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Post by Ward on Jul 11, 2016 7:32:08 GMT -6
I am so torn... I have a Stingray with the 2x12 Celestial Gold speaker cabinet, the Maz Sr. combo with the vin30 and H30 12" speakers, fan disabled but reverb still intact, a Maz Jr 18 with a 2x10 Z cabinet, and a Galaxie with the 4x10 Z cabinet, and he outboard Reverb Z-verb and 4 of their Airbrakes... And then I hear this thing the THERAPY and I'm like, Holy Crap, that is just what i need for all my high gain rhythm desires. drzamps.com/product/therapy/ The Dave Baker demo at the end really sells it. Should I buy another Z or get the Carolann or something else? I am so torn. I love the Z tone but some of the whole Z bunch of followers are, well, you know... it kind of spoils it for me. I dunno... |
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Post by 79sg on Jul 11, 2016 10:38:31 GMT -6
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Post by Ward on Jul 11, 2016 11:57:48 GMT -6
There is a tone with the classic Marshall design that I love like my old Vox AC30s... but when it comes to the more modern sound, I say this as honestly as anyone, there's something with the new Marshalls and Mesa Boogies that reminds me more of tube-powered distortion boxes rather than the full bodied body=shaking crunch and grind of a great design with a pedigree. Am I making any sense? |
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Post by 79sg on Jul 11, 2016 12:26:30 GMT -6
There is a tone with the classic Marshall design that I love like my old Vox AC30s... but when it comes to the more modern sound, I say this as honestly as anyone, there's something with the new Marshalls and Mesa Boogies that reminds me more of tube-powered distortion boxes rather than the full bodied body=shaking crunch and grind of a great design with a pedigree. Am I making any sense? Not sure. I've been playing a long time and this amp just kills. The crunch mode on channel 1 can give me some of the best "marshall type" tones I've heard. My recommendation was simply that you mentioned "high gain rhythm" and I don't hear that in a Dr. Z. I don't think Plexi when someone mentions high gain but do think classic rock. I gave up on Marshall's over 20 years ago as I grew tired of the issues I was having with mine (especially in the middle of a gig). If I were to be looking for high gain in something other than a Boogie as in a hot rodded Marshall type, I'd probably find a Friedman Brown Eye, Bogner something or other. Big fan of Soldano SLO but much too expensive these days. Most equate Boogies to Petrucci or metal but they are far more flexible then that. True that a lot of the distortion comes from the preamp section but once you figure out how the eq interacts with the preamp and graphic eq post you can dial in anything. Also, I don't get the "they are hard to dial in" talk I've heard over the years, just use your ears. Yep, drank the kool aid long ago but for me they work. I've heard plenty of Mesa Boogies that create "full bodied body = shaking crunch and grind"  I'd say Randall Smith is right up there with the best of the designers. The best way to know is plug in , turn it up then turn the knobs. One of the big issues nowadays is there are far too many options, some original and many a copy or redesign of someone elses circuit. |
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Post by jdc on Jul 11, 2016 13:47:38 GMT -6
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Post by bricejchandler on Jul 13, 2016 2:15:36 GMT -6
A lot of my buddies who are into recording heavy modern stuff swear by the Diezel amps. Have you checked those out?
I've recorded a few over the years and always thought they were great sounding amps, very precise for high gain stuff, and more mids than say a 5150 and less "buzzy" than a Dual Rectifier.
To me they still sound way too modern but then I do folk/roots stuff and my main amps are a fender princeton brownface and an AC30.
But still, I've always been impressed by those amps, there's a 3d quality to them that I don't hear in a lot of ultra high gain amps.
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Post by guitfiddler on Jul 14, 2016 20:32:42 GMT -6
There is a tone with the classic Marshall design that I love like my old Vox AC30s... but when it comes to the more modern sound, I say this as honestly as anyone, there's something with the new Marshalls and Mesa Boogies that reminds me more of tube-powered distortion boxes rather than the full bodied body=shaking crunch and grind of a great design with a pedigree. Am I making any sense? Not sure. I've been playing a long time and this amp just kills. The crunch mode on channel 1 can give me some of the best "marshall type" tones I've heard. My recommendation was simply that you mentioned "high gain rhythm" and I don't hear that in a Dr. Z. I don't think Plexi when someone mentions high gain but do think classic rock. I gave up on Marshall's over 20 years ago as I grew tired of the issues I was having with mine (especially in the middle of a gig). If I were to be looking for high gain in something other than a Boogie as in a hot rodded Marshall type, I'd probably find a Friedman Brown Eye, Bogner something or other. Big fan of Soldano SLO but much too expensive these days. Most equate Boogies to Petrucci or metal but they are far more flexible then that. True that a lot of the distortion comes from the preamp section but once you figure out how the eq interacts with the preamp and graphic eq post you can dial in anything. Also, I don't get the "they are hard to dial in" talk I've heard over the years, just use your ears. Yep, drank the kool aid long ago but for me they work. I've heard plenty of Mesa Boogies that create "full bodied body = shaking crunch and grind" I'd say Randall Smith is right up there with the best of the designers. The best way to know is plug in , turn it up then turn the knobs. One of the big issues nowadays is there are far too many options, some original and many a copy or redesign of someone elses circuit. - You can never have too many Z's, well yes, in your case...lol!!!! Check these out Ward!!! I have been looking around myself for that heavy modern metal tone also for those heavier projects. I think it is around 1:40 on the video. |
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Post by Ward on Jul 15, 2016 7:52:52 GMT -6
You know what they say about Zs? Gotta catch 'Em all!
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Post by jcoutu1 on Jul 15, 2016 8:12:50 GMT -6
Mike Zito & The Wheel came through last night (smoking band) and he was playing a Maz38. Sounded great. I'm not really impressed with the clips on the Z page of the THERAPY amp though. I'd look for something else to mix things up.
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Post by guitfiddler on Jul 15, 2016 9:40:41 GMT -6
This is Victory Amps the Kraken in the context of a mix. Nice job Leo! Pretty cool fresh stuff. I'm not in no way affiliated with anyone, just came across this stuff surfing for that modern metal tone, and passing it along for whoever is interested. Ward started this crap! Lol.
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Post by popmann on Jul 15, 2016 11:31:27 GMT -6
I have to say--if you get the Z, let me come by and play it. I'm quite familiar with their el84 amps "that brought'em" so to speak....but, really have never played their take on 6L6....it sounds lovely. One of my amp regrets is not buying a Reinahrdt Dumble clone while he was building--I felt liek I had that covered with various Fender circuit with drive pedals....and ballpark, sure....but, there's something more natural about the dirt being built into the circuit, and a PostPI master means you should be able to dial in some nice "in between" tones....one of my issues with the old Zs is that they all had to shake the walls to get any grind worth a damn. He relied too much on the 84s breaking, ala Vox.... That was a lovely range from almost clean to Dumble sustainy lead....impressive range. |
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Post by geoff738 on Jul 15, 2016 21:17:33 GMT -6
Yeah, I thought the Zs were all about the Vox thing. Then I played a bunch of them. And he is not a one trick pony.
Soooooooo, yeah, if you like it, go for it.
Don't have one myself, but he makes nice stuff, and imo, quite fairly priced for what you get.
Cheers,
Geoff
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Post by popmann on Jul 15, 2016 22:04:04 GMT -6
Well....actually they WERE....both very Vox like and VERY VERY "one trick pony". I actually used to joke that that's why he made so many amps. Every time he wanted a new tone, he just built a new box. And why people kept moving form one Z to another....they got tired of the range they could get from the 3 knobs on each amp....anyway--I really love the tonal range I'm hearing here. Love to play one. I don't think Rock Block has one....I didn't call--just looked online, but....I want to plug one in and jam.
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Post by geoff738 on Jul 15, 2016 22:42:05 GMT -6
Well....actually they WERE....both very Vox like and VERY VERY "one trick pony". I actually used to joke that that's why he made so many amps. Every time he wanted a new tone, he just built a new box. And why people kept moving form one Z to another....they got tired of the range they could get from the 3 knobs on each amp....anyway--I really love the tonal range I'm hearing here. Love to play one. I don't think Rock Block has one....I didn't call--just looked online, but....I want to plug one in and jam. Yeah! Bet you'd have fun. To my ear they aren't all Voxy, but many of them are. Can't remember what I played, but one of the Maz's, I think a Stangray, a couple or three more. This is all music store stuff, but I was in Ottawa and bored (fellow Canucks, is that an oxymoron?) and the Z dealer there has a nice relaxed place and I spent a good hour or more playing a bunch of them and came to the conclusion that he wasn't just doing variations on Vox. Z is doing good stuff. Cheers, Geoff Oh, not to derail, but the Reinhardt stuff looked stoooopid good. Bummed that he couldn't or didn't want to keep it going. |
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Post by guitfiddler on Jul 22, 2016 9:11:46 GMT -6
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Post by Ward on Jul 22, 2016 16:53:43 GMT -6
I dislike the mud in this amp's cascaded gain preamp architecture. Example: |
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Post by guitfiddler on Jul 23, 2016 0:35:53 GMT -6
I dislike the mud in this amp's cascaded gain preamp architecture. Example: I agree with you on this video. Mine doesn't sound that bad. Maybe it's the choice of guitars, or the cab, or the video. I don't know, but I like my 6545 a lot better than that. I am using 2 greenbacks in a 2x12 closed cab. hmmm. Maybe its a crappy Tube screamer causing that? I have a Hermida Audio Zen Drive and an Exotic BB in front of mine and it kicks some A and two S'es put together!!! |
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Post by Ward on Jul 23, 2016 5:49:13 GMT -6
I use a Zen Drive 2 actually. Sounds very Dumble-esque. I'm Looking for something that needs no pedals and right now I'm torn between the Friedman and the Z Therapy.
Definitely not looking for anything else dumble-esque, I have that covered well enough. Curiously enough, I did speak at length with Howard/Alexander at length many years ago about an amp. And then he disappeared.
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Post by guitfiddler on Jul 23, 2016 12:55:50 GMT -6
I use a Zen Drive 2 actually. Sounds very Dumble-esque. I'm Looking for something that needs no pedals and right now I'm torn between the Friedman and the Z Therapy. Definitely not looking for anything else dumble-esque, I have that covered well enough. Curiously enough, I did speak at length with Howard/Alexander at length many years ago about an amp. And then he disappeared. Once I have some time I will make a Kemper profile of my Z's. I just haven't had anytime lately. I haven't tried the Zen Drive 2, but I will check it out when I get a chance. I know what you mean about pedals, I like the Friedman stuff. James Lugo has a huge amp shootout on his You Tube channel. You might want to check that out, It's very interesting. If I remember correctly I really liked one of the modded Friedman's or it might have been a Friedman Modded Marshall. I have to review it again to remember. I have a buddy with a Marshall Mark II. I hope I can get my hands on it to Profile. |
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Post by popmann on Jul 26, 2016 9:19:54 GMT -6
BTW--Rock Block isn't carrying them. Only dealer in town. 5 weeks out if I want to order one. Why would I order an amp I've never played?
This is a problem for Z. It's gotta be....I mean are there a lot of people who order $1800 amp heads based on YouTube clips?
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Post by jcoutu1 on Jul 26, 2016 9:45:14 GMT -6
BTW--Rock Block isn't carrying them. Only dealer in town. 5 weeks out if I want to order one. Why would I order an amp I've never played? This is a problem for Z. It's gotta be....I mean are there a lot of people who order $1800 amp heads based on YouTube clips? ...who buys new? I'd buy it used for $1000 based on a YouTube clip then sell if for $1200 if I didn't like it. |
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Post by popmann on Jul 26, 2016 12:27:21 GMT -6
Let me know when you find the $1k one used. But, then, with these builders, my experience is they change the designs on a fairly regular basis.
Still, buy it used, Z gets nada....so, it's still a problem for Z. Actually MORE of a problem, because now what this means is I have to mail order the amp sight unplayed---so, yes I will choose used, because it's cheaper and they're equal "risk of sucking"--thus he's fucked. Meanwhile, if our local dealer had one and I fell in love, absolutely I would buy (and have bought) it new. I think I bought all three of my current amps new....I have nothing against buying used. I have a problem mail ordering instruments.
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Post by popmann on Jul 29, 2016 15:53:41 GMT -6
FYI....I've seen enough really bad demos and demos where it simply sounds like a low wattage Marshall ratehr than a Dumbly/SRVy drive....GAS cured. They better have given Dave an amp for that demo.
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I'd say Randall Smith is right up there with the best of the designers. The best way to know is plug in , turn it up then turn the knobs. One of the big issues nowadays is there are far too many options, some original and many a copy or redesign of someone elses circuit. 
