Post by myles on Feb 8, 2006 18:12:04 GMT -7
I wrote the below in another post in this area and then thought it may be of some interest here too ... and I will just update it as time moves on.
We have had a Stingray at GT for about a week at this point and have played with it every day including both days of last weekend. It always amazes me how the Doc can make all these different amp yet have them all sound and play differently. Anybody that thinks "EL-84 cathode biased amps sound sort of the same" .... well ... just show them three or four different Z amps and they will rethink that viewpoint.
The amp still amazes me as to how effective and versitile that single tone control and the cut control work so well together. You can make the amp as dark or bright as you want and anywhere in between. But .... you can also make the amp dark, bring in less cut, and not have it muddy or muffeled (if that makes any sense).
At this point I have tried various phase inverters and LOTS of EF86 tubes. The EF86s have been a Motorola, Svetlana, Sovtek, GEC, Mullard, Amperex, Dario Miniwatt and some USA branded ones that were Mullard produced. I wanted to try some "off spec" EF86s so I had to go to the Sovteks which are generally way off spec in both directions. I have some test standards that are above and below spec and also known to be problematic in Matchless DC-30 amps, 65 Amps London, and my Victoria Sovereign. These "bogus tubes" generally are usable in a Z-28, Route 66, KT-45, and Delta 88 if the spec is off and will stand up to the tube being pretty microphonic.
The Stingray is not too picky about EF86 tubes. It is MUCH less picky than the three amps mentioned above (the non-Z amps). Then again ... I have pulled EF86s out of Vox AC-30/4 and AC-15 amps that were original and still fine. The Stingray does not ask the front end for monster gain or crunch. It leaves the crunch and rock tones to the output tubes.
But .... the Stingray does really show different colors with high end articulate EF86 tubes. The Mullard was a real winner in the amp and that is why I was surprised when I saw that KCA had these for sale at $50. I still think Mike at KCA made a boo boo in his pricing. The Dario Miniwatt that came in the amp tested and traced right on spec. It sounds great but different than the Mullard. The Mullard with a Strat has a more lively response that is a bit more highish endish in a nice way when you are about half way up the Strat neck. The Dario does this more in the lower 5-6 frets toward the nut. Is one better than the other? Nope. Just different. Some may not hear it but just about any player will feel it and how the amp responds when they play. With my LP the amp loved the GEC (which was a gift from Terry Guder as a side note).
My Turner that has an active pickup and parametric EQ liked an Amperex EF86 the most. Even though this tube was at the same spec as the others it did not mind being hit with a hellishisly high signal out of the Turner guitar. (side note ... I think Terry Guder has played this guitar if I am not mistaken and knows how hot the output is).
Z amps .... the more simple they look the harder they are to figure out as far as all the aspects. When there is a clean design that is a classic take on things you find subtle changes make big differences. If you don't care for an amp that is something of a fine artist brush then grab a Marshall DSL or TSL, a 5150 or 5152, or Mesa Recto. Bogner 101's fit into this too. Great amps with lots of gain and channel switching ability too but when you march electrons through a long complex path something has to give. These amps are great for many types of musical styles and amps such as this Stingray do other things. In the end it is all user taste. I drive a Scion these days .... others drive big pickups and others BMW 745's or Dodge Magnums. Personal stuff, personal preference.
Amps are sometimes more important than our significant others in a way. I have been able to change wives three times but have some amps today that I bought in Junior High School! The Stingray is one of those "keeper" amps, as is a great Vox AC-15 or Vox AC-50 .... if you could accept tossing the AC-30/4 and AC-30/6 TB out of the decision.
We have had a Stingray at GT for about a week at this point and have played with it every day including both days of last weekend. It always amazes me how the Doc can make all these different amp yet have them all sound and play differently. Anybody that thinks "EL-84 cathode biased amps sound sort of the same" .... well ... just show them three or four different Z amps and they will rethink that viewpoint.
The amp still amazes me as to how effective and versitile that single tone control and the cut control work so well together. You can make the amp as dark or bright as you want and anywhere in between. But .... you can also make the amp dark, bring in less cut, and not have it muddy or muffeled (if that makes any sense).
At this point I have tried various phase inverters and LOTS of EF86 tubes. The EF86s have been a Motorola, Svetlana, Sovtek, GEC, Mullard, Amperex, Dario Miniwatt and some USA branded ones that were Mullard produced. I wanted to try some "off spec" EF86s so I had to go to the Sovteks which are generally way off spec in both directions. I have some test standards that are above and below spec and also known to be problematic in Matchless DC-30 amps, 65 Amps London, and my Victoria Sovereign. These "bogus tubes" generally are usable in a Z-28, Route 66, KT-45, and Delta 88 if the spec is off and will stand up to the tube being pretty microphonic.
The Stingray is not too picky about EF86 tubes. It is MUCH less picky than the three amps mentioned above (the non-Z amps). Then again ... I have pulled EF86s out of Vox AC-30/4 and AC-15 amps that were original and still fine. The Stingray does not ask the front end for monster gain or crunch. It leaves the crunch and rock tones to the output tubes.
But .... the Stingray does really show different colors with high end articulate EF86 tubes. The Mullard was a real winner in the amp and that is why I was surprised when I saw that KCA had these for sale at $50. I still think Mike at KCA made a boo boo in his pricing. The Dario Miniwatt that came in the amp tested and traced right on spec. It sounds great but different than the Mullard. The Mullard with a Strat has a more lively response that is a bit more highish endish in a nice way when you are about half way up the Strat neck. The Dario does this more in the lower 5-6 frets toward the nut. Is one better than the other? Nope. Just different. Some may not hear it but just about any player will feel it and how the amp responds when they play. With my LP the amp loved the GEC (which was a gift from Terry Guder as a side note).
My Turner that has an active pickup and parametric EQ liked an Amperex EF86 the most. Even though this tube was at the same spec as the others it did not mind being hit with a hellishisly high signal out of the Turner guitar. (side note ... I think Terry Guder has played this guitar if I am not mistaken and knows how hot the output is).
Z amps .... the more simple they look the harder they are to figure out as far as all the aspects. When there is a clean design that is a classic take on things you find subtle changes make big differences. If you don't care for an amp that is something of a fine artist brush then grab a Marshall DSL or TSL, a 5150 or 5152, or Mesa Recto. Bogner 101's fit into this too. Great amps with lots of gain and channel switching ability too but when you march electrons through a long complex path something has to give. These amps are great for many types of musical styles and amps such as this Stingray do other things. In the end it is all user taste. I drive a Scion these days .... others drive big pickups and others BMW 745's or Dodge Magnums. Personal stuff, personal preference.
Amps are sometimes more important than our significant others in a way. I have been able to change wives three times but have some amps today that I bought in Junior High School! The Stingray is one of those "keeper" amps, as is a great Vox AC-15 or Vox AC-50 .... if you could accept tossing the AC-30/4 and AC-30/6 TB out of the decision.