mully
New Member
Posts: 4
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Post by mully on Nov 3, 2018 10:40:16 GMT -7
Heya,
I'm in need for a new amp that is loud enough for band practice with a heavy hitting drummer. Style is a mixture of Grunge & College Rock. I play distorted 99% of the time and the amp I'm currently playing through (which isn't mine) is a stock Yamaha T100 which I quite like (if a bit noisy). I do however long for a handwired amp and am intrigued by the Dr. Zs I've seen/heared on youtube.
Thing is I can't really test these here in germany so I should better know what I'm looking for when hunting for them used or ordering them from proguitar (which unfortunately is quite far away otherwise I'd visit them).
I do like a dark tone. I hate fizzy highs.... so speakerwise I'd always go with a Cream Alnico instead of a Gold Alnico. I like it highly saturated (but more because of the compression and sustain than the crunch). What I don't like is a sterile or harsh sound and I don't want it to sound too metal (Soundgarden would be fine - anything heavier not so much). Since there's no metal Dr. Z I think Im in the right place. Liquid and Smooth while still Dirty would be a good way to describe what I'm after.
What I've heared on youtube so far was that the DB4 would be fun. The Monza would be more my price range though the demos make it sound quite harsh. The Carmen Ghia looks interesting but might be too clean? (Going to test one tomorrow that's available locally). The Cure seems interesting as well although I do like heads instead of Combos. Funnily enough there's an M12 demo on youtube I do like the sound of even though it's been advertised as a clean pedal platform (I thought it sounded quite crunchy with the knobs turned up).
cheers, mully
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Post by zpilot on Nov 3, 2018 13:08:53 GMT -7
MAZ 38. The new ones are coming with a half-power switch. That would make it much more versatile. In full-power mode a 38 will keep up with ANY drummer.
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mully
New Member
Posts: 4
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Post by mully on Nov 3, 2018 13:48:04 GMT -7
thanks....
is the MAZ38 capable of tones like that? I've only been able to test a MAZ18 (and only the digital version inside Amplitube4) and it's nowhere near saturated enough on its own. (not sure how accurate that representation is though)
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Post by nmz on Nov 3, 2018 14:08:09 GMT -7
loook into these: Remedy Therapy EMS Nova
All have good drive.
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mully
New Member
Posts: 4
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Post by mully on Nov 4, 2018 7:28:48 GMT -7
thanks.... will be on the lookout for those.
just tested a Carmen Ghia through a Mesa 1x10" loaded with an Alnico Gold and didn't like the sound at all. most likely the cabinet though. Not a fan of the Celestion Golds.
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Post by sharkboy on Nov 5, 2018 10:00:14 GMT -7
I’d say Route 66 all the way, but DB4 is a good choice. DB4 is a good choice if you ever need to go brighter, but the Route 66 can get to warm/bright territory.
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Post by goodez on Nov 18, 2018 16:09:02 GMT -7
I’d say Route 66 all the way, but DB4 is a good choice. DB4 is a good choice if you ever need to go brighter, but the Route 66 can get to warm/bright territory. Brighter? The Db4 is one of the darkest amps Doc has made to date. Not that it doesn’t rock out in spades but I wouldn’t place it into the bright amp category.
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Post by Chilly Gibbons (Todd T.) on Nov 18, 2018 16:14:26 GMT -7
Therapy sounds about right for your requirements.
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Post by sharkboy on Nov 18, 2018 20:32:01 GMT -7
I’d say Route 66 all the way, but DB4 is a good choice. DB4 is a good choice if you ever need to go brighter, but the Route 66 can get to warm/bright territory. Brighter? The Db4 is one of the darkest amps Doc has made to date. Not that it doesn’t rock out in spades but I wouldn’t place it into the bright amp category. I hear you- it isn’t a bright amp per se, but you can get fairly bright with two of the switch settings on the DB4. Of my three Zs, I find the DB4 to be the one I would probably play if I was playing both single coils and humbuckers and could only use one amp. Weirdly, it is my third favorite of the three.
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Post by j4gitr (John) on Nov 19, 2018 5:19:04 GMT -7
Don't discount that Carmen Ghia. You said you don't like the gold. Speakers will make a difference. I had my Ghia out a day ago ( at home) going into a closed back z-convertible cab with a z-12. Brakelite on 3 & 4 clicks volume 1-2:00. I ran a RC boost to goose the front a little. That natural breakup of the amp was glorious and touch sensitivity is soooo dynamic. I used both G&L ASAT and Heritage 535. Simple twist of that tone knob for minor tweaks, typically between 11and 2:00 for me, depending on guitar and mood. The volume and tone controls on the guitar, however, were all I really needed. Then I switched over to the 2x10 convertible cab (still closed) w Z10's. Equally nice...little punchier, little more oomph. I'm a big fan of Doc's speakers. I find them smooth in tone and the breakup. YMMV. I also have a WGS Blackhawk that I like quite a bit, and have traded away a m65 creamback as I felt it a little raspy with my Antidote. (All the speaker talk for an insight to what I hear). My original point, to repeat myself, perhaps check that Ghia with another speaker and maybe a brakelite if things get too loud for you.
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Post by goodez on Nov 19, 2018 7:23:43 GMT -7
I think a speaker swap is a great idea and if you don’t already have a brakelite it makes a world of difference. I’m using one on my Db4 right now. I run the amp at 11 o-clock and the brakelite on 2 or 3. Previously, I was running a 2x10 z-cab with the Db4 and I hated it, very blanketed with no top end. I picked up a single 12” z-cab with a 65 creamback and that was a step in the right direction. The last speaker I tried was a 12” Celestion Gold (which Doc sells it with in the combo’s) and that was perfect. Basically, as was previously mentioned, a speaker swap can change the sound pretty substantially. So try to keep that in your mind when selecting a z (half the battle is the marrying of the perfect speaker). I would vote Remedy, Db4, or EMS.
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Post by Rockerfeller on Nov 19, 2018 10:43:49 GMT -7
Consider the Remedy. It is a fantastic Marshall type amp and they are practically giving them away right now on the resale market. If you want a great amp AND you need to keep it around $1000 or under a Remedy with the Master Volume mod is easily doable.
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Post by John E. on Apr 4, 2019 14:50:02 GMT -7
Heya, I'm in need for a new amp that is loud enough for band practice with a heavy hitting drummer. Style is a mixture of Grunge & College Rock. I play distorted 99% of the time and the amp I'm currently playing through (which isn't mine) is a stock Yamaha T100 which I quite like (if a bit noisy). I do however long for a handwired amp and am intrigued by the Dr. Zs I've seen/heared on youtube. Thing is I can't really test these here in germany so I should better know what I'm looking for when hunting for them used or ordering them from proguitar (which unfortunately is quite far away otherwise I'd visit them). I do like a dark tone. I hate fizzy highs.... so speakerwise I'd always go with a Cream Alnico instead of a Gold Alnico. I like it highly saturated (but more because of the compression and sustain than the crunch). What I don't like is a sterile or harsh sound and I don't want it to sound too metal (Soundgarden would be fine - anything heavier not so much). Since there's no metal Dr. Z I think Im in the right place. Liquid and Smooth while still Dirty would be a good way to describe what I'm after. What I've heared on youtube so far was that the DB4 would be fun. The Monza would be more my price range though the demos make it sound quite harsh. The Carmen Ghia looks interesting but might be too clean? (Going to test one tomorrow that's available locally). The Cure seems interesting as well although I do like heads instead of Combos. Funnily enough there's an M12 demo on youtube I do like the sound of even though it's been advertised as a clean pedal platform (I thought it sounded quite crunchy with the knobs turned up). cheers, mully I know I'm late to the party. But, I know exactly the sound you're looking for. I would suggest either the Remedy or the EMS. I've owned a Remedy and I've played an EMS (and saving up to get my own). The Remedy does the classic Marshally thing really well IMO. To my ears it was akin to like a JTM45/JMP 2204 hybrid. The Remedy has an amazing clean sound, and I like the "jumped channels" thing (FYI; by this I mean that with old Marshalls with 4 inputs people would jumper them to use both channels at the same time, but Doc did that internally) so it's got the 2 Volumes for Bright and Normal, so you can really tailor the sound to the guitar you use. It doesn't really get into high gain territory unless you use a pedal or really hot pickups. I've done both at different times. I had an SG with Lace Sensor Dirty Heshers, which are 19k output in the bridge and 15.8k in the neck (normal humbuckers like Seymour Duncan Seth Lover's are 8.3k on the bridge and 7.4k in the neck) and they would send the Remedy into higher gain but still not modern high gain, more like Black Sabbath type gain. I also had a BK Butler Tube Driver I'd put in front when I was using single coils, it would boost it into a very convincing Eric Johnson type of tone. Also, I would suggest the earlier version of the Remedy without the Master Volume. The PPIMV sounded great but the Remedy is the type of amp that you crank up and don't apologize for it LOL. Doc's amps are LOUD. The EMS would be my first choice for you though. It's 100% British flavored Z goodness and I love it! It's EXTREMELY versatile. Want a JTM45? You got it bud! How bout a 70's JMP 2204? No problem! "Oh, but surely it can't sound like a JCM 800!" Oh, surely you are WRONG! It's so amazing to me how incredibly versatile, yet simple the EMS is. And unlike most "versatile" amps that can get close to a bunch of sounds but never sounds just right, the EMS NAILS all those sounds. It really does sound like a JCM800, or a JTM45, or a small box JMP! It's honestly incredible. You can choose between solid state or tube rectifier, high or low input sensitivity, and a "touch" switch which kind of sharpens or rounds out your pick attack from what I understand. Both amps sound amazing with Celestion Creambacks, I have a Dr. Z 'Backline 2x12' which is convertible from open back to closed back so that just adds to the flexibility. I personally liked the Remedy through a mix of 2 Greenbacks and 2 Creambacks. The Creambacks in the Z Backline cab with the back panel off and the Greens in an Avatar closed back cab. The EMS sounded great with Creambacks, even better with Greenbacks, and IMHO sounded the best when used with a 2x12 closed with Greenbacks and a 2x12 closed with V30's. Also as a side note, and this is just my honest opinion, the Remedy sounded best with my Strats, I just couldn't get what I wanted with humbuckers for some reason. EMS I only tried with my Les Paul, but I'm sure it sounds great with single coils too!
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Post by Faze on Apr 4, 2019 17:46:54 GMT -7
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Post by purpletele on Apr 4, 2019 18:08:39 GMT -7
Heya, I'm in need for a new amp that is loud enough for band practice with a heavy hitting drummer. Style is a mixture of Grunge & College Rock. I play distorted 99% of the time and the amp I'm currently playing through (which isn't mine) is a stock Yamaha T100 which I quite like (if a bit noisy). I do however long for a handwired amp and am intrigued by the Dr. Zs I've seen/heared on youtube. Thing is I can't really test these here in germany so I should better know what I'm looking for when hunting for them used or ordering them from proguitar (which unfortunately is quite far away otherwise I'd visit them). I do like a dark tone. I hate fizzy highs.... so speakerwise I'd always go with a Cream Alnico instead of a Gold Alnico. I like it highly saturated (but more because of the compression and sustain than the crunch). What I don't like is a sterile or harsh sound and I don't want it to sound too metal (Soundgarden would be fine - anything heavier not so much). Since there's no metal Dr. Z I think Im in the right place. Liquid and Smooth while still Dirty would be a good way to describe what I'm after. What I've heared on youtube so far was that the DB4 would be fun. The Monza would be more my price range though the demos make it sound quite harsh. The Carmen Ghia looks interesting but might be too clean? (Going to test one tomorrow that's available locally). The Cure seems interesting as well although I do like heads instead of Combos. Funnily enough there's an M12 demo on youtube I do like the sound of even though it's been advertised as a clean pedal platform (I thought it sounded quite crunchy with the knobs turned up). cheers, mully I know I'm late to the party. But, I know exactly the sound you're looking for. I would suggest either the Remedy or the EMS. I've owned a Remedy and I've played an EMS (and saving up to get my own). The Remedy does the classic Marshally thing really well IMO. To my ears it was akin to like a JTM45/JMP 2204 hybrid. The Remedy has an amazing clean sound, and I like the "jumped channels" thing (FYI; by this I mean that with old Marshalls with 4 inputs people would jumper them to use both channels at the same time, but Doc did that internally) so it's got the 2 Volumes for Bright and Normal, so you can really tailor the sound to the guitar you use. It doesn't really get into high gain territory unless you use a pedal or really hot pickups. I've done both at different times. I had an SG with Lace Sensor Dirty Heshers, which are 19k output in the bridge and 15.8k in the neck (normal humbuckers like Seymour Duncan Seth Lover's are 8.3k on the bridge and 7.4k in the neck) and they would send the Remedy into higher gain but still not modern high gain, more like Black Sabbath type gain. I also had a BK Butler Tube Driver I'd put in front when I was using single coils, it would boost it into a very convincing Eric Johnson type of tone. Also, I would suggest the earlier version of the Remedy without the Master Volume. The PPIMV sounded great but the Remedy is the type of amp that you crank up and don't apologize for it LOL. Doc's amps are LOUD. The EMS would be my first choice for you though. It's 100% British flavored Z goodness and I love it! It's EXTREMELY versatile. Want a JTM45? You got it bud! How bout a 70's JMP 2204? No problem! "Oh, but surely it can't sound like a JCM 800!" Oh, surely you are WRONG! It's so amazing to me how incredibly versatile, yet simple the EMS is. And unlike most "versatile" amps that can get close to a bunch of sounds but never sounds just right, the EMS NAILS all those sounds. It really does sound like a JCM800, or a JTM45, or a small box JMP! It's honestly incredible. You can choose between solid state or tube rectifier, high or low input sensitivity, and a "touch" switch which kind of sharpens or rounds out your pick attack from what I understand. Both amps sound amazing with Celestion Creambacks, I have a Dr. Z 'Backline 2x12' which is convertible from open back to closed back so that just adds to the flexibility. I personally liked the Remedy through a mix of 2 Greenbacks and 2 Creambacks. The Creambacks in the Z Backline cab with the back panel off and the Greens in an Avatar closed back cab. The EMS sounded great with Creambacks, even better with Greenbacks, and IMHO sounded the best when used with a 2x12 closed with Greenbacks and a 2x12 closed with V30's. Also as a side note, and this is just my honest opinion, the Remedy sounded best with my Strats, I just couldn't get what I wanted with humbuckers for some reason. EMS I only tried with my Les Paul, but I'm sure it sounds great with single coils too! I suspect you wrote to an empty audience, I haven’t seen any other posts from Mully since that one a year ago.
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