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Post by jammers5 on Mar 10, 2011 18:13:03 GMT -7
Hi all:
I'm new to the forum - and have just recently discovered an amp that may be my "Holy Grail" called the "Z Wreck" I am so convinced this amp is for me that I have lots of gear up for sale to fund the purchase!
I live on the east coast of Canada on the island of Newfoundland, and there are no Wrecks here to try. If I want to hear one I have to order it. However the YouTube videos convince me this is the sound I need.
My main concern is the lack of an effects loop. I know I know, the less obstructions in the signal path the better the tone, but having delay,chorus etc running into the front of the amp has been an issue for me in the past.
Another issue is 30w and no master volume. Is there anyone in here that can give me an opinion on using an attenuator with this amp? Are you using one? If so which one? I know it will have some effect on tone, and I am willing to sacrifice some tone when the kiddies are sleeping, and long as it doesn't "throw a blanket" over it completely!
I have heard comparisons to Trainwrecks, and how Ken Fischer had a hand in this amp. This appeals to me as I love (again from Youtube) the sound of the Trainwrecks. One Z Wreck owner stated it's a very unforgiving amp that will not hide your mistakes or less than perfect playing, which is a plus as it will force me to play better.
I leave this to those that have played the amp to give me your opinions. I can't see how I can go wrong, and maybe the no effects loop is really not a deal breaker - I mostly use subtle amounts of delay anyhow.
Thanks in advance,
J5
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Post by benttop (Steve) on Mar 10, 2011 19:08:41 GMT -7
The Z-Wreck is about the tenth Z amp I've purchased without a play test. I have never been disappointed, but with the Z-Wreck it is another whole deal. What an amp!
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Post by KeithA on Mar 10, 2011 19:44:03 GMT -7
Hi all: I'm new to the forum - and have just recently discovered an amp that may be my "Holy Grail" called the "Z Wreck" I am so convinced this amp is for me that I have lots of gear up for sale to fund the purchase! I live on the east coast of Canada on the island of Newfoundland, and there are no Wrecks here to try. If I want to hear one I have to order it. However the YouTube videos convince me this is the sound I need. My main concern is the lack of an effects loop. I know I know, the less obstructions in the signal path the better the tone, but having delay,chorus etc running into the front of the amp has been an issue for me in the past. Another issue is 30w and no master volume. Is there anyone in here that can give me an opinion on using an attenuator with this amp? Are you using one? If so which one? I know it will have some effect on tone, and I am willing to sacrifice some tone when the kiddies are sleeping, and long as it doesn't "throw a blanket" over it completely! I have heard comparisons to Trainwrecks, and how Ken Fischer had a hand in this amp. This appeals to me as I love (again from Youtube) the sound of the Trainwrecks. One Z Wreck owner stated it's a very unforgiving amp that will not hide your mistakes or less than perfect playing, which is a plus as it will force me to play better. I leave this to those that have played the amp to give me your opinions. I can't see how I can go wrong, and maybe the no effects loop is really not a deal breaker - I mostly use subtle amounts of delay anyhow. Thanks in advance, J5 Jammer Where are you located? I'm in St. John's. Keith
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Post by jammers5 on Mar 10, 2011 20:11:06 GMT -7
I'm in Mount Pearl
J5
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Post by doctorice on Mar 10, 2011 20:16:35 GMT -7
Dr Z Brake Lite attenuator is great in lieu of a master volume.
The Z Wreck is magic. I bought it without an audition. Surprised on the upside with the sound.
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Post by jammers5 on Mar 11, 2011 4:01:35 GMT -7
Thanks guys your responses so far have solidified my decision! Let the selling off of gear commence to fund the purchase!
J5
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Post by drzplayer on Mar 11, 2011 5:10:24 GMT -7
Hi all: I'm new to the forum - and have just recently discovered an amp that may be my "Holy Grail" called the "Z Wreck" I am so convinced this amp is for me that I have lots of gear up for sale to fund the purchase! I live on the east coast of Canada on the island of Newfoundland, and there are no Wrecks here to try. If I want to hear one I have to order it. However the YouTube videos convince me this is the sound I need. My main concern is the lack of an effects loop. I know I know, the less obstructions in the signal path the better the tone, but having delay,chorus etc running into the front of the amp has been an issue for me in the past. Another issue is 30w and no master volume. Is there anyone in here that can give me an opinion on using an attenuator with this amp? Are you using one? If so which one? I know it will have some effect on tone, and I am willing to sacrifice some tone when the kiddies are sleeping, and long as it doesn't "throw a blanket" over it completely! I have heard comparisons to Trainwrecks, and how Ken Fischer had a hand in this amp. This appeals to me as I love (again from Youtube) the sound of the Trainwrecks. One Z Wreck owner stated it's a very unforgiving amp that will not hide your mistakes or less than perfect playing, which is a plus as it will force me to play better. I leave this to those that have played the amp to give me your opinions. I can't see how I can go wrong, and maybe the no effects loop is really not a deal breaker - I mostly use subtle amounts of delay anyhow. Thanks in advance, J5 Hey man it's jason from newfoundland....we chatted on youtube before... I don't like running delay through the z wreck as well...what i do is use a wet dry setup...the z wreck being the dry amp and my maz 38 being the wet amp....i find this better. i'd rather play the amp completely dry if not..
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Post by jammers5 on Mar 11, 2011 5:19:35 GMT -7
What? Your telling me i hafta buy a maz 38 now too just so I can have delay? ;D Jeez Jason bye your costing me a fortune! On a half serious note though, what do you do - use a A/B Box and split the signal? I guess for gigging it aint that important as I could run dry to the board and delay could be added there.... J5
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Post by benttop (Steve) on Mar 11, 2011 7:58:13 GMT -7
Try the amp before you decide - you may be surprised. It sounds so 3D that you might decide to play it dry. I know that's what happened with me when I went to my first few Z amps - eventually ditched my entire pedal board in favor of a single guitar cord.
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Post by stratovarius on Mar 11, 2011 10:48:03 GMT -7
"Last amp I'll ever buy"
Good one! That sounds like something you would tell your wife! ;D
Seriously, the Z Wreck has a great range of voxish clean to mean and I can imagine it being someone's only amp, but it doesn't do everything and it isn't a great pedal platform. I have other amps that I keep around to satiate my various alter egos.
What it does do, it does extremely well. This is one of those amps that I feel like is best without pedals. Crank it up to one or two o'clock and use your guitar's volume knob or pick attack to reveal its full potential. If you need to worry about volume, then a great attenuator is clearly in order. I highly recommend the Faustine Phantom, but that will add another $1000 onto the price tag. It's the best of the best, though.
I think of the Z Wreck as the Porsche of guitar amps. It won't haul much, it isn't the most comfortable and it may not even been the fastest, but for tooling around on winding mountain roads it's the only way to go. It's a seat-of-your-pants one-with-the-road type of ride.
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Post by zorange (Zach) on Mar 11, 2011 11:19:34 GMT -7
Jason, I'd also like to know how youre doing your wet/dry setup.
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Post by jammers5 on Mar 11, 2011 13:08:55 GMT -7
"Last amp I'll ever buy" Good one! That sounds like something you would tell your wife! ;D Seriously, the Z Wreck has a great range of voxish clean to mean and I can imagine it being someone's only amp, but it doesn't do everything and it isn't a great pedal platform. I have other amps that I keep around to satiate my various alter egos. What it does do, it does extremely well. This is one of those amps that I feel like is best without pedals. Crank it up to one or two o'clock and use your guitar's volume knob or pick attack to reveal its full potential. If you need to worry about volume, then a great attenuator is clearly in order. I highly recommend the Faustine Phantom, but that will add another $1000 onto the price tag. It's the best of the best, though. I think of the Z Wreck as the Porsche of guitar amps. It won't haul much, it isn't the most comfortable and it may not even been the fastest, but for tooling around on winding mountain roads it's the only way to go. It's a seat-of-your-pants one-with-the-road type of ride. Hmmm very interesting. I appreciate your honesty regarding this. Now you have me wondering if this is really the amp for me. Pedals are not the issue - I can live without delay. Thinking as I write, even the attenuator isn't a big deal as I have a few overdrive pedals that should work well with this amp at low volume settings. I am wondering now though..... J5
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Post by stratovarius on Mar 11, 2011 14:02:06 GMT -7
Whoa, I didn't mean to rain on your parade! While the Z Wreck won't do hot-rodded Marshall or Black Face Fender, it will still cover a lot of ground. After playing other amps, I still get a certain thrill coming back to the Z Wreck, though. It just seems so full and rich, like nothing is missing and I know that it will respond to whatever I ask of it.
Are you trying to justify the price? I can appreciate that, but you just have to realize that the holy grail is a myth and not something you can actually hold in your hands.
I love my Z Wreck and it just feels like it was custom designed just for me. It may not fit you at all, but there is only one way you will ever know.
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Post by jammers5 on Mar 11, 2011 18:20:10 GMT -7
I priced the amp here in Newfoundland - $3800 plus taxes from Long and McQuade. I've committed to selling my Marshall Stack, took a deposit on it today (that I've owned for a year and used just a few times) so I am already 1/4 of the way there to having the funds to buy the Z Wreck. It'll be a few months before I get one ordered, plus there is a two month wait when I do order it, so I have got time to decide.
I've accumulated quite a few low wattage tube amps over the years. (Blackheart, Orange, Epiphone etc etc...) They are fun little amps but I want to get myself something higher end and boutique. I've always been fascinated by the Trainwrecks, and seeing how Ken Fischer had a hand in the design of this one , coupled with the great reputation of Dr Z amps, leads me to think this will be a "no lose" situation for me! I've spent a little more time listening to the demos on Youtube and I''m sure this amp will not disappoint. Sure, it's a lot of money for an amp, but hey, anything worth having is!
If I was certain my other amps would sell in the next two months I would plank down the deposit right now for the Z Wreck!
J5
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Post by KeithA on Mar 12, 2011 5:08:47 GMT -7
I priced the amp here in Newfoundland - $3800 plus taxes from Long and McQuade. I've committed to selling my Marshall Stack, took a deposit on it today (that I've owned for a year and used just a few times) so I am already 1/4 of the way there to having the funds to buy the Z Wreck. It'll be a few months before I get one ordered, plus there is a two month wait when I do order it, so I have got time to decide. I've accumulated quite a few low wattage tube amps over the years. (Blackheart, Orange, Epiphone etc etc...) They are fun little amps but I want to get myself something higher end and boutique. I've always been fascinated by the Trainwrecks, and seeing how Ken Fischer had a hand in the design of this one , coupled with the great reputation of Dr Z amps, leads me to think this will be a "no lose" situation for me! I've spent a little more time listening to the demos on Youtube and I''m sure this amp will not disappoint. Sure, it's a lot of money for an amp, but hey, anything worth having is! If I was certain my other amps would sell in the next two months I would plank down the deposit right now for the Z Wreck! J5 J5 I had a Z-Wreck on order through L&M last Fall but cancelled it to get another amp. However, the Z-Wreck is the next or almost next amp that I will be getting. I suspect I'll pick one up around Xmas time, or so. I've ordered all three of my Dr Z's though Rick at L&M is St. John's. You won't find a better person to deal with. Keith
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Post by jammers5 on Mar 12, 2011 6:22:15 GMT -7
I priced the amp here in Newfoundland - $3800 plus taxes from Long and McQuade. I've committed to selling my Marshall Stack, took a deposit on it today (that I've owned for a year and used just a few times) so I am already 1/4 of the way there to having the funds to buy the Z Wreck. It'll be a few months before I get one ordered, plus there is a two month wait when I do order it, so I have got time to decide. I've accumulated quite a few low wattage tube amps over the years. (Blackheart, Orange, Epiphone etc etc...) They are fun little amps but I want to get myself something higher end and boutique. I've always been fascinated by the Trainwrecks, and seeing how Ken Fischer had a hand in the design of this one , coupled with the great reputation of Dr Z amps, leads me to think this will be a "no lose" situation for me! I've spent a little more time listening to the demos on Youtube and I''m sure this amp will not disappoint. Sure, it's a lot of money for an amp, but hey, anything worth having is! If I was certain my other amps would sell in the next two months I would plank down the deposit right now for the Z Wreck! J5 J5 I had a Z-Wreck on order through L&M last Fall but cancelled it to get another amp. However, the Z-Wreck is the next or almost next amp that I will be getting. I suspect I'll pick one up around Xmas time, or so. I've ordered all three of my Dr Z's though Rick at L&M is St. John's. You won't find a better person to deal with. Keith Yeah I deal with Rick as well - just bought the 60's Tribute Studio from him last week. For sure I'll be dealing with him when I go for the Z Wreck. Cheers! J5
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Post by micke1001 on Mar 16, 2011 2:47:01 GMT -7
Here the brad paisley daytona video on Zwreck,Zverb and i think he use a wampler delay!
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Post by jammers5 on Mar 16, 2011 3:22:23 GMT -7
Here the brad paisley daytona video on Zwreck,Zverb and i think he use a wampler delay! another great live performance by Paisley and the Z Wreck! Am I starting to like country? The OCD in me asks why isn't the reverb unit and head centered with the cabinet? J5
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Post by micke1001 on Mar 16, 2011 4:21:03 GMT -7
all this put a water bottle!!......
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Post by benttop (Steve) on Mar 16, 2011 11:40:04 GMT -7
I have bought the last Z model ever - at least eight other times! I'm learning not to feel that way any more, because no sooner do I have his latest, greatest, most wonderful; there is another that I also want. I've got this fabulous Z-Wreck here, and a Remedy and Maz Jr NR too, and lately I think I need a Ghia too. Why? Why not? ;D ;D ;D
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Post by jammers5 on Mar 16, 2011 14:40:05 GMT -7
I have bought the last Z model ever - at least eight other times! I'm learning not to feel that way any more, because no sooner do I have his latest, greatest, most wonderful; there is another that I also want. I've got this fabulous Z-Wreck here, and a Remedy and Maz Jr NR too, and lately I think I need a Ghia too. Why? Why not? ;D ;D ;D Fair enough! One thing I have noticed is the people who own Dr Z amps really LOVE em! Not many (in here anyhow) have just one! I went on a low wattage tube amp bender over the past few years - now I am selling em all to get a Z. I also just sold a Marshall DSL 50 Head and a 1936 Cabinet. Anything that I haven't used in a while is going, including guitars! .........so maybe in a few months I'll have a Wreck!!! J5
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Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Mar 16, 2011 17:00:59 GMT -7
It depends what you call metal..Today's metal maybe not without a pedal..Yesterdays it's great...JMO but what do you need a tube amp for what kids today call metal..
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