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Post by gotmojo on May 8, 2019 16:55:11 GMT -7
Hey all. Avid Z fan here, but ......... back in 2010 when I discovered Dr Z’s line of amps, the first amps I bought were a MAZ 18 and a Remedy. I bonded instantly with the Remedy (still have it), but could never quite bond with the MAZ - it had some high mid thing going on that I couldn’t dial out and my ears couldn’t abide by, and I eventually let her go to fund some more Z’s. I’ve been through a bunch now (I still have 8!), but I have never had another MAZ 18. And everybody raves about ‘em so much, I have to wonder if I made a bad mistake 9 years ago!
I am currently on a quest for the perfect 1-12 combo for gigging, and I have found it, or, .... them ...., in the Wreck, and StangRay, and DB4, and Ghia. I have no “need” for another amp, and yet .......... I’m an addict and one can’t help but wonder what this new Maz18 MK II is like in a 1-12 Ultra-Lite combo, and wouldn’t it be fun as another alternative gig amp? As you can see by my line up, I love the EL84 platform and the Vox like tones that it produces.
Now, I know the Doc makes a lot of different amps to fill a lot of different tastes for a lot of different player’s, and to give folks lots of options. And although all of mine mentioned are EL84 based, they all have their own personalities and differences.
So my (unanswerable) question is: is this new MKII voicing really a change from the old MAZ? Nobody can actually know what my ears want to hear, but did Doc’s voicing change really increase the EQ structure of the amp? I play a Tele and absolutely LOVE the tone that the Wreck and StangRay give me for the middle position on a Tele. If I can get something akin to that on the new MAZ, I am all in for another combo! No local dealers for me to try one out, so I’m hoping one of you can lend some insight!
jj
prolly do the NR model.
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Post by digs57 on May 8, 2019 17:38:14 GMT -7
Just received and assembled and playing as I write...one of the thing I do notice...w/paul I can get breakup on master/9 and volume/9-10...with guitars volume cranked of course...was never able to do that before...not unlike the cure as everyones been saying...way too early to really jump into deep water...but mid doesn't seem to be as sharp a +/-... cut is smoother not as spikey?...over all it does feel different yes...as someone said more fendery/mrk 2...voxy/mrk 1...there seems to be something to that statement...
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Post by gotmojo on May 8, 2019 17:43:48 GMT -7
Hmmmm.
master 9-10? 9-10 o’clock? Or nearly nutted?
jj
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Post by digs57 on May 8, 2019 17:47:48 GMT -7
in terms clock/numerals
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Post by telejas on May 8, 2019 18:01:15 GMT -7
EQ voicing on the Maz......It's shifted down to a slightly lower mid-range frequency, but at the end of the day it still sounds like a Maz 18, just different, but the same. If you played one at a friends house, then 2 days later played the other, you'd be hard-pressed to really nail what the difference is?? But, if you put them both right next to each other, the differences would be in your face and you'd be like "Oh"! In my past experience with my first Maz 18 NR, I HATED it when I got it and played it in my bedroom (at all volumes)! It was mid-rangy, boxy, honky, and lacked low end. I went ahead and tried it at my next gig, just to say I played it live.... I FREAKIN' LOVED IT!!!!!! All those weird mids that sounded "off", or "not right" in my bedroom, were exactly what made it stand out with a full band.....I even had to turn the low end down some, as it was booming through the mains! I went on and made that my main amp for 2 years. The first gig after I traded it, even though I was totally happy with my trade, I knew I was going to get another Maz someday because I missed it SOOOOOooooo much. It seems that the amps I love playing at home, don't work for me in a live situation... And all the ones that work great in a live situation, aren't the best bedroom amps..... But, the Maz 18 Mk.II sounds GREAT in both situations, IMO. I've been a Stingray player for a long time and no other amp has touched, what I consider the "Holy Grail" of clean tone.... But, I have only used my Stingray 4 or 5 times since acquiring my Maz 18 in September (mostly while the Maz was off for the Mk.II update in December). Either I've gotten REALLY used to how my Maz sounds, and reacts to my picking, or I actually do like it better? The Maz has always been in my top 10 favorite amps category, but the Mk.II update has put it in my top 3, right next to the Ray and The Wreck. Really wish you could try one first??? Like you said, my ears don't know what you hear... But, even with a Blue, my Mk.II Maz isn't overly mid-rangy, and cleans slightly more towards the "Fender" camp than before (but still firmly in the Vox, and mostly Dr. Z camp). Just my $.02....er, $.03 worth
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Post by premiumplus (Dave) on May 8, 2019 18:11:36 GMT -7
I love the MKII update. Like digs noted, great breakup with LP at 10:00. It makes a great amp legendary.
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Post by digs57 on May 8, 2019 18:12:05 GMT -7
Nicely put...playing live makes the cake...come on you like it better...its ok...still love my version 1 reverb too....
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Post by gotmojo on May 9, 2019 4:57:31 GMT -7
Nicely put, Telejas! And you choose the MAZ now over the Wreck for gigs?!?!
I absolutely LOVE the sound of both the Wreck and the StangRay! My favorite amps of this lifetime! That high and mid structure of tone, with the tight bottom, is what I crave. I may as well sell all my other amps. I run the StangRay wide open (volume nutted) with a brake on 4 to get as much distortion as I can - love it but would love a little more distortion. Was hoping the MAZ might give me just that, something close to the StangRay tone but with plenty of distortion to dial in. Would you say the MAZ can get a tone fairly close to the StangRay, or is it quite different?
jj
sigh. in reality, guess ima hafta get one. sorta complete the EL84 collection. and i just gotta have the experience so i can speak knowledgeably on this forum. and, i’m an addict with very little self control. 🤓
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Post by Stephen on May 9, 2019 6:06:05 GMT -7
I love the Maz 18 MKII. It has all the soul of my 2012 Maz, better reverb and master volume, at 2/3 the weight.
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Post by shiner51 on May 9, 2019 6:57:27 GMT -7
What Telejas said about at home amps not being the best gigging amps and vice versa is spot on! When I first got my 2012 Maz NR combo, I was a little disappointed because at bedroom levels the amp sounded brittle and harsh and lacked a full bottom end. It was not until a while later when I was able to use it on a loud gig, that I understood what the Maz is all about. The amp comes alive and takes on a whole new character when the master volume is at 1:00 or more and when the volume is at 11:00 or higher . I actually had to turn my bass control down and turn up the mids and treble. I was using a brake lite with mine also. I had the complete update done a few months ago and it is an improvement on the original design. To me the harshness is gone and the amp breaks up much sooner at lower volume levels. I keep the volume at 9:00 now if i want clean tones and increase the master much more than before which to me gives the amp a more even tone. I have removed the brake lite. I can't say that its the perfect bedroom level amp but I don't think that what its made for anyway. At live gig levels with a Tele, its hard to beat!
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Post by digs57 on May 9, 2019 7:08:42 GMT -7
Yeah that was a great assessment of the way we should as players be looking at this really...the mrk2 is definitely smoothed out...cut is more linear than a presence knob...mid doesn't have that lower mid boost as you turn up...not a distortion player per say so master is definitely a change from previous (v1)...I need to take her on a date,sort of speak...
The version 1 maz will always be the reason I wanted (maz 18) one in the first place...when I went to different speaker it was what I needed to play and get consistent results live...
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Post by gotmojo on May 9, 2019 7:20:41 GMT -7
Oh. Just checked my bank account: Got that tax return in! New amp day coming up!!!!!!!
jj
i mean it, this is the last amp!
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Post by telejas on May 9, 2019 17:15:13 GMT -7
Nicely put, Telejas! And you choose the MAZ now over the Wreck for gigs?!?! Well, I no longer have the Wreck.... I traded my StangRay for the Wreck several years ago. Then traded the Wreck for a DB4, and instantly was not happy with that trade. I then traded the DB4 for a Stingray......So, I just have a Ray and a Maz 18. I'm the guitarist in a little 3pc band, and find myself gravitating towards the Maz more than the Ray. Not sure why?? I took the Ray to a gig a few weeks ago, but missed what I was getting from my Maz. I think the Maz just fits this band better?? But, we play more rock and I use more dirt pedals than ever before. Last time I played this type of music, I had a Mesa Boogie Roadster, and then a Mesa Mark V. This clip is me using an XTS Atomic Overdrive pedal in front of the Maz.
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Post by bourgeoisboy (Josh) on May 9, 2019 17:18:59 GMT -7
Oh. Just checked my bank account: Got that tax return in! New amp day coming up!!!!!!! jj i mean it, this is the last amp! ...But, you didn't mention you had a Z-lux..
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Post by wubberdubber on May 9, 2019 19:24:39 GMT -7
My first MAZ had that "high mid thing" too...I cured it by getting rid of the G12H30 speaker....lol.
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Post by DRZ on May 13, 2019 2:35:15 GMT -7
Great clip telejas, you're playing is excellent and you really show the versatility of the MAZ 18. I think the MAZ's strength is its versatility, and flexible tone variations that does a good job of covering the Big Three .
Z
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Post by digs57 on May 13, 2019 5:35:20 GMT -7
Drummer even does the yells...fun tune.
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