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Post by Deleted on Jul 27, 2017 13:07:19 GMT -7
What a great little amp. Love the singing, thick sustain you get with v/m both cranked and the level at about 9:00 or so. Tried running it straight in, which is terrific, also at more conservative settings with a dirt pedal and delay, run into the front. Only issue is that at the cranked setting, I tried a reverb and then a delay through the loop and got some crackling in the middle of notes I didn't like. Probably I'd use it mostly as a cleanish platform as I do most of my amps, but I'm curious whether anyone else has run into that issue with the loop.
Now the question is whether to keep the Cure and sell my Vintage 15, which is a great little Princeton clone (but with a 12" speaker and some upgrades), or keep the V15 and return the Cure, as I really have no need for both. Will do some A/B-ing over the next couple of days.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 27, 2017 13:13:45 GMT -7
Also, I should add that I hear more Lux than Therapy in this critter, in terms of what the high end does when it's dirty. The difference between the Cure and the Lux, sonically speaking, is mostly in the space around the notes, and of course you don't have the Lux's authority at full power, which is as much a feel thing as a sound thing. But given that the Cure sells for about half the price, that's something I can definitely live with, and to some degree the Cure's smaller size and reduced weight also make up for it. Great amp--kudos to Doc once again.
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Post by doctorice on Jul 27, 2017 15:03:58 GMT -7
Jon,
Be sure to spend some time playing with the mid knob and the eq bypass. My bet is that you'll find a lot more tonal colors in the Cure than in a Princeton clone.
I agree with you on the "space around notes"/3D Z-Lux thing. It's such a great amp. Paraphrasing Z, "The Z-Lux is a full-on professional tool; the Cure is a high quality entry (gateway drug) to the world of boutique amps."
I know you got rid of the Sunset (yes?) but it mates nicely with both these amps.
Oh yeah, congrats!
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NAD!
Jul 27, 2017 15:56:23 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Jul 27, 2017 15:56:23 GMT -7
Thanks, Mike! Yeah--one of the big upgrades on the Vintage 15 is that it has a full, 3-band tone stack--great little amp for what it is (no bypass/boost, though it does have a nice reverb and tremolo).
I liked the Sunset but found, as I often do these days, that I didn't like it quite as well as the two pedals I keep coming back to--the Velvet Fuzz and the GS-124, which I recommend highly.
The Cure is very impressive right out of the box--still haven't gotten to A/B it yet, but will attend to it tomorrow with any luck.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 27, 2017 16:44:37 GMT -7
Did a quick A/B just now. The Vintage 15 has a lot more bottom end, but has a slightly nasal edge to the midrange that I couldn't dial out. The Cure gets some thump when it's cranked, but makes up for the lack of it otherwise with a tighter note shape and all-around more aggressive sound. I think if I was playing swampy blues I'd probably pick the V15; if I was playing classic rock I'd pick the Cure. I play both. Uh oh.
I did the comparison running through my board, the V15's reverb turned off, trying to get them at the same volume, and trying to get the tone stacks set so they sounded as much alike as possible, which meant cranking the bass on the Cure hard right, and turning up the treble in the V15 to about 2:00. Will listen again tomorrow.
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NAD!
Jul 27, 2017 17:27:32 GMT -7
Post by markT on Jul 27, 2017 17:27:32 GMT -7
Congrats on your new CURE. I bet the CURE and V15 will make a cool little 2 amp rig. Sounds like each have qualities the other doesn't.
Enjoy!~
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NAD!
Jul 27, 2017 20:22:27 GMT -7
Post by Faze on Jul 27, 2017 20:22:27 GMT -7
Congrats on the Cure. I was really impressed with mine when I got it but was even more impressed with it once I gigged it. I agree that it sounds more like the lux then the therapy too. The cure don't have that 3D thing like the lux but it still cuts through. I have gigged mine with and without pedals and it has held its own. Great little amp. Give it a shot live if you can.
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NAD!
Jul 27, 2017 23:54:11 GMT -7
Post by mickey on Jul 27, 2017 23:54:11 GMT -7
Only issue is that at the cranked setting, I tried a reverb and then a delay through the loop and got some crackling in the middle of notes I didn't like. When I first got my Cure I tried my HOF Mini in the loop, and I heard a similar thing, unwanted distortion caused by the amp's send signal overloading the pedal. Then I got a Flint, and it works perfectly; expensive but worth it. Congrats on the Cure, that little amp has soul!
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NAD!
Jul 28, 2017 8:34:13 GMT -7
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Post by Rhythmark on Jul 28, 2017 8:34:13 GMT -7
Also keep in mind that new speaker. They need to break in a bit. I swapped mine out for a cannabis rex. !! But mainly because it was already broken in.
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Jul 28, 2017 8:51:46 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Jul 28, 2017 8:51:46 GMT -7
Only issue is that at the cranked setting, I tried a reverb and then a delay through the loop and got some crackling in the middle of notes I didn't like. When I first got my Cure I tried my HOF Mini in the loop, and I heard a similar thing, unwanted distortion caused by the amp's send signal overloading the pedal. Then I got a Flint, and it works perfectly; expensive but worth it. Congrats on the Cure, that little amp has soul! Yep--I used a HOF mini too, and then a Flashback delay. Both distorted in the loop. Will try an el Capistan here in a bit.
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Jul 28, 2017 8:52:51 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Jul 28, 2017 8:52:51 GMT -7
Also keep in mind that new speaker. They need to break in a bit. I swapped mine out for a cannabis rex. !! But mainly because it was already broken in. I'm a big fan of the Z-12, so will probably stay with it. The V15 uses a WGS speaker I'm really impressed by, though--would be interesting to run the Cure through the V15's cab.
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NAD!
Jul 28, 2017 9:04:25 GMT -7
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Post by Rhythmark on Jul 28, 2017 9:04:25 GMT -7
Maybe you should. Its crazy how speakers tweak the sound!!
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Jul 28, 2017 9:23:42 GMT -7
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Post by Deleted on Jul 28, 2017 9:23:42 GMT -7
Once you get the volume and master up you can feel the floorboards moving a bit. Also I like how it compresses when it's driven, and am surprised and pleased by the amount of sustain you can get, even at low-ish volumes (level control above 9:30 or so). I think it's a keeper--will work just fine as a little sister/backup to my main gigging Z-lux, and for blues jams, etc., if I ever get it together to actually attend another one.
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Post by nicholas on Jul 28, 2017 10:20:54 GMT -7
I have a plush tube effects loop. I would definitely recommend it in general for amps with a basic passive loop. You can set the input so you don't overload any pedal. The output can be set for unity, or as an always on tube boost which sounds real nice. It's expensive though, and on the large clunky side. What's nice is that it let's you use any of your pedals with any amp that has an effects loop, and not rely on trial and error to see what pedal just happens to match up. Congrats on the Cure.
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Jul 28, 2017 10:34:25 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Jul 28, 2017 10:34:25 GMT -7
I expect I'll run a small board with it--it sounds great with a good dirt pedal and a little delay going in the front. The loop works, but it's kinda funky.
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Jul 28, 2017 11:48:25 GMT -7
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Post by Deleted on Jul 28, 2017 11:48:25 GMT -7
Will take it to blues jam on Tuesday and band practice Wednesday. Possible report to follow.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 28, 2017 15:50:27 GMT -7
Just put in some time playing little C over backing tracks. Lots of growl. Cuts through the mix very well. I expect I'll be selling the V15 here shortly.
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NAD!
Jul 28, 2017 19:37:25 GMT -7
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Post by Faze on Jul 28, 2017 19:37:25 GMT -7
Just put in some time playing little C over backing tracks. Lots of growl. Cuts through the mix very well. I expect I'll be selling the V15 here shortly. You will be surprised how well it cuts through live. You can crank it up and get that growl and roll back for cleans that EQ bypass is always on when I play.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 30, 2017 9:05:08 GMT -7
Funny thing--apparently my Cure came from Humbucker with the boost/bypass switched on and cranked (but unplugged). I finally plugged the boost in yesterday and switched it off, thinking I was switching it on. Well, talk about a whole new palette of sounds--it turns out that tone stack actually does something! I like it better with the boost off at the moment--it's a bit less bark-y and closer yet to what I'm used to hearing from the Lux, which is great. Still plenty loud, too (he said, ears ringing slightly).
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Post by "Z" Steve on Jul 30, 2017 10:45:52 GMT -7
Funny thing--apparently my Cure came from Humbucker with the boost/bypass switched on and cranked (but unplugged). I finally plugged the boost in yesterday and switched it off, thinking I was switching it on. Well, talk about a whole new palette of sounds--it turns out that tone stack actually does something! I like it better with the boost off at the moment--it's a bit less bark-y and closer yet to what I'm used to hearing from the Lux, which is great. Still plenty loud, too (he said, ears ringing slightly). I had to laugh at this. I plugged into my Maz 8 2 days ago and was not digging the sounds I was familiar with. I checked my pedal board, guitar tone knob, all I could think of. Then for some reason I decided to press the EQ bypass footswitch (which I do not use). My familiar tone was back and I was in my happy place. I'm guessing it engaged the bypass when I plugged in the bypass footswitch a few days prior (which I did so I could mess around with bypass settings). These are the little victories and discoveries I love.
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Post by Maddog on Jul 30, 2017 11:35:05 GMT -7
Funny thing--apparently my Cure came from Humbucker with the boost/bypass switched on and cranked (but unplugged). I finally plugged the boost in yesterday and switched it off, thinking I was switching it on. Well, talk about a whole new palette of sounds--it turns out that tone stack actually does something! I like it better with the boost off at the moment--it's a bit less bark-y and closer yet to what I'm used to hearing from the Lux, which is great. Still plenty loud, too (he said, ears ringing slightly). I had to laugh at this. I plugged into my Maz 8 2 days ago and was not digging the sounds I was familiar with. I checked my pedal board, guitar tone knob, all I could think of. Then for some reason I decided to press the EQ bypass footswitch (which I do not use). My familiar tone was back and I was in my happy place. I'm guessing it engaged the bypass when I plugged in the bypass footswitch a few days prior (which I did so I could mess around with bypass settings). These are the little victories and discoveries I love. Hmmmmm..... One little red LED might be in order.....
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Post by Deleted on Jul 30, 2017 11:59:49 GMT -7
I had to laugh at this. I plugged into my Maz 8 2 days ago and was not digging the sounds I was familiar with. I checked my pedal board, guitar tone knob, all I could think of. Then for some reason I decided to press the EQ bypass footswitch (which I do not use). My familiar tone was back and I was in my happy place. I'm guessing it engaged the bypass when I plugged in the bypass footswitch a few days prior (which I did so I could mess around with bypass settings). These are the little victories and discoveries I love. Hmmmmm..... One little red LED might be in order..... Yeah--maybe on the amp faceplate, even, if such a thing is possible. Not a big deal though.
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NAD!
Jul 30, 2017 19:26:30 GMT -7
Post by Faze on Jul 30, 2017 19:26:30 GMT -7
Funny thing I was gigging mine today at this smaller Church and It was pretty loud. The Cure was cutting through really good. Then I looked down at the EQ Bypass and decided to click on it and didn't even realize I had it off the whole time! I usually have it on at about half way up and ride my volume and tone nobs. Its such a great amp. Real crisp sounding.
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