ZT Lunchbox: A must have for every guitarist?

[jazztele]

well, i dunno about that, but i didn't see an appreciation/fan club thread for 'em yet, so i decided to start one.

i just got mine, and while it's not the be all end all of amps, it IS one of the coolest little things to come down the pipe in AGES. finally, volume and insane portabilty at a modest price, and good tone (if you like it clean and transparent--this is definitely a solid state amp)

so who else digs theirs?

[Hecks]

Okay I'll admit I'm not an owner but an admirer for sure.

Question though, how well does this little fella respond to keeping the gain on the amp set and using the guitars volume to make it clean/dirty?

[PMan]

I don't have one yet, either, but I've certainly got my eye on one. Plus, I like supporting new development in solid state tech, however unpopular that makes me.

[StankyUncleJ]

Does this have an option to run it straight into a P.A?
How does it sound with pedals?

[jazztele]

hey! didn't see that anyone had replied till now.

thought there'd be a few more fans out there, but to answer some of the above questions...

hecks--it never gets too dirty to begin with (at least with a tele, some hot buckers might push a little more dirt), but it's very volume knob sensitive.

uncle J--it does not have the option of a Direct Out--just a speaker out, 8 ohms or greater. it could easily be mic'd, sent thru the PA, and used as a personal monitor--the band would have to be pretty loud before this little guy couldn't keep up with the stage volume.

the clean tone is midrangey, relatively flat, and "unadorned." it takes pedals very well--actually seems to WANT pedals. i've been using a little reverb with mine because without it, the sound is a little too "in your face" at gig volumes. i've also tried a delay, which sounded great. i haven't tried my big box RAT with it yet.

i'm going to gig with it for the first time next weekend, i'll post back and let you all know how that goes.

[nicnite]

Great little amp. Gig with it in a pinch, or easily with 1x12 cab. Record with it for excellent solid state cleans, or even some convincing drive. Amazing at that price too.

[jazztele]

gig update:

sounded good. not great, but good. in a band it would be fine--i was doing a solo gig, and i could have used a little more bass. soooooo.....

i picked up a cab today (i know, i know, more gadgetry) and i am completely sold on this thing now. in my opinion, it's a 120 watt solid state head in a tiny package that happens to have a built in speaker for practicing...thru an extension cab (in my case, a redstone RS-8--that's right, just an 8 inch speaker) it comes alive. the bass returns, the sound is even cleaner and louder, and i now don't have just a backup, i have a contender to my main rig.

if you have one, try it thru a good (accent on the good) cab. i'm still using a little reverb with it as well, and the sound is absolutely huge.

[cjburr]

apparently the Reverend loves them too

gallery_billy_gibbons.jpg

[maggieo]

How does the lunchbox sound with the RAT?

[nosuch]

I'm interested. are you able to get a nice little bluesy crunch from the amp itself?

[wetland10]

I'm looking at this as a possible harmonica amp. I haven't seena bad review yet as a guitar amp.

Wayne

[jazztele]

Originally Posted by maggieo

How does the lunchbox sound with the RAT?

finally tried it...

actually, rather awful.

the LB is already a "midrangey" amp, and the old RAT is sort of a Mid-monster, so the whole thing was as nasal as anything you've ever heard. I also tried it out with a big muff, and that sounded quite good, but considering i never play distorted, this isn't really a big deal for me...i'd say if you want to play dirty with the LB, you want a pedal that boosts some lows too, or otherwise, it's just good for trying to take somebody's head clean off.

that sound would have cut thru ANY MIX though...

[telechaser]

I'm OK with my Cube 60. Don't really need another 'small' amp. Any smaller than a single 12" speaker or 2x10" is too small, unless it's an acoustic amp like a Roland AC60. When I get the chance to do a full hollow body Thinline Tele, I'll plug it on an acoustic amp to see how it sounds.

[jazztele]

another update: it's not that these little puppies can't handle the bass--they're just not voiced for it! try one with an EQ pedal and boost the low mids...hokey smokes!

i've said it before, it's not going to replace my polytone as my main gigging amp, but i've been taking the lunchbox everywhere else with me, and i can hang with anyone volume and tone wise.

at 250 bones, they're an absolute steal.

[A.B.Negative]

I just ordered one. Can't wait for it to arrive!

[BigDaddyLH]

jazztele,

Would you say that using an EQ pedal is a no-brainer for the Lunchbox? I don't even like amps that only have a bass & treble knob -- I need to dial the mids, too.

[A.B.Negative]

Originally Posted by A.B.Negative

I just ordered one. Can't wait for it to arrive!

Just got an email:

"Once again, thank you for placing an order with us. The Estimated Time of Arrival (ETA) of your product into our warehouse has expired and we are in the process of chasing our suppliers for a current ETA. Once this information has been received we will inform you immediately. We appreciate your patience in this matter."

[jazztele]

Originally Posted by BigDaddyLH

jazztele,

Would you say that using an EQ pedal is a no-brainer for the Lunchbox? I don't even like amps that only have a bass & treble knob -- I need to dial the mids, too.

well, here's the rub (again)

i giged it last night--just a pickup jam gig at a wine bar--nothing formal, and on a monday night, about 12 folks in attendance. me, bassist, and singer/trumpet. so i decided to just go light and bring a guitar and the lunchbox, and i sounded fine. good even. with a bass player i didn't miss the extra low end at all.

i think what it comes down to, for me, the only time i'll really need the extension cab or the EQ pedal is for a solo gig (if i decide to bring it instead of the polytone) or for playing in my living room in a quiet house where i can notice all the little things about a tone...

AB Neg, sorry to hear that man...when I ordered mine it was backordered too, took about a month to get it. I think demand may be more than supply right now for them--which i guess overall is a good sign...

[Deacon Blues]

Can you compare this amp to the Crate Power Block? How are they similar/different, other than the ZT having a built in speaker?

[wetland10]

Originally Posted by Deacon Blues

Can you compare this amp to the Crate Power Block? How are they similar/different, other than the ZT having a built in speaker?

To me, I think the main tonal difference is that the Crate has an ear piercing ice pick tone. The Lunchbox is actually much warmer, I think it has a tonality more similar to a tweed Champ.

Wayne

[Deacon Blues]

Thanks, Wayne. Warm trumps "ice pick" tone every time.

[jazztele]

it think it's a pretty warm-voiced amp, but i really am not sure about the tweed champ comparison, because with the gain cranked, the sound is decidedly solid state...i do not think that's what the LB excels at...it's essentially a clean slate.

on a single coil equipped guitar, with the gain set about halfway up, i can essentially reach volumes that would be described as "evictable" or "don't get called back to the gig-able" and stay perfectly clean...essentially, for my purposes, i'll never use more than half of what the amp offers as power--but then again--that's what i'm going for...i don't want the sound of a cranked champ, i want it perfectly sterile clean as loud as i need it, and i don't want to have to drive the amp too hard to do so...the LB gives me that.

it seems to me, the two biggest markets for using this amp on the gig would be subway jazzers who want the loud clean small, and folks who use a lot of effects to get their sound. I'd definitely say, those who's ideal tone is plugged straight into a tube amp that's cranked and breaking up should probably avoid the lunchbox--it's distorted sound is passable, but it's no cranked tube amp. if you want loud clean and portable, or your the experimental type who uses a lot of colors on their pallete...

and of course, the third type of player for the LB would be the cat who wants a very portable practice amp that'll never be drowned out when a drummer shows up.

[wetland10]

Originally Posted by jazztele

it think it's a pretty warm-voiced amp, but i really am not sure about the tweed champ comparison, because with the gain cranked, the sound is decidedly solid state...i do not think that's what the LB excels at...it's essentially a clean slate.

on a single coil equipped guitar, with the gain set about halfway up, i can essentially reach volumes that would be described as "evictable" or "don't get called back to the gig-able" and stay perfectly clean...essentially, for my purposes, i'll never use more than half of what the amp offers as power--but then again--that's what i'm going for...i don't want the sound of a cranked champ, i want it perfectly sterile clean as loud as i need it, and i don't want to have to drive the amp too hard to do so...the LB gives me that.

it seems to me, the two biggest markets for using this amp on the gig would be subway jazzers who want the loud clean small, and folks who use a lot of effects to get their sound. I'd definitely say, those who's ideal tone is plugged straight into a tube amp that's cranked and breaking up should probably avoid the lunchbox--it's distorted sound is passable, but it's no cranked tube amp. if you want loud clean and portable, or your the experimental type who uses a lot of colors on their pallete...

and of course, the third type of player for the LB would be the cat who wants a very portable practice amp that'll never be drowned out when a drummer shows up.

I would agree with that. It does clean very well. I also use it for blues harmonica. It does a decent job and is quite loud. One other odd use for it is vocals. My band has an original blues tune that I typically sing through the harmonica amp. It does this well. Although not in my genre, I bet you could get some cool vocal effects singing through it for a recording. With the right lo-fi mic you get something useable.

Wayne

[jazztele]

wayne, do you use a dirtbox or anything for the harmonica or just keep it clean?(or crank the gain?)

i could definitely see harmonica players being a fan...

the other cool thing about it is to put it thru an extension cab, keep the internal speaker on, and use it as a personal monitor...

i always feel like i'm building it up too much, but it is a versatile little bugger...

[wetland10]

Originally Posted by jazztele

wayne, do you use a dirtbox or anything for the harmonica or just keep it clean?(or crank the gain?)

i could definitely see harmonica players being a fan...

the other cool thing about it is to put it thru an extension cab, keep the internal speaker on, and use it as a personal monitor...

i always feel like i'm building it up too much, but it is a versatile little bugger...

Gain is up around 2:00 I think? I don't have it in front of me. I work the volume knob from there. You don't want TOO much gain, causes massive feedback.

Wayne

[A.B.Negative]

Originally Posted by A.B.Negative

Just got an email:

"Once again, thank you for placing an order with us. The Estimated Time of Arrival (ETA) of your product into our warehouse has expired and we are in the process of chasing our suppliers for a current ETA. Once this information has been received we will inform you immediately. We appreciate your patience in this matter."

Another email:

"This email is to inform you that your order has now been shipped."

[A.B.Negative]

It arrived today! At lunchtime!

As expected, the clean sound's pretty good, meh with the gain cranked. But it rocks with my modded Boss DS1 (Seeing Eye and Ultra mods a la Keeley).

And it's loud!

I've already modded it...

Well, I've changed one of the knobs! I like the volume knob to be different so it's easy to find.

[A.B.Negative]

Here's a picture I took with my phone's camera when I'd only just unpacked the amp. Mokey the cat's not sure what to make of it.

[ken kantor]

Originally Posted by A.B.Negative

Here's a picture I took with my phone's camera when I'd only just unpacked the amp. Mokey the cat's not sure what to make of it.

Hey A.B.N.... can we use that pic on our site some time?

-k

ken.kantor@ztamplifiers.com

[nosuch]

Hi Ken,

are you planning to have a dealer in Europe?
Shipping adds like 50% to the price and while we profit from the low $, still I don't like buying a piece of gear I never tried myself. Return policies for mail orders are very generous in europe (we can send everything back within 30 days), though, so that even if you'd have just one dealer people could mailorder it without risk.

One more question: what will be the weight of the lunchbox 12?

Thanks

[mlove3]

first of all it's very cool that ken is here and listening in to honest comments about his amp.
I'm a die hard old tube amp guy but would love to get one of these (someday) for smaller gigs and rehearsals. Although after watching some youtube demos I'm not convinced that it's putting out enough clean low end for my tastes. Some jazz guy noodling in the living room don't cut it for me.

[A.B.Negative]

Originally Posted by ken kantor

Hey A.B.N.... can we use that pic on our site some time?

-k

ken.kantor@ztamplifiers.com

Of course you can!

[musicalmartin]

Originally Posted by mlove3

first of all it's very cool that ken is here and listening in to honest comments about his amp.
I'm a die hard old tube amp guy but would love to get one of these (someday) for smaller gigs and rehearsals. Although after watching some youtube demos I'm not convinced that it's putting out enough clean low end for my tastes. Some jazz guy noodling in the living room don't cut it for me.

A site specialising in jazz guitars and amps here in the UK sells Lunchboxes .They only sell guitars and amps for jazz players it seems so it looks like its a good clean jazz amp .I will certainly try one out when I can get my claws into one ..I play mainly clean from jazz,blues, a touch of sort of Bill Frissall type country.

[BigDaddyLH]

Originally Posted by musicalmartin

A site specialising in jazz guitars and amps here in the UK sells Lunchboxes .They only sell guitars and amps for jazz players it seems so it looks like its a good clean jazz amp .I will certainly try one out when I can get my claws into one ..I play mainly clean from jazz,blues, a touch of sort of Bill Frissall type country.

If you haven't already, check out this forum's "sister" jazz web site, there's more about the Lunchbox there, generally favourable:

http://www.jazzguitar.be/forum/guitar-amps-gizmos/

(I say sister because it seems several of us actively post to both sites.)

[BigDaddyLH]

Ken,

Any better E.T.A. on the Club 12, the 1x12 combo? And will its reverb be more than the Luchbox's presence?

[jazztele]

another tone update:

the lunchbox does not sound very good with my godin fifth avenue. still think it sounds great for the tele...

that godin is a little picky though....re-Eq'd the polytone, and it sounds best thru that. sounds decnt thru a blues junior, and a SF princeton (not mine, a friend's i've been trying to buy off of him for several years...) also sounds like garbage thru a roland microcube, but great thru a cube 60 (not quite as good as the polytone, but still very good.)

for some reason, the godin demands a 10" or bigger speaker, whereas the tele does just fine thru the little guys.

gonna try the godin thru the lunchbox with the EQ pedal tonight.

[BigDaddyLH]

Have you tried the Godin through a specifically acoustic guitar amp?

Hey, I just realized that Godin is a Canadian company! (Chest swells with pride.)

[jazztele]

no, but i figured, it's a P90 delivering that sound...nothing too acoustic about that--but it's worth a shot. the shop i teach at has an SWR strawberry blonde hanging out, so i'll give it a whirl.

i did some preliminary recording with it last night--two tracks blended, one a 57 right on the grille of my polytone, and the other, another 57 pointed around the 17th fret or so. a little reverb and it sounded amazing.

there's definitely a little "acoustic" tone that comes thru when it's plugged into a solid state amp. thru a tube amp, it sounds a lot more "electric." i guess it'll all come down to the mood i'm in that day!

[Jeff_K]

Originally Posted by A.B.Negative

Here's a picture I took with my phone's camera when I'd only just unpacked the amp. Mokey the cat's not sure what to make of it.

Holy crap, you're cat is enormous!!!

[A.B.Negative]

Originally Posted by Jeff_K

Holy crap, you're cat is enormous!!!

And that's our itty bitty kitty, our other one's much bigger!