to the Galaxie?
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Post by gtrnstuff on Feb 1, 2011 20:22:02 GMT -7
I have a Gal and a MAZ 18 NR. The Gal is pretty different from BF Fender, Marshall, Matchless amps I have. If you're looking for a fairly clean platform for your OD pedals, you may not bond with the Galaxie. It's a fat, somewhat fizzy Tweed-based amp. Ch2 does rock, and Ch1 is useful, but I had to adopt a different strategy for the Galaxie. YMMV
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Post by Bluer Blue on Feb 2, 2011 16:54:16 GMT -7
The Gal was my first, and oh baaaaaayby was I in awe at the first touch and her tone. Be prepared for loud!
She is very hot and sensitive. Hmmmmmm think I need to go be with her.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Feb 3, 2011 4:14:00 GMT -7
Bluer Blue yes it is a touch sensitive amp. The tone knobs work a whole bunch. Listen to the Frankie Starr vids and that will give you what ya need to know. It's no BF. It's a hot RR machine when ya need, touch her softly & she is sweet. Push her hard & she kicks. Speakers is to your taste & needs. Think I need to be alone no-w---!!
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Liquids
Junior Member
Electronics!
Posts: 88
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Post by Liquids on Feb 3, 2011 9:31:41 GMT -7
It's a fat, somewhat fizzy Tweed-based amp. Ch2 does rock, and Ch1 is useful, but I had to adopt a different strategy for the Galaxie. YMMV I've been studying the Galaxie a lot since I almost scored one in a trade (booo...almost). Though I haven't played one. The above is right on, though. 'Channel 1' preamp is really, really similar to a Tweed Super 5F4. It's doc's take but it's really close. I mean really close. Channel 2 is a bonus, an additional, EXTRA hot gain stage added in. If you like channel 1 mostly, presence is good - and true to the tweed cicuit, But if you want to make it a channel switcher, I have a hard time imagining that would be easy without a MV. I'm sure channel 2 is an awesome tone, but who know's if its YOUR kind of overdrive channel, unless you try it and use it for at least a year. I personally have never bonded with an OD channel on an amp before to get 'my' lead tone, that's me. Anyhow, If you check out the 2-band tone stack typical to this kind of amp, it's really a fairly 'flat,' low insertion-loss (low gain loss) kind of tone stack, with the ability to kick the highs 'above' the lows & mids for clarity when you push the treble, and/or the option to cut some serious bass. Otherwise, unless you dime/zero or all but dime/zero BOTH EQ controls, you get none of the typical mid dip of the more common fender/marshall/vox tone controls, and it's basically all just subtle, useful variations on 'flat EQ.' So it's going to grind earlier, and be big in the mids. That's not everyone's dream clean tone, but it's my idea of a good time.
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