I recently acquired a Dr Z MAZ Senior built in 2009. It is astoundingly solid and sounds incredible. Some people struggle to describe how they sound. I would say they’re like a black face Deluxe on steroids with 20% ac15 chime sprinkled on top; but it is it’s own sound. That’s why people often struggle to describe the sound. I find it rich, round and full. Overdrive pedals sound beautiful through it. (I have the 1x12 combo) It is heavy at 54 pounds but it has inspired me to get in better shape! And the spring reverb sounds fantastic in mine. Lots of glass in that one, but I’ve always wanted a hand wired tube amp. Thanks Dr Z!!!
So if I want to purchase the Fender 5150 3 to go with a Z Best Cabinet I found in a 2x12 cabinet have you any advice or suggestions if I should pair or it or not?
Hello Doc, Before reading please excuse my ignorance as someone who has no idea about building an amp... 😅 Just want to say I'm absolutely loving the X-Ray. I've gigged it every weekend since getting it and took it to every practice and used it in the house. It does it all, loud stages to a spare of the moment 11pm on a Sunday night noodling. Its now my favourite amp. I have couple of questions. 1. Would it be possible to get a trusted tech to ad an FX Loop to my Z-Wreck Jr? Thats what has made all the difference with the X-Ray, its allowed me to ditch a pedal and get clean and drive from my guitar volume. 2. More a request, please do what you've done with the X-Ray, combining 2 legacy amps in one with a Marshall style amp. If you made a amp in the same cab as the X-Ray that was a Remedy and Antidote in one with a Master Volume and Fx loop I'd buy it right this second! I'm sure thats much easier said than done. I've seen you video about how much work went into getting just the Antidote right...😅
Hi David, so glad you are enjoying your X-RAY. To answer your questions: 1. The loop in the X-RAY is a tube buffered stage and it is part of the overall sound and feel of the amp. It's sound was built around the inclusion of this circuit. To add something like this to a Z Wreck Jr. would significantly change it's sound and gain staging, where it would cease to sound like the Z Wreck Jr. 2. The Remedy and Antidote are closely related to the Superlead and JTM preamps, where they differ is their approach to the output stage. The preamps could be combined in such a way that it could work, but then the question would be, what power section design to marry them to?
@@DrZAmplification Hello, Thanks for the reply, Understood about the Z-Wreck, It must be frustrating sometimes the types of comments you get from guitar players than know nothing about building an amp. It's so easy to assume that it's as simple and just adding it in there. I always assume now there a really good reason something isn't in there. As far as the Remedy/ Antidote power amp section goes I wouldn't have a clue...😅 Really appreciate all the insight. One more question if you don't mind. How would a Celestion Gold changed the Character of the X-Ray and would it work with it? Thanks again!
@@daviddorrian5349 Hi David, the gold will make the amp even more brilliant on the top and more scooped in the midrange. Probably sound great for clean, but maybe not so much distorted.
How best to power on/off your tube amps? Is it better to leave power on and turn into standby for upwards of a hour or so, or power on and off fully between breaks?
I've had #004 for a few years now and it's an absolute beast. I was buying and selling amps every few months until this came along. I A/B'd a couple Z 1x12 cabs after buying the head and the G12H kicked the Greenback's ass.
question. i love a particular speaker after having a collection of 300 searched in the garbages and tested them all trying to find REALISM. this particular super good speaker is alone. i want to buy its twin brother to do the stereo. but on internet the closest i see is one almost identical but is 2 ohms instead of the 6 ohms of the one i have. what happens? will one side sound half the volume? . my amplifier is lenco a600 (austria 1978) and i plan to use this for the midi piano for virtual instruments. i am not sure if purchuasing because it's not a perfect match. and ithe shipping is quite pricey. thank you.
@@DrZAmplification as you could check out at google images, this amplifier doesn't say anything about impedances. it does have 2 pairs of outputs so it can feed speakers: left 1, right 1, and or speaker right 2 speaker left 2. since the speaker i own is 6 ohms, and the one i am buying on ebay is 2 ohms, which in theory will sound 3 times louder and ask 3 times more energy from the amplifier, then maybe i could feed that speaker from both outputs at same time, then in theory the shared load might be like a conversion to 4 ohms, hence avoiding the dangerous overheat of just one side of the stereo. it's the closest speaker i could find on the internet, not a perfect match, but apparently identical, except for the ohms.
Another great video. As a fellow Engineer I clearly hear the passion and training come through in the quality of instruction and detail. Some of, if not the best explanations on amplifiers anywhere! Thank you Sir! The Z-Best sounded spectacular!
Leo Fender was a Sax player and self-taught. Americans like you are what make America amazing. Keep that Greatest Generation mentality and desire to take feedback and improve your designs going. Example for others to follow!
Hi Dr. Z! I recently obtained a Carmen Ghia 112 beige and it’s so amazing. It’s an older model, no send/return or master. Has a G12H. Wondering what dirt pedal you recommend that pairs well with the amp? At band practice i cannot turn it past 9 or else i get the stink eye from my mates lol. Thank you for any advice.
I remembered when BP said in his Sweetwater interview with Mitch Gallagher that the DB4 would be renamed. I'm finally happy to see that prediction by Brad (hopefully) come to fruition with this new X-Ray! Can't wait to hear what it has to offer!
Sounds awesome Lance I bought one of those pedals and it didn't sound good through my amps I'm thinking about selling it but I might get a Z28 instead.
I'm very close to pulling the trigger on a combo. Likely going to swap out the Celestion in there for a Fane F-70, and see how it sounds....or errrr...hear how it sounds!-
I retreat here and to a handful of other guitar guru channels when I need an escape from the news and social media. I’m gradually just not going to those other places and it makes me happier. Listening to the Doc talk about amps always puts a smile on my face, and then I just want to turn on my Dr. Z amp and make music. Thank you, Doc.
The normal channel of the AC30 is the best sound in the world. Love seeing this kind of modern version of that amp getting in the hands of new players.
Hello very informative video, ty I have a 1970 VW beetle Motorola radio can I connect a 4 ohm's speaker as I have one around? Also will be facible to connect 2 4 ohm's speakers on serial instead of parallel? Thanks for your help
So, in all honesty…I own a perform with 2 Dr Z amps. Indoor smaller venues, Carmen Ghia combo w/ Creamback and outside, large events, Therapy Head w/ Dr Z 1x12” cab. Celestion Gold. My question is can you really tell, LIVE, the difference between any of these amps? Make no mistake, I love them, but other than a very High Fidelity sound, there pretty much the same. Live, that is…not beadroom application.
if anything you can hear more a difference the louder they are than quieter... the nuance comes out at playing volumes... and also something that is often overlooked is the player's experience and feel. A great painter can make a masterpiece with a brush designed to cover a barn, or a fine horse-hair brush, but which do you think they feel they can express themselves with more articulately? I'd invite you to come to the shop some time and play a variety of our amps. I can guarantee you will have a preference between say a Z Wreck vs a Z-28.
Love my Boss Katana where I have an acoustic guitar setting. Yes a Dr Z man-cave amp that can switch to an acoustic guitar setting....Wow... There has got to be way more man- cave guitar players than players that play out. So a low watt Dr Z with an acoustic side plus reverb because acoustic players live reverb. Please Doc...make this amp!
The older amps were designed to run on 110 volts . That is why I use a Varied with my 2 museum quality Gibson EH125s, and my Noble Victor from the 50s .
