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Post by juxtapolice on Jun 18, 2017 16:18:07 GMT -7
Hey - I found a killer deal on a used KT45 that I couldn't pass up so I snagged it and now am eagerly awaiting her arrival. I know the KT45 is a bit of an underdog but I was too intrigued to let it go. This will be my third Z, first being an RXJR I got years ago and a Z mini head. I like the sleeper Z's, I don't think he makes a bad amp and something gets me about these under radar models he puts out. So, what should I expect and any advice on a new owner? This one is solid state rectified but I have a few NOS rectifiers I may try out to taste test. I also have an air brake, as I know these are crazy loud. This will also be my first el34 amp. I have el84s covered with the other Z's and a Vox, 6l6 covered by an Allen and 6v6 by a redplate. This will be the big, muscular kid on the block. Do you guys mostly use them clean or break up, if so what kind of overdrive do they produce, favorite tubes? I'll take whatever you guys have. Thanks and can't wait!
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Post by Paul (TRANE) on Jun 18, 2017 17:20:16 GMT -7
I love the KT45. Killer amp. My favorite setting is all controls at 2:00. Tone of the KT45 is Live at Leeds by The Who. Really a killer sounding amp. I used humbuckers in a Les Paul or my New Orleans JB14. Congrats on a killer amp.
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Post by juxtapolice on Jun 18, 2017 21:06:27 GMT -7
Thanks man! I'll report back when it arrives. Will be testing through a 212 with 65creambacks. That sounds awesome
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Post by southmusic70 on Jun 19, 2017 14:34:08 GMT -7
My use of the KT is atypical; I use it with my Heritage Golden Eagle archtop for both big band and small ensemble jazz. Why? It's clean for days.
That's the other side of the amp; the settings I use are B and T at nine o'clock and volume at noon, with guitar volume at 5 and tone about 6.
I run the KT through a 2x12 cabinet with a WGS ET65 and a WGS G12c/s or a 1x12 open back Mesa cabinet with a C90, and use an MXR MicroAmp for clean boost.
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Post by juxtapolice on Jun 19, 2017 15:06:20 GMT -7
Thanks for the reply, that sounds cool. I never had a real big clean amp so I'm excited to experiment as jazz amp, crank it a bit for gnarly powertube drive and use it for pedal platform. Even my Allen Old Flame, super Reverb derivative, running with 6l6wgc, gets dirty (in a great way) faster than you'd expect, so a nice fat clean amp will be a welcome addition.
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Post by juxtapolice on Jun 23, 2017 16:42:59 GMT -7
So the amp arrived today and man alive this thing is incredible so far. Mind you I haven't opened her up at the studio yet, just took through a spin at home with the Air Brake. It is a 2003 model and came with a solid state rectifier, I also had an RCA 5v4 lying around so I did a taste test. Right now digging the 5v4 though I may switch up once at gigging volumes to see which I prefer. The amp is very clean but sweet, bright and perfectly present. With a tele it sounded really muscular but had great chime and attack. Experimenting more once I swapped the rectifiers, I found the 5v4 to still maintain the basic character of the amp but really took notice to how it drove the tubes once I dimed the bass/treble and road the volume playing my es335 - what a sound! Incredibly detailed "clean" overdrive that had all the richness but no murky bottom end or loose sag. I can see this amp murdering in a rock jazz context. Overall very happy so far but can't wait to see what it can really do at the studio. Thanks guys!
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Post by Paul (TRANE) on Jun 23, 2017 17:35:15 GMT -7
Sounds like you are having fun. Killer post. Killer amp. I used a 5AR4 in mine back when.
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