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Post by squeallydan on Mar 18, 2006 7:55:15 GMT -7
I just picked up a Maz Sr. It's used. Its about a year old with the original tubes in it. I haven't gigged with it yet, but I will tonight. Funny thing, it doesn't seem any louder than my Maz Jr. was. I guess what I mean is that it doesn't seem to have any more clean head room. Anyone ever experience this? MAybe new tubes?
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Post by Greg G. on Mar 18, 2006 9:27:10 GMT -7
squeallydan,
You should definitely notice a significant increase in clean headroom with the Senior as opposed to the Junior. When I had both my Senior and Junior, the Senior always seemed to have noticeably more volume and clean headroom on tap than the Junior. With the Junior, plugged into the low input, volume at about 1 o'clock, the amp stops getting "louder" when the master gets past about 2 o'clock. Rather, with the master dimed it just gets warmer, fatter and more aggressive. The same setup on my Senior, the amp has a significant increase in volume with the master from 2 o'clock to fully dimed. I rarely was able to run the Senior completely dimed for that reason, it was just too much clean volume for most situations. The Senior just always seemed to have a greater volume range than the Junior, which is why it is so versitile.
So, I would probably say that a good retubing should open the amp up volume/headroom wise. I would start there if I were you.
-Greg
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Post by billyguitar on Mar 18, 2006 11:41:15 GMT -7
I agree on tubes. You don't know what you've got until you do. I retubed my Maz 38 sr recently and it was night and day improvement.
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Post by Phil (aka Phil) on Mar 18, 2006 17:47:35 GMT -7
I recently A/B tested a MAZ Jr NR vs. a MAZ Sr NR. The Sr was noticeably louder. Whenever I buy a used amp, especially one with EL84's, I change them almost immediately.
PDW
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Post by squeallydan on Mar 18, 2006 21:08:54 GMT -7
I gotta change the tubes. I gigged tonight and the Sr didn't sound as good as my jr did. It really doesn't seem to stay clean at all. Which tubes should I change and what should I use for max headroom.
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Post by Greg G. on Mar 18, 2006 22:45:22 GMT -7
JJ's are a cost effective new replacement, overall balanced tone as well. I'm sure some of the guys on this forum will have all kinds of NOS suggestions that will ultimitely equal big $$$ (true, most of the vets on this forum know more about tube compliment than I do ). But, I think one of the great things about the Z's is that they are built around the tubes being produced today, so that they will sound good with readily available replacements. Not like a Matchless amp that requires pristine NOS tubes that fall within a very small tolerance, or most vintage amps that just lose their magic with newer tubes. But, what do I know...
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Post by Deleted on Mar 18, 2006 22:54:44 GMT -7
For output tubes, use a Matched Quartet of GT EL-84S #6. If you look in 'Tube Info' on the Dr. Z site it gives you what the stock tubes that come with the amp. For power tubes though the GTs are awesome. You could always spend the money and go NOS but you don't have to. Tonezealot is right in saying that the MAZ38 was built around current production tubes so I wouldn't get in to the NOS stuff unless you have the money to do so. If are going to go NOS talk to Mike at KCA tubes he will help you out.
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Post by guitarboy02451 on Mar 18, 2006 23:14:45 GMT -7
If it was 1 year with original tubes then they are probably well overdue for a change. Myles states that around 600 hours of play time is about it for EL84's. Probably wouldn't be a bad idea to change everything out at the same time (12ax7's and el84's).
My suggestion is the same as Aruntang, GT EL84 #6's. I have 3 svetlana 12ax7's which sound really good.
The Sr. has a ton of head room. What type of guitary do you play?
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Post by squeallydan on Mar 19, 2006 7:51:27 GMT -7
I use a tele or a PRS- When I use the PRS, I usually use the single-coil setting- the one that splits the humbuckers. Sounds more like a strat.
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Post by JASON (aka jgleaton) on Mar 19, 2006 11:20:55 GMT -7
For output tubes, use a Matched Quartet of GT EL-84S #6. If you look in 'Tube Info' on the Dr. Z site it gives you what the stock tubes that come with the amp. For power tubes though the GTs are awesome. You could always spend the money and go NOS but you don't have to. Tonezealot is right in saying that the MAZ38 was built around current production tubes so I wouldn't get in to the NOS stuff unless you have the money to do so. If are going to go NOS talk to Mike at KCA tubes he will help you out. DITTO....KCA and if you get ONE NOS tube....GET A MULLARD RECTIFIER!!! I've got the GT el-84's in mine at #6 Had various newer tubes in the 12ax7's (svetlanas) / Might have one NOS in there but that MULLARD rectifier ( or other NOS rectifiers suggested by mike @ KCA for the MAZ) sounds awesome.... big difference.... also maybe a 2nd NOS tube..... a 5751 in there... ;D BTW... MAZ SR should have WAY MORE clean headroom than the JR and a less compressed tone/ sound... way more open... but still a hint of compression and not quite as capable as the JR of the overdrive thing...really two different amps with similar voicings... theres a wonderful setting that is mentioned quite often on this forum by using the LOW input and maxing out the MASTER for basically a none master amp....BIG.... BIG TONE!!!!! open and large...liked the amp before this setting and now LOVE this amp...it's THE amp for this sound!!! between the MAZ SR and the STINGRAY... you have GOT to have some big tone... Jason
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Post by JASON (aka jgleaton) on Mar 19, 2006 11:34:00 GMT -7
JJ's are a cost effective new replacement, overall balanced tone as well. I'm sure some of the guys on this forum will have all kinds of NOS suggestions that will ultimitely equal big $$$ (true, most of the vets on this forum know more about tube compliment than I do ). But, I think one of the great things about the Z's is that they are built around the tubes being produced today, so that they will sound good with readily available replacements. Not like a Matchless amp that requires pristine NOS tubes that fall within a very small tolerance, or most vintage amps that just lose their magic with newer tubes. But, what do I know... I really like the JJ rectifier, out of the newer rectifiers thats what I use... and ditto on the JJ el-84's... also EH or svetlana's for new 12ax7's are good... a strategically placed NOS tube among some newer ones can be a liitle more cost affective than ALL NOS and make a big difference in the overall sound too.... Jason
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Post by propellr on Mar 21, 2006 13:13:38 GMT -7
Hey jgleaton,
What's up with your random "yard sale" advert on your signature there? You made me do a double take just now. Thought it was some tricked out new stompbox-- I get it! It makes you sound like you're in a garage band! LOL!
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Post by JASON (aka jgleaton) on Mar 22, 2006 23:34:54 GMT -7
Hey jgleaton, What's up with your random "yard sale" advert on your signature there? You made me do a double take just now. Thought it was some tricked out new stompbox-- I get it! It makes you sound like you're in a garage band! LOL! I AM in a Garage band!! ;D actually.. we practice in a Barbecue joint after hours so we're a" Barbecue Blues Band" Nah... the Yard sale thing is cause I'm starting to feel like a small boutique amp shop... running out of room...somethings got to give... AND although I would like to be like him/ have a collection like him... I cannot even begin to try to keep up with Myles amp collection... when I'm hiding amps in the room behind amps so my wife doesn't notice something different about an amp... " honey, did that amp have a Black front before..I could have swore it was all blonde?" eventually somethings got to give... right?
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Post by propellr on Mar 23, 2006 5:46:59 GMT -7
That's hilarious!
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