This has been on my list for a few years now- I should’ve just bought it right away instead of blowing through all of the amps I’ve tried since. I’m ditching a lot of gear that has been collecting dust as well as my newer Bassman LTD (which has served me well but is too damn loud before it reaches any tube breakup. Why’d I have to discover that tone?!? Argh!)

Anyway, I’m digging the Toyz color scheme, but I wouldn’t mind a mis-matched cab if it’ll sound “better.” I don’t doubt the tone of the Z Best 2x12 at all- it is a fine box and a great pairing. I’ve tried it twice now, but it has been a while and I didn’t/can’t A/B the head with any other cabinets. Very few of the reviews I’ve read and solicited have identified the cabinet that they used it with, and I can’t assume that they are all the Z Best V30/G12 loaded cab.

So, is a Bogner, Matchless/Bad Cat, THD, Marshall, whatever, going to be “better” than the standard Z box? 2x12 is preferred, but I’m not opposed to a 4x10 either (just no 1x12 or 4x12.) I usually hear a modern classic blues-based rock sound with tight bass and no offensive mids or highs in my head, so that’s what I shoot for when I plug in (no “real” blues, metal, hard rock, scooped mids, etc.- just regular rock a’la Tom Petty, Black Crowes, Paul Westerberg, and some of Peter Green’s Mac stuff.) And it won’t be mic’d for most of our shows, so the wider the field of projection (imaginary or inherent and real) the better. Is there one compact cab that everybody who plugs into it says, “Whoa! That’s huge! And sweet, too!” Have you tried it with your 66? Any opinions over the next few weeks would be GREATLY appreciated- I’m hoping to have the $ mid-May. THANKS!

Can't say that I've experimented with a lot of cabs, but I am still digging my Avatar 212 cab loaded with a G12H and a Weber 30w Blue Dog ceramic. I have heard that the Z Best cab is a "louder" and fuller sounding cab...to many, its the ultimate match for that amp. For the music styles you mention, those are some of my favorite sounds from this amp and my Avatar can get me there -- at least for my ears. The Weber Blue ceramic crunches well, yet projects pretty good volume without mushing out...G12H is a G12H - tight bass and strong mids. I originally had a Vintage30 in there before the Weber, but I couldn't stand the nasally mids of that speaker. But the V30 and G12H I think are what is shipped with the Z Best.

I love my Rt.66 and I haven't gassed for any other amps too much -- except I would like to have a smaller, lighter amp for quicker setups once in awhile. But the Rt.66 handles various speaker cabs and tube experimentation pretty well, from what I've read on the net.

I haven't tried every 2x12 our there but I have tried a few:

Dr. Z Z best - Probaly the loudest and fullest sounding of the ones I've tried. A killer sounding cab with the stock V30 / G12H30 combo. The ported design lends to a very full repsonse.

THD 2x12 - Mine has the modified Celestions (80 watters I beleive). This is a sweet sounding cabinet as well. Perhaps a little warmoer than the Dr. Z (at least with the speakers I have in it). Like the Z it's ported, but this is a rear port (slot) so it get's a bit of the open back arieness, while maintaining the closed back punch.

Mesa vertical recto 2x12 - A killer rock cabinet, but not as versatile as the Z best or THD imho. Mine had the stock V30s in it, but I swaped one for a G12H30 to try and get closer to the Z best sound. I liked it, but it just didn't have the clean presence the Z best had - though it sure thumped it out for rock and roll!

Jenkins Highway 61 - Another nice cabinet, but very midrangey when compared with the Z best or Mesa recto. This may not be a bad thing if you need to cut through the mix.

I gotta say I'm a sucker for a Marshall 4-12", but if any cab that wasn't for me, would be the Z Best, they just sound great.

I have two cabs: an Avatar 2x12 with Celestion Blues and a Marshall 1960AV 4x12 with Vintage 30s. I far prefer my Route 66 through the Marshall, and my Marshall 18W clone through the Avatar. The opposite of what I'd have expected, really...

if you're open to a 4x10 cab,i'll offer my fave type of compact med powered amp cab-an open back 1x15".either ceramic or alnico,as long as it is not an e.v. or jbl.nothing against those types,just not for me.but a jensen or weber 15" just changed my life tonally.it is all i use w/ my ghia head,& i'm kind of pissed that most of my amps are combos.i am sold on the big tone 15" guitar speaker!

1x15. Interesting!
Thanks everybody!
I was actually able to A/B a couple yesterday. Meeting in Chicago got out early, so I walked to Make'n Music. Plugged a 66 into a Z Best 2x12, an open back Z 2x10, and a Bogner open back 2x12 (both Vintage 30's.) There was just something about that Bogner that I really, really like. It was actually quite a bit rounder and "woofier" than both Z cabs, but definitely not farty and when I dialed the tone knobs, it became very tight but still had that warmth. Didn't really like the 2x10, but kept switching between the two 2x12's for seriously like 45 minutes. Tough call!!!
One concern- there was some noticeable buzzing happening within the head due to the vibration. Gotta tame that for sure. Maybe it was just this particular one- I've never noticed it on others I'd tried before. Hmmm....

I'll second Beck's Avatar recommendation. I use my Blonde Rt. 66 through a wheat grilled Avatar 2x12 loaded w/ one G12H and one Vintage 30. It's a great combo for this amp, and with the closed back panel, it deliver the full low-end whoomph this amp is capable of. Nice mids and plenty of clarity. And you can't beat their prices.

Yeah, pull the trigger on that Z, it's one of my all-time favorite amps--thick and rich--and that's going up against my Marshall Plexi, a Bassman, a Traynor YB1A, a Naylor Superclub, and an AC30. Great amps!!

quote:

Originally posted by Funky Monkey:
1x15. Interesting!
Thanks everybody!
I was actually able to A/B a couple yesterday. Meeting in Chicago got out early, so I walked to Make'n Music. Plugged a 66 into a Z Best 2x12, an open back Z 2x10, and a Bogner open back 2x12 (both Vintage 30's.) There was just something about that Bogner that I really, really like. It was actually quite a bit rounder and "woofier" than both Z cabs, but definitely not farty and when I dialed the tone knobs, it became very tight but still had that warmth. Didn't really like the 2x10, but kept switching between the two 2x12's for seriously like 45 minutes. Tough call!!!
One concern- there was some noticeable buzzing happening within the head due to the vibration. Gotta tame that for sure. Maybe it was just this particular one- I've never noticed it on others I'd tried before. Hmmm....

I can't speak from experience but I've heard rumors (don't you hate rumors?) that the modern EF86s tend to be microphonic. Maybe this is your buzzing problem.

quote:

Originally posted by GuitArtMan:
I can't speak from experience but I've heard rumors (don't you hate rumors?) that the modern EF86s tend to be microphonic. Maybe this is your buzzing problem.

I'm pretty sure it was something physically rattling and not a microphonic tube. I had it on top of the Bogner cab for a while, and it would disappear when I plugged the Z Best cab in. Then I put it on the Z cab and it was still there. So I put the head on the floor and it never came back. I was pushing a lot of air and it was in a small room, so it had to have been the vibrations being transferred from the cab to the head and rattling maybe a loose screw or tube socket or something. I guess I'm not too worried about this particular one anyway. I love Make'N Music, but at 9% sales tax (ouch!) there's no way I can stomach "losing" $211 getting it from there. I'm sure Teddy agrees!

Anyway, while I didn't try it, there's also the Bogner large 2x12 that can be converted from open to closed. Hmmm....

I'll check out Avatar for sure. THANKS!!!

I use a couple of 1x12 ported cabs with my Rivera. It has a huge sound and compares with my 4x12's. You could also use a ported cab on the bottom and an open back on top and have the best of both worlds. I like the portability and weight of the 1x12 cabs. Sometimes I will take just 1 cab when I sit in with friends but prefer having 2 as one cab can get a bit boxy sounding.