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Post by markymark on Jan 4, 2008 17:47:49 GMT -7
I realize that the thread title might as well have been apples and oranges (British-voiced v. American-voiced amps). I grew up playing Strats and Teles on Fender amps, and accordingly feel "at home" (and amazed) when I plug into a Galaxie at my local music store. However, I played a MAZ Sr. and Jr. the other day and really liked them (especially with a tele, I think the EL84's work better there) but they seem to lack some of the Fender tonal territory that I'm used to hearing - the distortion seems a bit buzzier, and articulated; less smooth and natural than a 6L6 distortion. However, I really love some of the added dynamics and new rock territory that the MAZ amps provide. I guess I'd like to venture out into new territory, but I'd like to retain the ability to get Fender-like sounds.
Have any of you approached 6L6-like smoothness with a MAZ amp? I've searched the sound clip section and heard some people play SRV or Hendrix covers with MAZ amps and although the tone is amazing, it doesn't "fit" the Hendrix/SRV tone.
Here's a youtube clip of a MAZ Sr. that sounds pretty close to the tone I'm used to, especially when he plays higher notes.
Here's an amazing John Mayer clip, can I get anywhere in this ballpark with EL84's instead of 6L6's?
Thanks for your help and opinions.
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Post by Jones'n for Tone on Jan 5, 2008 17:04:01 GMT -7
Markymark, I love my Galaxie, but I can't answer your question since I have no experience with the Maz Sr. I'm sure someone with more experience here can answer your question. I probably could have lived without seeing the John Mayer demo above. Now my G.A.S. has just jumped an order of magnitude higher. That 2-rock amp sure sounds sweet (although about 3-4 times the cost of a Z-amp). If money were no object....
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Post by markymark on Jan 5, 2008 17:38:34 GMT -7
Thanks for your reply. I noticed that you have both a Galaxie and a Stangray. Which do you like better and why? I'd love to experiment with the more notable clip that EL84's provide, but I'd really miss the smoothness that results when you hit a strat's low E through a Fender or Galaxie. Have you been able to get any fender-like tones with your Stangray? I've heard some clips on youtube of MAZ series amps getting pretty close. The MAZ 38 page has a sound clip of some Jimi Hendrix songs, and the clean sounds so foreign to what I'm used to hearing that style played on.
Am I crazy?
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Post by Jones'n for Tone on Jan 5, 2008 19:06:48 GMT -7
First off I'll say I'm no expert, these are just my humble opinions about the ever elusive guitar tone. I've posted on here before that if I had to have only 1 amp it would be the Stangray. It definately leans heavily towards the Vox side of things. It just has an amazing clean sound that is full of beautiful harmonic content. It always sounds smooth and very musical to my ears. It doesn't have near the gain of the Galaxie. I read today a post on some other site that was supposedly from John Mayer himself and he went on and on about how SRV's tone used very little distortion. He said the percieved distortion was more from the way the loud amp sound hits the tape or your ears. I think Stangray has a similar quality where even though the tone is not breaking up it still has a percieved distorted quality that comes across to me as serious tone. So I don't miss the gain for most stuff. If you really need more gain pedals can do the trick. I have to admit that I haven't spent much time trying to make the Ray sound like a Fender. With alnico speakers, it just doesn't natually sound much like a Fender to me. The Galaxie definately has the Fender (tweed) sound if that's what your after. It's cleans are awesome in their own right, just different from the Ray. I only have one 8ohm cabinet (V30/g12H) so I always run the Gal thru ceramic speakers. It has a gritter distortion than the Ray. Great for a ton of classic rock. It's not a metal amp, but it has more than enough gain for classic rock. I'm not sure how satisfied I would be if the Gal was my only amp (in the same way I may not be satisfied with just 1 Fender amp), but as a supplement to the Ray it's awesome. If you're looking for SRV or Hendrix, I'm not sure either amp will get you there in a truly convincing way (although the Gal comes closer than the Ray). I soon as I say that someone will post a clip that proves me wrong. For SRV you may want to hold out for the new Z amp, formerely called the Evan. It's supposed to be more of a blackface sound with reverb. Or you could take out a mortgage and get that 2-Rock amp. I'll be dreaming about that one for a while. For Hendrix I've heard some convincing Hendrix licks with the SRZ65 or the 6545. They're more in the higher gain Marshall camp. That said, SRV did some pretty darn convincing Hendrix tone on a Fender, so who knows. Maybe someone else can chime in with one Z amp that can get you close to all these sounds? Maybe the Maz is the way to go? My experience is that no 1 amp can do the whole spectrum of Vox/Fender/Marshall in a way that does justice to each at least not on it's own. Maybe by swapping speakers and using the right pedals you may get close enough? Hope this doesn't confuse the issue. And no I don't think your crazy. Good luck on your tone quest!
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Post by fishman on Jan 6, 2008 19:08:24 GMT -7
38
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Post by stratosphere on Jan 7, 2008 22:56:18 GMT -7
I'm also really looking forward to the Evan but the tone I've been getting from my MazSr combo has been so outstanding I just keep falling in love with it over and over again. It's incredible flexibility creates a little more of a challenge but if you keep at it you'll find you can get an incredible array of sounds. I had a sound in my head I was searching for and through the Maz I found it.
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Post by tommyellison on Feb 1, 2008 9:29:53 GMT -7
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Post by jwr on Feb 1, 2008 11:49:58 GMT -7
Crank the Master Volume on the Maz Sr and use the Volume/Gain knob to adjust the overall volume of the amp. You'll find very nice Fender tones real quick this way.
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Post by jcv on Feb 1, 2008 13:47:59 GMT -7
The 2 amps in question are so different, you have a tough choice to make. I have a Galaxie and I love it. I used to own a Maz Sr and I think there are a lot of tones to be had in that amp... I think you can get into Fender territory with the Sr. and channel 1 on the Gal will definitely get you there.
I know this wasn't much help... man, I don't know how to help with this! Good luck! One thing is for sure: whichever Z amp you get, it will sound great.
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Post by harry on Feb 1, 2008 17:25:28 GMT -7
I used to play through Fender Twins for years and loved the clean but didn't love the distortion. Went to a Maz Sr 3 years ago and prefer the clean versus the Twin's, and totally love the breakup/distortion. Plus you don't find every Tom, ****, and Harry playing a Maz Sr so you might find your own voice versus the Fender voice. To my ears the Maz 38 is 10 times the amp; just my opinion. Haven't tried a Galaxy yet.
Good Luck
Harry
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Post by Joey Beverages on Feb 1, 2008 18:52:20 GMT -7
I realize that the thread title might as well have been apples and oranges (British-voiced v. American-voiced amps). I grew up playing Strats and Teles on Fender amps, and accordingly feel "at home" (and amazed) when I plug into a Galaxie at my local music store. However, I played a MAZ Sr. and Jr. the other day and really liked them (especially with a tele, I think the EL84's work better there) but they seem to lack some of the Fender tonal territory that I'm used to hearing - the distortion seems a bit buzzier, and articulated; less smooth and natural than a 6L6 distortion. However, I really love some of the added dynamics and new rock territory that the MAZ amps provide. I guess I'd like to venture out into new territory, but I'd like to retain the ability to get Fender-like sounds.Thanks for your help and opinions. Fender-like sounds? try the Galaxie or a Z-28 versatility? get either the Maz Sr or Maz Jr. got a tone chase (or two) in progress? to quote my Z-bro from Tomball, "collect the whole set" ;D
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Post by got twang? on Feb 5, 2008 13:04:45 GMT -7
Yep - for versatility, definitely go with a Maz.
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