Well, folks! I'm guessing it will be about a year, maybe more before I get to spend any money on the truck. Such is the sacrifice of being commited to a "cash basis"

What, you ask has so gravely injured my quantity of disposable income??




Now, mine will be a more conservative color scheme, with black exterior and tan grillecloth--but you get the basic idea.


This represent the realization of a longtime dream for me-- a handbuilt, custom made guitar amplifier!


The problem with being a car guy AND a guitar player is that there's just not enough to go around.

Life has taught me that pouring lots of money into a vehicle can lead to major heartbreak. After all, some careless knucklehead out on the road can destroy all that you enjoy in an instant.

So I decided to spend the money on a guitar amplifier that I can have until I'm too arthritic to play anymore-- instead of a vehicle that will rust into dust.

Unfortunately I now have a 6-8wk wait for it to be built. Such are the pleasures of dealing with smaller custom outfits. But the list of players using Dr. Z amps is essentially a Who's Who of legendary players, so it must be worth paying for...


Besides, I can take this to Hawaii with me, and I can't take the truck with me. I wanted to spend the money on something I won't have to wait 2 more years to enjoy

Oh, and high-end musical gear tends to hold its value, and then appreciate in worth. Vehicles don't do that except in rare cases and only after a LOT of years.
If I could smile any bigger, my ears would fall into my mouth

 

At least you're happy you did it...that's the main thing

If those things sound half as good as they look...I think I'd sound good playing on them

Chris

 

It's good to be passionate about something. So you're moving to Hawaii for 2 years?

 

It don't get any better than that,

If I still played my Strat much I would be looking into those myself

 

Very nice.

 

Yeah, but does it go up to 11?

 

haha.. good one.

 

VERY NICE!!!! hahahahahahahaha.........

Yeah i hear ya Hohn.....its a good thing you just got that clutch! Quality comes at a cost sometimes....

Now you just have to get a new Avatar....I see that sceen in Back to The Future.....the one in the beginning.....with Marty getting blown away.....haha.....not that the Blue Oyster Cult one you got brings a smile to my face every time i see it!!! GREATEST SNL SKETCH EVER!

BUT im not going to get a set of Taylor Mades until i can get my score below 115!!!!

 

Well, actually.... YES, IT DOES I'll just have to do a little customizing on the faceplate

The irony of all this is that this new amp is 30W (tube, class A) and my present amp is 100W (tube, class A/B).

New speakers are rated for 15W each. Old speaker (1x12) is 300w.

New rig will about almost the same volume-- maybe louder.

The speakers are Celestion Blues.


You HAVE to hear this amp if you are a guitar player.


I found a guy on the web who has one these amps already and recorded some small samples. Check out the tones on this page:
http://www.gear.strayca.com/stingray.htm

Those MP3s are just quick and dirty recordings. AWESOME sound! This is *exactly* the tone I've heard in my head and been wanting for so long.

Justin

 

How many 6L6's? Just crank up the B+.

Edwin

 

Very nice looking amps. I can't play a chord but have had several friends who have owned similar amps over the years. I guess since I admitted ignorance, I feel okay asking this: Why do the top-end guitar amps still use tubes? Isn't there a better technology for good sound and feel? As I said, I simply don't understand?...

Thanks for the help...

 

Why can mechanical 12 valves outrun computerized 24 valves ? All technology isn't neccessarily improvement !

 

Sound waves are analog, not digital. Tubes are analog amplifiers and, though perhaps not as thermally efficient, give a "warmer" sound than solid state analog (e.g., transistor) amps, let alone digital amps.

Rusty

 

Why do people still play 45's......the classic sound!

 

The primary reason tubes have "that sound" is because of their intrisic distortion. Tube slew rates are no comparision to a that of a solid state amplifier. Another reason for that sound is the difference in the dynamic braking effect referred to as "damping", or the ability to stop a loudspeaker from ringing. Solid state amps are very good at dynamic braking, and that is a major contributor to tight, snappy bass. Tubes are also easy to overdrive. A classic example of overdriving amps are the old Marshalls used by Hendrix, Cream, and likes in the 60's. For some reason, that sound can never be duplicated in solid state design; close, but still not the same. I played bass for many years with an ancient Ampeg B15-N. It employed a pair of 6L6's. I bought it in 1968 as a 17 year old with all of the money I had in my bank account. That sound was so sweet!

I grew up in the transitionary period of amplifer design and consequently have an appreciation for analog as well as digital amplifier designs. Keep in mind that a solid state amplifier does not make it "digital". I own 2 beautiful class A monoaural amplifiers that are as analog as you can get but are solid state in every way, and employ transistor finals.

Working in the digital realm makes things so easy as far as EQ shaping is concerned. I use to have to drop in scads of resistors and capacitors to get the desired frequency response. Now, it's so easy to set up and EQ an amp design, and it's so much more accurate. You just sample the audio, and let the software guys take care of business.

Sorry for running on, but it's a subject that I'm close to.