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Post by lazcano on Aug 7, 2014 14:25:58 GMT -7
This is my first post here because I have been thinking of buying a Maz 38 and would like to know some things about the amplifier because I can't try one in a local store. I know there have been many threads about the differences between the old and the new versions, the reverb and non-reverb but there seem to be no especific information for me. (I really like the sound of the Maz 38 and I've heard of others Dr.Z amps but as far as it goes I prefer the Maz) First of all, I think of getting overdrive/distortion from pedals, as I play lots of clean strumming but need distortion. I play with a PRS McCarty 58 (low-output humbuckers). That would be my first tube amp and it needs to be able to have loud clean (really clean not hairy) tones for gigs with around 100-200 people I am leaning towards the newest version of the Maz 38 without reverb head because I plan to get reverb from a reverb pedal (Neunaber Wet) but my main question is if the non-reverb version would be able to have really clean tones at loud volumes. Some videos that sound good to me (would like to have that clean sounds but louder):
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Post by digs57 on Aug 8, 2014 7:43:07 GMT -7
I don't think youll have any problems with getting clean headroom...you like a lot of us just took the leap of faith and were pleasantly surprised.
I didn't get to try the first maz 18 really...I played a ghia at the store,was soooo different than the fender dlx rb's I had played for so long...I think your thoughts on your setup are there.
youll go through growing pains...maybe...usually its me not the amp so much that needs to adjust playing technique.
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Post by lazcano on Aug 8, 2014 9:34:08 GMT -7
I don't think youll have any problems with getting clean headroom...you like a lot of us just took the leap of faith and were pleasantly surprised. I didn't get to try the first maz 18 really...I played a ghia at the store,was soooo different than the fender dlx rb's I had played for so long...I think your thoughts on your setup are there. youll go through growing pains...maybe...usually its me not the amp so much that needs to adjust playing technique. Thank you digs57 for your response. Maybe it's like that, I think.
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Post by big ( Al Z. ) on Aug 8, 2014 10:12:13 GMT -7
I used my MAZ 38 for years as a clean platform for pedals. Once you find the right pedals you'll be very happy. I've used a FDII for years and it provides me with just that right amount of OD. I'll agree that a Z does make you reform your technique - It's all for the better.
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Post by strat59 on Aug 8, 2014 10:14:44 GMT -7
Welcome aboard Lazcano. You'll find some helpful friendly folks here. First off I've got an older Maz 38 senior reverb that hasn't had any mods. I've never played through the non reverb version but from what I'm told it has a little more gain on tap than the reverb version. I play in a music theater house band that has to cover a wide variety of musical styles. (from Johnny Cash to ZZ Top) I mostly use it clean getting overdrive/distortion from pedals. The theater seats 450 and I have no problem being heard. I do sometimes get too loud running master v. all the way up and vol. @ 12:00 (un-mic'd). The amp gets beautiful loud clean sounds and will break up some when pushed real hard. I'm using single coils 90% of the time so you'll probably get some breakup a little bit sooner with your low output humbuckers. Sorry I'm not really knowledgable about the non reverb version. Hope this helps some.
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Post by lazcano on Aug 8, 2014 10:25:50 GMT -7
I used my MAZ 38 for years as a clean platform for pedals. Once you find the right pedals you'll be very happy. I've used a FDII for years and it provides me with just that right amount of OD. I'll agree that a Z does make you reform your technique - It's all for the better. Thank you Al Z. Very good to know. I think I have found them already: I use the Lovepedal Kalamazoo, Mad Professor Sweet Honey and Dr. Scientist The Elements to get all types of overdrive/distortion and some others for modulation and echo (Boss Chorus Ensemble, DD-7 and the Way Huge Aqua Puss). The problem is in the future, because I may want to make my pedalboard more portable...
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Post by lazcano on Aug 8, 2014 10:30:42 GMT -7
Welcome aboard Lazcano. You'll find some helpful friendly folks here. First off I've got an older Maz 38 senior reverb that hasn't had any mods. I've never played through the non reverb version but from what I'm told it has a little more gain on tap than the reverb version. I play in a music theater house band that has to cover a wide variety of musical styles. (from Johnny Cash to ZZ Top) I mostly use it clean getting overdrive/distortion from pedals. The theater seats 450 and I have no problem being heard. I do sometimes get too loud running master v. all the way up and vol. @ 12:00 (un-mic'd). The amp gets beautiful loud clean sounds and will break up some when pushed real hard. I'm using single coils 90% of the time so you'll probably get some breakup a little bit sooner with your low output humbuckers. Sorry I'm not really knowledgable about the non reverb version. Hope this helps some. Thank you strat59. This is very good news. If you can play for 450 people in a theater and get too loud sometimes with the master I think that may not be a problem and the most important would be wanting reverb in the amp. I'll ask my music teacher today to know if he thinks it is good to have reverb in an amp or not really important.
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Post by digs57 on Aug 8, 2014 10:36:32 GMT -7
thing that's nice w/verb in amp...grab go... no pedals
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Post by fishman on Aug 12, 2014 13:22:16 GMT -7
I have NR version 2008....I bought everyone of my 8-10 Z amps that I have owned sound unheard... because no matter what demo you listen to your amp will sound different as its you playing it. You can get a general idea of what the amp will sound like. You will have all the headroom you want and then some...if anything on the NR the amp in general is a bit more "full"...either one rev or non driven to OD without pedals will peel the paint off the walls in the next county...be aware there is a learning curve...if you are not getting the "sound" you want, pretty much not the amps fault...it took me about 5mins to turn it on and get a good sound, it took me a year to learn how to "play" the amp..I have used it for acoustic, strat, LP, PRS, steel guitar, harp, keyboards everything except bass guitar and only cause I did not have the right speaker!...Vox, Fender, Marshall, yup...tone options are endless...small moves on the dials do big things...have never had a problem being heard no matter where I was playing, its a non issue. pick up a used one here on the forum, I have never heard of a bad deal from this board...makes no difference what year it is new, old , middle of the road, all going to sound great...I have no mods,frankly, don;t need any...you can just plug into this amp and play...if you pick up a pre-owned Z will stand behind it just like new...I let no one touch Z amps but the Z guys...grab a preowned, if you don;t like it you can get your $$ back or swap it for something else...there used to be alot of 38's for sale, but these days, not so many...check here first...people will give you the real deal...and everything I have bought off here has been as good as new or better!....Good choice, just go with it..
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Post by big ( Al Z. ) on Aug 13, 2014 12:13:17 GMT -7
FYI - My Maz 38 is for sale on the board. Check it out and make me an offer ! !
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Post by harry on Aug 20, 2014 15:15:50 GMT -7
I have a PRS SC58 and I cannot believe how good it sounds through my Maz 38 Rev 2x12 combo. I have been playing my Antidote and EZG alot in the past year but dusted off the Maz 38 this morning and felt like I was born again! For fun I ran it through my Dr Z 4x10 and it was another "Sweet Glory!!!" moment! This is still one of my favorite all time amps. I also have a Maz 18NR and prefer the 38 Rev over it but that is just me. Something about that quartet of EL84, Glowing Glass that brings out a magical sound. My Duesy sounds incredible through it as well; beautiful chime when clean and raunchy as the barmaids at the Drake Hotel when cranked...
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Post by thunderstruck(formerly doc001) on Aug 21, 2014 6:46:46 GMT -7
The Maz gets great cleans and loud volumes. Just crank the Master, and use the preamp for desired volume. I would do just the opposite when I had mine. Preamp cranked, master set anywhere from 10:00-3:00 o'clock. I wanted more distortion. The Maz sounds great anywhere on the dial. Good luck!
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Post by lazcano on Aug 21, 2014 9:07:18 GMT -7
I have a PRS SC58 and I cannot believe how good it sounds through my Maz 38 Rev 2x12 combo. I have been playing my Antidote and EZG alot in the past year but dusted off the Maz 38 this morning and felt like I was born again! For fun I ran it through my Dr Z 4x10 and it was another "Sweet Glory!!!" moment! This is still one of my favorite all time amps. I also have a Maz 18NR and prefer the 38 Rev over it but that is just me. Something about that quartet of EL84, Glowing Glass that brings out a magical sound. My Duesy sounds incredible through it as well beautiful chime when clean and raunchy as the barmaids at the Drake Hotel when cranked... Cool! I also have a PRS: the McCarty58. At the moment I am in doubt between the new Therapy and the Maz 38... It is so difficult to choose an amp with all those options and great amps.
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Post by lazcano on Aug 21, 2014 9:10:08 GMT -7
The Maz gets great cleans and loud volumes. Just crank the Master, and use the preamp for desired volume. I would do just the opposite when I had mine. Preamp cranked, master set anywhere from 10:00-3:00 o'clock. I wanted more distortion. The Maz sounds great anywhere on the dial. Good luck! That's what I thought: almost everybody that prefers the Maz with reverb wants more distortion from the amp. At the moment I don't know if I buy the Maz 38 or the new Therapy.
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Post by lazcano on Aug 21, 2014 9:31:34 GMT -7
What do you guys think is the best option: Therapy or Maz? I have liked classic amps like the Vox AC30 and the Tweed Bassman more recently. People say the the Maz clean is voxy and has chime and that the Therapy is tweed-like. People describe the clean sound of the Therapy as big, punchy and articulate, everything I like from the Tweed Bassman and it also has various gain sounds.
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Post by thunderstruck(formerly doc001) on Aug 21, 2014 9:39:36 GMT -7
The Maz gets great cleans and loud volumes. Just crank the Master, and use the preamp for desired volume. I would do just the opposite when I had mine. Preamp cranked, master set anywhere from 10:00-3:00 o'clock. I wanted more distortion. The Maz sounds great anywhere on the dial. Good luck! That's what I thought: almost everybody that prefers the Maz with reverb wants more distortion from the amp. At the moment I don't know if I buy the Maz 38 or the new Therapy. I found the amp distortion to be plenty. I started with using a VS Jekyll and Hyde. Even with both channels on the pedal cranked the amp distortion was rounder, fuller, and just as gainy as the amp plus pedal.
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Post by thunderstruck(formerly doc001) on Aug 21, 2014 9:41:19 GMT -7
What do you guys think is the best option: Therapy or Maz? I have liked classic amps like the Vox AC30 and the Tweed Bassman more recently. People say the the Maz clean is voxy and has chime and that the Therapy is tweed-like. People describe the clean sound of the Therapy as big, punchy and articulate, everything I like from the Tweed Bassman and it also has various gain sounds. It all depends on what you want to use/hear. If you can, buy both!
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Post by harry on Aug 21, 2014 10:19:16 GMT -7
Audition both and pick your poison... I agree that having both is best as there is a difference due to the 6L6 vs the EL84's. I haven't played a Therapy yet so I can't state an opinion.
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Post by BW on Sept 6, 2014 17:52:24 GMT -7
Love my MAZ Sr w/ 'verb. Wind 'er up all the way for the solos, back the volume down a little for the rhythms. Yep, she'll tickle your ear, if its too loud plug in the 18. I love ALL the Z amps, but have used a MAZ more than any of 'em.
Same gig, same ol' ZZ medley, with 'buckers...
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Post by daveyk on Sept 8, 2014 21:19:23 GMT -7
The Maz 38 really is a work horse and is extremely versatile. I wanted an amp with a really interesting clean tone and that could stay pretty clean at loud volumes. When i first got the amp (Maz 38 NR) i actually expected it to be a little cleaner, but after getting to know it and seeing how the volume and master interacted with each other i found my sweet spot. Also, I had never played an amp that responded to dynamics as well as the Maz does. I love the cleans and the light breakup i get out of this amp. I'm not a high gain player at all, but if you need more gain the Maz 38 delivers in that department, especially if pushed with an overdrive pedal or when using the EQ bypass mode. The Maz really does it all. It has huge lows, beautifully articulate highs, and a huge spectrum of mids, from super scooped to in your face and nasty. I'm really loving this amp more and more. I mainly play late 90's indie/emo (Pedro the Lion/David Bazan, Mineral, Hey Mercedes, Saves the Day, Get Up Kids, Appleseed Cast) type stuff and hard rock/classic rock type stuff like Rival Sons, AC/DC, Thin Lizzy. So basically this amp can cover a lot of ground. It takes pedals really well too. Also, just to emphasize how versatile this amp is, two of its famous players are Joe Walsh and Ben Gibbard.
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