|
|
Post by gotmojo on Aug 6, 2016 10:32:32 GMT -7
None of these vid demo's show anybody jacking the volume up to 3:00 or more and showing what kinda crazy overdrive this amp will get. Can anyone chime in and tell me: will this thing overdrive to the point that, say, the Therapy or Wreck will do? I don't use a distortion or OD pedal, so I need the amp to take me into heavy distortion when necessary. Inquiring minds wanna know.
jj
|
|
|
|
Post by Norrin Radd on Aug 7, 2016 6:08:16 GMT -7
Yes! I'd like to know, too.
Also haven't seen any threads about how it takes pedals/which ones it likes best. Any thoughts, lads?
AND, as long as I'm asking, which speakers is everyone using? I'm considering a Z-Best or 2x12 open back cab OR a 1x12 with a gold. I'm a head/cab kind of guy but the 1x12 combo savings with the Gold is really tempting me!
|
|
|
|
Post by gotmojo on Aug 7, 2016 7:36:37 GMT -7
Right. And at the risk of asking way too many questions and bugging people and being irritating and obnoxious, another thing I'd like to hear people's experience on is: jacking the amp up but cutting the volume back with a Brake, as I do on all my Z amps. I like using the Brake better than using the Master Volume knob - get them power tubes a rocking!
I'm surprised that this thread is not getting responses - does no one owning a DB4 crank that volume up to 2:00-3:00? What the........?
jj
|
|
|
|
Post by simpleton on Aug 7, 2016 9:43:10 GMT -7
I would be shocked to hear that it doesn't melt faces at up volumes. Sounds pretty raunchy. Does it do FUZZ? The Monza when all the way up is a glorious fuzz....glorious....
|
|
|
|
Post by gotmojo on Aug 7, 2016 10:27:08 GMT -7
Right. The Therapy, the Wreck, The Remedy all do glorious fuzz. I love glorious fuzz, at times. I'm thankin', if the DB4 does glorious fuzz, I'm gonna have to get one.
jj
.....and what I also really need is a Stang Ray that does glorious fuzz.
|
|
|
|
Post by benttop (Steve) on Aug 7, 2016 19:29:23 GMT -7
Right. The Therapy, the Wreck, The Remedy all do glorious fuzz. I love glorious fuzz, at times. I'm thankin', if the DB4 does glorious fuzz, I'm gonna have to get one. jj .....and what I also really need is a Stang Ray that does glorious fuzz. Well I do believe a wide open Stang Ray can get pretty nasty: PRS Singlecut (Fralin PAF's) into Stingray into Airbrake into THD 2x12 Cut: Dimed. Tone: Noon Volume: Dimed StingrayHumbuckers.mp3 |
|
|
|
Post by gotmojo on Aug 8, 2016 7:31:45 GMT -7
Funny you should say that, Benttop Steve. I had a Stang Ray (  ) and LOVED it's tone, and always drove it on 11 wth an Air Brake and LOVED it's tone and played it fairly often and LOVED it's tone. And it would distort pretty good and very smoothly and nicely and one could LOVE it's tone when doing so. But here is where my brain kicked in and boogered things for me: the only way to get it to go into crazy distortion (albeit, a fool like me only needs crazy distortion 6% of the time, but I do like to have it available just in case) was to use a distortion/OD/fuzz pedal, which I DO NOT like the sound of at all, and like to plug straight into the amp (though I haven't tried the Z Drive). So, because my brain told me "you couldn't use this amp for a gig because it won't distort enough for a few songs" I, of course, sold it to fund some studio purchase. And I hardly play any gigs anyway, so right now I'm getting all teary eyed and nostalgic and feeling like a classic guitar addict fool t have sold off something I now want back (I'm guessing we've all been there). At the time I told myself that I can get the Wreck to sort of emulate the Stang, but ...... Not really. The Stang is its own thang. So now, I've got to eventually get another Stang. And a Ghia. And a DB4. And a ............ jj i need professional help. |
|
|
|
Post by Norrin Radd on Aug 8, 2016 7:47:43 GMT -7
i need professional help. I know a good Dr. who can help you with those issues.  |
|
|
|
Post by benttop (Steve) on Aug 8, 2016 12:37:38 GMT -7
Funny you should say that, Benttop Steve. I had a Stang Ray ( ) and LOVED it's tone, and always drove it on 11 wth an Air Brake and LOVED it's tone and played it fairly often and LOVED it's tone. And it would distort pretty good and very smoothly and nicely and one could LOVE it's tone when doing so. But here is where my brain kicked in and boogered things for me: the only way to get it to go into crazy distortion (albeit, a fool like me only needs crazy distortion 6% of the time, but I do like to have it available just in case) was to use a distortion/OD/fuzz pedal, which I DO NOT like the sound of at all, and like to plug straight into the amp (though I haven't tried the Z Drive). So, because my brain told me "you couldn't use this amp for a gig because it won't distort enough for a few songs" I, of course, sold it to fund some studio purchase. And I hardly play any gigs anyway, so right now I'm getting all teary eyed and nostalgic and feeling like a classic guitar addict fool t have sold off something I now want back (I'm guessing we've all been there). At the time I told myself that I can get the Wreck to sort of emulate the Stang, but ...... Not really. The Stang is its own thang. So now, I've got to eventually get another Stang. And a Ghia. And a DB4. And a ............ jj i need professional help. Been there. I sold my Stingray and honestly the guy who got it is a hell of a lot better player than me, so I'm sure it's getting used more than I ever used it, but man that thing had TONE! Way louder than I needed too, but that thing had TONE!  Did I mention that thing had TONE? Thought I missed that - TONE! |
|
|
|
Post by Mark (Basement Enthusiast) on Aug 8, 2016 18:18:25 GMT -7
will this thing overdrive to the point that, say, the Therapy or Wreck will do? I don't use a distortion or OD pedal, so I need the amp to take me into heavy distortion when necessary. jj No longer have my Therapy, and have never played the 'Wreck, sorry. But I'd say the DB4 can do "hard rock" distortion... when cranked up around 8 (3 o'clock) on the volume, give or take a little depending on your pickups' strength. jacking the amp up but cutting the volume back with a Brake, as I do on all my Z amps. ... does no one owning a DB4 crank that volume up to 2:00-3:00? jj The DB4 sounds glorious when you do this. Unlike other EL-84 amps that "chime," the DB4 doesn't; rather, it's got an insane bark & rip when you crank it. Very bold and bad@$$. If I didn't peek inside, I'd have never believed Doc that it's an EL-84 amp. This thing is closer to the Z-28 than anything else in Doc's lineup (again, in my sonic opinion). I would be shocked to hear that it doesn't melt faces at up volumes. Sounds pretty raunchy. Does it do FUZZ? The Monza when all the way up is a glorious fuzz....glorious.... Not so much "fuzz," IMO.. but again it's got that "bark" and will rip you a new one if you're not careful... |
|
|
|
Post by gotmojo on Aug 8, 2016 19:36:14 GMT -7
Hey Mark, I see you have a Remedy. When I crank that Remedy it "fuzzes" the way I love. Does the DB4 do that kinda fuzz when cranked?
(We use words like distortion and fuzz and bark, but I'm not sure we all mean the same thing with these terms.). I'm not sure how to exactly interpret "bark"!
Can you bring your DB4 over to my house and let me plug through it for a bit?
jj
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Aug 9, 2016 5:09:12 GMT -7
Mark calls it bark, my word to describe it is punch.
Comes out the same, I think.
The Monza has that kind of bark to it too.
A solid power punch when hit hard.
It doesn't fuzz like the Monza though.
But the notes bloom nicely when cranked.
|
|
|
|
Post by Mark (Basement Enthusiast) on Aug 9, 2016 5:45:25 GMT -7
Mark calls it bark, my word to describe it is punch. Comes out the same, I think. The Monza has that kind of bark to it too. A solid power punch when hit hard. It doesn't fuzz like the Monza though. But the notes bloom nicely when cranked. Yeah, I think bodega ray and I are using different words but saying mostly the same thing. What I'm calling "bark" is a loud "punch," yes... |
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Aug 9, 2016 8:35:51 GMT -7
I have been known to do that Mark.
|
|
|
|
Post by Norrin Radd on Aug 9, 2016 8:53:21 GMT -7
Another question - because, why not? - is the DB4 self biasing?
|
|
|
|
Post by benttop (Steve) on Aug 9, 2016 11:29:58 GMT -7
Another question - because, why not? - is the DB4 self biasing? Z site says, "4 – EL84 (Cathode Biased)" - so that would be self biasing. |
|
|
|
Post by Norrin Radd on Aug 9, 2016 12:15:12 GMT -7
Another question - because, why not? - is the DB4 self biasing? Z site says, "4 – EL84 (Cathode Biased)" - so that would be self biasing. Thanks Steve! Have to admit I'm right on the verge..... |
|
|
|
Post by KeithA on Aug 24, 2016 16:56:05 GMT -7
Z site says, "4 – EL84 (Cathode Biased)" - so that would be self biasing. Thanks Steve! Have to admit I'm right on the verge..... Same here ! I almost ordered one today ! |
|
) and LOVED it's tone, and always drove it on 11 wth an Air Brake and LOVED it's tone and played it fairly often and LOVED it's tone. And it would distort pretty good and very smoothly and nicely and one could LOVE it's tone when doing so. But here is where my brain kicked in and boogered things for me: the only way to get it to go into crazy distortion (albeit, a fool like me only needs crazy distortion 6% of the time, but I do like to have it available just in case) was to use a distortion/OD/fuzz pedal, which I DO NOT like the sound of at all, and like to plug straight into the amp (though I haven't tried the Z Drive). So, because my brain told me "you couldn't use this amp for a gig because it won't distort enough for a few songs" I, of course, sold it to fund some studio purchase. And I hardly play any gigs anyway, so right now I'm getting all teary eyed and nostalgic and feeling like a classic guitar addict fool t have sold off something I now want back (I'm guessing we've all been there). At the time I told myself that I can get the Wreck to sort of emulate the Stang, but ...... Not really. The Stang is its own thang. So now, I've got to eventually get another Stang. And a Ghia. And a DB4. And a ............
Did I mention that thing had TONE? Thought I missed that - TONE! 
