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Post by DirtyKurty on Oct 9, 2017 6:05:46 GMT -7
Hey all so I'm new to the forums and this is going to be my first post so take it easy on me!
So I've recently decided that I'm going to upgrade my home/studio amp. I'm currently playing through a Vox Ac15c1 which I really like but have got an itch for something a little different. I'd like to go handwired this time around an am stuck between the Ac15hw1x, The Cure, and a Maz 18.
I mostly play through a strat and sometimes a Les Paul. Gengres include anything from classic, alternative, indie, and modern rock to classic and crunchy blues. Don't really play any country.
So what's the verdict on the Cure and Maz 18 for what's listed above? I've heard the cure is basically a do anything amp and takes basically any kind of pedal like a beast. What are some of the final differences between it and the other two amps? How loud can it get? Etc.
Any information you have would be great and thanks in advance for your time!
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Post by doctorice on Oct 9, 2017 6:37:18 GMT -7
Hi, welcome aboard.
For home/studio, I'd favor the Cure over the MAZ 18. MAZ 18 really comes to life when cranked up some, but it's very loud at that point. Many of us, including me, use a Brake Lite attenuator to control the sound level. No need to do that with the Cure: the Level control has you covered.
Another factor is that the Cure is perhaps a bit more complementary to your Vox since it's powered by 6V6s. The MAZ series, as you know, uses EL84s.
The Cure is still quite loud when cranked. I've never had an issue with it not being able to keep up at a gig. (We play mostly small venues, like local bars.)
If you do tilt toward the MAZ, you might consider the MAZ 8. It's got plenty of volume when needed and sounds great. It uses a single EL84, single-ended, so it's sound is not identical to its bigger sibling, but it has lots of overlap sonically.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 9, 2017 7:30:45 GMT -7
I'd go with the Cure. The Maz is a great amp, but can be tricky to manage if volume control is an issue. The cure stays thick and meaty even at very low practice volume, but open it up and it will hang in a bar or other small/medium venue. It's a remarkable amp--sometimes, given the price point, I think it might be even better than Doc imagined it would be. I'd recommend it highly to anyone looking for an entry-level intro to the Dr Z line. I say this as someone who's owned about a dozen Z amps, including currently a pair of Doc's high-end Z-Luxes.
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Post by premiumplus (Dave) on Oct 9, 2017 7:34:34 GMT -7
I've got the three amps discussed above by doctorice, and he's spot on about them. I just got my Cure last week, and I've only had it out to band practice once. I have no doubt that it's going to be loud enough for my needs. The Maz 8 is another great choice, and it's got a lot of different voices/tones in it. I have gigged that amp with my 19 piece big band and it never ran out of gas. There's just something about Doc's amps. Some call it "Z watts" where a Z amp at a given wattage is way louder than another amp of the same rating. Doc's conservative in his power ratings, and his amps have a certain clarity in the mids that just cuts through the mix so well, fat and sassy but never bite your face off trebly. Check out doctorice's Amp Settings page, the link is above. It's a treasure of voicings. Oh, and welcome to the forum!
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Post by DirtyKurty on Oct 9, 2017 7:41:33 GMT -7
Thanks for the replies so far guys! Thinking I'm probably going to head in and check out the Cure. Is it good for the gengres I listed above?
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Post by mpa93 on Oct 9, 2017 9:22:50 GMT -7
Hi, welcome aboard. For home/studio, I'd favor the Cure over the MAZ 18. MAZ 18 really comes to life when cranked up some, but it's very loud at that point. Many of us, including me, use a Brake Lite attenuator to control the sound level. No need to do that with the Cure: the Level control has you covered. Another factor is that the Cure is perhaps a bit more complementary to your Vox since it's powered by 6V6s. The MAZ series, as you know, uses EL84s. The Cure is still quite loud when cranked. I've never had an issue with it not being able to keep up at a gig. (We play mostly small venues, like local bars.) If you do tilt toward the MAZ, you might consider the MAZ 8. It's got plenty of volume when needed and sounds great. It uses a single EL84, single-ended, so it's sound is not identical to its bigger sibling, but it has lots of overlap sonically. Great Advice!!!!
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Post by doctorice on Oct 9, 2017 9:43:38 GMT -7
Thanks for the replies so far guys! Thinking I'm probably going to head in and check out the Cure. Is it good for the gengres I listed above? Yup. Covers plenty of territory. Mine's been used for Clapton, Allman Brothers, ZZ Top, Howlin' Wolf, Beatles, Stones, Black Crowes, REM, Billy Joel, Springsteen, Motown, etc. I do use pedals for different shades of dirt and distortion. Currently just a Strymon Sunset. Plus a compressor (for slide guitar) and delay. Nothing else needed for what I attempt to do.
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Post by Russell B on Oct 9, 2017 12:15:41 GMT -7
I don't think you can go wrong with the Cure.
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Post by Rhythmark on Oct 9, 2017 13:41:45 GMT -7
The Cure covers all the ground- Singles and humbuckers equally great through this amp!! Cure has been completely a joy to use!!
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