What is it about Dr. Z?

[Toppscore]

Originally Posted by zoppotrump

because the sound awesome, are very well build, reliable, very versatile, take pedals extremly well, are not overprized, look nice, make you stop looking for other amps.....enough said...??

Hi! Zoppotrump!
What, in your opinion, makes any amp pedal friendly or not pedal friendly?
Is it the circuitry?
Tubes?
Speakers?
Capacitors?

Are there Fender amps from the 1950s or 1960s
that are known to be pedal friendly or not pedal friendly?

Do tube amps with dedicated reverb have a higher or lower
chance to be pedal friendly or not pedal friendly?

Between solid state amps and tube amps, is either
one in particular more or less pedal friendly?

Thanks to any one contributing to this answer. Toppscore

[printer2]

Originally Posted by donh

They just plain sound good. Z gots The Touch.

Nothing is for everybody, you are the final say, and I sure like mine! (and it IS class-A, tho most his are not)

If it is a single output tube (Maz 8, Mini Z), then yes, otherwise, no.

[TeleTim911]

If you don't know, you have to play one. I can't explain it without a full page. I played through two one night at a stand-in gig, and all I can say is "WOW". Seriously.

Chords were so clean and clear, and what really got to me was the "touch response"....play softly, notes were soft. Pick hard, and it was like hitting a volume pedal or something, just incredible.

My life's dream in amps is a Z ever since....but since I'm not steady gigging...fuhgetaboutit. Not in my budget.

[xjazzy]

The Carmen Ghia is an amp that I hope I could afford one day.
And maybe a RT. 66 but I'd need some big stages to make it sound like this:

[tele_jas]

I've had many Z's... I sell or trade them off and then come back to them because they have *something* I miss.

They are fantastic amps, built well and professional touring quality and the price is very reasonable as far as Boutique amps go.

And yes, Brad Paisley opened the door up for me too.

[donh]

Originally Posted by printer2

If it is a single output tube (Maz 8, Mini Z), then yes, otherwise, no.

Mine is a Maz 8, and is Class-A. To the best on my knowledge all his two-and four-tube efforts are class AB push-pull. And sound fantastic :-)

[caleb.lapish]

I've played one. I loved it

[Blueskidd96]

Some of you guys were talking about the Z Wreck, and how good it sounds. I noticed that gearmanndude recently got one... His tone sounds WAY better than it ever did with his Maz 18. His Maz 18 tone always sounds like crap, but the Wreck actually sounds really good!

[6942]

I've always been a fan of the troublesome-but-wonderful sounding EF86 tube.

Steve

[adeiderich]

What better chance to give out to a couple of Greater Cleveland guys, Frankie Starr and Dr. Z.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MO9kBcgvvfc

[jammers5]

Originally Posted by Blueskidd96

Some of you guys were talking about the Z Wreck, and how good it sounds. I noticed that gearmanndude recently got one... His tone sounds WAY better than it ever did with his Maz 18. His Maz 18 tone always sounds like crap, but the Wreck actually sounds really good!

Not sure if I agree that his tone with the Maz 18 was "crap" but I do agree his tone is better with the Z Wreck....

BTW I have a Z Wreck and love it....

J5

[jmiles]

Ha! I get such a kick outa the Z threads. Doc is an old friend. Met him when I was delivering my Ric Transonic to George Bradfute at a club in the Flats. Doc had amps on the backline. Before Web Wilder took the stage, George and I fiddled with the Transonic. I played Highlander Boogie or something, then headed to the bar. Doc struck up a conversation. Couple weeks later, I went to the Cleveland Guitar Show, and he was set up in a corner booth, with a Prescription. I played his Strat for about a half hour, and was delighted! Came back on Sunday, with my '57 Strat, and played for a long time.
Eventually, I cobbled together enough for a red Prescription with Blue Bells. I used to go to his shop, and just sit and pick for hours. At that time, he was selling to Rock guys mostly, no Country players,,, well 'cept me. I kept tellin' him he had to get Prescriptions down to Nashville. That they'd be a big hit. They were! Doc has a great brain! I have a Jr with a Blue Bell too.

[TakkOne]

Maz Jr owner here. Before the Maz I was so close to buying a Tone King Imperial and maybe some day I will. But I happened to visit a shop that carries Z's, plugged a Tele into a Maz Jr combo with a g12h30, turned it up and hit a single hard-picked low E. That one struck note pretty much had me sold. Though I resisted the impulse buy and a month later ended up with a Maz Jr 2x10. Doesn't quite have that thump, but damn close and I just wanted a two speaker amp. Very happy.

I'm the oddball that doesn't think the Maz is all that versatile like everyone says. But I think it is a great amp, has a very even EQ response and takes pedals like no other. To me it is the guitar amp equivalent of a high quality recording studio reference monitor, connected to a vintage analog console. You just can't make it sound bad.

[Atlas Stands]

Been wanting a Maz 8 for a while now...I've owned maybe 20 amps in my life and the Z is way up there on my list of quality amps with amazing tone...I am super picky about amp tone and Z has it.

[eggman]

Howdy,

Love my Carmen Ghia head, matched with 1x12 Z cab (Celestion blue!). Honestly, I prefer my Gibsons with the "bright" sounding Ghia. Fantastic amp for slightly overdriven raunch and under-rated for clean tones.
As for the Ghia's fantastic clean tones, I slightly prefer the Weber AlniCo silver bell. The Ghia, to me, is like a big Champ with a British accent.

[stlthinkin]

Who is the band playing the new years gig above?

[xjazzy]

Originally Posted by stlthinkin

Who is the band playing the new years gig above?

Bright Light Social Hour.

[TheRumRunner]

Curse you all.

I had pretty much gotten my GAS under control.

DW

[twangplank]

I play vintage fender and I've been looking into something more dependable and resisted the temptation to drink the z cool aid but a buddy of mine that is a z nut let me try a few and I hafta say at first I wasn't impressed but after playing with the knobs I found I could get sounds similar to fender only with less treble spike. I loved the prescription Jr. It sounded great in the studio too

[backporch guy]

Originally Posted by jhundt

because Brad Paisley uses them.

What he said.