Dr Z?

Misty

ICBM said:

I've hated every one I've tried. Nasty spiky, clangy sounding.

Also all the ones I've seen for repair have not been particularly well made, run the valves unnecessarily hard and in at least one case has a stupid choice of speaker... a G12H-30 in a 38W amp - unsurprisingly it was blown.

I don't get the hype at all.

Fair enough, and I can't dispute your expertise, but I must say I am really, really surprised. There's so much praise for the Z stuff, including build quality and tone.  I would describe the amps I've tried as chimey and musical rather than spiky and clangy, but as always it all depends what you're looking for. It's a good point about that speaker though, the G12H30 has been stock in the Maz 38 combo for some years, and at one time I emailed both Dr Z and Celestion about this, who both assured me the speaker would handle it. So did Humbucker Music in the US, who assured me that has been the most popular speaker for that amp. I still didn't feel comfortable going with it though, and after a spell with a V30 I now use a Gold with mine, it's a monstrously loud amp.

IvisonGuitars

Misty said:

ICBM said:

I've hated every one I've tried. Nasty spiky, clangy sounding.

Also all the ones I've seen for repair have not been particularly well made, run the valves unnecessarily hard and in at least one case has a stupid choice of speaker... a G12H-30 in a 38W amp - unsurprisingly it was blown.

I don't get the hype at all.

Fair enough, and I can't dispute your expertise, but I must say I am really, really surprised. There's so much praise for the Z stuff, including build quality and tone.  I would describe the amps I've tried as chimey and musical rather than spiky and clangy, but as always it all depends what you're looking for. It's a good point about that speaker though, the G12H30 has been stock in the Maz 38 combo for some years, and at one time I emailed both Dr Z and Celestion about this, who both assured me the speaker would handle it. So did Humbucker Music in the US, who assured me that has been the most popular speaker for that amp. I still didn't feel comfortable going with it though, and after a spell with a V30 I now use a Gold with mine, it's a monstrously loud amp.

Don't take it to heart @Misty, this is coming from a guy who touts a Mesa Trem-o-verb at any opportunity....there's no accounting for taste... ;-)

Misty

Point taken miserneil, thanks! Nothing wrong with a Tremoverb apart from the weight..., but still I also should say that Dr Z himself, Mike Zaite, is passionate about his amps and will normally respond, albeit briefly, within 24 hours to any query. A tech friend of mine once had an issue, and Z was clearly genuinely interested and concerned, responding several times. You don't always get that level of attention. The down side is that he's in the US, and there's only one "authorised" repair tech in the UK, though of course there are people like ICBM who I'm sure will be more than able to deal with any potential problems, though as I said, I've personally never had any with my Zs. I'm currently considering buying another.

Moltisanti

I've never played one but the clips of the Z Wreck sound incredible 

BigRedOne

I've been a Maz 18 NR and a Remedy owner for a few years now - lovely, simple amps that both have a good range to their sound.  I use them constantly and I've only blown one fuse.  I'd recommend picking up a second hand one to anyone.

Blacksheep

I love the Maz 18 and have done hundreds of gigs, usually with a 2x10 or 4x10.
however, in isolation and at anything under about 6 on the volume, they can sound spiky. Then again, so can a vintage Plexi.
But put them in band context up against drums and bass and running at anything like optimum volume and they come into their own.
Despite the relatively low wattage they are most definitely not bedroom amps.

TimmyO

Blacksheep said:

I love the Maz 18 and have done hundreds of gigs, usually with a 2x10 or 4x10.
however, in isolation and at anything under about 6 on the volume, they can sound spiky. Then again, so can a vintage Plexi.
But put them in band context up against drums and bass and running at anything like optimum volume and they come into their own.
Despite the relatively low wattage they are most definitely not bedroom amps.

Agree about excelling in a band setting - my bandmates were all impressed when I got the Maz.

I think part of that spiky thing is as much feel as sound - probably the most 'immediate' amp I have played - and I know my playing improved enormously througpught the time I had it.

It's just part of your chain though - a couple of times when we had to play ridiculously low volume gigs I just ran through a 'screamer type pedal set to medium gain and used the guitar volume to clean up - it softened out the response enough to get some usable dynamics in that setting.

If you come from something with sag/compression/softer top end and less immediate it will feel like hard work at first. (talking about the Maz) 

Cacofonix

I've always wanted a Maz, but one in one out stopped me.  They sound great on the champions of chime tests.

Dodge

ICBM said:

I've hated every one I've tried. Nasty spiky, clangy sounding.

Have you ever come across the Z Wreck? It's a fine sounding amp. Bonkers expensive for what's a flashy AC30 clone though.

ICBM

Dodge said:

Have you ever come across the Z Wreck? It's a fine sounding amp. Bonkers expensive for what's a flashy AC30 clone though.

No - but I don't like the clips I've heard of Trainwreck amps either, so I suspect I would hate it as well .

The odd thing is that as well as loose amps like the Trem-o-verb I like even more extremely hard and unforgiving ones - like big solid-state Peaveys. There's just something about the upper-midrange 'clang' tone in the Dr.Zs that I can't stand. I absolutely detested the Swart AST I tried too, and a lot of people seem to love those.

stickyfiddle

ICBM said:

Dodge said:

Have you ever come across the Z Wreck? It's a fine sounding amp. Bonkers expensive for what's a flashy AC30 clone though.

No - but I don't like the clips I've heard of Trainwreck amps either, so I suspect I would hate it as well .

The odd thing is that as well as loose amps like the Trem-o-verb I like even more extremely hard and unforgiving ones - like big solid-state Peaveys. There's just something about the upper-midrange 'clang' tone in the Dr.Zs that I can't stand. I absolutely detested the Swart AST I tried too, and a lot of people seem to love those.

I think we're pretty diametrically opposed on amp tastes as I always seek out stuff with that upper-mid clang and can't get on with anything too hi-fi - give me a small, low-wattage combo any day of the week. I haven't tried one but I suspect I'd hate a Tremoverb

Moltisanti

@ICBM if you hate this tone you are dead on the inside

richardhomer

Moltisanti said:

@ICBM if you hate this tone you are dead on the inside

That sounds somewhat Roy Buchananesque....

Guaranteed to displease ICBM

IvisonGuitars

ICBM said:

...like the Trem-o-verb....

Look out.... ;-)

ICBM

Moltisanti said:

@ICBM if you hate this tone you are dead on the inside

Yep, hate it. Nasty grating upper-mid clang with a sort of 'splash' at the start of the notes. Perfectly illustrates why I don't like them.

This is how to do that sort of sound right: (Not a Trem-o-verb .)



Much prefer this guy's playing too.

IvisonGuitars

Moltisanti said:

@ICBM if you hate this tone you are dead on the inside

That sounds great...very much in the Bad Cat, Matchless, Top Hat vein. I find most of these boutique Vox-a-likes are pretty much variations on a common theme. IMO it's a case of pick your brand and go for it.

IvisonGuitars

ICBM said:

Moltisanti said:

@ICBM if you hate this tone you are dead on the inside

Yep, hate it. Nasty grating upper-mid clang with a sort of 'splash' at the start of the notes. Perfectly illustrates why I don't like them.

This is how to do that sort of sound right: (Not a Trem-o-verb .)



Much prefer this guy's playing too.

See, that gets much too 'fizzy' when he digs in for me. 

Good job we all like something difference though, eh? Be a boring old life if we didn't.

hywelg

miserneil said:

ICBM said:

Moltisanti said:

@ICBM if you hate this tone you are dead on the inside

Yep, hate it. Nasty grating upper-mid clang with a sort of 'splash' at the start of the notes. Perfectly illustrates why I don't like them.

This is how to do that sort of sound right: (Not a Trem-o-verb .)



Much prefer this guy's playing too.

See, that gets much too 'fizzy' when he digs in for me. 

Good job we all like something difference though, eh? Be a boring old life if we didn't.

I agree, far too harsh. Would be very hard on the ears.

ICBM

hywelg said:

I agree, far too harsh. Would be very hard on the ears.

Odd. I find the Dr.Z far harsher and harder on the ears, to the point of being uncomfortable. The Mesa, not so - it has none of that grating 'splash' at the start of the note, and it has *proper* top-end, instead of being all upper-mid. Just a much higher quality sound.

ThePrettyDamned

ICBM said:

hywelg said:

I agree, far too harsh. Would be very hard on the ears.

Odd. I find the Dr.Z far harsher and harder on the ears, to the point of being uncomfortable. The Mesa, not so - it has none of that grating 'splash' at the start of the note, and it has *proper* top-end, instead of being all upper-mid. Just a much higher quality sound.

I agree with all this. 

And its a good thing  we do like different things. Can you imagine Queen without the sound of vox? Or slash without the Marshall? Or Neil Young without his box of exploding capacitors?