Dr Z

[BluesProf]

I am looking to get a high quality valve amp, to achive a vintage blues tone.
I was VERY impressed with the Dr Z amps, but as I am in the UK there is only one place I can get 1 from, and ot will be diofficult for me to get down there to try it. The Dr Z idea came when I was blown away by Buddy Whittington from John Mayalls Bluesbreakers.
Whilst I do not currently have an Anderson, I am looking at getting a Hollow Drop Top Classic to use with whichever amp I buy.
Any Suggestions?

[stratoquack]

I play a Hollow Drop Top through a Dr Z Maz 18 and I love it. When you play through a really sensitive class A amp, you really hear just how amazing these guitars really are.

[teleplucker]

I play a Hollow Atom through a Z28 and a Maz18Jr The Z28 has 1 12, the Jr haz 2 10's. Both are great sounding amps!

[BluesProf]

Thanks guys. I think Dr Z are some of the best amps for blues playing. Are any Andersons available with a solid Rosewood neck, as well as fingerboard?
That is a feature I love about my PRS Modern Eagle.

[dannopelli]

+1 on the Dr Z. Great amps that take pedals REALLY well. I do prefer the ones with FX loops for things like delay and chorus. Very warm yet accurate and fast. Andy and Z are great combinations.

[Rhys]

I play a Hollow Atom through a Z28 and a Maz18Jr The Z28 has 1 12, the Jr haz 2 10's. Both are great sounding amps!

Can you give a quick comparisson of the two? I've owned a Maz18 in the past so I know those pretty well, but I haven't gotten to play a Z28 yet.

[Ray K.]

My main amp is a Dr. Z Maz18 Jr NR combo with 210. I can't say enough good about it. There is a great forum called Z-Talk! that you might want to check out. Friendly group of folks, and Buddy (BW) is a regular there.

Ray K.

[olectric]

I used to own a Maz 18 Jr. 210. It had great tone, no question. But I sold it because I thought it sounded small. Maybe it was the 10" speakers; I don't know. I'm pretty sure it wasn't the wattage as I have an 18 watt Voxer that sounds huge through my open-back 212 cab. I love Z's stuff; just didn't quite bond with that amp.

[BluesProf]

The Maz 18 and Carmen Ghia were what I had been considering
Would I be better off with a Maz 38 Senior through a 412 cab?

[MojoRojo]

I play my Hollow Drop T through a Maz 38 senior and a Dr Z 4x10 cabinet...it sounds great (and big)...I highly recommend the Maz Sr....for you Z fans out there, I just retubed it using the new Tung-Sol 12ax7s.....what a great new pre-amp tube....try 'em.

[dpeterson]

Thanks guys. I think Dr Z are some of the best amps for blues playing. Are any Andersons available with a solid Rosewood neck, as well as fingerboard?
That is a feature I love about my PRS Modern Eagle.

yep.. check out my HDT, you can see it at the headstock...

http://www.davidpeterson.org/images/anderson_hdt_bora.jpg

Dave

[teleplucker]

The Z28 is completely different. It sounds somewhat like a tweed deluxe but its a bigger sound and the EF86 preamp really brings out the sound of the guitar. Prior to this amp I have always used various pedals to get a good overdrive sound but this amp will give you a great range of tones just using the guitar volume control. My pedal board has a Klon, Fulldrive, Supratrem and I recently added a Dejavibe. All these pedals sound great through the amp. My one concern with it is clean headroom, I've got a job coming up that will test that so I will repost to let you know how it goes.

[dannopelli]

The Maz 18 and Carmen Ghia were what I had been considering
Would I be better off with a Maz 38 Senior through a 412 cab?

Maz 38 has more headroom and is louder naturally. You can go into the #2 channel and get some attenuation. I have both and tend to use the 18 more for most club gigs, the 38 for larger ones, and sometimes both. I also have a Stingray, but that is a TOTALY different sound.

[axeman]

I as well am a MAZ 18 Jr. NR player. There are a number of great amps out there today, but I've been pleased with the Dr. Z's I own. Great service/support on the product and a forum with participants that can provide dependable input.

Everyone has their particular preference on configuration, but if you're uncertain and a combo amp isn't a requirement, I would suggest getting a head and the cabinet match that you think you want. You have a lot of flexibilty then to mix and match.

I use a combination of the 2x12 Z-Best cabinet, but also the 1x12 Bogner cube. I've heard comments from a number of other players that really like the 2x10 configuration as well. Much depends on the sound you're looking for, but the 2x12 Z-Best cabinet is a great match. It can be a bit to lug around, depending on how your gigging.

If you do look at a 1x12 cabinet, just be aware of matching the ohms the way you'd like to use them. I ordered the Bogner cube as a 8 ohm cabinet and can run them single, or two of them for a 2x12 push, but with a 4 ohm load on the head.

Just keep some of those things in mind, as you consider your options.

Anything you choose in Z's line of amps will be quality gear.....

[BluesProf]

I would be looking for a Buddy Whittington tone, which is why I had been looking at the Maz 12 and Carmen Ghia. I know Buddy uses a Carmen Ghia now, as well as a Maz 38 Senior.
However, I do need to do this on a budget, especially ifI am going to be able to afford an Anderson as well. Also, I'm not sure if I need the volume you guys do, and it must be suitable for home use.
Also, I want it to sound good with a PRS Modern Eagle and Gibson Les Paul, for when I finally get my Anderson.
Which Anderson would you suggest for a Buddy Whittington esque tone, with the ability to be coaxed into some vintage overdrive, for 'Cream' tones?

[Ray K.]

I used to own a Maz 18 Jr. 210. It had great tone, no question. But I sold it because I thought it sounded small. Maybe it was the 10" speakers; I don't know. I'm pretty sure it wasn't the wattage as I have an 18 watt Voxer that sounds huge through my open-back 212 cab. I love Z's stuff; just didn't quite bond with that amp.
olectric,

Wow, I'm surprised. These are very loud 18 watt amps! I run my Master volume around 8:00 at home and not much past 9:30 playing out (running DI). I wonder if your tubes were on their last leg? I also use Weber's Beam Blockers. It takes away the directional "ice pick" highs while allowing me to stand next to the amp and still hear it.

But, I'm not questioning your ears. It could be that you would have been better off with a 112 or 212. Especially if your Vox is working well through a 212 cab.

Having said all of this, I'm very much into keeping stage volumes low (at sane levels) these days, so what works for me might not for someone else.

Ray K.

[Ray K.]

Bluesprof,

If you don't find your answers here, why not ask Buddy on the Z-Talk forum? He is a very nice guy and easily approachable.

My opinion is you won't find more bang for your buck in the "boutique" range of amps than Dr. Z's gear. It's incredible, IMHO.

As I've already posted, I run my Maz 18 Jr at very reasonable volume levels. I run my Master Volume around 8:00 when at home. Weber's Beam Blockers really help eliminate the "beaming" of the speakers, and disperses the sound more evenly. Whatever amp you decide to go with, I'd still recommend them.

I play a Tele, Les Paul, Strat, an H-S-H "Andersonized" strat-o-clone and a Grosh Bent Top Custom through the same amp without having to tweak it.

I don't yet own an Anderson - haven't been able to locate what I want, so I'm being patient. But, I would suspect a Cobra or Drop Top would get you in the tone range you're looking for.

[olectric]

olectric,

Wow, I'm surprised. These are very loud 18 watt amps! I run my Master volume around 8:00 at home and not much past 9:30 playing out (running DI). I wonder if your tubes were on their last leg? I also use Weber's Beam Blockers. It takes away the directional "ice pick" highs while allowing me to stand next to the amp and still hear it.

But, I'm not questioning your ears. It could be that you would have been better off with a 112 or 212. Especially if your [sic] Vox is working well through a 212 cab.

Having said all of this, I'm very much into keeping stage volumes low (at sane levels) these days, so what works for me might not for someone else.

Ray K.

I'm not saying it didn't get loud. I'm saying that to me, it sounded <i>small</i>, even at high volumes. Conversely, a 50w Marshall through a 212 or 412 cab will sound <i>big</i>, even at low volumes. It's a tone thing, not a volume thing. I'm probably not explaining it very well.

Having said that, I know guys who own the Z-28, Maz Sr., Stingray (before it was changed to the Stangray), and many other of the Dr.'s amps, and they are all very happy.

And, it's a <a href="http://www.gabtone.com/">Voxer</a>, not a Vox. ;)

[Ray K.]

I'm not saying it didn't get loud. I'm saying that to me, it sounded <i>small</i>, even at high volumes. Conversely, a 50w Marshall through a 212 or 412 cab will sound <i>big</i>, even at low volumes. It's a tone thing, not a volume thing. I'm probably not explaining it very well.
Thanks for spelling it out for me...I understand now. :)

Having said that, I know guys who own the Z-28, Maz Sr., Stingray (before it was changed to the Stangray), and many other of the Dr.'s amps, and they are all very happy.
Yeah, Dr. Z has a decent variety. But, I would agree they're not for everyone.

And, it's a <a href="http://www.gabtone.com/">Voxer</a>, not a Vox. ;)
Well, I glossed right over that one, didn't I...sorry! :rolleyes:

[lamborn55]

I just lucked into a black hollow t (used, but mint) w/ two tele pickups and a strat in the middle, as well as a push-pull pot to add the treble p/u to any setting it's not already in. it has an all rosewood neck and fingerboard. I think I read that Tom's using East Indian. It may be, but if so it's the nicest piece I've ever seen! It's all chocolatey and creamy and looks more like brazilian. I like the feel of it more than the PRS because it's polished way smoother...very sexy! It has a light finish on it. The PRS may have a thin finish, but it feels and looks raw to me. Don't get me wrong - I love PRS (and own two) And I'm sure they smooth out and develop a patina over time, but the Anderson just nails it!