Post by shukas on Aug 30, 2016 7:09:38 GMT -7
got a db4 last week and had time to play with it alone and at practice. Got a head and am using it with a marshall-style weber 1x12 cabinet with a scumback's version of a blue.
first of all, this is the first z-amp I’ve owned. long time follower and have played through quite a few of them, but never bought one. but once i read the description and watched the demos of the db4 i was pretty sure i was gonna like it and here's why. one of the most fun amps i've ever played was a maz gt. it just cut through a band mix like nothing i'd heard and sounded really good when it did. but it was so stinkin loud. the monza has that mids-bark thing going on, too. but like the gt, it gets into distortion quick. i wanted something with more useful in the edge-of-breakup range. like i said, i could tell from the demos - the db4 had that 'bark' character but seemed to have a smoother transition from clean to dirty in the videos. which leads to my next point.
I think it sounds best between 11 and 1 oclock with my tele, and at those settings this thing is amazing and REALLY fun. in that range you have everything you could ask for - nice rock n roll dirt or cleans with the guitar volume rolled back just a touch. all the while maintaining the bark. used it at band practice and yeah, it cut through with no problem as expected. Sounds great in a band.
regarding the tone knob. I see no reason to ever use settings 1 and 2. just not deep enough with a tele. maybe humbuckers could get use but I don’t a guitar with one. With the tele I’ve spent 80% of the time at 4, 15% at 5, and 5% at 3.
i'm not going to say its a one trick pony because it can do cleans and heavier dirt. and i actually really like clean sound at 10 oclock on full-power. but personal opinion - there are other amps that can beat it at lower volume or higher distortion settings. yet with my setup the db4 beats any amp at what it does between 11 and 1 oclock. i haven't heard any other amp do or sound like how the db4 does at those settings. It really excels at this one thing while being a good all around amp at those other settings.
this amp really shines in a band setting. its fun to play alone with it, but i don't think it shows its full potential until you play with a group.
two other things:
- sustain. the db4 with a blue, even at those clean/just a little edge tones...the thing hangs on and just goes into that feedback harmonic thing. i've never struck a clean g-chord and had an amp start to go into harmonic feedback. It really does the feedback thing at higher volume, but with the clean sounds its almost like it thinks about it, hints at it, then slowly fades out. this is probably my favorite feature. i blame the mids.
- compression. i'm sure the speaker combination plays a part, but you don't need a compression pedal with the db4 with the blue alnico. these two have this nice compression that isn’t over the top but is definitely there. isn't gonna get you chickin pickin, but if you usually use just a little compression for color, this setup doesn't need any comp pedal.
this will be my gigging amp for the foreseeable future. I can’t recommend it highly enough. Telecaster + db4 = great sounds.
first of all, this is the first z-amp I’ve owned. long time follower and have played through quite a few of them, but never bought one. but once i read the description and watched the demos of the db4 i was pretty sure i was gonna like it and here's why. one of the most fun amps i've ever played was a maz gt. it just cut through a band mix like nothing i'd heard and sounded really good when it did. but it was so stinkin loud. the monza has that mids-bark thing going on, too. but like the gt, it gets into distortion quick. i wanted something with more useful in the edge-of-breakup range. like i said, i could tell from the demos - the db4 had that 'bark' character but seemed to have a smoother transition from clean to dirty in the videos. which leads to my next point.
I think it sounds best between 11 and 1 oclock with my tele, and at those settings this thing is amazing and REALLY fun. in that range you have everything you could ask for - nice rock n roll dirt or cleans with the guitar volume rolled back just a touch. all the while maintaining the bark. used it at band practice and yeah, it cut through with no problem as expected. Sounds great in a band.
regarding the tone knob. I see no reason to ever use settings 1 and 2. just not deep enough with a tele. maybe humbuckers could get use but I don’t a guitar with one. With the tele I’ve spent 80% of the time at 4, 15% at 5, and 5% at 3.
i'm not going to say its a one trick pony because it can do cleans and heavier dirt. and i actually really like clean sound at 10 oclock on full-power. but personal opinion - there are other amps that can beat it at lower volume or higher distortion settings. yet with my setup the db4 beats any amp at what it does between 11 and 1 oclock. i haven't heard any other amp do or sound like how the db4 does at those settings. It really excels at this one thing while being a good all around amp at those other settings.
this amp really shines in a band setting. its fun to play alone with it, but i don't think it shows its full potential until you play with a group.
two other things:
- sustain. the db4 with a blue, even at those clean/just a little edge tones...the thing hangs on and just goes into that feedback harmonic thing. i've never struck a clean g-chord and had an amp start to go into harmonic feedback. It really does the feedback thing at higher volume, but with the clean sounds its almost like it thinks about it, hints at it, then slowly fades out. this is probably my favorite feature. i blame the mids.
- compression. i'm sure the speaker combination plays a part, but you don't need a compression pedal with the db4 with the blue alnico. these two have this nice compression that isn’t over the top but is definitely there. isn't gonna get you chickin pickin, but if you usually use just a little compression for color, this setup doesn't need any comp pedal.
this will be my gigging amp for the foreseeable future. I can’t recommend it highly enough. Telecaster + db4 = great sounds.
