Boutique amps

jwargowski · Post by **jwargowski** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 9:12 am

I'm considering entering into the world of boutique amps. Being a Fender sound type of guy, I'm looking at the Carr and Victoria lines. I currently play through a Fender Blues Deluxe, but most of my playing finds the Volume set at 3 or less on this 40 watt amp, so I'm thinking about a lower output amp such as the Victoria Regal or the Carr Meteor, so I can run the volume up and get more out of the tubes.
Does anyone have any experience with running a Ric 12 through either of these amps, and if so, what is your general impression of them?

jps · Post by **jps** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 3:13 pm

Try a Headstrong Lil' King Reverb amp, it is a hand made repro of a Princeton Reverb. Wayne at Headstrong is refurbishing the electronics of my early '70s Princeton Reverb.

Being about 12 watts should be perfect for what you are looking for.

www.headstrongamps.com

jwargowski · Post by **jwargowski** » Tue Jan 31, 2006 9:30 am

Thanks for the heads-up Jeffrey. I hadn't seen the Headstrong yet. They have a dealer in town, so I'll go check it out.

beefandbones · Post by **beefandbones** » Sun Feb 05, 2006 2:07 pm

I have a Victoria 5112, and I would whole-heartedly recommend it. It's a 5-watt champ-style circuit with a 12" speaker. Mine has really good headroom and is surprisingly loud for the wattage. Haven't played it with a drummer present yet, but it is too loud for my apartment when cranked.

My 330/6 sounds great through it, as does my '65 DuoSonic and Tele. It really seems to give some magic to brighter sounds, so I imagine a 12-string would sound good. I just recently ordered one of the reissue 1996 models and I think it'll sound fantastic through the 5112.

eggman · Post by **eggman** » Thu Jun 15, 2006 4:05 pm

Howdy,

Last Summer I "test-drove" a Dr. Z Carmen Ghia. wow! This amp was fun. A little background about my style and taste. I'm a huge 'Stones fan. This amp was perfect for those ever-so-slightly overdriven bits heard on "Happy" or "Get off My Cloud".
I'll just bet my 360/6 would be a great for "Get off My Cloud" through this amp, with it's 18 watts and single 12-inch speaker. Oh yeah, it came with a volume and a tone knob. That's it! A purists' delight. Fairly affordable, too.

Eggman

shamustwin · Post by **shamustwin** » Fri Jun 16, 2006 6:04 am

I'm pondering (which may take years) a Dr. Z.
My friend Randy Weeks got one and swears by it. He used to use fenders (which I have now) but says these have all the good of them without those piercing highs that sometime accompany them. They come in many wattage configurations.

The fender Deluxe Reverb (which I don't have) is 22 watts with a 12" speaker. That seems like a good, cheaper alternative. I've seen many in clubs, and you can crank it, get that nice overdrive, and not clear the room. Another I'm pondering. At my home, the Ponderosa.

eggman · Post by **eggman** » Fri Jun 16, 2006 3:43 pm

Howdy,

Jerry, I've tried the Deluxe and it's just not my cup of tea. Yes, it overdrives easily, but I don't care for it. Hard to explain. Now Champs are SERIOUS fun! If I were playing club dates, I'd get a Champ/Vibro-Champ, run it into a 2-10 cab and mike it. Great rock amps, those Champs.

Eggman

soundmasterg · Post by **soundmasterg** » Mon Jun 19, 2006 1:02 pm

The Deluxe Reverbs sound great, but you have to disconnect the negative feedback loop and the vibrato to really get them to sing.

I've heard a couple Dr. Z amps, Carr amps, Victoria amps, THD amps, and some other boutiques. The Dr. Z, THD and Carr stuff are great. Well built and good sounds that are slightly different from the norm. I wasn't all that impressed with the Victorias, Matchless, or Top Hats.

If you're intending on using a Ric 12, I would suggest some of the Vox line, or a Marshall 18 watt would be another good choice. I've used my RIC 12 with my Vox AC30 at some gigs and it sounds very nice indeed.

steve_hershberger · Post by **steve_hershberger** » Tue Jun 20, 2006 2:53 am

I'm wanting a different kind of amp too, and am torn between a Vox, some kind of Dr. Z, and some of the various Marshall clones (most likely an 18 watter).

My main criteria is to get something that sounds absolutely great with my Ric 12 and then I'll know I can make it work great with my Tele, Strats, and Gibsons too. Looking at heads and cabs because I'd like a 2x10 configuration because of that kind of sound, plus the size and weight issues.

The only one I've actually played my Ric through was a friend's Dr. Z Z-28 with his 2x10 cab - and man, that thing sounded sweet! And it also worked great with the Fenders and Gibsons too. I'd like reverb though, so I'm considering either a Maz 18 or Maz 38. So I know the Dr. Z's are way up on my list.

Also considering a Vox AC-30 head and some kind of cab but I've never tried one out yet.

Basically I'm just looking for something different from my 3 Fender amps (Vibro Champ, Princeton Reverb, and a Hot Rod Deluxe). Although I would also consider an older Deluxe Reverb too. The other night I saw the Plimsouls and Peter Case played his Ric 12 into an old Deluxe Reverb and it sounded great. I used to have an old Deluxe (no reverb) with an Altec speaker in it, but that's one I never should've sold.

shamustwin · Post by **shamustwin** » Tue Jun 20, 2006 4:52 am

My friend's got the Maz 38, uses a Jerry Jones, Tele and '50's Grestch though it. I want something lower than 38 watts (I have 3 40 watters now, the Maz 18 is 18 watts I believe), so I was considering the Dr. Z Stang Ray (30 watts, 2X12, much like an AC-30), but I hear they weigh a ton (85 lbs. or something)! I'll double check that weight thing.

jnbass · Post by **jnbass** » Tue Jun 20, 2006 8:35 am

maybe a set of yellowjackets in your current amp...

never heard 'em thru a vox

steve_hershberger · Post by **steve_hershberger** » Tue Jun 20, 2006 12:13 pm

I've had a set of Yellowjackets in my Hot Rod Deluxe for a few years now and I like what they do. Lots of others don't. So they're something one needs to test out before buying, if that's possible. The YJ's use EL-84's in place of the 6L6's in a Fender amp and get a bit of that "Vox-y" tone, so that's pretty cool in my book. It's still not the same as the real thing though.

As for the Maz 18, yeah they're supposedly 18 watts, but in actuality they're more like 22 watts (or more). All the Dr. Z's are underrated in terms of wattage output. And I'll tell you, virtually any of the Dr. Z combos are pretty heavy. But the Z-28 head and 2x10 cab are really light in terms of weight. That's why I'm thinking of going that route.

soundmasterg · Post by **soundmasterg** » Tue Jun 20, 2006 1:05 pm

There wouldn't be any point in yellowjackets through a Vox unless it was an old AC50 or AC100 since the AC30 already has EL84's, which is what the yellowjackets allow the use of anyway.

If you need reverb with a Dr. Z you could just get an outboard reverb unit, or have one made. There are lots of people doing the Revibe kit nowadays and they give you top notch reverb and the harmonic trem from the old Fenders in one box. You could also go with the Electro-Harmonix Holy Grail reverb pedal. I have one and use it with my Vox AC30 when I want some reverb at gigs and it works well and sounds pretty good. The Fender reverb units and the onboard reverb in Fender amps sounds better, but it is a useable reverb effect and the pedal is very reasonably priced.

sir_andrew_of_left_coast · Tue Jun 20, 2006 2:57 pm

Jerry,

I have a 2x12 combo Dr. Z Stingray (the amps are now being re-badged "Stang Ray"... legal issues). Tracking it on UPS when it was en route from the dealer to me, it showed the package at 78 pounds. Subtract the cardboard and the padding... and the amp's weight is probably in the low 70s. I promptly bought an ATA case on wheels.

alanbass1 · Post by **alanbass1** » Mon Jul 10, 2006 11:28 am

Jim - I have a Carr Rambler which puts out 27 watts in pentode mode and 14 watts triode mode. Pentode very much like a Blackface sound with lots of 'real world' headroom and Triode has more a Tweed era vibe, breaking up nicely without swamping the band. Great reverb and tremolo as well. This could well be the type of thing you are looking for.

I run my 381v69/12 through this amp and it sounds great. I prefer using the triode mode personally as it gives a nicer compressed 'warmth' to the sound and still holds it's own against a drummer volume wise. The amp breaks up into a nice 'crunch' when wound up but in either mode the overdrive is quite subtle and doesn't really do a full on distortion (even with my humbucker loaded PRS').