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Post by ajlguitfiddle on Sept 22, 2020 12:01:32 GMT -7
I've owned several Maz 18s and, after owning an 18 and 38 combo simultaneously, decided to go with a 38 NR head and 1x12 cab, which I recently purchased new from Humbucker Music. I don't hear the chime and twang that I heard on the 18s I owned. I find myself turning up the cut and treble, which is something I NEVER did on my other Maz amps. I even put in a Celestion Alnico Cream, hoping that would help. It didn't. Now I am wondering if the stock pickups on my Suhr Classic T are dark/dull sounding. I don't think they are the most vintage sounding pickups, but I doubt they would completely rob the 38 of its tone.
I have heard (and experienced) that the 38 is more Fender and less Vox than the 18, but the 38 combo I had previously sounded great. I'm really perplexed by all of this.
Does any of this sound familiar? The amp is otherwise great and absolutely devours my pedals.
Thanks!
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Post by KeithA on Sept 22, 2020 12:34:58 GMT -7
I've owned several Maz 18s and, after owning an 18 and 38 combo simultaneously, decided to go with a 38 NR head and 1x12 cab, which I recently purchased new from Humbucker Music. I don't hear the chime and twang that I heard on the 18s I owned. I find myself turning up the cut and treble, which is something I NEVER did on my other Maz amps. I even put in a Celestion Alnico Cream, hoping that would help. It didn't. Now I am wondering if the stock pickups on my Suhr Classic T are dark/dull sounding. I don't think they are the most vintage sounding pickups, but I doubt they would completely rob the 38 of its tone. I have heard (and experienced) that the 38 is more Fender and less Vox than the 18, but the 38 combo I had previously sounded great. I'm really perplexed by all of this. Does any of this sound familiar? The amp is otherwise great and absolutely devours my pedals. Thanks! If you bought a new amp recently, I'm wondering if the difference you are hearing is a subtle change from the mkI to the mkII Maz 18/38 (if there is even a difference of that magnitude)? Maybe someone who has transitioned or upgraded to a mkII can chime in (no pun intended).
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Post by lowbudget on Sept 22, 2020 12:48:37 GMT -7
It’s been so long since I owned a 38 that I honestly can’t remember but I too love the chime thing so I get your concern.
I can tell you that I own 4 Maz 18s ( both I and II) and a Maz 8 ver. 2 and I get chime for days running them all through just a G12H30 without any extreme settings on amp or guitar. This is through Nash and Fender Teles all with either Lollar or low wind vintage pickups. You might want to try a more vintage type pickup and see if that helps. I actually prefer the Lollars in my Nashes over the Fender OV set.
Let us know what you find.
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Post by ajlguitfiddle on Sept 22, 2020 12:51:22 GMT -7
Thanks for the input. What you describe hearing from your 8 and 18s is what I'm missing!
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Post by Russell B on Sept 22, 2020 12:53:08 GMT -7
Hmmm. I owned a 2x12 Maz Senior back in the day. I thought it sounded a lot like my Maz Jrs. I still hate that I no longer own it. It had all the chime that the Jr. did. Maybe bring the cut up a bit?
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Post by perryr on Sept 22, 2020 18:38:43 GMT -7
With a G12H30 70th Anniversary the MAZ 38 should be just fine with chime. The Alnico Cream IMO would reduce the chime significantly compared with the H30 70th.
The 38 is warmer In general then the 18 , it runs the EL84’s a little differently compared to the 18, and Dr Z still often uses JJ’s for the EL84’s in the 38. But mine still rings like a bell into the H30 70th.
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Post by purpletele on Sept 22, 2020 19:16:22 GMT -7
Thanks for the input. What you describe hearing from your 8 and 18s is what I'm missing! Where are you setting the MV? I would think that if you are able to get the MV up to 2:00 then that should give you 75% of the power section, which would be similar to the Mark I circuit without the MV Upgrade. I run the Cream Alnico in my 38 Mark II and I describe it as Jangly.
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Post by lowbudget on Sept 22, 2020 19:30:30 GMT -7
With a G12H30 70th Anniversary the MAZ 38 should be just fine with chime. The Alnico Cream IMO would reduce the chime significantly compared with the H30 70th. The 38 is warmer In general then the 18 , it runs the EL84’s a little differently compared to the 18, and Dr Z still often uses JJ’s for the EL84’s in the 38. But mine still rings like a bell into the H30 70th. Why is this perry? As I mentioned above I too noticed how chimey the H30 is with the Maz but intuitively I would think an alnico would out-chime the big ceramic. But not so!
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Post by perryr on Sept 23, 2020 22:36:13 GMT -7
I think its a matter of personal preference and what one wants to hear.. the H30 seems to present a lot of everything, bottom to top. The variety of Alnico tones From the Blue, Gold and cream is pretty broad ranging, with varying character up top. The Gold has more of that top end presence compared with the cream, one might try that If looking for more brilliance up top in an single 12 Alnico that can handle the MAZ38. Never easy finding perfection! Especially in a 1-12, the H30 70th seems to always come through when the others arent quite gettin everything were after.
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Post by ajlguitfiddle on Sept 24, 2020 8:34:21 GMT -7
Thanks for all of the input fellas. My 1x12 cab came with a M65 creamback. Initially, I thought that was the issue, so I switched to the Alnico Cream. I still wasn't satisfied. I thought maybe I wasn't opening the master enough (which results in the amp getting LOUD), so I bought a Brake Lite to allow me to do that. I'm still not convinced. At this point, I see a few options. 1) Try some vintage type tele pickups; 2) Locate a Maz 18 to compare contrast with my 38; 3) Try an H30. In truth, I love the H30 and have had it in most, if not all, of my prior 18s at one point or another. Maybe that is the problem? I figured nothing could chime more than an alnico, though.
My plan for the 38 was for it to be my 'do it all' amp (with assistance of pedals). I would have that classic Maz sound and a platform on which to do just about anything. The amp sounds absolutely killer (and HUGE) with some of my higher gain pedals, such as the Wampler Pinnacle. That pedal and by EVH Wolfgang sound fantastic. But I don't hear that classic Maz sound, which has me frustrated. Maybe I have ear fatigue? I don't think anything is wrong with the 38. It seems to be working perfectly. I had an issue with the rectifier, but that has been addressed and the rectifier doesn't affect the tone anyway.
More to come!
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Post by Chilly Gibbons (Todd T.) on Sept 25, 2020 4:04:10 GMT -7
You might also consider a brighter 12AX7 in V1, like a new production Tung-Sol or NOS if you have one to try.
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