Post by sw532121 on Apr 8, 2007 14:17:28 GMT -7
Please advise:
I currently am using a dual amp setup. I have a Z-28 1x12 combo with a Greenback, and a Maz Jr. NR 2x10 combo with Z 10’s. While I have a definite appreciation for both amps, I’m not quite sure that I am completely satisfied. To complicate matters, I recently played a Stang Ray 1x12 combo with a Gold, and I can’t get that tone out of my head. I’m seriously considering making a big change but I need to address some questions about the Stang Ray first.
Where to start? I guess I should begin by telling you what I’m looking for first. I currently use single coil guitars, but I don’t want an amp that is limited to single coils only. My dealer told me that the Stang Ray wasn’t a humbucker amp, and I only had a Strat with me when I tried it. Is his statement true, or are any of you using the Stang Ray with humbucker guitars with good results? Obviously I am looking for an amp that can handle any guitar I throw at it and my Z-28 with a Les Paul and the Maz with a 335 sounded fantastic.
I also want an amp that has good clean headroom. Most of the gigs that I am playing are smaller (rooms that are limited to 250-300), and some of them require an unmiced cab. The Z-28 definitely does not have a lot of clean headroom (IMO) even with single coils. I’ve found once I get up to stage volume with it, there is already a significant amount of hair on it. The Maz can get a lot closer to what I’m looking for if I max the master volume and have the volume at 12 or so, and use the “lo” input. Some might suggest that I could just roll of the guitar’s volume on the Z-28 to clean the amp up, but I’ve never been a huge fan of this, because in my experience with my guitars, I lose a lot of the high end snap and chime that I crave. So, my next question is, how much clean head room does the Stang Ray have, at what point does it develop hair, and at what point is it crunchy?
Does the Stang Ray take pedals well? I’m not a pedal junkie, as my pedal board usually consists of delay, clean boost, and overdrive only. I’ve heard that it does, but your personal experiences are invaluable.
Does the Stang Ray like other speakers besides alnico? If I go with the Stang, I plan on going the head/cab route instead of the combo for more flexibility. Initially I would like to get a 1x12 with a Gold, and a 2x12 with Blues, or is this redundant? Can anyone compare the aforementioned? Are they too similar? Also has any one tried the Stang Ray with something like 2 Greenbacks, or the V30/G12H30 combination?
Finally, for those of you who are gigging with the Stang Ray, how versatile is it? Is it a one trick pony, or a jack of all trades? Can it do classic rock, 90’s alternative, blues, jazz, etc? I play a diversified song list covering a wide variety of genres, and if this is going to be “the” amp; can it meet all my needs? (BTW no metal or ultra heavy stuff here) I guess more importantly, what are the Stang Ray’s limitations?
Thank you for your help, and I look forward to your responses.
I currently am using a dual amp setup. I have a Z-28 1x12 combo with a Greenback, and a Maz Jr. NR 2x10 combo with Z 10’s. While I have a definite appreciation for both amps, I’m not quite sure that I am completely satisfied. To complicate matters, I recently played a Stang Ray 1x12 combo with a Gold, and I can’t get that tone out of my head. I’m seriously considering making a big change but I need to address some questions about the Stang Ray first.
Where to start? I guess I should begin by telling you what I’m looking for first. I currently use single coil guitars, but I don’t want an amp that is limited to single coils only. My dealer told me that the Stang Ray wasn’t a humbucker amp, and I only had a Strat with me when I tried it. Is his statement true, or are any of you using the Stang Ray with humbucker guitars with good results? Obviously I am looking for an amp that can handle any guitar I throw at it and my Z-28 with a Les Paul and the Maz with a 335 sounded fantastic.
I also want an amp that has good clean headroom. Most of the gigs that I am playing are smaller (rooms that are limited to 250-300), and some of them require an unmiced cab. The Z-28 definitely does not have a lot of clean headroom (IMO) even with single coils. I’ve found once I get up to stage volume with it, there is already a significant amount of hair on it. The Maz can get a lot closer to what I’m looking for if I max the master volume and have the volume at 12 or so, and use the “lo” input. Some might suggest that I could just roll of the guitar’s volume on the Z-28 to clean the amp up, but I’ve never been a huge fan of this, because in my experience with my guitars, I lose a lot of the high end snap and chime that I crave. So, my next question is, how much clean head room does the Stang Ray have, at what point does it develop hair, and at what point is it crunchy?
Does the Stang Ray take pedals well? I’m not a pedal junkie, as my pedal board usually consists of delay, clean boost, and overdrive only. I’ve heard that it does, but your personal experiences are invaluable.
Does the Stang Ray like other speakers besides alnico? If I go with the Stang, I plan on going the head/cab route instead of the combo for more flexibility. Initially I would like to get a 1x12 with a Gold, and a 2x12 with Blues, or is this redundant? Can anyone compare the aforementioned? Are they too similar? Also has any one tried the Stang Ray with something like 2 Greenbacks, or the V30/G12H30 combination?
Finally, for those of you who are gigging with the Stang Ray, how versatile is it? Is it a one trick pony, or a jack of all trades? Can it do classic rock, 90’s alternative, blues, jazz, etc? I play a diversified song list covering a wide variety of genres, and if this is going to be “the” amp; can it meet all my needs? (BTW no metal or ultra heavy stuff here) I guess more importantly, what are the Stang Ray’s limitations?
Thank you for your help, and I look forward to your responses.