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Post by dei305 on Jun 2, 2006 14:20:20 GMT -7
I recently sent my MAZ 38 Invasion back to the good doctor for some noise issues I was having with the amp, reverb hum for one and I wanted Mike to check out the amp. I emailed him my request, he responded quickly and agreed to do it when he had time. I sent him the amp (chassis only). Given the current personnel situation at Doc Zs', dealer orders, Karl's' passing, and, to say the very least, Mike is a bit short handed. Yet, he still found the time to do his magic on my amp. I received the amp back today. OMG!, OMG, I cant stop yelling! What a tone machine now! No more reverb hum and tone for years. I truly appreciate his commitment to excellence, his awesome customer service, and his amp genius. Dr Z rules, period! Thanks ever so much Mike! Rick
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Post by JASON (aka jgleaton) on Jun 2, 2006 14:35:06 GMT -7
DITTO! Doc did the same thing for my Maz SR last december when I sent it back to him to be repaired ( and it sounded GREAT before I sent it as the only problem was the reverb not working).... and when I got it back, WOW!! MAN, he fixed MORE than the reverb!! Jason
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Post by JChance on Jun 2, 2006 15:23:52 GMT -7
Hey, Rick... I bet that amp is something special now. Mike Z is the best... Period.
J
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Post by dei305 on Jun 2, 2006 16:06:33 GMT -7
Hey Jayson, The Invasion sounds better than before. I also have a blonde 1-12 Maz Jr 18 with verb on the way. Congrats on getting set up with Curt Mangan as well! And Karma for you too! Your input and commitment to this forum has been way huge. Thanks so much and all the best to you! Rick
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Post by dei305 on Jun 3, 2006 8:18:47 GMT -7
One more important point. In discussing the reverb hum, Mike suggested I change the reverb tank to a short length 6 spring. As part of the amp check up, Mike hand picked an new set of tubes (which included a new matched quartet of GT EL-84's, and new preamp tubes), as well as a new accutronics 8ABA1B-6 spring short tank with long decay. He took the time to insulate the tank as well as include a brand new reverb bag. The original tank is an accutronics 9AB2C1B, 6 spring medium decay. Sure nuff as the good Doc suspected, there was a problem from the tank. I swapped out the bad for the new. I started dialing in a surf tone reverb with full treble and presence, plugged in my 76 strat and, OMG, OMG, here I go again! Thanks again Doc! Rick
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Post by propellr on Jun 5, 2006 20:44:28 GMT -7
I truly appreciate his commitment to excellence, his awesome customer service, and his amp genius. Dr Z rules, period! Thanks ever so much Mike! My sentiments, exactly! Speaking of thank yous, I'd like to paste a copy of the email I sent to Stu at Fat Sound of the review I gave concerning my new Maz 38. Here goes: Stu, I am writing to you to express my sincere appreciation for the professional courtesy extended to me by you and your staff at Fat Sound Guitars over the past several months, from my initial visits to your store in August through the receipt of my Dr. Z Maz 38 Senior NR amplifier and Z-Air Brake attenuator this past January. I was so pleased to learn over the phone that you stock so many Dr. Z amplifiers and speaker cabinets for your customers to test. You earned my patronage the moment I found out I could demo both the MAZ 18 Junior and the Maz 38 Senior through 1x12, 2x10, 2x12 and Z-Best configurations within the same visit. Your associates showed patience with me during my seemingly endless requests for them to let me here this or that speaker, “One more time.” They were also sensitive to my knowledge level and were glad to share information without engaging in posturing nor in condescension. In the end, I felt confident that my choice to order a Maz 38 Sr. 2x10 NR combo was one well-informed. I have shared with you before that you secured my business because of the salesmanship of your staff, the offerings in your store, and your assistance with the consignment sale of my Silverface Fender Princeton Reverb amplifier. Thanks again. The Dr. Z Maz 38 Senior NR 2x10 combo that I received in blonde tolex with brown grille cloth is the most beautiful amplifier I have ever seen. I am well pleased by the color selection available from Dr. Z, enabling me to further customize my order. I am also pleased with my new Tuki Cover. Thank you for recommending them to me. My brown Tuki looks like it was designed with my particular amplifier in mind and fits snugly. I will send you photos of my Z with my two Gibson guitars as soon as I am able. I have a Les Paul Smartwood Exotic in peroba as well as the natural Custom Shop ES-335 Dot Reissue I brought with me to your store. They look like three great tastes that taste great together. I wish I could actually tell you how good the Les Paul sounds through my new amp, but I must admit that I have not put down my ES-335 since my Z arrived. Imagine tone and volume knobs on my ES-335 as big as saucers and you will have an idea of the increased access to new and different sounds the Maz 38 has offered me. I keep telling my friends that I feel like I have a new guitar, because I am so much more able to hear what it has to offer. The neck pickup I appreciated for the way it captures the woody tones from the hollow chambers in the body, I now love with the addition of the full-on bark of a Rottweiler. The bridge pickup I had never exclusively used before, because it is a tad under wound and a bit brittle all by itself. Let me tell you, though, through the Maz, that bridge pickup sounds so creamy! Warm does not even begin to describe it; I can crank that bridge pickup all the way and it never ices up. I am interacting with my guitar now in much the same way that a driver controls a car with manual transmission; he feels the road underneath him and there is no loss of power between the gear shift and the transmission. My new Maz 38 allows me to play the best guitar sounds I have ever heard. Gone are the endless hours of tweaking the guitar and the amplifier during rehearsal to compensate for one problem or another. I don’t play the “fiddle” anymore. I just set the volume for the maximum grind I want with my pickups all the way up, dial in the master volume for the size of the room, and turn the cut knob so my ears ask all the questions. Next, I add just enough bass so I can hear it, and then add and subtract treble and middle until they seem to disappear. Everything else is up to me. I control the overdrive with my guitar volume knobs and by using appropriate pick attack. I can toggle between neck and bridge pickups to select the right tones for each song and I never have to touch my amp except to turn it up! Dr. Z has put the power back in the hands of the people, to be sure. I have also enjoyed the addition of my Z-Air Brake. I love the chewy overdrive that the Senior offers, but I cannot always jam out inside my house in the city. The Air Brake allows me to control the decibel level of my sound quickly and easily, especially for in-home rehearsals when the others in my household are present. The Air Brake allows me to access performance-ready tones at levels over which I can rehearse vocals without the need to drag out the PA system. Stu, I couldn’t be happier with my Fat Sound purchases—ever since my amp and attenuator arrived, I have played more electric guitar than ever before. The Maz 38 Senior NR 2x10 combo, together with my Gibson ES-335, is the sound in my head. I have them set up in the dining room, but then, you knew Dr. Z tone is tone you can taste. Sincerely, Xxxxx Xxxxx Richmond, VA
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Post by dei305 on Jun 6, 2006 7:40:14 GMT -7
propellr, I hope some day to actually visit his store. I have had the pleasure to speak with Stu and several of the sales staff on the phone. Courteous, polite, knowledgeable, passionate, and they take great pride in what they do! I have emailed Stu with questions about guitars or amps and he promptly responds in an incredibly informative matter with a polite and caring attitude. Stu and the Fat Sounds crew are truly are rarity in Musical Instrument retailers. These guys are simply way ahead of the curve. Rick
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Post by Bill on Jun 6, 2006 8:20:41 GMT -7
Most of my Z purchases have been new, but a while back I bought a used Ghia. At a band rehearsal the amp died and a little puff of smoke rose up from it. I called Z and then sent him the head. A week later I opened the box at work as soon as it arrived. I was completely shocked when I pulled the amp out. Z knew I had a couple blonde/oxblood cabinets, and my Ghia was black/salt/pepper. He had taken it upon himself to put the chassis into a blonde/oxblood box he had laying around somewhere, so that it matched my cabinets perfectly! And plugging it in...WOWZA!! When the man tweaks an amp, he really TWEAKS it! ;D
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Post by BW on Jun 8, 2006 9:10:51 GMT -7
The Latter Day Leo. "We're not WORTHY!"
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Post by propellr on Jun 12, 2006 10:15:32 GMT -7
For some reason, Madison, your avatar pic makes your Stingray look HUGE. When I saw it for real, it looked like a lunchbox! I think it's the diagonal lines and the low eye level in that pic. Is that a 1x12 cab?
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Post by Bill on Jun 12, 2006 10:31:38 GMT -7
For some reason, Madison, your avatar pic makes your Stingray look HUGE. When I saw it for real, it looked like a lunchbox! I think it's the diagonal lines and the low eye level in that pic. Is that a 1x12 cab? It's a very photogenic amp, and the camera angle can work magic! The cab is the "old style" 19x19, so with the head on top it's only about 27" inches tall. Or like some have commented to me, "hey looky at that Zenith quarter stack!". Here's a shot of showing more proper proportion...before I re-did the grill cloth:
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