|
Post by slimfinger on Apr 14, 2006 3:14:35 GMT -7
What's the difference in tone between these two? It seems like the StangRay has a simpler tone circuit, so I'd imagine more bandwidth. In fact it seems like a simpler amp overall so why does a StangRay head cost more than a Maz38 heard?
|
|
|
Post by Curt on Apr 14, 2006 5:06:57 GMT -7
I prefer the MAZ Sr, Can't explain it, just works for me. On the cost I will take a guess that Z's R&D cost are higher now (2005) than when he developed the Sr. SWAG.
|
|
|
Post by billyguitar on Apr 14, 2006 9:03:22 GMT -7
That's why I want both. I think they will be different but both good. I might miss the master volume on the Stang Ray in which case a Air Brake will be required. When my 'Ray shows up I know I'll use it for a while by itself to get acclimated. For some reason it takes me a while to get adjusted to the sounds of new amps. It took a couple of months with my Maz 38.
|
|
|
Post by JASON (aka jgleaton) on Apr 14, 2006 10:13:40 GMT -7
What's the difference in tone between these two? It seems like the StangRay has a simpler tone circuit, so I'd imagine more bandwidth. In fact it seems like a simpler amp overall so why does a StangRay head cost more than a Maz38 heard? I would take a guess and say it's the Transformers/ design of/ having them built... that contribute to some of the extra cost of the amp itself... I know it was designed by Ken Fisher.. so they may just be more expensive to make because of the design. then add to that the extra cost the celestion blues add to the combo and it's even quite a bit more for the combo compared to just the head version.. then again I could be completely wrong.... Jason
|
|
|
Post by benttop (Steve) on Apr 14, 2006 10:32:53 GMT -7
What's the difference in tone between these two? It seems like the StangRay has a simpler tone circuit, so I'd imagine more bandwidth. In fact it seems like a simpler amp overall so why does a StangRay head cost more than a Maz38 heard? I would take a guess and say it's the Transformers/ design of/ having them built... that contribute to some of the extra cost of the amp itself... I know it was designed by Ken Fisher.. so they may just be more expensive to make because of the design. then add to that the extra cost the celestion blues add to the combo and it's even quite a bit more for the combo compared to just the head version.. then again I could be completely wrong.... Jason Yep - that $210 per speaker upcharge adds up real fast! That puts a 2x12 open back right at $1119 - pretty stiff for a 2x12, but from what everyone says, probably worth it. I know I plan to order one shortly...
|
|
|
Post by slimfinger on Apr 15, 2006 6:11:54 GMT -7
So Ken Fisher doesn't usually with with Z designs?
|
|
|
Post by propellr on Apr 15, 2006 6:34:19 GMT -7
Sure. The design time costs money, too, and the design itself has its own costs. Think of trying out all the caps, transformers and tubes alone. Essentially, the cost of an item is a flat mark-up from what it costs to build, unless a manufacturer is trying to make up for losses elsewhere. I think, in this case, Z keeps his prices as competitive as he can.
|
|
|
Post by billyguitar on Apr 15, 2006 6:53:34 GMT -7
Look around at some other boutique amps, Z's prices are very reasonable. Tone Quest Report is selling an amp that is a copy of a 1960 DeArmond amp for $1,950. It's essentially just a variation of a Tweed Deluxe. I've got three Tweed Deluxes and they're a fun amp but for that kind of money you can get any Z combo and it'll be much more versatile. That's just one example.
|
|
|
Post by slimfinger on Apr 17, 2006 2:40:32 GMT -7
Can someone be specific about the difference in tone between these two?
Regarding price:
Maz 38 Sr non-reverb head $1299 StangRay head $1699
Just wondering why the $400 difference. Nothing to do with the speakers, just talking heads here!
|
|
|
Post by billyguitar on Apr 17, 2006 4:31:12 GMT -7
Like said above, R & D costs now versus when the 38 was designed and new transformer designs. If you think about it I think you could make the argument that the 38 is underpriced in today's market.
|
|
|
Post by JASON (aka jgleaton) on Apr 17, 2006 8:00:17 GMT -7
Can someone be specific about the difference in tone between these two? Regarding price: Maz 38 Sr non-reverb head $1299 StangRay head $1699 Just wondering why the $400 difference. Nothing to do with the speakers, just talking heads here! Slimfinger, here's a couple of quote's from another thread I wrote after getting the STINGRAY and it is specifically geared towards the MAZ SR which WAS and STILL IS really my MAIN AMP!! Now they ARE different and really nice together OR A/B'd and are my two main amps at the moment... But the Stingray could be THE AMP FOR PAIRING WITH ANOTHER DIFFERENT DRZ AMP!! OK...OK I can't wait... I gotta tell you guy's cause I'm not one thats going for the vox thing..... Blues is what I play...this amp can do it! THIS AMP IS ALL Z .....yea the VOX is in there but SOOOOO much more...... I'm SORRY DOC and this is NOT a negative statement in anyway but FORGET THE VOX COMPARISONS guys.... THIS IS A Z AMP..... It's like several of Docs best, all rolled into one, but making something a little different than any of the others it came from??? if that makes any sense... Mine is serial #006 ;D and I must say I was hoping I didn't like it cause I'm probably gonna have to sell some other stuff but unfortunately I like it.... o well... Um...I still like the Maz SR... but you can get what I like about the Maz SR ("the setting") with this amp.... doesn't get quite the hair the Maz SR gets But it has EVERY bit the bottom and clean headroom the Sr has.... and I think it has some sounds the Maz doesn't have.... the tone w/ cut is VERY, VERY useful.... I tweeked it more than I do my Maz and I couldn't find a bad sound on it.... It has some fattness/ I feel the Maz SR doesn't quite have, but comes close... The Stingray is loud BUT not as loud as the Maz 38... BUT it is sneaky loud cause you can crank it and it is NOT HARSH AT ALL!!!! CUT ANYWHERE and still NOT HARSH!!! I had it just about dimed the whole practice and I could hear everything...was very well balanced and cut through when I really hit it.... I would say it really IS around 30 watts and It feels like MORE than the Maz jr but less than the Maz SR.... nice in between but probably a little closer to the SR... but you can't tell it's that loud cause it's so smooth and not harsh... no ringing ears afterwards I used it with my Z-best, Z-1x12, thd 2x12 cab loaded with Ceramic weber 50 watt blue/ silver.... closed back fender 2x12 w 2 weber 30 watt alnico blues .... This amp sounds good with ANY speaker I threw at it... I do hear the Blue thing with the weber blue dogs though...could get a little more breakup through it earlier with them... very nice. but I really liked it through the Z-best, THE LOW IN THE Z-BEST HAS TO BE HEARD to be believed... AND with the THD / ceramic blue silver.... I only played THAT cab all night...SWEEEEEET!!! If every dealer would get the new Manta-Ray for Z-heads to try out I think DRZ would have a HARD time keeping up with the orders for it... it's THAT good. Big tone, great to run in combination w another Z... ( ran it w/ my carmen ghia cranked...beautiful.... and with the RX I see what MR paisley had in mind...) such a joy to play with a band.... so much brilliance, and spank, and pop, but never ever ever harsh... so much low but never really woofy.... I could just keep going on and on but this amp may have just ended my Z gas... I just need madison's cabinet cause it matches my head perfectly... ;D Jason One big reason for the "VOX" thing I said was that I hope nobody reads "vox" or "country" about this amp and never tries it because they think it's got a certain TYPE sound going on.... I would guess this would be a vox or country or tele players dream amp BUT I just hear ALOT more... and I think ALOT of blues players would freakin LOVE this amp.... alternative, rock n roll, Jazz I could hear it all over studio recordings.... and it still has a Z sound about it... it's truly wonderful. I have the 2x12 30 watt alnico weber blues and I know they aren't the celestion blues but I can kinda hear with them what the blues would be like ( I know it's still not the same as the blues but the vox sound is really not what I'm after anyway but whats really cool about that is I've been more of a ceramic than alnico fan for the most part but this amp has changed my mind about alnico's period....) I Know the cut knob in the picture is at around 10:00 but with the ceramic Blue/silver especially I turned that cut all the way up all the way down and EVERYWHERE in between and NOT a bad sound anywhere..... TONE up and cut down, Tone down and cut up.... the webers just went with it.... and I wonder if you guy's noticed this... it seems to "absorb" pedals? It loves em and I actually had to boost my od a little to get where I normally would be at with the distortion level... but sounded very much like a part of the amp?? just wonder if you noticed that... and did you guy's notice the level thing.... most DR Z's are a certain wattage, say for instance 38 watts.. yea right , sounds more like 45 watts... but with the stingray did you guy's notice it really sounds around 30 watts?? maybe it's the sneaky volume no harshness thing and maybe it's louder than you think but to me it was perfect and in between the JR and SR? just wondering if you guy's noticed that.... BTW bentop, get this amp and you WILL reduce the number of amps in your studio... you'll keep your mazarati because they'd be great together... the stingray's not as loud as that amp in my opinion overall but because of it's voicing can easily hang with it or MAZ SR or an RX for a clean dirty combo... I could hear the RAY paired with alot of Z's amps for a nice blend.... sorry so long AGAIN but MAN every FAN of DR Z's work should find and play this amp!!! it may not be for everybody or for every style but I think just about every Z-fan could find a place for in their sound... ;D Jason OK I swear I'll shut up now.... Simply put, the Stingray doesn't quite have the HAIR the MAZ SR or RX OR Mazerati have and reacts to pedals WAY differently than any of the other Z's... It sems to almost ABSORB pedals into itself "so to speak" and takes a little more from a pedal to drive the RAY for some HAIR/ Distortion/ Overdrive than it would some others.... But with LESS efficiant speakers It does get a little more hair due to the speaker ( still not as much as the MAZ SR).... thus celestion blues are liked and used by many... I prefer the Webers! Hope this helps.. Jason
|
|
|
Post by fishman on Apr 19, 2006 20:21:21 GMT -7
well, I can;t say which one is better ..... because you can't really compare them...they will both do some of the same things, but each will do its own....I kinda wish the ray had a MV on it....only because I really like that on the maz....and it the only MV amp that sounded like a nonmaster amp.....i am impressed with that. Back to the 'Ray...its kinda like a carpenter comparing a saw and a hammer.....one is not necessarily better than the other, they both work well alone, and as a team and each has its own purpose. Had a loud fan in the 'Ray - called Zservice and they sent me out a whole new assembly which i am installing now and thats that.. Fast and easy.....hmmmmm seems I remember some of the clientel that we have entertained fell into that catogory.....how sweet it was.......and is........ My overall impressions of the Ray are changing as I play it more and more....it really does have a "personality" for lack of a better term. On a side bar, if you like the sound of clean with an major attitude then this will do it for you.. it does that Vox chime thing better than the originals.... I went to a Beatles tribute thing with a NYC band that was ranked #1,,,,,anyway, period correct everything right down to the Vox amps......and did they ever sound good....I mean really good......it is a sound that you really can;t describe because its its own thing....the "clang" thing is way to weak...the 'Ray covers it as well and better!without really even trying...it is there....it is alive....I have never heard sounds quite this musical...I really like those open G chords......they are just flat out wicked,,,,the more you strum the bigger and more musical it gets....it really is quite amazing...at least for this long time Fender guy... My Maz can do alot of what the Ray can....as well as its own thing...but it can;t quite get into the area where the "Ray really shines.....and the Ray can;t quite get into the more "classic rock and roll sounds"...the Ray can do the rock thing, but IMHO the maz does it better..now it gets weird because not in all instances....because I have been finding sounds or should I say ways of getting the sounds out of the amp that are in there....I know it sounds weird but I think after a while these amps almost become annother instrument that you have to learn to play....they are so unique sounding at times that it suprises even me and I am playing it!.. Final Sidebar......I have not and will not play both of these amps at the same time..... Either one of them is plenty heavy, with the 'Ray being "solid" code word: solid lead...it is a heavy amp-even by my standards....and I used to haul around a Fender SuperTwin Reverb with the EV speakers....that was a heavy amp....and a very unique amp....thats annother story.. I would end up hauling the both of them all over all of the time....its the sound you know...its a sickness...it is. You can;t go wrong with either/both of these amps/// espicially the "Ray" it is a very unique amplifier.....I have been around a very long time and have never played anything quite like it. Play on....
|
|
|
Post by billyguitar on Apr 20, 2006 5:07:06 GMT -7
This kind of description is very helpful but it makes waiting all the more difficult.
|
|
|
Post by fishman on Apr 20, 2006 8:22:55 GMT -7
Billyguitar, let me say that waiting is part of the fun....HA...notice the ones that say that are the ones that already have a "Ray in the musical garage. Kinda like rich people tellin' poor people money dosen;t buy happiness, maybe not, but it can make happiness easier to come by....lol...
|
|
|
Post by Greg G. on Apr 20, 2006 8:42:15 GMT -7
Billyguitar, let me say that waiting is part of the fun....HA...notice the ones that say that are the ones that already have a "Ray in the musical garage. Kinda like rich people tellin' poor people money dosen;t buy happiness, maybe not, but it can make happiness easier to come by....lol... too funny.
|
|