|
Post by daveyk on Jan 22, 2015 22:59:50 GMT -7
I'm considering a Maz 18 w/ reverb 1x12. How clean is it compared to a Deluxe Reverb Reissue? I liked my DRRI I owned a while back, but it just wasn't clean enough for me with a full band so I ended up selling it and getting a Maz 38 NR 2x12 which is indeed clean enough and frankly is usually overkill for most gigs I play, but it still does a great job at lower volumes, but let's face it, this amp hardly reaches its potential for my purposes these days which consists of mostly home use and a gig every couple months. I'm quite happy with my 38, I just don't think I need quite that much authority if the 18 is cleaner than a DRRI. Thanks!
|
|
|
Post by muZician on Jan 22, 2015 23:08:04 GMT -7
the MAZ18 is not a clean amp although it has some headroom. its strenght is crunch. the M12 is cleaner
|
|
|
Post by doctorice on Jan 23, 2015 6:02:23 GMT -7
If you can hold out for a while, wait until Dr Z releases the new version of the JAZ 20/40 and give it a listen.
I have the original JAZ. In the 20-watt mode it's like a BF Deluxe on steroids. If you need more, flip it to 40.
|
|
|
Post by digs57 on Jan 23, 2015 7:49:10 GMT -7
I always use my reverb/reg cab for a clean voiced amp...I get a nice clean tone out of mine.im not driving it hard.
Its a maz clean though...not a deluxe/reverb clean.The maz has sweeter clean to my ears.
|
|
|
Post by Mark (Basement Enthusiast) on Jan 23, 2015 7:56:02 GMT -7
I kinda think that "authority" is what you'd lose in going from the MAZ 38 to the 18. Don't get me wrong, the 18 can get awfully loud; but in most cases I feel that the extra power tubes & higher-output power section buys you more authority than anything.
So with this in mind, I agree with doctorice--if you could try a JAZ, with it's 20/40-watt switching--it may be more suitable for you. Plus, they ALL have reverb on 'em, unlike the MAZ's.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jan 23, 2015 9:39:28 GMT -7
What volume were you running the Deluxe at? What's your main gtr?
|
|
|
Post by daveyk on Jan 23, 2015 10:04:40 GMT -7
What volume were you running the Deluxe at? What's your main gtr? So I'm not necessarily looking for the blackface tone. I'm just comparing the amount of clean headroom between the two amps because the DRRI is one of the only other lower wattage tube amps I'm familiar with. I absolutely live the cleans I get through my Maz 38. Just wondering if I can obtain what I'm looking for out of an 18 When I had my DRRI I usually had the volume at least half way up. Anything below that was too quiet for the bands I played in, but getting around 6 or 7 on the volume was usually too hairy for my needs. I usually only played p90 equipped guitars through it too. So basically I'm wondering if the 18 can get any louder than a DRRI while retaining more clean headroom than a DRRI playing p90's. My best bet is just playing through an 18 so I'll have to see if anyone in my area has one.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jan 23, 2015 10:16:12 GMT -7
I'm going to offer a different opinion than my esteemed Z-Talk colleagues.
The MAZ Jr is rated 18 watts by the Dr. Those are very big watts. I've never played a Deluxe Reverb that could get as loud as a MAZ 18. I have both amps here at the studio, I use P-90's a lot and the MAZ 18 is louder, plenty louder. It's gonna stay cleaner than a DRRI on the bandstand by virtue of it's beef. A MAZ Jr with the Master at 3 or 4 o'clock and the volume at 11 o'clock is going to be louder and cleaner than a DRRI on 6 or 7. I love a Deluxe on 6 or 7. With almost any speaker the MAZ 18 is going to win that volume battle.
|
|
|
Post by "Z" Steve on Jan 23, 2015 10:29:09 GMT -7
My 1st Z was a Maz 38 1x12 combo. It indeed has a lot of clean headroom, but when my back started telling me "NO - don't lift that thing anymore!!" I had to adjust so I downsized to a Maz 18 head. I do love it, but I miss the "authoritative" clean I got from the 38. I did get a BrakeLite for the 38 which helped a lot, plus I could use it with my other amps when needed. If you don't have one it may be a less expensive option.
Good luck in your tone quest.
|
|
|
Post by bloozeman on Jan 23, 2015 11:14:06 GMT -7
I use a Maz jr for 99% of my gigs, these are venues that run from 50 seats up to 3000 seats, and The Maz jr is more than enough amp to do the job. I have plenty of clean headroom, never had a problem with it at all. I use pedals for dirt/OD. The maz is a great amp and would smoke a Deluxe reverb. Get the Maz, you wont be disappointed in the least.
|
|
|
Post by "Z" Steve on Jan 23, 2015 11:27:27 GMT -7
Also, you need to take into account the speaker(s) you run with the 18 - that changes everything, along with a 5751 in V1 if needed.
|
|
|
Post by digs57 on Jan 23, 2015 11:46:58 GMT -7
I have both nr and reverb model...the reverb does have a cleaner gain and "basic tone" to it.Softer over all presentation?..imho
|
|
|
Post by hubrex on Feb 11, 2015 19:40:19 GMT -7
I'm a little late to the party on this thread, but I did have a chance to play both a silverface Deluxe Reverb and a MAZ18 in a 1x12 studio cab side by side at a dealer a few months ago. So this promised to be interesting. Both amps sounded pretty good to my ears. The Fender had a slightly sweeter reverb and, of course, that way-cool vibrato to enhance things. But after switching between the two for the better part of an hour, I found that I could get more out of the MAZ, especially when working both the Vol and Master Vol into the sweet spot. The MAZ definitely had "more dimension" to its tone - somewhat meatier sound.
Now I've been jonesin' for a DR for years, and I've been gigging with a MAZ18 head for the past 3-4 years. So the last thing I probably needed was another MAZ. This was finally my chance to add a DR to the arsenal. Sooooo... I bought the MAZ18 Studio. And no regrets - I really believe it is a better, more versatile amp. With the studio cab, it's a grab-and-go. I might sell the other MAZ head eventually now that I have this one. We'll see where that goes.
|
|
|
Post by Stephen on Feb 11, 2015 21:10:39 GMT -7
I had a DRRI for about a year before I got my Maz 18 NR 1-12 combo. I never gigged my DRRI after that and recently sold it. The Maz did clean and dirty much better.
|
|
|
Post by greenblues58 on Feb 12, 2015 4:46:05 GMT -7
Interesting thread. I have been gassing for a Fender style clean amp since buying my 56 relic strat which I auditioned through a George Benson HRD combo which has a very lush deep clean channel(drive sound wasn,t too bad either). Yes I can get that sound out of my MAZ 18 NR ,and have the reverb covered with a Carl Martin spring reverb in the loop,but then need to use pedals for drive but I prefer the sound of the drive on the MAZ when its cooking. The latest 68' custom Deluxe reverb appeals to me at the minute. There are a couple of EZG 50's for sale at good prices on ebay over here in the UK which are really tempting but I fear its too much amp at 50 watts for what I require. The new incarnation of the JAZ appeals especially if it sounds like this Frankie Star demo.
|
|
|
Post by Papa Juan (lanier816) on Feb 12, 2015 19:02:15 GMT -7
The clean tone is what sold me on the Maz, with that said, your wall shaking volume will be crunchy. You can still achieve a punishing loud clean tone but to a point it will be driven. Unlike a lot of the guys on this forum I only have one Z, the Maz, I've found it suits all my needs very well from my church to hard rock. The guys that suggest other amps pretty well know what they're talking about but don't pass on the Maz just yet.
|
|
|
Post by daveyk on Feb 12, 2015 22:32:21 GMT -7
Thanks for all the feedback!! I've been spending a little bit more time with my Brake Lite in my Maz 38 and I've liked what I've been able to achieve in respect to breakup at non ear blistering volumes. There is actually a music store in my area that sometimes carries the Maz 18 so when I get a chance I'll go up there and play through one and see how I like it compared to my 38.
|
|
|
Post by bnads on Mar 8, 2015 21:04:01 GMT -7
I had a Maz18nr head I was running through a Z 210 cab, but decided to tone chase after hearing a DRRI demo with a full .mercury transformer upgrade. Sold the head, bought a DRRI, and spent a fortune on upgrades. I now own only 1 amp - a Maz18nr that I run into a Two Rock 112 with a Gold in it. It has more, and significantly better clean headroom that the drri, and the drive difference is not even a fair conversation - plus it cops a sweet bf tone if you run the eq right in the low input.
|
|
|
Post by daveyk on Mar 8, 2015 22:44:28 GMT -7
Thanks bnads! That's super helpful! I'm really considering selling my 38 and getting the 18. I play so much more at home these days than with an actual band, I don't find my self needing 38 watts, but I still want a decent amount of clean headroom. Thanks!
|
|
|
Post by bnads on Mar 9, 2015 5:02:29 GMT -7
Thanks bnads! That's super helpful! I'm really considering selling my 38 and getting the 18. I play so much more at home these days than with an actual band, I don't find my self needing 38 watts, but I still want a decent amount of clean headroom. Thanks! I would caution against thinkin the 18 is a home amp though, Davey. To get it where it sounds best, which is on the edge if break-up so you can take advantage of its sensitivity and use you guitar vol and tone is still VERY loud - it's a beastial 18 watts ;-). An attenuator is your friend, but if you're going to use one of those, you may as well just stick with the 38 - you'll have the outdoor volume if you need it, but home levels when you want it. Just my 2 cents worth - I would trade my 18 for a 38 head or a z28 and run an attenuator without hesitation.
|
|
|
Post by detuned on Mar 9, 2015 5:31:15 GMT -7
I gigged for many years with a Maz Jr NR 2X10 combo - never had a problem keeping it squeaky clean even in a loud band setting, even using the high input. Just keep the input volume down & the master under 3 o'clock & you're good to go. Low output pups in your guitar help, too.
|
|
|
Post by dergit (Markus) on Mar 10, 2015 16:23:41 GMT -7
Fwiw, in my inner city flat, I can't use the Maz18 even with the Brake Lite on 4 and Volume and Master at 9 o'clock. Most stages I play on call for the Brake Lite at 2 or 3. It's a loud amp. I can only imagine what the 38 must be like and sometimes wonder whether the Maz 8 might have fit the bill as well. But it seemed to break up way too early when I tested it and sounded way too flat in comparison (I did compare the 8 Studio to the 18 2x10" combo I now own, mind you).
|
|
|
Post by daveyk on Mar 11, 2015 19:36:09 GMT -7
Fwiw, in my inner city flat, I can't use the Maz18 even with the Brake Lite on 4 and Volume and Master at 9 o'clock. Most stages I play on call for the Brake Lite at 2 or 3. It's a loud amp. I can only imagine what the 38 must be like and sometimes wonder whether the Maz 8 might have fit the bill as well. But it seemed to break up way too early when I tested it and sounded way too flat in comparison (I did compare the 8 Studio to the 18 2x10" combo I now own, mind you). Ya the 38 is crazy loud, but I've heard the 18 is almost just as loud but just breaks up earlier. The clean headroom is what appealed to me about the 38 in the first place. I absolutely love the cleans from my 38, but I hardly play squeaky clean these days and prefer "the edge of breakup" sound for most stuff I play. I just don't need crazy power, but still want something that can hold its own in a full band setting and still stay clean, at least more clean than my Fender DRRI was using p90's in a loud rock band setting. Again, I'm comparing things here to a DRRI because that's the amp I owned before i got the Maz 38. The DRRI couldn't stay nearly clean enough at the volumes that I needed, and it was really farty.
|
|
|
Post by bloozeman on Mar 12, 2015 2:28:32 GMT -7
the Maz Jr has plenty of clean headroom.
|
|
|
Post by bnads on Mar 12, 2015 6:38:44 GMT -7
the Maz Jr has plenty of clean headroom. I run mine with two bands - one rock that has a pretty heavy-handed drummer and a pounding rhythm guitarist, the other with a country cover band - I'm asked frequently to turn down with the country band, and even with the other band, headroom has never been an issue.
|
|