|
Post by benmaz on Mar 10, 2020 6:27:08 GMT -7
I have a Maz. 18 NR. I use it with a Stratocaster. The speaker is a G12H Anniversary. The preamp tubes are three Svetlana 12ax7's. Power tubes are 6n14n's, and rectifier is a 5v4 (RCA, I think). I run a reverb pedal through the effects loop. And I mostly play blues.
Anyway, I've been reading a lot of posts and learned a lot about the amp. I loved the original tone but wanted to make it warmer (it was really bright) and break up sooner (it plays pretty clean with a strat at less than full volume). So far I've been able to accomplish the former but not the latter. And I really don't want to buy a boost or overdrive pedal, or an air brake.
Is there anything I can do to increase the amount of breakup? I have the volume control all the way up; and the treble and cut controls around 9:00. I was thinking maybe higher gain preamp tubes but the Tung Sols, Mullard and Genelex 12ax7's are all much brighter than the Svetlanas. Have I maxed out what I can do to get more break up from this amp with single coils?
And if I have maxed out what I can do with the Maz, is there another Dr. Z amp that would work better for me?
|
|
|
Post by daddyelmis (Greg) on Mar 10, 2020 8:04:56 GMT -7
A less efficient speaker is likely to give you the biggest change (other than an attenuator). I think tube changes provide very limited difference, and your already using 12ax7’s (which is the higher gain preamp tube). You might try a Greenback. The G12h is a 100db speaker, the Greenback is 95db. That’s a big difference and will be very noticeable in earlier breakup (you’ll be able to drive the amp harder with lower overall volume). Very similar freq response between the two: This is the G12h And this is the Greenback 12”
|
|
|
Post by purpletele on Mar 10, 2020 8:57:48 GMT -7
benmaz,
Is that a Mark I Maz 18 NR?
On the Mark I you typically need and attenuator so you can increase volume as bring up the MV
On the Mark II the new PPIMV allows you to really tune in your volume and breakup while controlling the overall loudness.
I have the Mark II Maz 38 NR and I have found my Strat Zone easy to locate with the MV.
The Mark I Maz series is really Stage Performance Amps, the new MV turns the Maz Amps into a tool box of tones and volumes,
|
|
|
Post by doctorice on Mar 10, 2020 9:25:45 GMT -7
Do you also have your tone controls cranked up? The MAZ's tone stack operates -- layperson's perspective, not tech -- by attenuating various frequency bands. Crank them to restore some gain. Naturally, there are limits to this since you want to maintain a certain overall tone. (I'm not talking about the Cut control here; it's different.)
A decent boost plugged into the high input should get you closer if you're still falling short, but you've already said you prefer not to go that route.
|
|
|
Post by easyed on Mar 10, 2020 16:01:28 GMT -7
A BrakeLite attenuator worked for me. If you're playing at home, set it wherever you like (it won't do bedroom breakup). For gig play, set it about 3 clicks down and dial in your tone; as the night progresses and the room volume increases (as it usually does) dial back the attenuation without any adjustment on the tone controls. As doctorice says, the tone controls send signal to ground. Turn the mid and treble to the hot side, but back the bass down to not more than 9:00. Added bass at high volumes = mud.
|
|
|
Post by Stephen on Mar 10, 2020 19:50:03 GMT -7
These are Buddy Whittington’s settings from a show several years ago. He’s got the best Stratocaster tone I’ve ever heard.
|
|
|
Post by benmaz on Mar 11, 2020 6:28:28 GMT -7
Thanks for all the replies.
I tried a Greenback but that wasn't enough either.
Turning everything way up, but then backing way back on the cut pretty much does it though. I guess that's what Buddy does on stage and it works pretty good in the bedroom too.
Thanks again!
|
|
|
Post by Chilly Gibbons (Todd T.) on Mar 11, 2020 7:47:33 GMT -7
The MK II upgrade will give all gain you probably need, and then some.
|
|
|
Post by shiner51 on Mar 13, 2020 5:46:36 GMT -7
I highly recommend the Mk II update mod. I had the same issues as you and was using a Brake Lite and pedals to get breakup at lower volumes. The update mod makes the amp break up at around 11:00 for me and at full volume is screaming overdrive.
|
|
|
Post by j4gitr (John) on Mar 14, 2020 5:56:06 GMT -7
On my 04 Maz18 I had a Barber Launch pad pushing the front. It kept the tone quality of the pups, but it made them appear hotter in the amp. I ran it at the end of my pedals. An RC or any clea boost would effectively do rhe same. Or as others have stated there’s the Mach II update
|
|
|
Post by Chilly Gibbons (Todd T.) on Mar 14, 2020 6:21:19 GMT -7
I highly recommend the Mk II update mod. I had the same issues as you and was using a Brake Lite and pedals to get breakup at lower volumes. The update mod makes the amp break up at around 11:00 for me and at full volume is screaming overdrive. And, the update costs about the same as a good gain pedal would. And that way you need no pedals. Just straight in, with a quality cable of course.
|
|
|
Post by The Fonz on Apr 17, 2020 23:20:22 GMT -7
With my Maz 18 NR combo I need a pedal (like the Timmy) to get a nice grit without blowing everyone out of the water. But with my new Maz 18 MK II Head and Convertible Z cab, it has way more than enough crunch/drive/grit....and then some. While I like my Monza head, the Maz MK II is just so much more and fits what I was looking for so much better.
|
|
|
Post by telejas on Apr 20, 2020 9:03:18 GMT -7
I know you didn't want to buy any pedals....But the TC Electronics Spark Mini clean boost pedal may be what you need? It'll push the front end.
$50 new, probably $25-$30 on the used market. I got one recently in a trade...I already have a $200 clean boost pedal, but I compared the Spark to it and really couldn't tell any difference. I've had my current boost pedal for about 10 years, so it's getting some wear on it so the Spark is in my pedalboard box as a backup.
**UPDATE 5/16/2020**
I'm going to update this: I played a show a few months ago, where I was trying out a '59 Bassman Reissue. The Bassman has no master volume and I couldn't even turn up to 2 on the volume without blowing the whole place away. So, I took that Spark pedal, cranked up the output to about 3/4 and ran it as the last pedal in line before going into my amp.....Wah-lah! It gave me a nice, hairy clean like I love playing and I could turn the amp down a little... It had more dynamics and some nice compression. This was all preamp changes, but worked like a charm! I tried it later, at home, with the Spark up all the way and it gave me a nice "natural" overdrive tone, that with a hot humbucker (like my Wolfgang), got me into (almost) AC/DC territory.
|
|
|
Post by easyed on Apr 26, 2020 14:59:14 GMT -7
Have you tried using the 5AR4/GZ34 per the amp's tube specification? The GZ34 will give you hotter B+ voltage for the preamp and power amp tubes and should facilitate breakup.
|
|
|
Post by GuitarZ on Apr 26, 2020 17:14:08 GMT -7
I know you said you didn't want to buy an AirBrake, but I have to tell you that once I bought my AirBrake, it was like I had a whole new amp. My master volume sits at 2:30 to 3 o'clock with the preamp about the same. The crunch is really, really good.
|
|
|
Post by benmaz on Nov 22, 2023 13:07:41 GMT -7
I got the Mark II upgrade. You guys were absolutely right. I love the tone.
|
|