Dr. Z: headroom/volume comparison

[kingink]

As I stated in another post, I got a Maz Sr. last week. Thanks to all for their kind congratulations.

It took me a few days to warm up to the amp. I've found a setting I really like, but it's waaay too loud. To get the tone I like, I've got the volume at 3-4 o'clock and the master at 1-2 o'clock. The other day at practice, my bassist kept telling me to turn down. The amp was louder than the drums.

The above settings sound great at home with my Hot Plate, but the Hot Plate didn't really do it for me at rehearsal. I might get a Greenback or two (running two G12Hs right now), to see if that brings down the volume a bit, but what I'd really like to know is how other Z amps compare in volume/headroom.

For example, will the KT-45 or Route 66 break up sooner, since their tone stacks control gain, or do they have similar headroom to the Maz Sr.? What abut the RX ES? I'm esp. interested in the KT-45.

I always thought the Z28 or Maz Jr. would not have enough volume to keep up with my band, but now I may actually look to those amps. Maybe I shoulda listened to what Big Mike has said on several of these threads about the Z28 keeping up with drums.

The other solution might be to put a hotter pup in my Seiwa strat copy. I've got a Dimarzio VV solo in there now.

Anyway, thanks for any tips,

David

 

[riffmeister]

Originally posted by kingink
.....I always thought the Z28 or Maz Jr. would not have enough volume to keep up with my band, but now I may actually look to those amps......

I think that would be the way to go.


Or, have you ever tried a Dr. Z Airbrake? Worked well for me when I had mt KT45. It's a bit more transparent than the Hot Plate, IMO.

 

[kingink]

Thanks, Riff!

I have not tried the Airbrake, even though I've been curious about it.
Last summer, I got a great deal on the Hot Plate, so I bought it instead of the Airbrake. Even on eBay, Airbrakes seem to go for full price.

I'll keep an eye open, though.

David

 

[m1911]

The MAZ Senior is my favorite amplifier...but it can get loud for some settings. I just love the tight big bottom the thing has. My kid uses a Junior most times....even if I beg him to use a Senior. The Junior really gives it up sooner and seems to have a bit more pre-amp gain....probably why he likes it so much. For most dive-bar settings...playing Blues-Rock....the Junior is Perfect!
He uses a single Tone Tubby 12", or a Z-Best loaded with a pair of Tone Tubbies quite often. If I were to order a Standard Z-Best....I'd get two new Heritage Speakers....One G12H and one G12M-Greenback.

That said....we've seen Buddy Whittington play his Senior with an Air-Brake and sounds wonderful.....but he would sound good thru anything I guess. FWIW...Buddy jacks his gain (volume) up all the way when he plays a Senior.

Opinion?....(you know what they are like )
Keep your Senior....and when money permits....grab a Junior too!
Mark

 

[Fred McMurray]

Longtime Maz18 Jr user/abuser here! Drums? No problemo! Headroom? Bah!-keep yer 38, but the 18 will breakup wayy sooner for ya. Dirtdirdirtdirtdirt atyer fingertips without caving in the walls...

 

[JoeYello]

Have you tried an OD pedal? Maybe a Dual Drive or a TIM? I am sometimes too loud with a Maz 18 and use the Dual Drive and get a nice tone. Also works for my AC-30, which has 4 EL84's like the Maz 38

 

[CountryShawn]

I guess it depends on HOW clean you like the tone.

Whilst the MAZ Jr does indeed (of course) break-up sooner than the MAZ- Sr, it's not like fuzz distortion - it's actually a nice edgey breakup that to me is a really sweet sound - provided that you just ease up on the pre-amp gain a bit as to not over-do it.

Even for that quasi-clean sound, the MAZ-18 Jr can be LOUD!
If you listen to my clips below, they are all recorded LOUD to give you an idea of what it sounds like with a Tele.
The rooms these were recorded in was about 12' X 12' and it was tough on the ears to be in the same room in front of the speakers while recording!!!

I think it's worth a try.

Shawn

 

[kingink]

Shawn,

Great playing and tone! Thanks for these clips. They're really useful. The tone I like on the Sr. is a lot dirtier than that, which is the "problem," because to get that much dirt, the Sr. has to be cranked up pretty loud. Anyway, do you remember what your settings were on the Jr. when you recorded the clips?

Mark,

MMMMMM, bottom. That's what first drew me to this amp, actually. Are you saying the Jr. has less of that big low end?

Actually, I'm wondering about the low end response on the Z28. Folks say it's pretty good, but I'm not clear on whether it's good for a 6V6 amp, or comparable to the Sr.

Anyway, good to know about Buddy Whittington. I need to give the Sr. another try at rehearsal. I wasn't able to bring it to the last one. I also crank the preamp vol., and I think it sounds really good, unlike some master vol. amps.

Thanks for all the info everybody. I'm all eyes if anybody else wants to chime in.

David

 

[riffmeister]

Originally posted by kingink
.....Actually, I'm wondering about the low end response on the Z28. Folks say it's pretty good, but I'm not clear on whether it's good for a 6V6 amp, or comparable to the Sr.......

Not as big as the Sr, but pretty darn good. THe Z28 is a fun amp to use with the band......it has very good volume and gives up the goods in a most pleasing way. Highly recommended.

 

[Sudsysul]

The Z28 head I use with a 2X12 V30/H30 bottom has no problem keeping up with my very loud drummer. If your worry is lower frequencies, that really is a shining point of the Z28.. very solid on the bottom. It's Waaaay louder than my Carmen Ghia head, and almost keeps up with my 50 JMP Marshall. I have no problem bringing it as a back-up at 200 seat gigs. I think the amp can pull this trick because there is not tons of gain in the preamp section. So a lot depends on what type of music you play. If it's rock, you'll probably need an OD pedal with a single coil gitter.

 

[Laroosco!]

The Maz is loud but I don't have any trouble with mine.

My favorite settting is about 1 oclock on the volume (w/master at around noon or 1 oclock) Sounds great with a Strat or a 335.

It's a loud sucker though, but just not too loud for my band.

I just sent the Maz out yesterday. Traded for a Route 66. Once I get the 66 and gig it a couple timers I'll come back here and post the difference.

The one thing I do remember aabout the 66 is that I was always satisfied using less gain than with other amps. It's very big and fat.
Haven't had much xp witth a KT45 but I always here that it's more of a clean machine. Definitley not an amp for early breakup.

 

[fjs1962]

I'd stick with the Sr and try a Airbrake. I had a 212 Jr at first and while it sounded great it couldn't keep up on some of the blues gigs I played without getting too distorted. Granted these were loud gigs, but the Jr didn't have the headroom to keep up on a big stage without coming back through the monitors, which I don't like. I now use a 112 Sr and it has plenty of headroom for any gig I play, and I use a Airbrake cut back a click or two when I need to take it down a bit.

One other thing, even at a lower volume the Sr has a "bigger" sound than the Jr did. There is something to be said for big transformers and such. I had a similar experience going from a Germino Masonette to my Lead 55.

 

[Pappy]

I used to own a Maz Senior and loved the tone but also found that it was too loud for most situations. G12H30s are really efficient speakers. Swapping one of them for a greenback will probably help some.

The Z28 does not sound *anything* like a Maz Senior so I would make sure that you want a decidedly more American tone before you go that direction. The Maz Senior has much more chime and Vox(ish) crunch than a Z28 which breaks up in a very tweed like fashion (but with a much more solid low end that is big and full - similar to a Maz Senior). I learned that I much prefer British based tones from my experience with the Z28, though, and ended up trading mine for an Aiken Invader. A lot of people really love their Z28, though, so different strokes for different folks.

As far as Zs go, I ended up with a Carmen Ghia head and a 1-12" cab with a G12H30. I mainly use the amp for crunchy tones but I am able to get nice clean tones with lower volume bands. I am *still* told I'm too loud with this setup in smaller clubs so I occasionally have to use an airbrake to tame the volume a bit. The Ghia does not have as much low end as the Senior which bugged me a little at first. After using this setup for the last year, though, I'm really happy with my tone.

 

[nateco]

get some power tubes that break up earlier.....like GTel84-s in a #3 or 4 rating.....instead of the stock #6