jbro
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Posts: 123
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Post by jbro on Feb 11, 2006 21:19:34 GMT -7
Hey guys.. started a thread in the Delta 88 section, now I'm sort of continuing it here. I've owned a few Z's including a Route 66.. ended up selling that because I couldn't get quite enough headroom out of it. Playing mostly single coil guitars, jazz/fusion/blues/rock. I need sort of an all-around amp with enough headroom to get semi-clean sounds in a full band setting, but it also has to respond right to an overdrive/boost pedal at the same volume level. I'm using an Alessandro Italian right now (high end 6550 jazz amp).. it does the clean thing great but doesn't like pedals at all. Looking to unload it and possibly get myself another Z. I'd like to get the opinions of some guys who gig with the KT45. Can this thing stay pretty clean and stand up to a band? If you were to compare the sound to another amp, what would it be? The thing is, I've never played an EL34 amp that I was crazy about. However, the Z's I've owned in the past really made an impression on me - I dig the vibe, look, and feel of his amps and I'd like to give it another shot.. I'm just not sure which one I should be looking at. Unfortunately the only dealer in my area burned to the ground recently (Junior's Music).. so I'm more or less relying on you guys in the forum and Stu over at Fat Sound to be my "seeing eye dogs".. or hearing ear dogs, as it were. Thanks
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Post by terryg on Feb 12, 2006 23:35:22 GMT -7
hmm.... single coils, check (I'm favoring a heritage 335alike w/ bartolinis at the moment, but I'm a Stratist.) jazz/fusion/blues/rock, check (well, that's a long long stretch!) I might be going out on a limb here, but I'm really happy with using a 6545 for this. I don't think there'd be any real significant difference btw that and a KT-45, comparing the 45-side to the KT-45. Granted, I tube rectify, and I'm using GTE34LS #5 tubes (1 grade lower than stock). That GT grade may not be all that significant going from 6 to 5, but with a bias slightly above 50% idle dissipation I'm getting a really nice warm clean sound from the 45. With the "tone" controls (they're like little gains) set aggressively I can get some hair there. From a certain point of view you could maybe possibly might sorta be able to maybe say you could cop Stern in this amp with the right footgear. Heck, with the right footgear you can pretty much cover *everything* with this amp. That said, the KT-45 might be the one for you, especially if you're concerned about clean in a loud band. Keep in mind your speakers are a big part of this experience. A note on that 6545 - you can take the master out of the 65-side by opening it completely, and using the gain as your volume....that's a different "clean" altogether, and really pretty nice and fat. You might be able to dial in the hair factor in that channel right to your liking, now that I think of it. Having said all that, you *might* find what you want in the Z28...but if you didn't find what you wanted in the Rt 66 you probably won't have much luck in the Z28 either. I think we look at the Z28 being the little guy to the Rt.66, which is being the little guy to the KT-45. Speakers though.... Can you suggest some recorded examples or artists whose tone(s) might help our own hearing ear dogs? Good luck on your quest, and welcome to oblivion
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jbro
Full Member
Posts: 123
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Post by jbro on Feb 13, 2006 13:33:05 GMT -7
Hmm. Well my "clean" sound doesn't have to be sparkly clean - I have a solid state for those gigs and can nail the Stern thing with that if I need to.. but it does need to be clear enough for chords to be distinguishable. I like it pretty warm and smooth with harmonics and chime.. but definately not into a gritty or overly bright sound.
As far as the overdive tone, I guess I'm looking for sort of a Scott Henderson, Michael Landau vibe.. smooth but not overly compressed, sustaining but still very dynamic. I found I was able to get this type of feel with the 66 and a couple Fulltone pedals at a useable volume, but I couldn't get it to clean up enough. I think I'd be better off using boost/od pedals into a semi-clean amp to accomplish this, rather than a low wattage amp cranked full blast or a preamp distortion as in a dual channel amp.. usually ends up too compressed that way from my experience.
I'm thinking only the Delta 88 or the KT-45 are going to give me the headroom I need, I'd just like to hear a bit more from their owners about how they actually sound and perform.
Thanks guys.
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Post by nickthestick on Feb 14, 2006 10:30:27 GMT -7
hey ive played a kt-45 on several occasions and i really love it for its big rich sound.....it definitely has a killin full clean tone, but throw a low overdrive pedal in front of it, and it gets a nice dirty edge.....try using a fulldrive or something like that......a good compressor might also give you what you need
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Post by terryg on Feb 14, 2006 10:33:43 GMT -7
I understand perfectly. The other thread looks to be treating you well. The MAZ is probably considerable with some choice pedals. Good luck!
Terry
(but the 6545 rocks across so many fronts <-- gratuitous plug ;D )
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Post by myles on Feb 14, 2006 12:00:18 GMT -7
Jbro ... see below ...Hey guys.. started a thread in the Delta 88 section, now I'm sort of continuing it here. I've owned a few Z's including a Route 66.. ended up selling that because I couldn't get quite enough headroom out of it. There are a lot of tricks to increase headroom in this amp. A 12AY7 phase inverter is one of them. Bias adjustment is another. Higher range tubes such as #8-9 is yet another. You can also run the tone controls in the lower ranges and increase the volume control.Playing mostly single coil guitars, jazz/fusion/blues/rock. I need sort of an all-around amp with enough headroom to get semi-clean sounds in a full band setting, but it also has to respond right to an overdrive/boost pedal at the same volume level. I'm using an Alessandro Italian right now (high end 6550 jazz amp).. it does the clean thing great but doesn't like pedals at all. Looking to unload it and possibly get myself another Z. One of the problems with 6550s is that they are tubes that like to run clean. When pushed into distortion they sound raspy and the onset of distortion is not gradual. They are clean at one level but once you pass "that level" they just turn to a tone that is not very musical. 6550s are great for players that run their amps clean and get the tone from the pedals and effects and never ask for any of this to be derived from the output section of the amp. The KT88 tube on the other hand has a very nice distortion characteristic. Listen to one of the great versions of the Marshall Major as an example (not the active EQ version by the way) for a great KT88 tone example.I'd like to get the opinions of some guys who gig with the KT45. Can this thing stay pretty clean and stand up to a band? Easily. If you think a Black Face Twin Reverb has enough level you will find a KT-45 will give you that same sort of level.If you were to compare the sound to another amp, what would it be? I use a KT-45 to replace my Fender Twins. I can get "Twin" cleans but also can dial it in for a Hiwatt tone or a Vox AC-50 tone pretty easily.The thing is, I've never played an EL34 amp that I was crazy about. Don't think of the KT-45 as an "EL-34" amp. It is many more things than just the output tube type. The output transformer in the KT-45 gives the low end of the best 6L6 amps but retains the articulation of an EL-34. One of the few amps that deliver the best of both worlds.However, the Z's I've owned in the past really made an impression on me - I dig the vibe, look, and feel of his amps and I'd like to give it another shot.. I'm just not sure which one I should be looking at. Unfortunately the only dealer in my area burned to the ground recently (Junior's Music).. so I'm more or less relying on you guys in the forum and Stu over at Fat Sound to be my "seeing eye dogs".. or hearing ear dogs, as it were. Thanks
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Post by skydog958 on May 5, 2006 10:20:20 GMT -7
Jbro,
I own a KT-45 and I love it. In my opinion, the clean sound is amazingly articulate and "big." But that's just reiterating what Myles and the others have said.
I actually live in CT, so I know about the Junior's Music fire (I was planning to pay them a visit soon).
If you have not bought the amp (or any other) yet, you could try mine out. Let me know if you're interested.
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