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Post by dickenscpa on Jun 16, 2008 9:59:29 GMT -7
I'm a little confused. I just joined here last Friday. (Wonderful welcome from this place BTW, much appreciated!) I play at Church and don't get paid and I'm an accountant, so I pretty much settled on a Mini Z head. Or, what Mamma will let me spend. I called the local dealer and he said there's no longer a Mini Z. I told him I was talking about the head not the combo. He told me the website was out of date and he no longer made the Mini Z in any configuration, the KT45 or Delta 88.
He's got a CG coming in that's already spoken for, but it'll be 3 weeks before it's here.
Do most of you have to order your Z's online? I was kinda hoping to plug into one first.
TIA Brad
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Post by Rik on Jun 16, 2008 10:11:09 GMT -7
If he is not up to date on what the Doc still produces I would probally find another dealer. Where do you live. I do not have a dealer in NM so yes I had to order my Z on line. I used Eddies Guitars in St Louis and they where excellent.
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Post by dickenscpa on Jun 16, 2008 11:21:12 GMT -7
I'm in the Nashville area. Strangely enough, being music city we have very little in the way of music stores. The guy I talked to today is the only dealer listed within my area.
I inquired about the CG also and he quoted me $400 above MSRP. $200 of it is he replaces the stock speakers on all the amps that come in. I might have been satisfied with stock?
I'm going to try and hold out my 30 days and peruse the Buy/Sell board here before I buy new.
I really think the Mini Z would do me fine. We had a guest group come in once and their guitarist played thru an Epi Valve Jr. Pretty much the same specs output wise and he was plenty loud.
Out of pure curiosity, how do amps sound different when they have so many shared parts? For instance, my Peavey Windsor has 2 12ax7 pre-amp tubes and an el84 power tube. Board? Transformer? Those are things a NOOB like me wouldn't have thought made such a difference.
Just wondering. Brad
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Post by Jan on Jun 16, 2008 15:01:22 GMT -7
Hi Brad, welcome. I must say that whoever you are talking to in Nashville sounds like they have smoked too much crack. I am a few hours south of you and I have nothing but good things to say about my local Z dealer, Midtown Music. I have bought three amps and two guitars from them and recommend them highly. www.midtownmusic.com/How or why do amps with similar components sound differently? Having once been a "rocket scientist" I can tell you that it is not rocket science. There may be a little magic involved though. Seriously, it is not just a generic lists of components. Decades of experience go into every Dr Z amp. There are classes and grades of components that run through a full spectrum of variables. You are not going to find PC boards or low-end, fuzzy spec'd components in a Dr Z amp. You mention transformers - as important as any part in an amp and as different as night and day between a Dr Z amp and the little Epiphone. The transformer in a Mini may very well cost more than the street price for a complete Valve Jr.
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Post by awesome on Jun 16, 2008 18:17:49 GMT -7
hey Brad,
where did you go to? i hope it wasnt Rock Block that told you that.
Rock Block is the only official Dr. Z dealer in Nashville and i would be surprised if they werent up to date. Most of the guys there play Z's.
i got my RX ExtraStrength there.
They have told me before that they will not order the Mini-Z without payment before-hand because they tend to sit in the store for a while and take up space.
Nashville = Country = Clean which is not what the Mini is known for.
Check out Rock Block on Ellingston Place by Exit/in, The End, and Krispy Kreme, if Drex is there, he can help you.
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Post by propellr on Jun 16, 2008 18:25:31 GMT -7
Brad. Keep posting. Let us talk you through this. Shut your eyes, grit your teeth, and think of England.
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Post by awesome on Jun 16, 2008 19:13:48 GMT -7
brad, didnt see the other post of yours.
most of Rock BLock's amps come with Celestion Blues and Golds. which are $$$. and what most pros like and ask for. also check the price list again to make you priced it right.
Carmen Ghia Head: $ 999 Carmen Ghia 2x10 combo: $1249 Carmen Ghia 1x12 combo: $1249
Plus: notice that this added to the configuration price.
Celestion Alnico "Blue Bell" upcharge (per speaker) $189 Celestion Alnico "Gold" upcharge (per speaker) $229
if all else fails in my experience, musicians do what musicians do (if you catch my drift), which can explain "crazyness" even if they work at a store.
you could also check out Mike E's vintage guitars and amps in Lavergne. he usually has a few used Z's.
if all else fails a few hours trip to Wilcutt's in Kentucky might need to be considered. they got everything.
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Post by Jim @94 Amps on Jun 16, 2008 19:34:18 GMT -7
We no longer offer a Mini Z combo, but we just reissued it as a head, but it comes with a built in Airbrake so you should be able to use it in church. They are definitely available!
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Post by dickenscpa on Jun 17, 2008 8:02:37 GMT -7
It was Rock Block here in Nashville. I hate to give a name out, but anyone could go to the Z site dealer search and realize that's the only dealer in my area.
The price I was quoted on a CG head was $1499. I was told $200 of this was due to the fact they change out the Vintage GH?? to Celestion blues. I then asked if I got to keep the stock speaker to recoup some of my money in the used market. Long silence and then a no.
I also inquired about the Maz Jr w/NR. I said it basically how I just typed it. His response was they no longer make the mazARATI, it's now the Mazarati GT. I told him that was a completely separate amp, I'm talking about the 18 & 38W Jr and Sr models. He said I don't know, maybe we can order it.
Jan, I'm gonna check that link you provided. I'm headed South this weekend and might make a detour if it's not too far off the path. 'Preciate it.
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Post by Jan on Jun 17, 2008 13:03:20 GMT -7
That makes no sense at all. Why are they changing speakers in a "head"?
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Post by awesome on Jun 17, 2008 15:11:15 GMT -7
ohhh... my head hurts.
the only thing i can say is that no one gets to keep the stock speaker when its upgraded from the factory.
according to the price list a Carmen Ghia 1X12 w/ a celestion Blue should be $1438
maybe misunderstandings are to blame?
maybe some new guys are working the store?
idk... I wash my hands of this.
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Post by dickenscpa on Jun 17, 2008 19:08:33 GMT -7
ohhh... my head hurts. the only thing i can say is that no one gets to keep the stock speaker when its upgraded from the factory. according to the price list a Carmen Ghia 1X12 w/ a celestion Blue should be $1438 maybe misunderstandings are to blame? maybe some new guys are working the store? idk... I wash my hands of this. He said "we" change the speaker. I took that as it was done at the dealer level. For example, the dealer receives a Z amp with Vintage speaker. Takes it out and replaces it with the Celestion. Charges me price for Celestion and keeps the Vintage. I'd guess they sell or reuse the Vintage, I can't see them throwing it away. Certainly could be a misunderstanding, but I think a poor choice of words on his part. Jan brought up the fact that I was inquiring about a "head" and he gave me the exact same price. I specifically made it clear I was asking about the head, not the combo. He kept justifying it by the speaker swap. To be honest, he really made me feel stupid when I asked about the Mini Z to begin with. That's why I titled the thread "Confused." He was very emphatic that the Z website was wrong and out of date. He even chuckled and made the statement, "We're probably the biggest Dr Z dealer. If he was making anything Mini Z, we'd know about it." It's all water under the bridge now. I wasn't trying to be combatant, I was honest to God confused. They lost my few measly dollars. I've talked to two dealers online that will ship a Z to me and even have a line on a used Mini Z. All will be well soon enough, they still make 'em and I still want one.LOL!
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Post by awesome on Jun 17, 2008 20:25:00 GMT -7
as long as one is on the way, all is well.
that's what matters. hope everything works out for you.
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Post by propellr on Jun 17, 2008 21:54:14 GMT -7
...and the rudder has corrected course. Nice. Full speed ahead.
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Post by dickenscpa on Jun 18, 2008 7:09:50 GMT -7
as long as one is on the way, all is well. that's what matters. hope everything works out for you. Thanks, everything will be fine. Just a matter of deciding and paying. I noticed you live in Mt Juliet, I live in Lebanon. Holler at me sometime and we can jam. It amazes me how hard it is to find people to play with right here in Nashville.
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Post by dickenscpa on Jun 18, 2008 7:14:18 GMT -7
...and the rudder has corrected course. Nice. Full speed ahead. Just left with the hard decision of CG or Mini Z. I would love to have both, but can't justify that to Mamma. I think the Mini Z would do me fine for where I play. Sanctuary holds 2-230 people. Plus it would be my home practice amp also and the built in attentuator is a plus. Of course the CG has more W's for only an extra $200. I've been known to get impatient and rush out and just buy something, then wish I'd bought the "other." Thanks for all the help guys!
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Post by deaconblues on Jul 26, 2008 8:07:10 GMT -7
Old Guy:"I do not have a dealer in NM"
Yes you do. Just not down the street or around the corner. Main Street Music in Aztec is our only dealer since Encore Music on Menaul in Abq. is no longer a dealer.
Main Street has a red Mini Z head in stock. I might have been tempted to buy it had it been in Black. I'm just not much for red.
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Post by stuey222 on Jul 28, 2008 21:30:20 GMT -7
When I was looking at buying my first Z, I visited Rock Block to check them out, and one guy was really nice, no B.S., the other guy who was there seemed sketchy. Maybe you talked to that guy?
Anyway, I second the Midtown Music suggestion. I had problems with my RXES with the rectifier and EF-86 and he gave me some money back and sent me a new EF-86. He really stands behind his product.
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telez
New Member
Posts: 8
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Post by telez on Jul 30, 2008 15:02:33 GMT -7
Hi Confused-and that you are! Good thing there are so many helpful folks who are the know giving you a hand . I read most of this thread and "awesome" really has it right in my eyes though that is no slight to all the rest. If you are looking for clean-go elsewhere because Mini is a dirty lil guy tho don't let "5 watts" fool you. This sucker is LOUD! I know a lot goes into rating the wattage of amps,etc but I know little about it-one thing I can tell you is that this puny "5 watts" can smoke some "15-20 watt" amps I've heard. The attenuator helps but to tell you the truth, there are times when I need to use the onboard airbrake plus another attenuator from a different company whose reputation is great (for good reason) but I won't mention here. I've had much good luck with Willcutt (spelling?) as well and service has been top notch. Now just b/c you're in Nashville and playing in church doesn't automatically mean you will require "clean" but I think it a fair assumption; clean headroom is not a strong point of the mini-in fact, it is not any point if you ask me. It does gritty, rich , harmonic drive very simply and very well. That is it but for many -that is more than we could ever hope for. I've a need for dirt and clean, mini does the dirt and another 18 watt black tolexed tubed amp (made famous in 1965) handles the clean though I am seriously thinking about the ghia which means I will get one-somehow. In terms of "shared parts"-I don't want to sound like an amp snob but I am sure there are few if any shared parts between any Z and a valve jr. No slight to the valve jr.-i mean, look at the price! It could be a fantastic value for the money but in my mind, I would rather buy a really nice road case for a Z and keep saving up for the real deal. Remember, Ford makes a V8 for their trucks and so does Mercedes for their AMG line-they are not the same; trust me, I know cause I own both. Don't get me wrong, I love the old Bronco but the AMG will leave it in the dust-they are the same in that they are both V8's but worlds apart. Also remember, you can buy like 10 Broncos for the price of one AMG-depends on your wants and needs. Trust us, you want and need a Dr.Z amp-I like the C Ghia for you but I don't even know what style of music you play, guitar,etc. I hope that helps but I would ask you to follow the more senior members' advise and not mine-they know what they are talking about and they helped me find my Z and cab. They'll help you too!
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Post by Michael Bartee on Jul 31, 2008 20:43:43 GMT -7
Try to play through them both. I know the Ghia will make you happy. It will cover clean tones at a usable volume and sing with the best of em. The Mini will sing but may not do the clean. You can always add an attenuator.
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