A while back I started asking questions about the ZT lunchbox amps. They compact as in tiny , lightweight yet pretty well featured , and for me that gets my attention .
Anyway I was given the opportunity to actually take the amps out on demo for a week to decide if I liked them , and could gig with them, cos as a pro muso , it’s all good and well to have small sized/compact gear but if it can’t deliver at gigs who needs it , so these amps got the demo of “trial by gigging”
Firstly lets just for those that don’t know ZT amps give a quick overview , they a new product ,released in about 2009 if I recall with the original lunchbox amp (which I had one of to compare) it’s 200W packed into a small 5kg package with no fx just gain, one tone one ambience and one volume control , so I kinda see this as the prototype or frontrunner…..of course these amps have small but powerful 6.5 inch built in speakers but have seaker outs so larger cabs can be used
The 2nd amp I had is the lunchbox acoustic model which is similar to the lunchbox but packed with features, I see this is the next generation of ZT amps it only came out in 2011 so new technology , and wow is it packed with features compared to the bare bones original, this features 2 channels and an aux in for cd , offers gain/bass/treble /reverb on each channel and a global volume, so it has reverb , offers phanton power an fx loop and a DI out and a headphone / line out (with it’s own volume) and external speaker output , and also just for good measure the mic channel which has cannon and ¼ inch jack inputs also has a feedback cut control……… and it’s also rated at 200W with a few cm larger chassis and weights 0.5 kg more
the acoustic luchbox
Oh and a feature I love and so will all travellers is that it has a voltage setting so NO issues with taking it on my trip to visit family in USA
ZT also make a 3rd model which I did not want to demo since I was interested in the compact ones , the Club model has a 12 inch speaker and 200W so bigger and heavier at 12 kg (if I recall) but it’s for the muso who does not want to add ext speakers for big gigs …and so ZT offer it as a 12 inch combo
So now why do I want one of these?
Well to me I spent most of my life travelling abroad performing and wished I had something like this I could travel with , since as it satnds at 5.5kg the acoustic ZT linchbox is a travellers dream rig… see the specs . even tho ,thanks to me being in a longterm relationship I may not be travelling that much BUT I do play jazz, and most of my gigs are small low volume gigs, so this amp is perfect for use with my archtop. And my thinking is that when I need more ‘oomph” in my sound I can either just use an extention speaker (12 inch) or in fact I have 4 guitar amps including a handwired tube amp. So they can be used on bigger gigs.
So how did the ZT’s shape up.
To me as a jazz player using an archtop jazz box with a floating pup I want that lovely rich sound, and quite happy to play softly but with great tone. So I tested the original lunchbox and I found it NOT great with the archtop BUT great with my telecaster , since it’s voiced for electric guitar , and wow is the original lunchbox loud, extremely so , I didn’t use it with pedals , since my attention was in finding a travel amp for my archtop , so after a few sessions in my rehearsal space I decided to box up the original and concentrate on the acoustic model ,
Ease of use,
i just plugged and and played , the settings are straight forward for anyone who owns an amp, and the bass and treble control are responsive so just a small tweak can change the tone , the gain structire on the lunchbox’s seems ro be quite low as in one tends to crank the gain , but for the archtop the gain was at about half and the volume then controlled how loud. So no degree in sound engineering or computer programming to use this beauty
Just how loud is it without extention speaker
Well I managed to do 3 ver4y different gigs with only using this amp, fri night was a busy 80 seater restaurant and I performed with my percussionist /drummer and it coped even with people noise, sat was a balcony gig in mellville , which was really quiet so no volume issues, then Sunday was a huge surprise as I peformed at rosebank rooftop market which is set up on the top floor of the parking garage at rosebank mall, so it’;s covered but like being in an aircraft hanger and the crowd is noisy , so I even brought another amp just in case. But the ZT handled the gig with just the built in speaker , sure driving almost full and placed on the floor to give bigger bass response , but Aja from the forum popped in to say hi and he helped me set the sound while I played and when he left I had a great sound that my target audience , the people sitting and eating could hear me well , and agan I don’t need to have a screaming guitar sound but just a sof but pleasant and in this case loud enough to cut through the tremendous background noise at the benue. And wow it coped
What about the bass from a 6.5 inch speaker
Well before I even took delivery of the amps I was preparing the extention cabs I would take to my gigs, cos in my old head I could NOT believe that this smnall amp could give any bass, I was sure the midrange would be great but was making plans to add extra bass, and I was gobsmacked at just how much bass these tiny amps put out , so much so , I found myself cutting bass , but that’s technology for you ,
So yes this tiny amp(well in size not power) handled a buzzing 80 seater restaurant /a quiet balcony gig/ and a parking arcade market gig , I truly thought it would only handle the quiet gig like the balcony on Saturday but even in the hage aircraft hanger like structure I got comments on how good I sounded by the organisers , and sonically that was the biggest hurdle
So what did I like and dislike about this amp
Likes
1.Super compact and light weight
2. Powerful enough to handle jazz /acoustic gigs
3. All the features I needed in one package
4. The option to use external speaker which do allow this amp to sound like any other 200W amp big and fat
Dislikes
1. The reverb is , ok , not great , but I don’t use much so it was not a deal breaker , but I feel the reverb could be improved as acoustic/jazz players ned a really nice sound as in “pretty” and this reverb does not help it
2. The power rating seems skewed, they say it’s 200W, and I believe it with the original lunchbox as I mentioned it really sounds LOUD but the acoustic one sounded much softer even using the same guitar m BUT the acoustic one offered better tone for the archtop but I reckon I can use only say 80W before the sound gets too harsh and becomes “unpretty” and harsh even though it can get louder , that volume is not able to be used if you want good tone. However that said it is sufficient to play with great tone to play with a drummer with brush’s and not feel drowned out
so who would buy something like this
well me for one, jazz players who need great tone but don’t need huge sound I’m buying the acoustic lunchbox for my archtop , and for an old fossil like me it’s great to carry a 5.5 kg amp to a gig and NOT a 20kg tube amp , I’m old enough to appreciate that the light weight but still with the sound and features is a huge “plus” or buying point for me.
Anyone who ever travels to perform , cos it’s an all in one package light weight but professional amp that can alter voltage for 110 /220
The singer /songwriters should be buying these as it’s all you need for vocal and guitar and small and powerful enough to handle any open mic setting ,
And sure this amp is NOT gonna replace your 4x12 marshall stack or your 2kW PA system, but it will be the go to amp, of anyone who needs quality tone at volumes still loud enough to gig at if you perform at restaurant or coffee shops,
Don’t let their size fool you
The advertising on the box says” the loudest little amps in the world” and they sh*t you not, believe the hype
Price wise you should go check out your dealers but ballpark retail is just under 4K for the orginal one and just under 5K for the acoustic one (the club with 12 inch is about 7.5K retail if I recall) BUT remember all stores offer discounts on this price so ask a friendly saleman to make you a dea;l you can;’t refuse cos we all know discounted pruces can lower the sost considerably .
Anyway I’m putting my money where my mouth is and buying the acoustic lunchbox.
It’s everything I ever wanted in a travel/gig amp and in a 5.5 kg package… I’m currently in “heavan” as for once there’s a company making gear for the traveller and gigging jazz musician .
