ratherdashing
Kablamminator
I got to try a used Route 66 yesterday. Like most of Z's creations, it's a single channel 3 knob head; no reverb, no effects loop, just a dead simple 32 watt amp.
I can't fully express how gorgeous the tone coming out of that thing was. Even with the volume way down it was fat and articulate. It managed to bring out the best in every guitar in the store I threw at it. The G&L Legacy was bright, punchy, and rang like a church bell. The Tokai R6 goldtop clone had the perfect P90 growl. The Tokai LP Custom clone sounded like a Les Paul should.
Not being content with a diet of clean and clean alone, I wanted to see how it would cope with some pedals. With a DS-1, it did the Marshall sound better than most Marshalls I've heard, especially at low volume. Big, beefy crunch with just enough low end to make power chords thump, but not enough to get into flabby territory. The BD-2 wasn't as impressive (the low end got too flabby with the gain up), but I consider that more of a failing of the pedal than the amp (I own a BD-2 and it did the same thing on my rig). With the gain down on the BD-2, I got a very nice blues lead tone on all three guitars.
Here's the amazing part: the whole time I was testing it, the Route 66 was running into one of those ultra-crappy Marshall Valvestate 4x12 cabs. A true testament to the amp that it sounded so lively and pure through such a horrendous cab! Next time I visit the store, I will try it through a proper cab - maybe a good 1x12 or 2x12.
In short: I haven't been this impressed by an amp in years. Too bad I can't buy it right now: $1,200 CAN is their asking price. Great deal!
I can't fully express how gorgeous the tone coming out of that thing was. Even with the volume way down it was fat and articulate. It managed to bring out the best in every guitar in the store I threw at it. The G&L Legacy was bright, punchy, and rang like a church bell. The Tokai R6 goldtop clone had the perfect P90 growl. The Tokai LP Custom clone sounded like a Les Paul should.
Not being content with a diet of clean and clean alone, I wanted to see how it would cope with some pedals. With a DS-1, it did the Marshall sound better than most Marshalls I've heard, especially at low volume. Big, beefy crunch with just enough low end to make power chords thump, but not enough to get into flabby territory. The BD-2 wasn't as impressive (the low end got too flabby with the gain up), but I consider that more of a failing of the pedal than the amp (I own a BD-2 and it did the same thing on my rig). With the gain down on the BD-2, I got a very nice blues lead tone on all three guitars.
Here's the amazing part: the whole time I was testing it, the Route 66 was running into one of those ultra-crappy Marshall Valvestate 4x12 cabs. A true testament to the amp that it sounded so lively and pure through such a horrendous cab! Next time I visit the store, I will try it through a proper cab - maybe a good 1x12 or 2x12.
In short: I haven't been this impressed by an amp in years. Too bad I can't buy it right now: $1,200 CAN is their asking price. Great deal!
