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Post by zekmoe on Apr 29, 2007 8:14:51 GMT -7
My DC30 has been my mainstay for years, but lately I've sort of fallen out of love with it. It's brighter and harder and less spanky than I remember, and it's always too loud. And especially for jams, I'm always too loud. I've really taken to my Maz18jr. And Reinhardt 18 watt. So, if I had a chance to sell the DC and buy a Stangray, would I be sorry? Would I miss the DC sound (I know, only I know that), but if someone who's familiar with both could comment, it would be appreciated. Again, the DC is too loud and hard, espcially with the volume down and master turned on. Have tried many tube changes and still, the old magic doesn't seem to be there anymore.
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Post by yinielin on Apr 29, 2007 9:58:29 GMT -7
Quit playing it for a month or two then go back to it. Sometimes my ears just get tired of a certain sound whether good or bad. I know I get tired of the ghia sound sometimes and I just play thru my pod for a couple weeks. When I go back to the ghia Im always like Ahhhh yeah thats right.
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Post by jwr on Apr 29, 2007 11:10:50 GMT -7
That amp is a classic. Usually, in the end, ya end up missing the classics after they're gone..........
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Post by Hohn on Apr 29, 2007 16:16:16 GMT -7
That amp is a classic. Usually, in the end, ya end up missing the classics after they're gone.......... Good advice. i can't see enough difference between a DC30 and a Stang to want one over the other. OK, the Matchless has the lighted logo which is WAY cool, and the Stang has fewer knobs (better). Other than that, I can't see ditching one for the other. If the DC30 is fatiguing to your ear, maybe some different speakers are in order? EDIT: also, I'd add that the Stang Ray isn't going to cure your "excessive volume" problem. It's as loud as a DC30-- maybe louder. JMO
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Post by zekmoe on Apr 29, 2007 17:22:12 GMT -7
Ok, some good advice. I always thought the DC would be my In My Coffin amp, as I have a few good amps. But lately I've been digging the warmer, lower volume amps. Maybe it's that I'm an old guy (43) and the days of rocking loud are over for me. I just sold my JCM800, a great one, because it's sat there unused for like 10 years. I have an orange 80 watt, with the original box etc.. that may follow suit. And if the stang is as loud as the matchless to get the spanky tone, I'll be disappointed I'm sure. Thanks.
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Post by jwr on Apr 29, 2007 19:10:41 GMT -7
Hohn gives some great advice about swapping speakers. Over the years your hearing may have changed so swapping speakers might be the answer. Maybe try an Air Brake to cut the volume a bit. If there is a 12AX7 in V1 try a different tube, like a 5751 to warm up the front end a bit and take some gain and bite away from the amp.
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Post by billyguitar on Apr 29, 2007 20:07:58 GMT -7
A DC30 is a wonderful amp with the swirling harmonics and all, but I could never see carrying one of those bad boys around. Too big and too heavy. I think the Stang Ray and the DC30 are pretty different amps. If it was me, I'd keep the DC30 at home and get a Stang Ray head andseperate cab to take out.
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Post by dock66 on Apr 30, 2007 6:50:38 GMT -7
I can find enough reasons to own both great amps. Ray on the other hand is a joy to play especially with 2x12 Blues or Golds. ;D
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Post by evildoc on May 3, 2007 7:07:58 GMT -7
The EF86 channel on the DC-30 maintains an approximate (and I say that with significant caution and trepidation, as I've yet to hear a stangray in person) similarity to the stangray. They're both ef86 channels losely based on the vox thing, er thang. The big difference, as I see it...is that the C-30 has a handful of preset tone settings (6, right?) where each notch on the tone knob represents a particular tone setting. The stangray has that way-too-cool ghia tone control.... Then you're really left with the same feel from the PI, through the cut control and to the tubes...Obviously, there'll be differences with the different components that the Good Doc uses compared to matchless, OT's, tubes, differences in values within the amp itself....but both amps seem to be tipping their hats to the Vox. So really, plug into that ef86 channel and then ask yourself if you want more control over the tone, instead of 6 preset notches...if you find yourself exclusively using that eF86 channel on the C-30, but want more control over the tone...that's a good tip off that the Stangray will be a viable replacement. But if you use that other channel...whatever matchless calls it, the top-boost channel...or the lightning channel...or whatever....then you might miss the C-30 when you get rid of it. I can't imagine how the stangray would be any less 'loud' than the C-30. They both use very similar power sections....
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Post by Jan on May 3, 2007 23:12:10 GMT -7
I predict that you will have serious seller's remorse about the Matchless. Ditto what other folks said about Air Brakes and time off. Speaker experiments are less expensive than amp experiments. Okay, speaker experiments *can* be less expensive than amp experiments.
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boomer
Junior Member
Posts: 54
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Post by boomer on May 10, 2007 19:10:43 GMT -7
I have to say in my experience the DC30 is much louder than the Stang. My AC30 is louder than either one. Iv'e done extensive ABing with these 3 amps. It makes me wish I had a Stingray on one side and the gainier channel of the DC on the other. The Dc is definitely much harder but also has way more gain.
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Post by mojoking975 on May 11, 2007 11:36:58 GMT -7
You'd miss the weight
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Post by evildoc on May 12, 2007 7:28:54 GMT -7
I have to say in my experience the DC30 is much louder than the Stang. My AC30 is louder than either one. Iv'e done extensive ABing with these 3 amps. It makes me wish I had a Stingray on one side and the gainier channel of the DC on the other. The Dc is definitely much harder but also has way more gain. Boomer, you seem aptly qualified to weigh in on this with great detail. I'm curious to hear that the DC30 is louder than the stang and that the stang (if I read you correctly) is cleaner than the DC30. Are you refering to the lightning side of the DC-30 or the ef86 side? I was under the impression that there was very little difference, generally speaking, between the ef86 channel on the DC30 and the stangray...so with that in mind, if there is a difference....the general Z-collective here needs to disregard my above comments and cast me into Z-urgatory for a few days!
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Post by bluzman on May 15, 2007 5:43:33 GMT -7
Like others have said, keep the Matchless and buy a StangRay too. Play a StangRay at a store as they are loud amps too!
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Post by eyeballkidd on May 17, 2007 13:38:21 GMT -7
This is my first post so I'll throw in a little background...
I originally heard the Matchless at NAMM in about 1992. WOW... that's the sound I have been hearing in my head...!!! Alas, a Matchless cost about a year's rent in those days for me. Finally in 1996 I found a second-hand turquoise 1993 DC-30 in Vancouver and managed to scoop it for $3000 CAD, about $2200 USD, and it was my one and only amp until 2001 / 02. The DC-30 was glorious but like you, just too bloody loud for the casual gigs I was doing by then. Sold it before Matchless started up again and made a killing on it.
Fast forward to 2006. I am playing professionally again and back in the studio with a local artist. We listened back to the first album I did with her in 2000 and the guitar sounds were amazing. Through a local dealer we managed to borrow a DC-30 and brought it back in the studio. Dropped my GT MD1a in front of it and voila, there were the sounds. Long story short, I simply couldn't live without it so I now have a black 1997 DC-30 and an Airbrake, along with a Victoria 20112 for really small gigs and jams.
My only advice as far as your DC-30 sounding bright is that I find the DC-30 to be very, very sensitive to tubes, and off-the-shelf tubes often don't seem to cut it. Do you have access to a good tube guy...?
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Post by paisleytele on Aug 5, 2007 20:47:57 GMT -7
can a dc30 sound like a clean stangray.
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Post by zekmoe on Nov 24, 2007 6:12:07 GMT -7
I haven't sold the DC, but I did order a BadCat Leash to try with it. I'm also in the search for good tubes for it. I've bought some EI's last time for power tubes, and don't know what the pre's were. Any suggestions for a great tube reasource? Any of the online places I've seen seem out of stock of anything "good". I'm willing to spring for the best for this, in my last gasp to love it again. If new great tubes and the leash don't tame the beast, I'm a Maz18/Reinhard18 dual amp guy from here on out. By the way, I love the Maz and Reinhard together. Very complimentary.
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Post by funknbluezer on Nov 26, 2007 15:16:03 GMT -7
How many times have we heard the phrase, "I wish I'd have kept my (fill in the blank)"? My advice is to get a Stang AND keep the DC-30! I had an SC-30 and wish I still had it. If your 'significant other' wonders why you have to have so many amps just tell them that you want to be as satisfied with your tone as you are with them.
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boomer
Junior Member
Posts: 54
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Post by boomer on Nov 29, 2007 20:03:32 GMT -7
Wow I forgot abot this thread. The Stangray is a much cleaner amp than the DC30. My DC30(click channel) has hardly any headroom. Meaning that there 's always a little hair around the notes even at around 9:00. They do have a similar character. I think that is the ef86. It almost seems as if gain wise the DC picks up where the Stang stops. Much more on tap. The stang is a much more solid feeling amp. The low end is stronger.and clearer. Not necessarily more just tighter and more defined. Both have an up font in your face type of sound. They both have a reediness to the low end that I love with single coils. I always know it's time to change tubes in the Stang when I start to lose that reedy low end. I record with both of these amps all the time. I rarely go to a session without them.
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Post by flem on Dec 1, 2007 21:44:17 GMT -7
Another vote to keep the DC 30 and get a Stangray head.
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Post by jwr on Dec 2, 2007 16:21:29 GMT -7
Any suggestions for a great tube reasource? For new tubes: Doug's Tubes. He's the BEST. For NOS tubes: KCA NOS Tubes. Killer tubes and great matching.
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