Most Fender Sounding Dr.z

By dialing around the tone controls on the MAZ Senior....you can get as clean and glassy as you want. By jacking up the gain (volume), lowering the treble, and lifting the middle and bass a bit...it can really rip.
The whole time maintaining a huge, tight, bottom end.
Mark

 

Z-28!

 

Z28 is indeed the closest, but it's so much different still than the Fender tone.

 

I've not played a 66 yet, can't comment, but I love the Z28 breakup.

 

I'd say the Z-28, but hit Madison with an email. He has had the whole gamut of Dr Z amps. I know he currently has a Z-28 head, Carmen Ghia head and just recently ordered a Prescription Extra Strength head. Not sure if he has a MAZ 38, but I think he still has a MAZ 18 combo.

 

45 side of the KT45 do stay purty clean. But it's more of a HiWATT type of clean.

 

KT45 will break up (KT45 side of the 6545, too), but it's gonna be loud and this is best accomplished with a tube rectifier, not the SS plug-in rectifier.......and it's a more British sound anyway.......

Z28 with the right tube configuration and speakers will sound pretty darn Fendery (pre BF era), and I've heard anumbera folks say the Maz Sr will get ya there, too.

 

I had a Z28 for a while and it was a great amp, and given your description of what you are looking for, I think it's the right choice from the DrZ line. Nice airy cleans - not as much as a Deluxe Reverb - but a bit thicker sound. Good jangle, and glorious breakup. The Treble knob actually acts as a gain boost, so when you crank it and the Bass, the amp soars. Great club amp - probably too loud for around the house unless you live 30 miles from your closest neighbor.......

 

And z-28 has much tighter bass than most fender/fender-like amps. I don't find it too loud for home playing, especially if you can take it down 3db with an attenuator. I like mine more than my old ghia, and the maz's I tried out. It's still not exactly blackface fender though.

 

The Z28 ssounds a lot like a Tweeed Deluxe, but not really Blackface.

Now the Maz Sr is very capable of copping ssome Super Reverb tones with the right Speakers and settings. A Super Z(Maz 38nr 3x10) is supposed to be a great Super replacement.

Of course nothing ssounds exactly like a Fender except a Fender.

 

EF86 into 6V6s, right Mike?

 

Yup. with a 5751 in the PI.

Sounds like a choir of angels baby!!!

 

Considering the above and the fact you are looking for a "Fender esq" Dr Z, I'd suggest you try the (6V6) Z28. It's been described as a brown tolex version of the Fender Deluxe. The qualities of the 28 that come to mind is the incredibly strong bottom and sparkly top it possesses...a very, very nice amp IMO.

The Maz Jr can creep into Fender territory as well if you mess around with the EQ and set the Cut accordingly.

You also mentioned Bassman. I AB'd a blackface Bassman with a Maz Sr & Jr with good results, but then you're hard pressed to get the dirt at practice levels with a Sr...lot's of headroom with a that one. BTW, the guy that brought the Bassman over promptly ordered a Z28 combo!

 

Huh?.....a Fender.

Seriously, I'm a former Maz Sr and Jr owner. Through all that time I also owned and still own various blackface stuff.

There is so much value and tone in old blackface heads, especially if your willing to buy a blackface without reverb, (which is the way most people prefer Z stuff anyway.

You should be able to pickup three blackface heads, (Bandmaster, Bassman and a Showman), plus an Avatar cab for the cost of one new Z amp!!!

Talk about the last of the good values! This stuff is already starting to creep up, but you can still buy them cheap if you hurry.

 

I wouldn't go THAT far. Z is the worlds greatest value. No way can you pull off 3 BF headds and an avatar for the 1199 a Z28 head costs new.