Post by Deleted on Feb 15, 2008 12:15:30 GMT -7
My band has been pretty idle for the last few years so all I had was a crappy solid state Kustom amp after selling my 65 RI Twin. So a few months ago we had a heart to heart and we are going full steam again. So what do I do? I hurriedly go out and by a Fender Twin (The Twin) Good sounding and familiar tube amp for me. Then after asking a question about boutique amps and trying out a Mesa LSS and Victoria double deluxe, which both didn't really provide the clean headroom or cut through that I needed, I hear all this hubub about Dr Z amps. What?? Brad Paisley uses them. What a weird name Dr Z. Cool actually. So I phone around to my local music stores and find a Dr Z Maz 38 senior 2X12 combo. Been dealing with this music store for 20 years so they let me take it out on trial for a few weeks. Pretty cool I got to take a brand new maz 38 out till whenever.
Well when I first plugged in to this thing in my office/music room, I thought wow. Listen that bottom chug. And the top end. Had a hard time with the treble and my tele stock pickups but then I did on the twin as well. When I got it to rehearsal with the band I was able to open it up a little more. My god the bottom end. How its so full and fat yet so clear. Overdriving this amp was not a good experience like the Mesa LSS. The LSS was just a sweet soundng amp when overdriven. But thats ok. I've got a Wampler Hot wired on order that I hope will give me what I want in that department.
In rehearsal I had the amp on the floor about a foot and a half from the wall. While playing I leanded back on the wall and I could just feel the bass reverberate through my whole body. It was an orgasmic moment. (Ok too much info) There were times when the sparkly highs and rich harmonics would give me shivers on some of my fill riffs.
Ok,now the bad, maybe not so bad news. Am I really that bad of a guitar player? I've been playing for 25 years and cover styles such as Ray Flacke/Albert Lee/ Jerry donahue as well as some classic and southern rock influences. I've got a lot of road experience and am considered a good guitar player. But playing through the Maz 38 at times it seemed quite uncomfortable. My keeley compressor doesn't sound nearly as compressed as when its on my Twin. Everything is so clean and clear that I feel almost clumsy and sloppy at times. Has other amps enabled me to become lazy? Does this mean if I want this amp I need to get back to basics and clean up my right hand?
After leaving rehearsal I thought maybe this isn't the amp for me. I went back home and immediately plugged in to the twin. Yup there she is. I'm nice and smooth again but yiiiikes. Where's the tone. I miss that meaty clear bottom end. I don't think I can let this Dr Z go. I have heard and am a believer. No biggie so I just got to clean up my play and get used to the new amp. So now what do I do with the twin? Its 2 months old. Maybe a little expensive to keep as a backup. Hmm if I were to have a second amp I might like the Mesa LSS. Or maybe another Dr Z. All I know is I think my Fender years are over. If you'd told me that 15-20 years ago I'd never have believed you.
Well when I first plugged in to this thing in my office/music room, I thought wow. Listen that bottom chug. And the top end. Had a hard time with the treble and my tele stock pickups but then I did on the twin as well. When I got it to rehearsal with the band I was able to open it up a little more. My god the bottom end. How its so full and fat yet so clear. Overdriving this amp was not a good experience like the Mesa LSS. The LSS was just a sweet soundng amp when overdriven. But thats ok. I've got a Wampler Hot wired on order that I hope will give me what I want in that department.
In rehearsal I had the amp on the floor about a foot and a half from the wall. While playing I leanded back on the wall and I could just feel the bass reverberate through my whole body. It was an orgasmic moment. (Ok too much info) There were times when the sparkly highs and rich harmonics would give me shivers on some of my fill riffs.
Ok,now the bad, maybe not so bad news. Am I really that bad of a guitar player? I've been playing for 25 years and cover styles such as Ray Flacke/Albert Lee/ Jerry donahue as well as some classic and southern rock influences. I've got a lot of road experience and am considered a good guitar player. But playing through the Maz 38 at times it seemed quite uncomfortable. My keeley compressor doesn't sound nearly as compressed as when its on my Twin. Everything is so clean and clear that I feel almost clumsy and sloppy at times. Has other amps enabled me to become lazy? Does this mean if I want this amp I need to get back to basics and clean up my right hand?
After leaving rehearsal I thought maybe this isn't the amp for me. I went back home and immediately plugged in to the twin. Yup there she is. I'm nice and smooth again but yiiiikes. Where's the tone. I miss that meaty clear bottom end. I don't think I can let this Dr Z go. I have heard and am a believer. No biggie so I just got to clean up my play and get used to the new amp. So now what do I do with the twin? Its 2 months old. Maybe a little expensive to keep as a backup. Hmm if I were to have a second amp I might like the Mesa LSS. Or maybe another Dr Z. All I know is I think my Fender years are over. If you'd told me that 15-20 years ago I'd never have believed you.