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Post by "Z" Steve on Aug 5, 2016 17:35:53 GMT -7
Greetings to the Dr Z community. Post numero uno. I gotta say, the incredible wealth of information and support provided by this forum really adds a lot to the appeal of stepping up to a Dr Z amp. I haven't found anything even close for other amps, or gear in general. I too have been hovering over the "add to cart" button for a while now. At this point it's really just a matter of getting the funds together. A little background: I'm not a gigging musician. Just play for fun in my living room. So I'd be playing at relatively low volumes... at least until the neighbors go on vacation. At that point all bets are off. My question is, at lowish volumes, which speaker option would best be suited to classic rock tones played through humbuckers ? Up thread a few posts, purpletele indicates he loves the tones he's getting with a G12M65 Creamback in his living room. The Creamback seems to be winning over quite a few experienced MAZ 8 users. Is it safe to assume the Creamback would work good at attenuated volume levels ? Is there another factory available speaker option that works especially good at living room levels ? Thanks in advance. DC I have the G12m65 in my new Maz 8 and it kills. I have a Z-12 and an Eminence SC64 waiting their turn. I haven't felt like messing with anything on the amp so they have to wait. And then there is the pairing of extension speakers. And then there are the Y cables. I just got notice that pcns is sending me my new Y cable. I would just start collecting the necessary gear. It's inevitable, you signed up, you have to get your first Z and then before you know it you realize you need a different one for other situations. Rock on! For living room, bedroom, bathroom, which ever room, I would go with the Creamback (or stock G12h) & Brakelite, and a J. Rockett Archer. You can get outstanding tone at low volumes but you also have the option to not use the latter 2 and just open it up! That's what I do anyways. The amp is already pedal friendly so any other overdrives you add will sit just fine with it. Welcome to the forum!!!
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Post by dcarver on Aug 5, 2016 21:26:43 GMT -7
Thanks for the welcome guys.
Is it fairly easy to swap out a speaker in a MAZ 8 ? Do you have to take the chassis or the reverb tank out ?
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Post by "Z" Steve on Aug 6, 2016 6:59:14 GMT -7
Just remove the two back panels, unscrew the 4 speaker bolts, disconnect un-soldered leads, and off you go!
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Post by nmz on Aug 6, 2016 9:05:22 GMT -7
The Maz 8 always seemed very cool to me. Add the updates and I bet it kills!
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Post by Easyrom on Aug 6, 2016 14:00:27 GMT -7
Played mine today. First time for a while. Was thinking "maybe should I sell it, I play my Z-Lux most of the time anyway". 5 minutes later: "No way! And what if my Z-Lux collapse? What if I've been given a second house in Normandy or Côte d'Azur? Won't I be happy to have a trusty amp to fit it?" So, the Maz 8 is staying.
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Post by premiumplus (Dave) on Aug 6, 2016 15:58:03 GMT -7
I'm going to take my Maz 8 to it's first gig tomorrow morning. Church praise band, with backstage amps-in-closets mic'd and IEM's. This will be my first IEM gig and I'm getting there real early to get it set up so I know what to expect. But I know the Maz 8 will shine, even if it's by it's lonely self in a little closet!
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Post by j4gitr (John) on Aug 8, 2016 9:17:59 GMT -7
All this talk of the MAZ 8 along with Dave Baker and Eric Ambel's demos have got me thinking. I have a Ghia head, Antidote, and MAZ18 2x10 combo. I thought I was set. The Ghia gets the brunt of the use at church where I leave a 1x12 cab of Peavey make. I alternate the Maz and Antidote for most gigs. I can't justify a fourth. I started thinking about getting rid of the Ghia, but...then I thought get rid of the Maz combo get the MAZ 8 studio and use that for church. I would lighten my load and I could always pick up a MAZ18 head down the road if I miss it too much or feel I have made a mistake. Chicago Music Exchange has one in stock and may even offer a trade-in on my MAZ18. I swore I would never get rid of that amp. Bought it new in about 03 or 04, and never looked back.
Anyone care to talk some sense into me?
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Post by simpleton on Aug 8, 2016 11:03:09 GMT -7
All this talk of the MAZ 8 along with Dave Baker and Eric Ambel's demos have got me thinking. I have a Ghia head, Antidote, and MAZ18 2x10 combo. I thought I was set. The Ghia gets the brunt of the use at church where I leave a 1x12 cab of Peavey make. I alternate the Maz and Antidote for most gigs. I can't justify a fourth. I started thinking about getting rid of the Ghia, but...then I thought get rid of the Maz combo get the MAZ 8 studio and use that for church. I would lighten my load and I could always pick up a MAZ18 head down the road if I miss it too much or feel I have made a mistake. Chicago Music Exchange has one in stock and may even offer a trade-in on my MAZ18. I swore I would never get rid of that amp. Bought it new in about 03 or 04, and never looked back. Anyone care to talk some sense into me? Well someone should get one after this thread I bought a New Z Verb to itch my Z scratch. So for medium gigs you'd use the Ghia and bigger gigs the Antidote? The MAZ 8 for church and smaller gigs and home? Well not having a Ghia is something I still miss as it was a 'signature' sound for me...I love my Therapy but the little Ghia has a unique sound that I loved. Im thinking if you've had the MAZ 18 for so long and grown to trust that amp in and they many gigs....it's hard to give that up for a hoped for conclusion in an un experienced amp. So maybe the Ghia is the amp to sell, all though it's not as valuable on the used market. Dergit loves having both the 18 and the 8 and with the Triode switch you'll have extra flavors. Good luck....who can really choose between all these cool amps, just don't give up your go to sound to easily. Try a Z Verb, then it's not four amps
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Post by j4gitr (John) on Aug 8, 2016 11:56:22 GMT -7
All this talk of the MAZ 8 along with Dave Baker and Eric Ambel's demos have got me thinking. I have a Ghia head, Antidote, and MAZ18 2x10 combo. I thought I was set. The Ghia gets the brunt of the use at church where I leave a 1x12 cab of Peavey make. I alternate the Maz and Antidote for most gigs. I can't justify a fourth. I started thinking about getting rid of the Ghia, but...then I thought get rid of the Maz combo get the MAZ 8 studio and use that for church. I would lighten my load and I could always pick up a MAZ18 head down the road if I miss it too much or feel I have made a mistake. Chicago Music Exchange has one in stock and may even offer a trade-in on my MAZ18. I swore I would never get rid of that amp. Bought it new in about 03 or 04, and never looked back. Anyone care to talk some sense into me? Well someone should get one after this thread I bought a New Z Verb to itch my Z scratch. So for medium gigs you'd use the Ghia and bigger gigs the Antidote? The MAZ 8 for church and smaller gigs and home? Well not having a Ghia is something I still miss as it was a 'signature' sound for me...I love my Therapy but the little Ghia has a unique sound that I loved. Im thinking if you've had the MAZ 18 for so long and grown to trust that amp in and they many gigs....it's hard to give that up for a hoped for conclusion in an un experienced amp. So maybe the Ghia is the amp to sell, all though it's not as valuable on the used market. Dergit loves having both the 18 and the 8 and with the Triode switch you'll have extra flavors. Good luck....who can really choose between all these cool amps, just don't give up your go to sound to easily. Try a Z Verb, then it's not four amps Point well made.
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Post by dergit (Markus) on Aug 9, 2016 0:48:00 GMT -7
All this talk of the MAZ 8 along with Dave Baker and Eric Ambel's demos have got me thinking. I have a Ghia head, Antidote, and MAZ18 2x10 combo. I thought I was set. The Ghia gets the brunt of the use at church where I leave a 1x12 cab of Peavey make. I alternate the Maz and Antidote for most gigs. I can't justify a fourth. I started thinking about getting rid of the Ghia, but...then I thought get rid of the Maz combo get the MAZ 8 studio and use that for church. I would lighten my load and I could always pick up a MAZ18 head down the road if I miss it too much or feel I have made a mistake. Chicago Music Exchange has one in stock and may even offer a trade-in on my MAZ18. I swore I would never get rid of that amp. Bought it new in about 03 or 04, and never looked back. Anyone care to talk some sense into me? Haha, this is not the right place to have someone talk sense to you when it comes to purchasing Z amps. My take is: The 8 is going to be better than the 18 for most people. It certainly would be for me but like you, I got my 18NR first and I swore myself I'd never let that beautiful thing go. It got quite tempting when the dollar went up against the Euro (I bought my 18 new for 1690€ and it cost 1990€ the next day... I could sell it used now for pretty much what I paid new) but I just love the 18. It was my first real amp after half a decade of modeling. I digress... Why do I think the 8 is going to be better for most people? Guitarists tend to fight volume wars... with the rest of the band, with the sound guys, heck, even with the audience. That's probably the reason the 18 was created in the first place: To get that dirty MAZ goodness you'd never get from a 38 in a real-world scenario. Well, the 18 is still hell-ish loud. I've never used mine without the Brake Lite since I put that in there. And at most rehearsals and gigs, the Brake Lite is set to 3 or even 4. And I play clean(ish). If you rely on amp dirt, I have no idea, how you cope with the 18 without a Brake Lite other than setting the master to times on the clock-face where I'd rather be having coffee than rocking out (never past 9?). The 8 does what the 18 set out to do: MAZ dirt without the ear-bleed. And I have no idea who those people are or where they play who say that the 8 isn't loud enough. I'd *still* screw a Brake Lite into the back of mine if I took it on the road (at home, I use an Air Brake) - unless I used it in triode mode which is a good alternative to attenuation - more sag, more compression, much less volume. If the 8 isn't loud enough for you, you'll probably lose your hearing at some point in your life. Take those ear plugs out and get a new drummer. The MAZ studio combo is a wonderful thing... it feels like carrying merely half of my 18NR 2x10 combo. I've come to admit to myself, that despite all the love, I'll *probably* let the 18NR go at *some* point... maybe once I get old and stop playing out so much... or once I go broke and have already sold most of my guitars... The 8 studio combo I'll probably take to the grave, however. It's my favourite amp I've ever owned.
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Post by dergit (Markus) on Aug 9, 2016 0:52:36 GMT -7
Im thinking if you've had the MAZ 18 for so long and grown to trust that amp in and they many gigs....it's hard to give that up for a hoped for conclusion in an un experienced amp. So maybe the Ghia is the amp to sell, all though it's not as valuable on the used market. Dergit loves having both the 18 and the 8 and with the Triode switch you'll have extra flavors. It's a very nice spot to be in. I don't have to carry my amp to rehearsals and I have a little "more" of what I have at home in the rehearsal room. By more I mean membrane surface, not amp power. I'd probably keep the Ghia for many of the points you made: lower resale value, unique sound, alternative flavour... the MAZ 8 sounds very close to the 18, just more pragmatic and manageable. That said... if you don't *need* to sell an amp right away to pay for the 8, keep them all, get the 8, see what happens. Then decide if you still need the 18 a few months down the road. I got the 18 first "to be safe". Now I know I wouldn't have needed it and just keep it for convenience and backup, really. (and the off-chance I'll be recording with a dual-amp setup sometime soon )
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