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Post by hector on Jun 17, 2010 5:03:50 GMT -7
Need help finding the right Z for me. In years past, I always played Fender amps and used pedals for overdrive. Hot Rod Deluxe, Twin, etc. So, I prefer a clean amp, with pedals for dirt.
I had a Maz 18, and sold it for a Maz 38, which I have now. I needed the Maz 38 headroom. However, I'm having trouble getting the tone I want from the 38. It seems overly bright with my cab, guitar, etc. I'm playing strats with humbuckers, and a 2x12 cab with Scumback Celestion type speakers. My favorite head right now is a Mesa 50W 6L6 type, Express 5:50. I play in a rock cover band, with an overdriven tone about 80% of the time, but again, I get the driven sound with pedals.
I seem to be leaning towards an EZG-50, but wonder if the Prescription, Galaxie, Remedy, etc. may fit my needs. BTW, reverb is a definite plus, but I don't see it on many Z amps (EZG, Maz only?). Can any of you Z experts guide me to the appropriate Z head for my style??
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Post by mtlrecords on Jun 17, 2010 6:25:11 GMT -7
I am not going to claim to be a Z expert, although I am obsessed with the amps!
My suggestion would be if you want a very specific, classic "Fender" clean type sound, the EZG-50 would be a good way to go. Plus it has incredible reverb and takes pedals better than just about any amp I own, not just the Z amps.
But don't forget about the Galaxie. I see the Galaxie as the ultimate rhythm guitar amp with a bonus 2nd channel for leads, so it kind of covers everything. It doesn't clean up quite as nice as the EZG-50, but the "clean" channel of the Galaxie stays fairly clean until you get to settings above noon. These clean sounds are lovely, they are reminescent of Fender tweed amplifiers of the 60's and have very friendly to the ear overtones/harmonics, especially for chords. The Galaxie takes pedals well too, but alas, no reverb.
Good luck.
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Post by jimmysmith on Jun 17, 2010 10:01:56 GMT -7
no expert here either, but i have owned 3 ghias, two kt45s, which used to be dr z's cleanest sounding amp,route 66, maz 38, 6545, and an rx senior and a junior, the ezg50 is the one that would be similar to fender twin etc,, it also has a nice overdriven tone if you set it right,, as for reverb, to me it is fairly useless,, but the 50 has a good one,,
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grimmie
Junior Member
I don't think I'm loud!
Posts: 86
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Post by grimmie on Jun 17, 2010 22:54:27 GMT -7
I think it's a great amp for the rock stuff. I play mostly country, but sometimes I end up playing about half rock. I am a Twin guy. I think the EZG sounds like a great sounding Super Reverb or even a Vibro King. It really falls together quickly at a very usable volume. I would not say that it's extremely loud, however it is plenty loud. It really is a great Blackface tone.
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Post by franksb on Jun 18, 2010 1:48:48 GMT -7
hector, seems like i play quite similar stuff... i also have the EZG for a good clean basis, then i have my overdrive pedals for the reet... i play mostly mainstream poprock music, sometimes a little cover band thing...
the EZg is perfect, i have a head with a bogner 2x12 (1 V30, 1 greenback) and it sounds huge! but i have to say i prefer strats and teles with the EZG, not so much the humbuckers... but i guess thats just personal taste...
the amp can handle it all, sounds good at any volume and just rocks!!!
the reverb is a little too much for me, definitely check it out...
good luck, frank
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Post by hector on Jul 8, 2010 5:09:04 GMT -7
Well, I got an EZG, and I'm not sure it's really for me. I like clean headroom, but this amp is almost too much of a good thing. Loud, heavy (40 lbs.), too much bass. So, where is the middle ground between a Maz 38 and EZG-50, in terms of tone and headroom. Maz 38 seems bright and compressed. EZG-50 is bass heavy and loud. How about the Remedy?
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Post by groberts on Jul 8, 2010 16:00:38 GMT -7
Well, I got an EZG, and I'm not sure it's really for me. I like clean headroom, but this amp is almost too much of a good thing. Loud, heavy (40 lbs.), too much bass. So, where is the middle ground between a Maz 38 and EZG-50, in terms of tone and headroom. Maz 38 seems bright and compressed. EZG-50 is bass heavy and loud. How about the Remedy? Check out the EZG 35 perhaps. ;D
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Post by fishman on Jul 8, 2010 19:45:22 GMT -7
I had a similar thing with the bass. seemed way too much in an open back avatar vintage cab... I am using redfangs and I did this. I put a beam blocker on one speaker and left one alone. I then changed the back config to the opening on the bottom, which is supposed to increase bass response. what it actually did was focus the bass so in effect its less, not boomy, not eating up the rest of the audio spectrum.... I was amazed, it aint supposed to do this but it does... Now I can easily put the bass at 10-11 if I want to and the cab can handle it without the giant boomy.... with the bass at say 9, its there but thinned out still focused but not overly bassy at all.. I like it much better this way. I can see where a 4-10 would work well with this amp...I believe its a bass focus problem rather than too much. I also played around with the bias a bit but left tube compliment alone.... I would think a good 15" speaker cab would do the job as well... I have only had one amp that came stock with a 15 and that was a Chris Duarte Rivera....nice amp.... YMMVOC
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Post by asattwanger on Jul 9, 2010 13:37:34 GMT -7
This might or might not be an option if bass is the main issue with you and this amp. Call the factory talk to one of the guys and find out if they can change the amp so the bass is not so huge. It might be a very easy mod.
I will say this is the one thing I read and dislike about the idea of a EZG, but for some reason I do not hear this when I listen to clips of the amp.
Do you have the bass turned off?
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Post by fishman on Jul 9, 2010 13:57:20 GMT -7
Oh no, bass is now run at around 11 oclock with this set up. in a openback situation is was way too boomy and huge....now its much more focused and clear for lack of a better term... I can deal with it fine now....with the beam blocker on one speaker it spreads it around some as well and the other gives that direct punch....seems to be working fine..... I like the way it sounds and responds with this set up.....I think it would kill with something like a marshall 4-10 cab.....and it may well respond well to an open back 4-10 situation... just in the Avatar cab it was just too boomy and unclear, just switching the back config cleared all that up and then some...great amp...don;t let the "too much bass" thing deter you..its managable and really not a problem with a little tweaking around... most Z amps require some fine tuning I have found....with the exception of perhaps the Z28...that baby just worked stupid easy right from the start....hell, I have had my MAZ38 for over 4 years and I am just recently to where I can say I am comfortable and can handle the amp in pretty much any situation.....anyone can turn it on, its getting those sounds that takes some practice......and I am by no means a MAZ expert I have just learned how it thinks and reacts...
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