captain38
Full Member
I followed you big river...
Posts: 198
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Post by captain38 on Feb 1, 2007 22:13:04 GMT -7
Okay...first of all let me say that it feels good to be part of the Z family!!! I have a Maz 38 NR combo with two blues (it's red by the way) This amp friggin' KILLS!!! We're talkin' Waco! I Love it!
phew. Let me get to the point. ...I've got a couple if you don't mind.
first and most important...on certain notes i have got some kind of crazy rattle goin' on...I can't figure it out. I called the guys at Z and they said to flick the tubes and check on em'. Now I've thrown all new tubes in the thing (afterabout three 1/2 months) needless to say that weird rattle/buzz thing is still there. It's especially pertinant that I get this figured out because our band is in the midst of recording and we've had to change some hot settings because that buzz would show up in the recording. Any help would be greatly appreciated!!!!!!
second...let me say I love this amp...however, for me any open back in a very large venue tends to sound too thin on stage. I've tinkered heavily with the idea of a z-best 2x12...do you think this would help to solve my problem?...I love how big they sound...does anyone have one for sale...one things for sure...they ain't cheap! haha!
I guess that's actually all for right now...effects question can go elsewhere (box of rock?)...all I know is after 5 months I'm still finding different ways to run my amp...all of which I love!!!
Any help is appreciated!!!! BTW:...when we get some of our new recorded stuff out I'll post it...the Z is all over that thing. We're recording with the guy that did some Robert Randolph stuff(which featured Clapton on the new album)...we're just a rock band though...nowhere near the talent of those two...or ya'll...believe you me!...but some good sounds though.
Sorry I just talked like a woman (no offense)...first post...got a little excited and...woops. paul
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Post by canes on Feb 2, 2007 0:30:35 GMT -7
Did you replace the rectifier also, ive had consistent rattle with many of my rectifier tubes? I aslo have certain notes that rattle/buzz (but i havent opened it up and/or tightened all the screws and bolts as i should; as my amps are all used). There is a thread around here somewhere by the Doc I think that details this procedure of tightening down a Z amp. Cant answer Z Best question as i dont own one but it seems the consensus around here is its a BIG, LOUD, great sounding cab. So maybe it would suit your needs. Jason
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Post by JASON (aka jgleaton) on Feb 2, 2007 1:16:00 GMT -7
Paul, first welcome to the forum... the Z best is not only not cheap... it's a little on the heavy side BUT... worth the $ and it will ROAR.. let me tell ya... a Maz 38 and a z-best will keep up with just about any amp cause it also cuts through the mix so well... I just about can't use my Maz SR head with my Z-best (would love to use it more) cause it's too loud in most places, was even too loud outside at times... that Maz Sr and the Maz Jr just beg you to crank them.... thats where I'm liking it.. My Maz JR or the GHIA are actually pretty loud through it too, but you can crank them more and get away with it... a Maz JR and a Z best will hang with alot of amps way more powerful... you'd be suprised... If I had to keep up with SBrantley playing his roaring Plexi and 4x12 marshall cab it would be my Maz SR and the Z-best...
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Post by division17 on Feb 2, 2007 6:38:29 GMT -7
Welcome captain38,
Can't help you much with the rattle problem ... but I've had that problem too but with other amps. For me, it was always a tube that was the culprit.
As for the Z-best, I used to have one but I recently sold it. It's the perfect marriage for the Maz Sr ... but for me, most of my playing is at home, so I don't need that kind of power. I find though for stage use, the open back to be much better. The Z-best is a fantastic monster but depending on how its placed on stage, you may find it to be a little unidirectional. I find with open back cabs, the sound spreads better across the stage.
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captain38
Full Member
I followed you big river...
Posts: 198
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Post by captain38 on Feb 2, 2007 9:36:13 GMT -7
I appreciate ya'll's responses!...I have replaced the rectifier tube with a good one that the guy at rock block sold me...still can't figure out this rattle.?
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Post by billyguitar on Feb 2, 2007 10:21:13 GMT -7
Lay the amp down and tighten every thing you see. Hopefully it's not a speaker coming apart. The Blues are some of the best sounding speakers made but nobody ever said they had much bottom. If you had another speaker of the same impedance you might swap one out and that would get you a little more bottom. Also if you're running the treble and mids real high they will dominate over the bass pretty easily. If you hook up an extension cab be sure that you understand the speaker jacks on the amp are not extension jacks. They are transformer taps of those specific impedances.
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Post by (8^D) on Feb 2, 2007 10:42:47 GMT -7
Mentioned above, but check and if necessary: 1. tighten the top chassis screws (4 silver screws on the top of the amp); 2. tighten the 4 speaker screws (don't crank or you'll warp the speaker); 3. tighten the top and bottom back pannels (again, don't over crank or you can strip the wood); 4. tighten the nuts on the power and standby switches and input jacks on the front pannel; 5. tighten the screws on the cabinet corner protectors.
Might also push down on the handle covers while playing to see if they're buzzing a bit.
Outside of that, I would think you should shift focus to the tubes and speakers.
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Post by zdogma on Feb 2, 2007 11:07:10 GMT -7
Mentioned above, but check and if necessary: 1. tighten the top chassis screws (4 silver screws on the top of the amp); 2. tighten the 4 speaker screws (don't crank or you'll warp the speaker); 3. tighten the top and bottom back pannels (again, don't over crank or you can strip the wood); 4. tighten the nuts on the power and standby switches and input jacks on the front pannel; 5. tighten the screws on the cabinet corner protectors. Might also push down on the handle covers while playing to see if they're buzzing a bit. Outside of that, I would think you should shift focus to the tubes and speakers. That is a good starting point. The bell covers on the blues will rattle or buzz sometimes too. Get someone to push on it to check. You can take them off, but you have to damage the cool sticker to do it. I often put a little silicone caulking around the bell, where it meets the speaker frame.
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Post by guitarboy02451 on Feb 21, 2007 9:57:10 GMT -7
captain38,
The rattle is probably from several places. It's best to trouble shoot with two people. 1 person behind the amp lightly touching the tubes to determine where the rattle is coming from.
1. On combo's the EL84's will rattle and the Rec will rattle. I purchased tube dampeners from Herbies Audio. On my brand new Ghia I had the same issue, then when my friend Matt H brought his Ghia over it was doing the same thing. We both purchased the dampeners and the rattle went away. Make sure you get 4 for the El84's and one for the Rec. This will solve all your rattle issues and their really inexpensive.
2. Z-Best cab is literally the best cab out there. I've compared against THD, BadCat, Kendrick and the Z-Best is the tightest cab going. Also, because it's closed back with a gh12h30 on the bottom and a v-30 on top, your highs will mellow out and your lows will increase.
Another way to do this is look at what you have in V1. The ECC83's tend to be pretty stout. For a smoother mellower tone, you might want to get the New Sensor / Svetlana's.
Hope all this helps and welcome to the Forum. Looking forward to the clips when they are done.
pg
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buster
Junior Member
Posts: 73
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Post by buster on Feb 21, 2007 15:35:58 GMT -7
Have a friend who finally traced a rattle to the handle on his Maz jr. He had to tighten the screws and the problem went away. A weirder thing is he had to put duct tape around the reverb bag because somehow that was rattling also.
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captain38
Full Member
I followed you big river...
Posts: 198
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Post by captain38 on Feb 22, 2007 17:13:56 GMT -7
I'm going to check out those tube dampeners!...i have a feeling that that may be what it is.
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captain38
Full Member
I followed you big river...
Posts: 198
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Post by captain38 on Feb 22, 2007 17:21:52 GMT -7
here's another question: dealing with an extension cab Someone on the forum was telling me that the inputs on the back of the head (4,8,and16 ohms) were not necessarily for an extension cab because they are all run to different parts of the amp or something to that effect. Now I have a Maz38 combo with two blues plugged into the 4 ohm jack. What is the best way to go about hooking up a zbest 2x12? do I have to a/b or is it fine to just plug and play?
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Post by guitarboy02451 on Feb 23, 2007 6:36:56 GMT -7
You are correct, the extra speaker output jacks are not 'extension' speaker jacks. They are there to connect the Z amp to the properly rated speaker cabs. You cannot use two of the outputs at the same time.
Best Practice: The Z-Best is an 8 ohm input. You could run a cable from the 8 ohms output jack on the amp directly to the z-best. Or you could use a Y-Cable and have both the blues and the Z-Best.
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captain38
Full Member
I followed you big river...
Posts: 198
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Post by captain38 on Feb 23, 2007 23:42:56 GMT -7
hey thanks!!! any idea where to get a Y-cable?...Like a good y speaker cable? And would I just use the 4 and 8 ohm outputs like normal?
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Post by guitarboy02451 on Feb 24, 2007 11:33:02 GMT -7
Lava Cable will do the Y cable. No not 4 and 8... just 8 (or whatever ohms the cab is) The Y will go the internal speaker the other side of the y will go to the cab.
I'm not sure of the ohms. It will depend on the cab you get. Before you do this, check the Ask Myles section first. You might want to send a PM to Myles or Lefty as they would have more info.
If you don't get the Ohms right, you could ruin the amp.
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