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Post by jbgtr on May 28, 2008 12:24:54 GMT -7
So I tried a few Dr Z's for the first time the other day and was completely blown away.
The one that really stuck out was the Stangray with a Z-Best cab. Completely amazing. I was looking thru all the amps Z makes, and noticed there are a few with a Quad of EL84's aside from the Stangray.
Has anyone tried a direct comparison of the Stangray with the Prescription, the Maz 38, and the Mazerati???
What differences, aside from onboard controls, do you hear? Preferences???
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Post by supafuzz on May 28, 2008 16:14:13 GMT -7
I've owned the Stingray and the Maz 38. Very different amps. To me the Maz was more of a Vox-Fender-Marshall blend of tones, but didn't nail any one of those tones precisely. The Stingray is decidedly Voxy, chimes with the best of 'em and less mids. I kept the 'Ray and sold the Maz. User "telejas" has owned all of those you listed and did extensive clips. Here is his site, and he will probably chime in with much better advice than me. Good luck. www.guitartest.moonfruit.com/
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Post by benttop (Steve) on May 28, 2008 16:24:21 GMT -7
I have three of those four: an original Stingray (name changed after the first 50), a Mazerati GT, and an RXES. I also have a Maz 18, so I think I have a bit of a feel for what the Maz 38 is all about. Here's my assessment: Stang Ray: Cleanest of the lot. Played through a 2x12 with Celestion Alnico Blues you will think you've died and gone to heaven. Think the intro chord to Hard Day's Night by the Beatles - it just jangles! Maz Jr (very similar to the Maz 38): Very flexible tone arrangement. Strong midrange thrust. Lots of clean headroom, but also you can get really nice gainy tones with it. Not high gain, but like an original non master Marshall. The Maz amps are the best sellers for a reason. RXES: I'll give you Doc Z's own words: "Well being an Ex - Drummer, that Percussive Attack to me is the sound of a Rim Shot. A nice Upper Mid Pop with a lot of Dynamics and a fast Transient rise. That is the kind of Powerful Accent that I designed into the RX line. DR.Z" He nailed it of course. This amp also has a lot more gain than the Maz amps, and that very cool OD footswitch. Mazerati GT: Highest gain amp in the lineup I think. The design goal was to hook your guitar straight to the speaker with gain - and it has plenty of gain. This amp is a lot of fun to play, and cleans up beatifully with your guitar's volume control. Words don't really suffice here, but these are all world-class amps. I've tried my best to demonstrate how some of them sound via clips, but sound clips still fall way short of actually experiencing them. Nevertheless, you CAN get some idea from clips, so take a detour over to my gear page because I have a LOAD of clips over there: www.gear.strayca.com. Look for the comparisons - I know there's one that compares the Stingray to the RXES, and there are a few others like that. Hope that helps.
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Post by telejas on May 28, 2008 20:40:37 GMT -7
Someone been talking about me?? Yep, I have owned all 4 of those..... The Stangray is by far my favorite, not just out of all 4 of those, but out of any amp I've ever owned. The Stangray is the chimey-ist, bouncy-ist, most beautiful cleans you'll ever hear. Tons of low end on tap to shake your walls (if you want it), or you can dial it all out to be AM radio thin. The Cut can go from dull to mega chime and every where in between. Turn it up to about 4 and beyond and the grit starts kicking in with enough at the top of the volume knob (up to 10) to get in to some classic rock. RxES is probably the stiffist feeling out of the bunch, not as much low end as a Ray (but enough to make your sound man gripe), more in the upper mids to treble area (not really chime, but more highs - but in a good way). This amp also rocks out pretty good, gets dirtier than the ray but also has *almost* as good of cleans.... but like I said, more percussive/stiffer. Maz Sr (Maz 38): Unfortunatly my least favorite of the bunch...... not sure why?? I just didn't bond with it, but I still get yelled at for saying that. Not that it was bad by any means, just not as "voxy" or "British" sounding as the RxES and Ray. Has a little Fender blended in the mix with less mids. To me, it always felt a little on the brittle side with not enough low end for me. Mazerati: I truely LOVE this amp!! It's a cross between the Stangray and the RxES.... but with less chime than the both. It takes the stiffness of the RxES and the Voxy tones in the Ray and mixes them up with a bit of Marshall mids and some tight low end (not as much as the Ray, but more than the Rx and Maz Sr). This little beast can also be the "rudest" of the 4, not really more overdrive, but ruder (in a good way)... Just something about the way it breaks up on the top end. It also gets in to the hard rock zone of tones better with the use of pedals. This is my favorite amp for the hard rock stuff (when being pushed with pedals). You can hear the clips I've recorded at the site above....... The Ray is my just my be all - end all amp of all time. It's my "stranded on an Island with only one amp" amp. If it were a woman, I'd marry it.... Ok, forget I said that. You may ask "if you like the Rati, why are you trying to sell it"?? It's almost too close to the Ray and I've been looking for something different........ but I'll probably end up keeping in the end, I've been tempted by other amps but just not enough to leave the Rati..... yet. Hope this helps..... I actually just took what Benttop said and re-worded it to sound like my own opinion, (jk). Hope it helps jason
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Post by benttop (Steve) on May 28, 2008 21:13:40 GMT -7
I actually just took what Benttop said and re-worded it to sound like my own opinion, (jk). Hope it helps jason Hehehe... But Jason has the Mazerati, which is not to be confused with the Mazerati GT. Very different amps! Oh, and by the way, I bought at least two of my lot after listening to Jason's clips.
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Post by groovergeorge on May 28, 2008 21:57:55 GMT -7
" I bought at least two of my lot after listening to Jason's clips." Funny that, Jason seems to be having the same effect on me! Keep on picking Jason. Also I loved the chime and sparkle you were getting out of the Stingray when you were playing "Badge". Absolutely beautiful Steve.
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Post by jbgtr on May 29, 2008 9:59:46 GMT -7
Thanks a bunch guys, for all the feedback, that helps a lot!
I seriously haven't been able to sleep since I played the Stang Ray, but was curious if anyone had a serious preference to one of the others.
I think the time has come to hawk a few of the old ones and get the Stang Ray, really apppreciate it!
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Post by 909one on May 29, 2008 11:32:50 GMT -7
See my post here... drzamplifiers.proboards41.com/index.cgi?board=stingray&action=display&thread=12968I just recently traded a Maz for the Stangray. I don't miss the Maz at all. After a few weeks, I still think the Stangray has some of the best clean tones I have ever heard. When pushed it sounds like no other amp I have owned. It's definitely an early vox sound, but much better. Not boxey and midrangey like most Voxes.
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Post by telejas on Jun 2, 2008 22:32:29 GMT -7
Jason, Ok, I've seen your gear...which superball or other lottery did you win? I wish I still owned all of those amps!! I just have my Ray and my Rati. Lots-o-trading went on over the last few years my good friend, but I think they've come to a stop...... at least with the Ray and more than likely the Rati too.
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Post by gheston on Jun 5, 2008 18:11:22 GMT -7
I can't advise on anything I haven't owned, so I won't comment on all the amps. You can't go wrong with a StangRay.
>>> I can strongly recommend the StingRay/StangRay the Dr. Z 2x12 "open back" loaded with twin Alnico Blues. <<<
I also own a Z-Best, but the 'Ray just loves open-blues.
My two cents' worth.
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