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Post by modernfiction on May 13, 2021 17:25:37 GMT -7
Spent a few months lurking around this Prescription Forum seeing the conversations about this mystical elusive amp and wound up buying an Extra Strength thinking I snagged the beast… my haste made me misjudge that the ES was a completely different animal. Still have it though and it’s an incredible clean sounding amp with a very hi-fi sound that can still growl when pushed.
So I learned the real creature was still out there and rare in its sightings. Low and behold the good ol’ Guitar Center finally showed the legend I was looking for… though it be a massive 2x12 combo I’ve strayed away from to save my back in the years to come… I said too bad, saddle up and snag that bad boy!
It’s big, it’s green, it’s got greenbacks, and it makes Frankensteins Monster shake in its boots, and teeth, and is so electrifying it could probably resurrect him by zapping his bolted neck.
I read the rave reviews, but words only mean so much. HOT. DANG. Doc! This creation is my insane! I damn near bled my ears and cut 20 years off my hearing and loved every minute of it. This thing truly is a rock and roll legend in my book. It just breaths fire and makes those glass tubes sing with all they got. I have never heard an amp this good and versatile in its sound. The greenbacks scream rock and roll and my Z cab 1x12 scumback does it with a modern twist.
This is my amp for life!
I read some z heads saying this thing doesn’t like pedals but it ate every fuzz and drive I had for breakfast, lunch, and dinner!
So to all the Original RX owners out there, what kind of tubes, speakers, pedals, settings, do you have going on with your beasts???
I’m looking to send it in to the Z headquarters for some TLC and a master volume mod, possibly. What do you think? I’m just waiting to hear back from Don.
If you have some pics I’m curious to see what yours look like!
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Post by Jaguarguy (Mike) on May 13, 2021 18:22:40 GMT -7
Congrats! I was watching that RX and would have pulled the trigger the first time they dropped the price. Glad someone from here got it. I have 4 of them - the prototype #1, a regular production model, two early Prescriptions labelled as "Maz 38s". One of my favorite Zs! Here's my production RX (in green) and an early one labelled "Maz 38 Studio Lead" My Maz 38 MkII Combo And here's "Prototype #1 - My favorite! The valance was originally green wood that faded over time. The "Z" is the unfaded color. It was protected from fading by the actual Z which either fell off or was taken off at some point. I love the story behind it. Enjoy your new toy!
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Post by jrl10002 on May 13, 2021 20:56:58 GMT -7
Congrats! I believe the original Rx to be the best amp ever. It is versatile and it sounds good with any guitar. I have two that I'll never part with. I use them with an old 70s checkerboard cabinet with greenbacks, a 1936 with vintage 30s, or a Z-best and they sound fantastic through all. I've been contemplating having the master mod done to one of them. I use them with an air brake and that works very well. I sometimes use an OCD pedal and have no issues at all. These amps are hard to come by these days. You have a jewel, never part with it. Enjoy!
Josh
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Post by modernfiction on May 14, 2021 5:32:00 GMT -7
Do you guys have a small switch on the back of your amps? I’m not sure what it does exactly but it sounds like it either decreases the power or increases the power depending on which way it’s flipped.
Anyone know what that switch is?
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Post by Jaguarguy (Mike) on May 14, 2021 7:37:23 GMT -7
Don't know if you saw this but here is Doc's take on the original Prescription.
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Post by jhen86 (jordan) on May 14, 2021 7:48:38 GMT -7
Do you guys have a small switch on the back of your amps? I’m not sure what it does exactly but it sounds like it either decreases the power or increases the power depending on which way it’s flipped. Anyone know what that switch is? Could be a half power mod? Maybe done by Doc or by someone else? Hard to say with an amp that old. If you feel good pulling the chassis and snapping a pic Don at repairs could confirm. Might not be a bad idea to do that either way with it’s age. I’d be happy to look at a pic too if you want to upload it. Always love seeing Docs handiwork.
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Post by modernfiction on May 14, 2021 8:39:45 GMT -7
Yeah I did some research on the RX while looking for one and came across that video. Very cool.
I’m currently talking with Don in the repair shop and planning to send it in for a check up and master volume mod. The pots are scratchy and jumpy so it needs some TLC anyway.
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Post by Jaguarguy (Mike) on May 14, 2021 9:03:05 GMT -7
king for one and came across that video. Very cool. I’m currently talking with Don in the repair shop and planning to send it in for a check up and master volume mod. The pots are scratchy and jumpy so it needs some TLC anyway. Don's a great guy! He brought back an RX to life from me that had really been screwed up! He described the wiring as an "Octopus" that even he couldn't figure out what the guy was trying to do! Here's a pic
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Post by jhen86 (jordan) on May 14, 2021 9:24:26 GMT -7
I’m currently talking with Don in the repair shop and planning to send it in for a check up and master volume mod. The pots are scratchy and jumpy so it needs some TLC anyway. While you are sorting that out, a little DeOxit D5 can make quick work of those scratchy pots. Probably something really worth while to have on hand anyway. A little pricey ($15) but it should last you a lifetime. Works on amps, guitars... anything with a pot. Spray some in the back opening on top of the pot and give a twisty twist back and forth 5-10 times. It's the black spot you can see here just underneath the solder lugs. That's an opening to the wiper which is the dirty part that causes the scratching.
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Post by jrl10002 on May 14, 2021 14:14:23 GMT -7
I have that switch on the back of one of my prescriptions. The guy I bought the amp from said the switch adds a bit of gain though I really don't notice much of anything different one way or the other. It's the newer of the two amps, which leads me to wonder if it's one of the "transitional models out there" that doc talked about in one of the videos, as I've had 4 original prescriptions total and only one has the switch. My other one has a footswitch jack in that same place as did the other two that I no longer have. I talked to Don about having the master mod done to one of my prescriptions and he gave me a rough quote, telling me he wouldn't know what the job would entail until he tore into it, as he's never before seen two original prescriptions alike.
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Post by Jaguarguy (Mike) on May 14, 2021 18:04:13 GMT -7
None of my four have the switch on the back. One does have a footswitch but it's not labelled.
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Post by jrl10002 on May 14, 2021 18:09:28 GMT -7
None of my four have the switch on the back. One does have a footswitch but it's not labelled. That green Rx you have up there would look really nice at my house, as would a few others you have down in the cave!!!
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Post by modernfiction on Jun 5, 2021 9:22:07 GMT -7
Congrats! I was watching that RX and would have pulled the trigger the first time they dropped the price. Glad someone from here got it. I have 4 of them - the prototype #1, a regular production model, two early Prescriptions labelled as "Maz 38s". One of my favorite Zs! Here's my production RX (in green) and an early one labelled "Maz 38 Studio Lead" My Maz 38 MkII Combo And here's "Prototype #1 - My favorite! The valance was originally green wood that faded over time. The "Z" is the unfaded color. It was protected from fading by the actual Z which either fell off or was taken off at some point. I love the story behind it. Enjoy your new toy! Hey Mike, Do you have a photo of that Blonde Maz MKII from the back? I have a 1x12 prescription combo I just picked up and I’m curious if it’s the original housing or in the amp was modded to fit in this 1x12 combo. It looks just like the bottom picture you have.
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brm
New Member
Posts: 1
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Post by brm on Oct 6, 2022 19:15:55 GMT -7
Just got my hands on a 1996 Prescription Combo! Can’t wait to make music on that bad boy.
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Post by jrl10002 on Oct 20, 2022 9:22:43 GMT -7
Congrats, you scored a great amp! I recently had the master volume install done to one of mine and I would highly recommend it
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