|
Post by jimmijazz on Oct 22, 2005 17:28:03 GMT -7
Thanks for your responses guys. I may not have made myself clear in the previous posting. I wasn't looking for a Polytone/JC-120/Evans/Clarus type of sound (too sterile) but more of a warm, fuzzy, blackface meets vox (or even an old Ampeg 60s tube amp) type of sound and feel/response.
Does the Maz 38 really have such a low clean headroom threshold? What about using higher rated (than the stock #6) EL-84 power amp tubes and a high rated wattage speaker?
I've recently checked out Bogner Metropolis, Bad Cat and VHT Pittbull amps and have like them all. I'm trying to find the 'best fit' in an EL-84 combo.
Thanks again!
Jim
|
|
|
Post by billyguitar on Oct 22, 2005 19:29:10 GMT -7
People seem to have different definitions of clean. To me it means no distortion at all, especially when playing a cluster of tones with a humbucking neck pickup with the tone pot turned down. That's what I thought you were trying to do. If you can accept some splat under those circumstances then the Maz 38 may do it. But to me, that's not really clean. So there we have our differences. The Maz barely gets enough clean volume for me. I'd say it has about as much clean volume as a Super Reverb or a Pro Reverb. Certainly not as much clean headroom as a Twin Reverb. Maybe these comparisons will help. I owned a VHT Pittbull for a while and found it really lacking especially compared to the other amps you mention. The other amps have much smoother tone. They also have the cathode bias bloom that my VHT never had. Also the VHT had a strange placement for the output transformer disallowing the use of any heavier speaker than what came stock. You mentioned speaker upgrades. I use an alnico Tone Tubby with my Maz 38. Very efficient and very clean with no cone cry. Others seem to really like the Eminence Tonker. If I wasn't so happy with my TT I'd try the Tonker. I haven't tried any different grade of output tubes. For a stiffer feel with perhaps a slight gain in headroom you could try a solid state rectifier substitute. I still feel the Maz 38 is a good compromise amp between clean and some tube harmonics. If I didn't really like it I would get something else. My only loyalty is to tone and feel and I'll use whatever it takes to get me there. Right now this is it.
|
|
|
Post by jimmijazz on Oct 22, 2005 20:39:42 GMT -7
People seem to have different definitions of clean. To me it means no distortion at all, especially when playing a cluster of tones with a humbucking neck pickup with the tone pot turned down. That's what I thought you were trying to do. If you can accept some splat under those circumstances then the Maz 38 may do it. But to me, that's not really clean. So there we have our differences. The Maz barely gets enough clean volume for me. I'd say it has about as much clean volume as a Super Reverb or a Pro Reverb. Certainly not as much clean headroom as a Twin Reverb. Maybe these comparisons will help. I owned a VHT Pittbull for a while and found it really lacking especially compared to the other amps you mention. The other amps have much smoother tone. They also have the cathode bias bloom that my VHT never had. Also the VHT had a strange placement for the output transformer disallowing the use of any heavier speaker than what came stock. You mentioned speaker upgrades. I use an alnico Tone Tubby with my Maz 38. Very efficient and very clean with no cone cry. Others seem to really like the Eminence Tonker. If I wasn't so happy with my TT I'd try the Tonker. I haven't tried any different grade of output tubes. For a stiffer feel with perhaps a slight gain in headroom you could try a solid state rectifier substitute. I still feel the Maz 38 is a good compromise amp between clean and some tube harmonics. If I didn't really like it I would get something else. My only loyalty is to tone and feel and I'll use whatever it takes to get me there. Right now this is it.
|
|
|
Post by jimmijazz on Oct 22, 2005 20:43:59 GMT -7
Thanks for your detailed response. A Pro-Reverb or Super-Reverb is probably about as loud as I'd ever want to get and that gives me a good reference point re: the Maz Senior. Believe it or not there's one store in my area (S.F.) that has all of the aforementioned amps (Dr. Z, Bad Cat, Bogner & Pittbul) and I can "AB" them at one sitting. I'll definately keep your observations in mind.
Jim
|
|
|
Post by billyguitar on Oct 23, 2005 8:06:30 GMT -7
Please, please post the results of any amp shootout you might have. I have never been able to a/b my Maz 38 directly against any other comparable amp. I can only do it by memory and that can be misleading. I'm very partial to the Bogner Metropolis 30. I've never played one but I would like to hear the Bad Cat Cub 30 watt version. If a store there has a Carr Rambler or Slant 6 you should try them too but they are more Fendery.
|
|
|
Post by jwr on Oct 24, 2005 8:10:28 GMT -7
I played a Maz 38 with reverb right next to A Bogner Metropolis 30 with reverb once. I Have been searching for the perfect el-84 amp as well. I'm trying to cover blues/jazz and rock with it. The bogner has more gain, but there is a high end chime that I couldn't take out of the amp. The maz 38 is more flexable in my opinion. It has so many tones in it, I havn't played a more flexable 1 channel amp ever. And I own a Bogner amp, a Shiva and love it. I plan on buying a maz 38 and using it for blues AND jazz. Maybe the 3X10 combo is the way to go for you.
|
|
|
Post by guitarman1 on Oct 25, 2005 13:45:31 GMT -7
Thanks for your detailed response. A Pro-Reverb or Super-Reverb is probably about as loud as I'd ever want to get and that gives me a good reference point re: the Maz Senior. Believe it or not there's one store in my area (S.F.) that has all of the aforementioned amps (Dr. Z, Bad Cat, Bogner & Pittbul) and I can "AB" them at one sitting. I'll definately keep your observations in mind. Jim You can get some nice Jazz out of a Maz 38 with humbuckers and keep it clean at low to medium volumes using the low gain input. IMHO Celestions are NOT the speaker to use for Jazz. I put an Emi Swamp Thang in mine and I can play 13ths without breakup using my PRS Custom 22 neck pup and those Dragon pups are pretty hot. I've tried the Metropolis and Cub 15 and find them to be more on the chimey, British side, while the MAz is a little more Fender sounding. Just remember that a speaker with high sensitivity will give you more headroom. The Swamp Thang is a nice "round" sounding speaker IMHO and Emi rates it at 102 db sensitivity. It also has less breakup than the G12H I swapped it with. Putting in a lower gain pre-amp tube in v1 will also reduce gain.
|
|
|
Post by billyguitar on Nov 13, 2005 18:14:07 GMT -7
I recently discovered that by turning the mid control up to about 3:00 and keeping all the other controls @ 9:00 or less I can get a very nice jazz tone that cuts thru well and has quite a bit of clean headroom. I was setting the mid very low because that's what seemed to sound good at first but I'm much happier with the mid up. Also backing the guitar volume down a bit really helps also. Now I'm convinced the Maz 38 can be a jazz amp. I use a Tone Tubby alnico 12" in mine. Really sweet and neutral. I haven't heard it distort yet. A little more efficient than the G12H30 but noticeably smoother and no cone cry.
|
|
|
Post by jwr on Nov 14, 2005 10:54:09 GMT -7
If you put a 5751 in V1 of that amp it will stay cleaner, longer. Changing the output tubes might help a little, but only if you really crank the output section will you hear a difference. How big are the rooms that you typically play in? Which configuration of the SR did you play? 1X12, 2X12, 2X10?
|
|
arthur
Junior Member
Posts: 85
|
Post by arthur on Nov 30, 2005 10:48:06 GMT -7
I'm looking forward to trying (and buying) a Maz 38 this weekend. I play mostly jazz, but blues and rock too.
Here's what I currently use: When I have to be clean and loud--Evan AE200. I play with a dark sound, like Metheny, and this amp handles it with no distortion. It could certainly be considered sterile though...but, hey, it's really loud and really clean. I use a rackmount reverb and that helps give the amp a lusher sound.
I also have an old Ampeg Gemini II. These are great tube amps and very clean. They're not fuzzy though. There's no way to get them to distort, at least not at sensible volumes. I did an outdoor park gig with mine this summer and I still had it only halfway up. As far as I know, they have solid state rectifiers. I just made a duo album with my bassist this past weeked and got a great sound from a Gemini VI (this particular one belonged to the producer). I prefer these to my Evans, but the Evans is worry free and easy to tote around.
I have an old Boogie .50 Cal. Sounds very good for rock stuff. I have a Mark IV, but I'm selling it right now. Good riddance. I think Boogie missed the boat there.
I think that Maz will be great for the small jazz gigs that I do--the background music type things. For a noisy club maybe not... It'll really shine on all my other stuff--studio, bedroom, blues and rock gigs....
|
|
|
Post by billyguitar on Nov 30, 2005 11:19:22 GMT -7
I have an Evans JE-150 with one 12" speaker. Some guys say sterile, I say pristine. This amp has the strongest note fundemental of any amp I've ever heard. I'll never sell it or my Maz 38 Sr.
|
|