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Post by johnnada on Jan 20, 2023 9:29:00 GMT -7
It's been a long time since I've posted anything, but I've got a question for you guys, and I hope you can help me out. So I've had my Maz 18 MKII head (w/ reverb) for almost 1,5 years now, and in that time it was a great recording and session amp. I have three Marshall plexi style amps, so this offered something different for some jobs I was doing, and for my Youtube channel. Lately though, I've not been gelling with the Maz anymore.
On a few occasions I've tried to bring it to gigs instead of one of my plexis to use it with my main band, but never get the sound and feel I like and eventually to bring a plexi anyway. The things that seem to bother me in that regard are that it feels stiffer to play, has more low end than I need while it also can have a harshness in the top end, while I can never seem to get the mids where I want them. The stiffer feel with less sustain throws be off quite a bit.
Outside of my own band I never experienced that as much, because I used a different pedalboard and a telecaster instead of a Les Paul more often, while also playing more different genres. And I think the amp is great, I'm really not trying to bash it, but I might have outgrown it now that I'm doing more work inside my own wheelhouse.
I was thinking about selling it, but I still want a Dr. Z in the fold. My wife also has a Remedy. So I contacted my dealer and he offered me a fair deal to trade in my Maz for a Wreck. Outside of Dr. Z it seems that these days I only like Marshall plexi and Vox AC style amps, and from what I've read the Z-Wreck Jr sounds more vintage, feels more loose and is has more of its own character. I don't need an effects loop, reverb or a lot of clean headroom and I am not a tweaker. Would it be a good choice for me?
The dealer is not near me, so I would have to decide from a distance. I have played a Z-Wreck Jr. combo right before I got the Maz and liked it, but got the Maz instead for it's versatility, though I also didn't test ride that one before buying it.
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Post by johnnada on Jan 20, 2023 9:46:49 GMT -7
Forgot to mention: I mainly play bluesy classic rock style things. Think in the style of things like The Black Crowes, Led Zeppelin, Joe Walsh etc. And I prefer Les Pauls and SGs, mostly humbuckers but also P90s. For studio and session work I also venture into broader americana stuff and use a telecaster and esquire as well. If that helps...
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Post by nick0 on Jan 20, 2023 10:42:35 GMT -7
Not sure about a wreck. It sounds like a Ghia, Jetta or Z28mkII may be in your wheelhouse. Particularly the Ghia.
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Post by cooluke on Jan 20, 2023 12:05:00 GMT -7
I don't use humbucker's so I can't really say much in that regard. It's been 20 years or more since I had my Maz 18. The Wreck Jr does NOT have an overbearing low-end in my opinion. I don't think there is a better speaker than a GB for it either. Stiff feel is relative, but I find the Wreck not that at all. My DB4 with a gold is pretty stiff until it's past noon. The Wreck IS unforgiving at first. Not in a bad way so much as it's not going to hide anything. It has a nice "feel" to it for sure. I play mine cleanish with Master wide open. Love the Flint with it, but if you really get it breaking up not as much. Same with any amp that breaks up and has no loop.
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Post by johnnada on Jan 20, 2023 12:27:38 GMT -7
Not sure about a wreck. It sounds like a Ghia, Jetta or Z28mkII may be in your wheelhouse. Particularly the Ghia. Could you elaborate why? I do like the Ghia, but even though I'm not a tweaker, it doesn't give me a lot of options. The reason I like the Wreck is because it has some similar qualities that I like in Vox amps, but a little less brittle though still British.
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Post by johnnada on Jan 20, 2023 12:30:16 GMT -7
I don't use humbucker's so I can't really say much in that regard. It's been 20 years or more since I had my Maz 18. The Wreck Jr does NOT have an overbearing low-end in my opinion. I don't think there is a better speaker than a GB for it either. Stiff feel is relative, but I find the Wreck not that at all. My DB4 with a gold is pretty stiff until it's past noon. The Wreck IS unforgiving at first. Not in a bad way so much as it's not going to hide anything. It has a nice "feel" to it for sure. I play mine cleanish with Master wide open. Love the Flint with it, but if you really get it breaking up not as much. Same with any amp that breaks up and has no loop. Well, I'm a Greenback player anyways. I prefer Greenbacks over anything, any time. Also currently using the Maz with a Greenback (with 70th Anni in the bottom of the cab) and also one of the weirdos who prefers Vox amps with a Greenback over an Alnico Blue (had both). My plexis are unforgiving too, which I also use with a Flint in the front
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Post by adam on Jan 20, 2023 17:14:04 GMT -7
I don't think there's anything wrong at all with searching for something else that might better fit your needs at the time. That's part of the fun! While not ever having a wreck in hand, I'll throw out some thoughts and might be more miss than hit.
Maz18 - you can set it a lot of different ways, and that's a big plus, or maybe a hinderance at times too. The "harsh" part, the high input is a lot harsher than the low input, so maybe start there if you aren't already there. The h30 can be pretty harsh too, and I know a lot of people like the cream back in the 18 which warms it up a bit. Try putting the master at 1-2pm, put the eq bypass switch in full bypass and set the cut control to where it sounds best or most balanced to you. Then disengage the eq bypass and start with the base/mid/treble at 0 and slowly bring those up to where you have a balance of tone again, but don't go above say 9pm. Then kind of set the preamp gain control to what you are looking for. For me, when the amp is really pushed, you get a great crunch sound, and great lead tone with the eq bypass engaged, and a really good clean tone by backing off the guitar volume which doesn't lose much volume front the crunch sound if the amp is pushed. From there, if you need more clean, something like a tele or strat will surely help. If the amp is too loud, you could try an attenuator or the master volume, but lowering the master is going to lose some of the magic the power tubes bring the the equation where say the clean sound of rolling the guitar volume no longer works as well. If the amp isn't loud enough, you just need a higher powered amp (again, really guessing, but plexis are pretty damn loud so if that's the reference, no idea). Then I think you really onto cabs and speakers to hone it in. If a 1x12 isn't cutting it tonal wise, try a 4x12 or 2x12. My 4x12s with greenbacks or v30's have a massive difference in volume (and tone), just as a for-instance.
Zwreck - from what I hear in general from clips I see, that amp sounds fantastic with a tele. Like big fat and full, and makes a tele really shine. No idea how that really applies to hum buckers or what you are going for with clean volume, but that combo sounds great to me. Guessing if you are humbucker fan, maybe that amp is a little too full for that, but, you wouldn't know until you tried it. I see that amp as turn it up and ride the guitar volume and keep life simple and happy.
If you want more cleanish headroom and dimension with hum buckers, the z28 might be right up your ally. That amp sounds great with hum buckers or single coils and has considerable volume on tap. Not a plexi in any way, but a fantastic sound none the less.
So say you did the trade - I don't think you are really losing anything, they are just different. Keith Richards once said something about it's finding the right combination of amp and guitar, like neither really matters, but the whole is everything.
Good luck!
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Post by Rockerfeller on Jan 20, 2023 17:19:01 GMT -7
No. Keep the Maz and buy the Wreck jr.
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Post by johnnada on Jan 20, 2023 17:48:14 GMT -7
No. Keep the Maz and buy the Wreck jr. I wish it were that easy, but with a first kid on the way I'm trying to be more responsible with my financials That's why I'm considering to let the Maz go, since I'm just not clicking with it anymore, though it's a great amp and I like Z's. My wife also has the Remedy. They just have something. That's why I want to switch to another Z if I unload the Maz.
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Post by nick0 on Jan 20, 2023 17:53:05 GMT -7
Not sure about a wreck. It sounds like a Ghia, Jetta or Z28mkII may be in your wheelhouse. Particularly the Ghia. Could you elaborate why? I do like the Ghia, but even though I'm not a tweaker, it doesn't give me a lot of options. The reason I like the Wreck is because it has some similar qualities that I like in Vox amps, but a little less brittle though still British.
I'm sure the wreck jr would be killer. I've just never played one. I suggest the ghia because it can get some nice British (ish) tones. Kinda marshall but it's own thing. Worth a look imo. Check out as many as you can. They all have a lot to offer!
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Post by johnnada on Jan 20, 2023 17:54:37 GMT -7
I don't think there's anything wrong at all with searching for something else that might better fit your needs at the time. That's part of the fun! While not ever having a wreck in hand, I'll throw out some thoughts and might be more miss than hit. Maz18 - you can set it a lot of different ways, and that's a big plus, or maybe a hinderance at times too. The "harsh" part, the high input is a lot harsher than the low input, so maybe start there if you aren't already there. The h30 can be pretty harsh too, and I know a lot of people like the cream back in the 18 which warms it up a bit. Try putting the master at 1-2pm, put the eq bypass switch in full bypass and set the cut control to where it sounds best or most balanced to you. Then disengage the eq bypass and start with the base/mid/treble at 0 and slowly bring those up to where you have a balance of tone again, but don't go above say 9pm. Then kind of set the preamp gain control to what you are looking for. For me, when the amp is really pushed, you get a great crunch sound, and great lead tone with the eq bypass engaged, and a really good clean tone by backing off the guitar volume which doesn't lose much volume front the crunch sound if the amp is pushed. From there, if you need more clean, something like a tele or strat will surely help. If the amp is too loud, you could try an attenuator or the master volume, but lowering the master is going to lose some of the magic the power tubes bring the the equation where say the clean sound of rolling the guitar volume no longer works as well. If the amp isn't loud enough, you just need a higher powered amp (again, really guessing, but plexis are pretty damn loud so if that's the reference, no idea). Then I think you really onto cabs and speakers to hone it in. If a 1x12 isn't cutting it tonal wise, try a 4x12 or 2x12. My 4x12s with greenbacks or v30's have a massive difference in volume (and tone), just as a for-instance. Zwreck - from what I hear in general from clips I see, that amp sounds fantastic with a tele. Like big fat and full, and makes a tele really shine. No idea how that really applies to hum buckers or what you are going for with clean volume, but that combo sounds great to me. Guessing if you are humbucker fan, maybe that amp is a little too full for that, but, you wouldn't know until you tried it. I see that amp as turn it up and ride the guitar volume and keep life simple and happy. If you want more cleanish headroom and dimension with hum buckers, the z28 might be right up your ally. That amp sounds great with hum buckers or single coils and has considerable volume on tap. Not a plexi in any way, but a fantastic sound none the less. So say you did the trade - I don't think you are really losing anything, they are just different. Keith Richards once said something about it's finding the right combination of amp and guitar, like neither really matters, but the whole is everything. Good luck! Thanks for chiming in. I think I've tried it all at this point with the Maz, and as a studio tool for different sounds than my plexi it has excelled. But I've been changing my setup recently, getting rid of a whole lot of pedals and some cabs, and that I think has also changed my experience with the Maz. Not sure if it's a phase, but since it has been knawing on me for a few months now I thought I could better take a different path. With the Maz I'm always searching to get less bottom and less top end, and I've been having a hard time balancing that in combination with the feel of the amp. When it feels good, it doesn't sound right and vice versa. It was great for a session gig I had with a band since 2020, but I'm about to quit this summer because I can do more of my own stuff.
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Post by johnnada on Jan 20, 2023 17:58:19 GMT -7
Could you elaborate why? I do like the Ghia, but even though I'm not a tweaker, it doesn't give me a lot of options. The reason I like the Wreck is because it has some similar qualities that I like in Vox amps, but a little less brittle though still British.
I'm sure the wreck jr would be killer. I've just never played one. I suggest the ghia because it can get some nice British (ish) tones. Kinda marshall but it's own thing. Worth a look imo. Check out as many as you can. They all have a lot to offer! The downside is that I'm in Europe, so it's a bit more slim pickins and the dealer is not close and also only has limited models in stock. I was there once and I have played the Z-Wreck Jr, Therapy and EZG50. The Z-Wreck Jr was the one I liked most and maybe the one I should've picked over the Maz in the first place. At that time I chose with my head instead of my heart
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Post by johnnada on Jan 21, 2023 14:08:17 GMT -7
Anyone else with experience who can weigh in on this?
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Post by John on Jan 21, 2023 14:48:58 GMT -7
I'm an old 4 input plexi style Marshall guy myself. So I understand what you're saying. The Maz Jr is different and it isn't going to sound/feel like a plexi. And if your ears are accustomed to the tone and feel of a plexi when you gig, other amps may not seem as good. Especially for the style music you mentioned. One thing I will say...if you are looking to stay with something close to vintage marshall tones...but at lower volume...The Ghia is much closer to old Marshalls than the Maz Jr or the Wreck Jr. Being an old school Marshall guy, I bonded with the Ghia VERY fast. I don't know how loud you play, but if you're looking for a grab-and-go amp, a Ghia combo would be excellent. Like I said, it depends on how loud you play and how loud your drummer is.
If you want to stay in the Vox camp, get the Wreck Jr.
Just for the record, I've had two Maz Jrs...a Ghia combo and I still have a Remedy. And Greenbacks are my favorite speaker too.
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Post by johnnada on Jan 21, 2023 18:03:43 GMT -7
I'm an old 4 input plexi style Marshall guy myself. So I understand what you're saying. The Maz Jr is different and it isn't going to sound/feel like a plexi. And if your ears are accustomed to the tone and feel of a plexi when you gig, other amps may not seem as good. Especially for the style music you mentioned. One thing I will say...if you are looking to stay with something close to vintage marshall tones...but at lower volume...The Ghia is much closer to old Marshalls than the Maz Jr or the Wreck Jr. Being an old school Marshall guy, I bonded with the Ghia VERY fast. I don't know how loud you play, but if you're looking for a grab-and-go amp, a Ghia combo would be excellent. Like I said, it depends on how loud you play and how loud your drummer is.
If you want to stay in the Vox camp, get the Wreck Jr.
Just for the record, I've had two Maz Jrs...a Ghia combo and I still have a Remedy. And Greenbacks are my favorite speaker too. Thanks, this is helpful! I'm not looking for the exact same thing, as I already have three different plexis and my wife owns a Remedy, so I feel we've got that covered. But the only other amps I have played in recent times that I liked besides that were a handwired Vox with an Alnico Blue and a regular Vox AC15 with Greenback. They also have that loose feel and midrange I like in plexis, but have something different as well. What I have gravitated torwards in an extra amp is also in that same vain: Matchless HC, Bad Cat Cub and Z-Wreck Jr., but from the sound samples I like the latter the best because it sounds open and clear with some low mid punch without being too fat. I'd also like to stick with Dr. Z amps. Tried the Maz again today in order to make up my mind, and it's a great amp, especially when it's cleaner and when I use my telecaster. That's how I used the amp for a long time. But for the things I'm doing now I cannot find my way with it.
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Post by frankie on Jan 24, 2023 14:07:50 GMT -7
I'm an old 4 input plexi style Marshall guy myself. So I understand what you're saying. The Maz Jr is different and it isn't going to sound/feel like a plexi. And if your ears are accustomed to the tone and feel of a plexi when you gig, other amps may not seem as good. Especially for the style music you mentioned. One thing I will say...if you are looking to stay with something close to vintage marshall tones...but at lower volume...The Ghia is much closer to old Marshalls than the Maz Jr or the Wreck Jr. Being an old school Marshall guy, I bonded with the Ghia VERY fast. I don't know how loud you play, but if you're looking for a grab-and-go amp, a Ghia combo would be excellent. Like I said, it depends on how loud you play and how loud your drummer is.
If you want to stay in the Vox camp, get the Wreck Jr.
Just for the record, I've had two Maz Jrs...a Ghia combo and I still have a Remedy. And Greenbacks are my favorite speaker too. Thanks, this is helpful! I'm not looking for the exact same thing, as I already have three different plexis and my wife owns a Remedy, so I feel we've got that covered. But the only other amps I have played in recent times that I liked besides that were a handwired Vox with an Alnico Blue and a regular Vox AC15 with Greenback. They also have that loose feel and midrange I like in plexis, but have something different as well. What I have gravitated torwards in an extra amp is also in that same vain: Matchless HC, Bad Cat Cub and Z-Wreck Jr., but from the sound samples I like the latter the best because it sounds open and clear with some low mid punch without being too fat. I'd also like to stick with Dr. Z amps. Tried the Maz again today in order to make up my mind, and it's a great amp, especially when it's cleaner and when I use my telecaster. That's how I used the amp for a long time. But for the things I'm doing now I cannot find my way with it. Let me cut to the chase, because I get this question a lot, 18 vs. ZW Jr. The 18 has more edge, there's a percussive feel (some say "stiff", I say, punchy and percussive) to it that the ZW Jr. does not have. The ZW Jr. gives in and sags with attack, where the 18 bites back. There's more compression with the ZW Jr., with a rounder, softer bottom end, with a smoother top, less edge to the attack of the note. There's much more sag, which contributes to the looseness. It also has less clean headroom, so if you are fine with forgoing the sort of clean sounds the MAZ has, then the ZW Jr. may be the ticket. I would describe the clean sounds on the MAZ slightly more glassy, and the ZW Jr. (with a little guitar volume rolled off) as more chime. I'm curious as to what plexi you referring too because when I think 100 watt plexi, I think percussive power. Unless it's really totally dimed, then maybe you get into the looser zone. I I can see a 45 watt JTM or even 50 watt plexi having much more compression and looseness than the 100 watt. I would describe the ZW Jr. much more in line with a cranked 45-50 watt marshall, but with a Vox midrange.
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Post by johnnada on Jan 26, 2023 11:42:46 GMT -7
Thanks, this is helpful! I'm not looking for the exact same thing, as I already have three different plexis and my wife owns a Remedy, so I feel we've got that covered. But the only other amps I have played in recent times that I liked besides that were a handwired Vox with an Alnico Blue and a regular Vox AC15 with Greenback. They also have that loose feel and midrange I like in plexis, but have something different as well. What I have gravitated torwards in an extra amp is also in that same vain: Matchless HC, Bad Cat Cub and Z-Wreck Jr., but from the sound samples I like the latter the best because it sounds open and clear with some low mid punch without being too fat. I'd also like to stick with Dr. Z amps. Tried the Maz again today in order to make up my mind, and it's a great amp, especially when it's cleaner and when I use my telecaster. That's how I used the amp for a long time. But for the things I'm doing now I cannot find my way with it. Let me cut to the chase, because I get this question a lot, 18 vs. ZW Jr. The 18 has more edge, there's a percussive feel (some say "stiff", I say, punchy and percussive) to it that the ZW Jr. does not have. The ZW Jr. gives in and sags with attack, where the 18 bites back. There's more compression with the ZW Jr., with a rounder, softer bottom end, with a smoother top, less edge to the attack of the note. There's much more sag, which contributes to the looseness. It also has less clean headroom, so if you are fine with forgoing the sort of clean sounds the MAZ has, then the ZW Jr. may be the ticket. I would describe the clean sounds on the MAZ slightly more glassy, and the ZW Jr. (with a little guitar volume rolled off) as more chime. I'm curious as to what plexi you referring too because when I think 100 watt plexi, I think percussive power. Unless it's really totally dimed, then maybe you get into the looser zone. I I can see a 45 watt JTM or even 50 watt plexi having much more compression and looseness than the 100 watt. I would describe the ZW Jr. much more in line with a cranked 45-50 watt marshall, but with a Vox midrange. Your closing line sounds perfect to me. I have a Marshall 1987x with a 1960TV cab, a SV20 combo and a SV20 head. I use the latter with a Zilla Vertical Studio Pro 2x12" with a Celestion 70th Anniversary in the bottom and regular M Greenback in the top. That's the cab I also used with the Maz and would use with the Z-Wreck Jr. And I don't dime my Marshalls. Patched I've got the 1987x with both volumes on 2, though I run it more than double as high on both SV for the same amound of gain. And I don't mind less clean headroom, my Marshalls barely have that either. With the Maz I felt I was still pretty clean with the volume on 2 o'clock and then got a saturated overdrive pretty fast. I missed a good dynamic edge of breakup in between those.
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Post by johnnada on Jan 28, 2023 4:00:20 GMT -7
Alright, so I took the chance and traded the Maz for the Wreck. Got it yesterday...
... and I'm really happy with the choice I made! It was a lot easier to get both the sound and feel I like and through my Zilla 2x12" with Celestion Greenback M in the top and 70th Anni in the bottom it sounded huge. Very similar experience to my 1987x through my 1960TV cab, with the same low end punch, but with a bit of its own character.
With the Wreck as opposed to the Maz I like the gain structure a lot more, it's easier for me to dial in the EQ, it's looser with more sustain, has more character and just more my thing. I'm not saying it's objectively better than the Maz, but that it suits me better.
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paulo
New Member
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Post by paulo on Jan 28, 2023 19:10:15 GMT -7
I have owned the Z Wreck Jr in head form, Maz 18 combo (3 of them), Maz 38 combo (2 of them), Carmen Ghia's (2 of them), and a Remedy.
Honestly, the Remedy is the best of the pack. I still have it, none of the others.
The Ghia, in my opinion is very limiting, especially if you have a Maz 18. Maz 38's are too powerful to be useful to me.
The Z Wreck Jr is good, but a little less clear than the Maz 18. If you have a Maz 18 MKII, you can't get much better than that.
Check out this guy's Youtube for a good comparison. It is accurate:
If you trade it in, go to the shop first and play on both for an hour or so.
If you are playing Marshalls, these are totally different unless you go EMS.
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Post by johnnada on Jan 29, 2023 12:48:52 GMT -7
I have owned the Z Wreck Jr in head form, Maz 18 combo (3 of them), Maz 38 combo (2 of them), Carmen Ghia's (2 of them), and a Remedy. Honestly, the Remedy is the best of the pack. I still have it, none of the others. The Ghia, in my opinion is very limiting, especially if you have a Maz 18. Maz 38's are too powerful to be useful to me. The Z Wreck Jr is good, but a little less clear than the Maz 18. If you have a Maz 18 MKII, you can't get much better than that. Check out this guy's Youtube for a good comparison. It is accurate: If you trade it in, go to the shop first and play on both for an hour or so. If you are playing Marshalls, these are totally different unless you go EMS. I know that video... and I like the Z-Wreck Jr better in it. And in my comment above I actually already mentioned I did the swap and that it turned out to be the perfect solution for me! My wife owns the Remedy, and I think that one is great as well. As someone who owns a few plexis and likes that British classic rock tone, the Z-Wreck Jr is a great addition for me. In does something different, but in the ballpark that I feel comfortable in. I think this thread showed me once again how subjective this stuff is
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