Post by crc on Feb 9, 2019 18:08:39 GMT -7
Hello everyone,
This my first time joining a forum and actually posting something so please forgive that this is so long.
I really hope the group can give me some honest feedback on which direction to go in for my next amp purchase.
I don't gig out or play professionally, just a bedroom studio player hobbyist who loves playing when I get the chance.
I'm not a gear head and I don't anything about electrical engineering so I won't be name dropping manufacturers of transistors, capacitors, or presenting math of how you get X wattage output from Y ampere or whatever .. (no disrespect by the way for you cats that know this because that's really awesome and why hand-wired amps are being made in the first place)
Literally, I just like to play and I know what "good tone" is to me, as this is subjective for styles of music I enjoy listening to and playing.
My roots are in Punk, hardcore, shoe-gazey alternative-indie or whatever genre might people use now.
My first opportunity seeing up close and playing a DR.Z was at a small local shop that had a traded-in an early 2000's Stang-Ray a few years ago.
It was amazing, the sound, the feel, especially for LOUD Clean tones. I played through it with a $200 Tele (because I'm Left-handed & most shops don't carry quality guitars for Southpaws) and never got to play it with my American Lefty-Custom Tele at that time.
For the last few years I have been stoked about getting a MAZ18 one day and now you have the NOVA.
I can't afford to have a room of amps to choose from and I already know I will have to unload my 65 DRRI blackface (sweetwater exclusive in wine taurus tolex) and an AC15 (don't recall the model but its made in China PCB, just know its cream & grey and loaded with a 65W Creamback) to get my next amp.
Like everyone, I have been watching review videos online for new gear, especially DR.Z amps, and normally it ends up being a show of the players scale/picking skills and less about range of capabilities the gear can do.
That does not help a player like myself honestly when I just want to hear the amp and what is capable of.
I just want to make sure I'm getting the 'one' amp that works for me since I can't just drive around to the Big Box music store and try one out.
Honestly, I want to have the wide open loud headroom of the clean on the Deluxe Reverb (more like that STANGRAY!!!) and the grit/angst of the AC15/Marshall when needed.
I want the high pure clean headroom and the power to push pedals without sounding like an Amp Plugin at low bedroom volume levels.
Many reviews indicate the MAZ has all those things but then (subject to opinions)says it doesn't.
Dr. Z, or any one else please, I have a request.
Please make a video A/Bing the MAZ against the new NOVA.
Exactly how does the clean sound and headroom before breakup between the amps? Both have a master volume (MAZ does now, excited about that too!) and a dedicated "Boost". So why not showcase how similar and/or different the amps are with the same player with the same guitar,playing the same riff. True A/B showcase demo.
Seriously, I've never had the pleasure of playing an original 50's Tweed, Plexi, or many of the "legendary" amps, so I ( like so many) are unable to know the difference other than "this sounds great" considering the source. Not everyone can go to NAMM or have the ability to sit at home get free gear to make review videos.
I just would like to get real feedback to help choose whether the MAZ, NOVA will be the fit I'm looking for.
Again, thank you for giving my post the time of day. I look forward to hearing back with constructive feedback.
This my first time joining a forum and actually posting something so please forgive that this is so long.
I really hope the group can give me some honest feedback on which direction to go in for my next amp purchase.
I don't gig out or play professionally, just a bedroom studio player hobbyist who loves playing when I get the chance.
I'm not a gear head and I don't anything about electrical engineering so I won't be name dropping manufacturers of transistors, capacitors, or presenting math of how you get X wattage output from Y ampere or whatever .. (no disrespect by the way for you cats that know this because that's really awesome and why hand-wired amps are being made in the first place)
Literally, I just like to play and I know what "good tone" is to me, as this is subjective for styles of music I enjoy listening to and playing.
My roots are in Punk, hardcore, shoe-gazey alternative-indie or whatever genre might people use now.
My first opportunity seeing up close and playing a DR.Z was at a small local shop that had a traded-in an early 2000's Stang-Ray a few years ago.
It was amazing, the sound, the feel, especially for LOUD Clean tones. I played through it with a $200 Tele (because I'm Left-handed & most shops don't carry quality guitars for Southpaws) and never got to play it with my American Lefty-Custom Tele at that time.
For the last few years I have been stoked about getting a MAZ18 one day and now you have the NOVA.
I can't afford to have a room of amps to choose from and I already know I will have to unload my 65 DRRI blackface (sweetwater exclusive in wine taurus tolex) and an AC15 (don't recall the model but its made in China PCB, just know its cream & grey and loaded with a 65W Creamback) to get my next amp.
Like everyone, I have been watching review videos online for new gear, especially DR.Z amps, and normally it ends up being a show of the players scale/picking skills and less about range of capabilities the gear can do.
That does not help a player like myself honestly when I just want to hear the amp and what is capable of.
I just want to make sure I'm getting the 'one' amp that works for me since I can't just drive around to the Big Box music store and try one out.
Honestly, I want to have the wide open loud headroom of the clean on the Deluxe Reverb (more like that STANGRAY!!!) and the grit/angst of the AC15/Marshall when needed.
I want the high pure clean headroom and the power to push pedals without sounding like an Amp Plugin at low bedroom volume levels.
Many reviews indicate the MAZ has all those things but then (subject to opinions)says it doesn't.
Dr. Z, or any one else please, I have a request.
Please make a video A/Bing the MAZ against the new NOVA.
Exactly how does the clean sound and headroom before breakup between the amps? Both have a master volume (MAZ does now, excited about that too!) and a dedicated "Boost". So why not showcase how similar and/or different the amps are with the same player with the same guitar,playing the same riff. True A/B showcase demo.
Seriously, I've never had the pleasure of playing an original 50's Tweed, Plexi, or many of the "legendary" amps, so I ( like so many) are unable to know the difference other than "this sounds great" considering the source. Not everyone can go to NAMM or have the ability to sit at home get free gear to make review videos.
I just would like to get real feedback to help choose whether the MAZ, NOVA will be the fit I'm looking for.
Again, thank you for giving my post the time of day. I look forward to hearing back with constructive feedback.