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Post by aguynamedben (Ben) on Apr 23, 2020 1:15:19 GMT -7
Hi, I’m building a clone of a 40w Fender Vibroverb (Rob Robinette Blackvibe). I’m putting the Vibroverb into a 2x10 combo, but I’m going to keep the 2 speakers hookups separate and I want to sit a Z head on top of it to run a wet/dry setup but with a single 2x10 cabinet, each amp into one of the speakers (to save physical space). Which Z amp should I pair with the Vibroverb? Details: * Will use as a pedal platform. It’s okay if all drive comes from pedals. * High wattage okay because I always have to load box + slave + reamp anyway (I live in an apartment) * Under $1,500 used, the cheaper the better, this is my first Z * Used mostly with Tele/Strat with vintage output pickups * I’ll use pedals for reverb/tremolo so not needed in the amp, but that shouldn’t rule it a good amp  * I’m thinking I’d use the Z as the DRY amp in the wet/dry setup? So far I’ve thought a used KT-45 or Stangray look like the best options, but I’m curious what you think. I’m guessing the Vibroverb will have a scooped sound so was thinking the right Z might be more mid-present |
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Post by aguynamedben (Ben) on Apr 23, 2020 1:20:15 GMT -7
Ah one more thing... I’m very curious about the nice high end in EF86 amps that have a lot of headroom. Last year I got a Matchless Nighthawk (15w EF86 amp) thinking it would be similar to a DC30 channel 2, but it has a lot less headroom than I expected (though it sounds epic). I know the EF86 pushed the output section pretty good. Phil from Matchless said that a DC30 channel 2 has tons more headroom than the Matchless Nighthawk, so that’s kind of why I’m considering the Stangray and KT-45.
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Post by DRZ on Apr 23, 2020 2:33:50 GMT -7
Stangray for max Brilliant Headroom.
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Post by KeithA on Apr 23, 2020 2:50:38 GMT -7
Ah one more thing... I’m very curious about the nice high end in EF86 amps that have a lot of headroom. Last year I got a Matchless Nighthawk (15w EF86 amp) thinking it would be similar to a DC30 channel 2, but it has a lot less headroom than I expected (though it sounds epic). I know the EF86 pushed the output section pretty good. Phil from Matchless said that a DC30 channel 2 has tons more headroom than the Matchless Nighthawk, so that’s kind of why I’m considering the Stangray and KT-45. I’m sure the DC 30 will have more headroom than the Nighthawk. However, I suspect the Stangray would be the best for headroom still. The EF86, alone, will allow for extra headroom vs a 12ax7 but the circuit and how the tube is implemented would be just as important. Doc’s implementation will give you a lot more headroom, I would think, due the the amp design using the EF86. |
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Post by zpilot on Apr 23, 2020 3:16:29 GMT -7
I would go the other way. I would use the Vibroverb as the wet amp. I have a Vibrolux Reverb chassis which is basically the same amp. I have run it wet/dry with a MAZ 18. I tried them with various combinations of 12 and 10 inch speakers. I like your idea of using the internal speakers in the Vibroverb cabinet to keep the rig compact.
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Post by Jaguarguy (Mike) on Apr 23, 2020 7:29:25 GMT -7
Stangray for max Brilliant Headroom. And you're done - move on to the next question!  |
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Post by detuned on Apr 23, 2020 8:29:14 GMT -7
Stangray for max Brilliant Headroom. And you're done - move on to the next question! I'll half the Doc's suggestion - think about a used M12. Headroom for days; mine keeps up with my '65 Bandmaster just fine. |
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Post by aguynamedben (Ben) on Apr 23, 2020 9:16:40 GMT -7
This is awesome, thanks for all the (authoritative!) replies, I’ll post some video once my amp build is done and paired up with the Stang Ray. Hmmm... now to come up with some perverted “redface” Fender tolex scheme that’s matches the devilish Z, hahaha 🤔 😈
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Post by aguynamedben (Ben) on Apr 27, 2020 1:27:04 GMT -7
I would go the other way. I would use the Vibroverb as the wet amp. I have a Vibrolux Reverb chassis which is basically the same amp. I have run it wet/dry with a MAZ 18. I tried them with various combinations of 12 and 10 inch speakers. I like your idea of using the internal speakers in the Vibroverb cabinet to keep the rig compact. I just bought a used Maz 38 NR Mk II. It's my first Z amp and I'm so pumped! I'll keep looking for the right Stangray, but they're not as simple to come by any given day. I do think zpilot has a good point here given my setup... if I want my EL84 amp as my "dry" amp (I do, when going wet/dry) the Maz makes a lot of sense. I also have limited space in my apartment, so the Maz is a great amp to have around if you can only have 1-2 amps. I think the headroom will be more than enough for what I want and I reserve the right to flip the half power switch, crank the Volume into the Master, and wail with my old Tokai LP straight in... yes!!! |
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Post by Mark (Basement Enthusiast) on Apr 27, 2020 5:43:05 GMT -7
Ha ha... I'm gonna be different here and suggest an Antidote to pair up with that Vibroverb. Different flavors/textures, you know--kind of like yin & yang from the Fender and the Antidote. And that mofo is LOUD, too; so yeah you'll probably still be getting lots of breakup from pedals but... what a tone. Honestly a Route 66 would be pretty darned close too.
Great, now you go me thinking... God, what a sweet pairing it would be to have something like an Antidote + Z-Best sitting next to a Super Reverb 4x10. I'd be deaf in minutes!!!
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Post by aguynamedben (Ben) on Apr 27, 2020 9:25:22 GMT -7
Haha very nice Mark, yeah I was thinking a medium sized Brownface Fender like a 6G2 Princeton would be cool too. I think it'd also be rad to pair the Maz with a Carmen Ghia, I'm sure that's been done around these parts. I.e. set the Maz to bright and let the Carmen Ghia do it's thing. Crank them both and use a treble booster.
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Post by aguynamedben (Ben) on May 9, 2020 0:10:01 GMT -7
An update on this, just for fun...
I didn't easily find any Stangray 1x12s out there and really wanted a combo in order to save space, so I started looking at Maz's. Going on zpilot and Mark's feedback (different flavors, EL84 makes good "dry" amp with a Vibroverb, etc.)
I found a guy who'd bought BOTH a Maz 18 NR Mk.II AND a Maz 38 NR Mk.II to compare them (you know, as one does, haha). He ended up liking the 38, but decided he wanted a 38 head, so he sold me BOTH the 18 and the 38 combos in a decent package deal.
The 18 arrived first, and it was amazing. The master volume on the Mk.II really is that great, and with the 18 I can easily play in my apartment in San Francisco with whatever gain sound I want, turned down via the Master, without my Fryette Power Station 2, and it sounds stellar.
Then the 38 arrived, and it was exactly what I was looking for. I've only owned 5/15/20 watt amps before, so the clean headroom in the 38 is blowing my mind. The clean sounds with a low wind Tele neck pickup are so good, and there's more leeway to get fancy with pedals, i.e. 3-4 very nuanced, progressive low/medium gain stages. I think I'm realizing how much I like the clean 1/3 of the spectrum.
Both Maz's also blew my mind in a category I wasn't really asking for: versatility. Because I'm in the city, I'm always using a Fryette Power Station 2 anyways, so I was fine with 3 knob, non-master volume, highly opinionated amps. But the Maz can achieve so many different sounds it's teaching me that I don't really need a ton of other amps. With a just a Tele and and Les Paul I can get so many different sounds from the Maz. The EQ lift, EQ controls, and Cut are so rad for small studio use. You could record an entire lifetime worth of albums with just a Tele, Les Paul, Maz, tape delay, and flanger and nobody would ever think "ahh this is the same sound over and over again!" That's an awesome asset when you've very limited on physical space!
With the 38 I'm still using the Fryette Power Station 2 to get very full clean sounds, with the Master on the amp up high and the Volume at 9-11 o clock. Sounds excellent. I need to keep the Fryette anyway to go into headphones/IRs at night.
Anyways, thanks for the feedback all of you gave here. The Maz 38 is a long-term keeper. I'll keep my eyes peeled for a Stang Ray or one of those mini Anniversary Carmen Ghias down the road for fun, but the Maz 38 will be my go-to daily driver for sure!
–Ben
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