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Post by george7117 on Mar 4, 2013 20:45:22 GMT -7
Just wanted to send out a note and say thanks to all on this board. I've been lurking here for over a year and gathering info. I've talked to a few folks about different amps and always appreciated the responses. So, after long consideration and penny pinching, I just received my first DrZ amp, a M12 1x12 combo (with a brakelite). If you're interested, I'll explain the process:
I am interested in mostly rock and country type stuff (listen to XM outlaw country, that's it) I've been playing for many, many years (former wanna be pro, now an at home/ low key jammer) Since I started back on electric guitar (after an 18 year hiatus just playing acoustic instruments), I had been playing through an Egnater Rebel 20 and then a Tweaker 15. Both good amps, but to me they always sounded a bit flat and processed. Good for the price, but not great. And the Tweaker had so many knobs it was hard to get used to. It has a lot of voices but nothing I could bond with. Maybe I'm just simple and don't need choices?
So, I have been looking at hand-wired amps for a while and settled on a DrZ as the best bang for the buck. I was torn between the Maz 18, Z28, Carmen Ghia, Maz 8, and the M12. I asked around, called Humbucker Music several times and read as much on this board as I could. Not much chance to demo in my area so I figured I'd just have to go out on a limb and purchase, knowing I could always return/exchange it if necessary.
In reality, I play fairly clean. The signal is a PRS DGT (or tele) into a Barber 1/2 gainer, into a line 6 M9 into an amp. The DGT is a VERY loud guitar, it is fairly clean, but the pickups are powerful, almost like a supercharged 335 or fat Tele, IMHO. The 1/2 gainer just amplifies your signal, not too much coloration or mid boost, unless you dial it in. The M9 is great, I just recently sold off all my boutique pedals for this unit. Its not perfect, but it is damn close. So with that signal chain, I wanted an organic amp that would be as simple as possible. So I chose the m12, hoping it wouldn't be too sterile.
Took it out of the box today, plugged it in, and wow! It may be new amp love, but this thing is so 3D and organic, you really could go without reverb. The tone controls are super sensitive and really work as people have said, tone coloration up to 12 o'clock, then gain added after that. The Greenback Celestion actually sounds great, a lot of snarl to it. I have an Alnico Blue in a cab and tried them back to back. I may like the greenback better, but I thought I would like the blue better for that VOX sound. It will require more A/B time to figure it out. And yes the brakelite works really well. It may be the new amp syndrome, so I'll keep testing and reporting back, but so far, I'm happy and impressed.
Again, thanks for all your help folks, I appreciate it.
DG
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Post by Jason Cornelius on Mar 4, 2013 21:30:20 GMT -7
Awesome, congratulations!
I love my M12.
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Post by mazmaster on Mar 5, 2013 23:29:16 GMT -7
I've been through a boatload of high end boutique amps in my 40+ years of wanking and the M12 is what I've been plugging into the most since landing it last June. You have made a VERY good first choice in hand-wired, high quality application, my friend. I have owned a Maz 18 Jr NR since 2002 which is also quite magical albeit a much louder, punchier magical at that!
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Post by Jaguarguy (Mike) on Mar 6, 2013 6:31:58 GMT -7
Welcome to the Forum! You'll love it here - a lot of great information and people. You've picked a good first Z - it is great at doing clean and then becoming even better with pedals. Any pics of your first Z in its new home environment?
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Post by matty6strings on Mar 6, 2013 6:36:51 GMT -7
Weclome Jason, thanks for your great post. Looking forward to your future findings!
M
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Post by Jefferson on Mar 6, 2013 10:13:08 GMT -7
welcome to the forum and great choice!
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Post by Maddog on Mar 6, 2013 10:23:19 GMT -7
Great amp my new friend! You'll LOVE it! One of the best amps I've ever owned.... Welcome to the forum, DG! (David Grissom? )
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Post by Deleted on Mar 6, 2013 11:00:45 GMT -7
Congratulations and Welcome to the forum. The M12 is a great choice. And Humbucker Music is the best choice.
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Post by doctorice on Mar 6, 2013 14:07:48 GMT -7
Welcome. Glad you made the move from lurker to poster as that's a great tale of the M12. Congrats on a fine amp. Mine, a head, also came from Humbucker.
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Post by zm12 on Mar 6, 2013 18:06:18 GMT -7
Yes, new M12 owner here as well. 112 combo with the greenback speaker. So far it has lived up to what I wanted out of an amp. Takes all my pedals as good or better than i hoped for. All the pedals sound so much better through this amp than what I was using before
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Post by crabby on Mar 6, 2013 19:39:00 GMT -7
Congrats on a great choice! I just recently traded my Maz18 NR combo for an M12 head and cab and am really happy despite having loved the Maz. I can push the M12 more at home without being super loud andam basking in the glorious tone of this rig. I have a Blue in my Z Convertible cab but a few days ago I swapped it out for a new G12M Greenback I had floating around. For me, the Blue was a nicer sound but I was pretty impressed with the Greenback as well. Not as chimey and "sparkly" as the Blue but creamier mids in some ways. The Blue had much less ear fatigue which may be due to the Greenback not being broken in.
Just to add to the fun, I picked up a Timmy overdrive this week and it is absolutely sublime with the M12 rig! My new favorite OD!
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Post by Deleted on Mar 6, 2013 22:18:47 GMT -7
Creamback.
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Post by zm12 on Mar 6, 2013 23:01:39 GMT -7
I have heard of the Creamback. Have you tried in with the M12. 8 or 16 ohm thanks
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Post by george7117 on Mar 7, 2013 0:20:58 GMT -7
Great amp my new friend! You'll LOVE it! One of the best amps I've ever owned.... Welcome to the forum, DG! (David Grissom? ) No no, my initials really are DG ...... when I first brought that guitar home my wife thought I had a custom PRS made for me, very funny. It really is a great guitar though. And the M12 is still impressing a few days in. Very 3D. I had some time on it today with the tele. It really likes every guitar so far. Just nice natural sustain that is hard to describe really. More testing to come ...... DG
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Post by Maddog on Mar 7, 2013 5:26:35 GMT -7
^^^^ Funny about the wife thing....I played my M12 last night with a full band for three hours. That little 12 watt dude hung in there like a 50 watt Marshall!!!!!
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Post by Deleted on Mar 7, 2013 9:50:15 GMT -7
I have a 16 ohm (closed back) 2x12 with Creambacks. Sounds fantastic with the M12. Plenty of bass, nice clean - great crunch.
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Post by boudro57 on Mar 8, 2013 9:23:05 GMT -7
I too am a first time owner of a Dr. Z and must say the M12 is incredible. Using a Vintage 30 in an Orange cab but loading a Blue into a custom cab...will report my findings! Also have a 79' Marshall 4 x 12 with "Blackbacks" and will say the M12 sounds incredible through it.
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Post by zm12 on Mar 8, 2013 17:03:52 GMT -7
Yes the M12 is great with pedals and on its own.
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Post by Abandoned on Mar 11, 2013 22:18:26 GMT -7
Congrats on the new amp! It's for certain a fantastic one. I'm so happy with mine and glad to hear you're happy with yours.
Those Humbucker guys are great.
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Post by Abandoned on Mar 11, 2013 22:19:59 GMT -7
Yes the M12 is great with pedals and on its own. I completely agree. I sometimes wish I could just run the amp ripped open on HI input mode and with tone controls up a bit from noon cuz it's sounds soooooo good. But that's too loud for where I play sometimes.
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Post by Abandoned on Mar 11, 2013 22:20:36 GMT -7
I have a 16 ohm (closed back) 2x12 with Creambacks. Sounds fantastic with the M12. Plenty of bass, nice clean - great crunch. Great to know thanks.
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Post by zm12 on Mar 11, 2013 22:59:47 GMT -7
I agree. This amp sounds good turned way up on HI input. Throw in a boost/od pedal and you're good to go! Like you said, it can get loud! Much louder than i expected
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Post by george7117 on Mar 28, 2013 19:13:12 GMT -7
Update:
This amp is sweet.
I just run the tone controls about 1 to 2 o'clock, and the Master is up all the way. I use the Brakelite to adjust volume. (usually 2 clicks works)
Sounds great, plenty of overdrive with a Barber 1/2 gainer in front (in a low overdrive setting.) The PRS DGT sings and can do country right through early ZZ top. The tele just sounds great as well.
I am happy. I am still running the greenback but may pop the alnico blue in the cab just to see how it sounds in the combo.
The amp is a bit noisy (picks up radio stations, etc), but I that doesn't bother me much. Maybe its the power in my 50 year old house? Anyway, good times, great amp.
Thanks-
DG
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Post by mazmaster on Apr 6, 2013 21:16:39 GMT -7
I agree. This amp sounds good turned way up on HI input. Throw in a boost/od pedal and you're good to go! Like you said, it can get loud! Much louder than i expected Keep in mind that a 10W amp is half as loud in perceived volume as a 100W amp and that a cranked and distorting 10W amp can produce much more than 10W...up to 15-18W, depending on the design. Also keep in mind that 1W into a Vintage 30, for example, will knock out 100bB at 1KHz at 1 meter. Speaking volume is 60-70dB at a meter. So, true bedroom volumes are typically less than a watt...approximately speaking volume (or less late at night). Given all those fun facts, it's really not surprising at all that one can do some pretty darn loud gigs with an M12, especially with an efficient speaker. With the WGS Blackhawk HP, I have not run into a gig yet that the M12 could not easily handle.
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Post by 22watts on Apr 13, 2013 21:25:25 GMT -7
I've just recently ordered a M12 myself. Ordered from Humbucker, should be in next week. But unlike most, I ordered a 210 convertible cab. Both Doc and Humbucker said this would be a good combination, so I will find out in a few days. I had two EZG50's, a head and a combo. I sold the combo to a good friend, and kept the head. So now I will have the M12 and EZG50 heads, and use them with the 210 cab. Hope to get a Z28 soon, and another cab. I'll have a Z for all occasions.
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Post by mazmaster on Apr 17, 2013 21:36:31 GMT -7
One cannot have too many Zs.
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Post by 22watts on Apr 17, 2013 21:47:29 GMT -7
I agree Mazmaster. I'm hoping the 210 cab will work for me, if not I can send it back to Humbucker and get the 112 cab, But I'm tempted to do what Abandoned did and get the Z Best 212. It seems to have been a huge improvement for him, not to mention that it looks cool!!!
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Post by spitshineguitars on Apr 18, 2013 19:02:07 GMT -7
I'm itching to play one of these! Ever since our local Z dealer went out of business, I haven't gotten to play anything new.
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Post by mazmaster on Apr 18, 2013 21:15:05 GMT -7
I agree Mazmaster. I'm hoping the 210 cab will work for me, if not I can send it back to Humbucker and get the 112 cab, But I'm tempted to do what Abandoned did and get the Z Best 212. It seems to have been a huge improvement for him, not to mention that it looks cool!!! Cabs and speaks are a really subjective, individualized and important part of the whole tonal equation that can make or break any amp, IMO. Unfortunately, you have to try stuff out to really know. One thing that's crucial with cabs/speaks, IMO, is making sure the speaks are thoroughly broken in for the eval. The only way to do that quickly is with a variac or loud loop slamming the speak(s) for a good 24 hours. Otherwise, I've found you can get pretty thrown off, especially with 10s, as they can sound small and tight without a break-in. Whatever happens, just enjoy the journey, man!
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Post by 22watts on Apr 18, 2013 23:22:24 GMT -7
Thanks Mazmaster, you're right, I'm going to have to be patient at first, and not make a hasty judgement call. Humbucker Music, and the Doc himself spoke highly of the 210s with the M12.
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