The Night Train has arrived!

[FrankenFretter]

It got here last night, and with all the dog walking and bicycle repair projects yesterday, I haven't had much time to try it out yet. First impressions: Heavier than I thought it would be (for such a small unit), unable to find the blem that saved me $90, and although it was only used for a few minutes at very low volume, the tone controls don't seem to change the sound very much. Yes, I do know that on the "thick" setting, the tone stack is bypassed. Oh, and that setting does sound very, very nice. Just quick impressions, more later. My music room is in our finished attic, and with the high temps here, it's been nearly intolerable lately. Should be somewhat cooler tonight, though...

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_NPlyZiLy0Pw/SmhmbgJcswI/AAAAAAAAAWE/p5nS-whaUIY/s400/100_1898.JPGhttp://lh5.ggpht.com/_NPlyZiLy0Pw/SmhmbGk0UvI/AAAAAAAAAWA/45Ixr5gAiH0/s400/100_1897.JPG

Stay...tuned? ;)

-Sean

[duhvoodooman]

Nice!! :AOK:

Clips!! Clips!! :poke: :D

[Robert]

Oh cool! We are all very interested to hear more about this amph! I've got to try one.

[FrankenFretter]

Oh cool! We are all very interested to hear more about this amph! I've got to try one.

Robert, you're welcome to try mine anytime you want. I'm only 17 hours away!

I hope to have some time in the next week to really get to know the new amph. I think that the blemish that saved me $90 is a very slight flaw in the plating right on the top of the amph. It's barely noticeable. I'll try to get a photo of it, but it may not even show up.

[tot_Ou_tard]

Cool! I'm looking forward to hearing your opinions.

[Jimi75]

Look = NICE :AOK:
Sound = ?

Please post clips asap!

[tot_Ou_tard]

Here's a Premier Guitar review:

http://www.premierguitar.com/Magazine/Issue/2009/Aug/VOX_Night_Train_NT15H_Head_Review.aspx


The preamph section is based on the Trainwreck---Night Train duh.

[Spudman]

Robert, you're welcome to try mine anytime you want. I'm only 17 hours away!


What's that for you Robert, a training run?:D

[Robert]

What's that for you Robert, a training run?:D

You can meet me half-way on your bike! :)

[FrankenFretter]

I had a little time tonight to throw some cruddy guitar playing at the Night Train, and here is what I'm noticing so far:

It LOVES p-90s. My SX Jazzmaster-ish, weird spaceship guitar has a pair, and it was all I could do to put that one down to try the others out. There is a huge difference in the bottom end; not very present with the p-90s, but almost too much with humbuckers. Both my Schecter and my Douglas sounded slightly muddy, lacking some articulation, until I added the Boosta Grande clean boost. That changed everything in a good way. I had hesitated to add effects while testing tone, but I had a hunch that the clean boost might add some zazz where it was lacking. The "bright" setting sounded anything but, without the Boosta. And as much as I love the P-90s, they're very quiet without the boost. Also, I still feel that the tone stack doesn't have much affect on the tone. It's subtle, maybe too much so. Again, bear in mind that I'm playing at low volume, on the 7½ watt mode.

Still, I do love this amph. It has a very warm (no surprise there, I suppose), meaty sound. I think it will be a good match for the Strat (http://www.thefret.net/showthread.php?t=12128), once I finish it. I'm anxious to hear that, for sure.

Clips...not yet. I've been unable to find the time to do much playing, and hence I'm stuck in a rut. Maybe I'll get a real guitar player, and I'll do the filming.
;)

[tot_Ou_tard]

.Also, I still feel that the tone stack doesn't have much affect on the tone. It's subtle, maybe too much so.
;)
Were you on the Thick setting at the time? It bypasses the Tone Stack.

[marnold]

Were you on the Thick setting at the time? It bypasses the Tone Stack.
Earlier this very same thread . . .


Yes, I do know that on the "thick" setting, the tone stack is bypassed.

[bigG]

Congrats, Franken! If I didn't already have my beloved AC15 I'd be all over that Night Train like white on rice!

Great "little" amp w huge tone!

[SuperSwede]

Congrats FrankenFretter! Those are awesome little amphs.

[tot_Ou_tard]

Earlier this very same thread . . . Yup that's what comes from reading different posts in the same thread on different days.

[FrankenFretter]

I don't get much time to play guitar. I'm sure many of you can relate; life gets in the way. I think the only way I'm going to find more time is to make the time. Ah, but I digress...this is about my Night Train.

In addition to the Night Train, I also have a Marshall VS100 combo, a hybrid amp that I bought from a friend because it was too heavy for him to haul around. I've been alternating between the two amps in the limited time I have to play lately, and this is my take on the Night Train, comparing it to the Marshall.

The Vox seems to have a much sweeter, smoother overdrive to it. Think of it as the house drunk, sitting at the end of the bar, minding his own business with an all-day mellow buzz going on. Good-natured, and affable, with plenty of life experience tales to keep you entertained for hours, should you decide to subject yourself to the listening. The Marshall on the other hand is more like the angry alcoholic stepfather, with the violent growl that means business: The whiskey drunk, while the Vox is more of the wino variety. The tones of the Night Train are syrupy, smooth and sweet, but with enough bite to cut through the crowd. Great for that good ol' rock-n-roll sound.

I've never been completely satisfied with the clean channel of the Marshall, but the Night Train on the "bright" setting does the clean thing very nicely. Add a little more gain and you get that slightly broken jangle that responds well to pick attack. The term "chimey" has been used to describe it, which seems appropriate.

One thing that seems slightly lacking on the Night Train is bottom end. I theorize that it's much to do with the cab, an Epi Valve Jr. with an Eminence Lady Luck speaker. It's not a tiny cab by any means, but something about the Marshall gives it a huge advantage over the Vox when it comes to chunkiness. By adding my Fish & Chips EQ, I can manage to remedy that fairly well, but without that effect, the Vox does sound somewhat thinner than the VS100.

Petty beef: The "Thick/Bright" switch location is a bit clumsy, between the two chicken head knobs. It almost seems like an afterthought, and can be a challenge if the pointy ends of the knobs are both facing it. Not a big deal, but it's not very user friendly.

That's about it for now. Bear in mind that all this comes from a guy that isn't much of a guitar player, so take it for what it's worth. I love this amp, and as long as I'm not trying to play metal, it's my go-to amp. Well worth the money, even if I'd paid full price.