Dr. Z MAZ 18 - Reverb vs NR

[mgibson]

I'm thinking of picking up a Dr. Z MAZ 18. I've listened to many clips of both reverb and non-reverb versions and read the Dr. Z forums. But I'm curious whether one or the other is a better match for my Classic with SC pickups. Any thoughts? Right now I'm leaning toward the reverb model because I don't think I'd use the extra overdrive you can get out of the NR. (On the other hand, the NR sounds more touch-sensitive.)

I'd appreciate any advice you can offer.

[Donnie B.]

I have the 2 x 10 reverb model and it's plenty touch sensitive. Never played a non reverb one so I can't comment on the differences.

[Suriel Zayas]

the nr is very cool! just just enough to make my hair stand on ends. i like my cleans, aggressively clean. you can always dial out the aggressiveness nicely. been using it with various cabs, 2x10's, 1x12 ported and open backs with very nice results. takes pedals like a charm. haven't enjoyed an amp like this in a while. however, it might be a tad loud for the supreme commander, maybe a maz 11 infant. ;)

there are plenty of guys around with great experiences with this amp. i'll pass the mic to dan!

[dannopelli]

Thanks Suriel!

Glad you are liking the Z.

Both the Maz 18 and Maz 18 NR are great amps. And I guess you know all about how the NR is actually a different architecture than the reverb model.

I'll try to give you my objective thoughts here.

Ok, so to your questions:

SC's in a Classic:
I really was interested in the SC's/SF's. I got my hands on an SF equipped Classic and SF's are essentially uncovered SC's. I side by sided them with my alder Classics equipped with VA 5's and VA 2, VA2R, VA3. I did this through a Maz 18, Maz 38 and Stingray. I really liked the SF's and they are very close in sound, without the noise to the VA's. So yes your SC's will sound great through a Maz 18. Note that of those three amps the 18 is probably the smoothest of them all.

Reverb and OD:
Welll consider that the reverb that DR Z uses is just very nice. The cool thing about Z's is they are very very warm sounding, but they are very accurate too. Kind of like Anderson's. You get a warm articulation I have not found in too many amps. The reverb is like that too. It does not make the sound mushy at all.

But the reverb is NOT footswitchable. So if you like a touch or a lot of reverb on all the time then it might be a plus. If you don't it could be a negative.

The nice thing about the NR is you can dial out the additional OD or agressiveness. In other words it has a bit more reach than the reverb model. You can not dial that in on the reverb model

If I were to do it over I'd get the NR with the FX loop and buy a Hermida Reverb for $99. This way I'd get the best of both worlds.

And all the other stuff is true. They are great with pedals, great price point, built like tanks, great support, etc. Pretty good forum too!

Hope this helps!

[mgibson]

Thank you everyone for the helpful replies.

[dannopelli]

There is a NR head for sale on the DrZ forum for $900.

[mdrs]

I agree with everything that Suriel and Dano said about the Maz 18's. It's a great amp!!

I have a Maz Jr. 18 NR in a 2x10 combo. I got a "Y" adaptor speaker cable, and play it thru both the "onboard" 2x10 and a Dr. Z 1x12 convertable loaded with a Celestion Blue with the back open. This set up is stellar. The tone can go from warm and sweet, to blues, to RAWK, and everything in between. The Maz 18 NR has loved literally every pedal I've put in front of it. And, I've not found the Maz Jr. to be particularly picky about what guitar I put in front of it, either. It loves my Classic with the VA 5's. It also loves humbuckers, etc. etc.. I'm not a gigging musician, but I'd bet you could gig my set up pretty much anywhere. It is pretty loud.....make that very loud!!

I'll mention that I've been playing a Doug Sewell designed PRS "Sweet 16" head thru a 2x12 Cornford cab loaded with V30's for about a month now. The "16" is perhaps the coolest little amp I've ever played. Back off on the vol on your guitar and it's got some lovely chimey almost Fenderish overtones. Crank your Classic's volume knob up, and the "Sweet 16" will give you a growl to die for. It's not quite as loud as the Maz Jr 18 NR. This little amp is a killer.......tone to die for. With a good humbucker equiped guitar, the Sweet 16 does a wonderful "warm and fuzzy" Duane tone, and pushed ti's got that violin tone leads going big time. Check it out.

[tom]

so suriel, where does one get this infant amp you speak of?
seriously though, are you guys playing with the master all the way up or is the master pretty usable? i'm playing other 18 watters with an attenuator at -6db or so. it doesn't need to go to bedroom volume for me.

[dannopelli]

The master is usuable for volume up to about 2:00, then it's just adding crank.

But it's really loud at 2:00...

[guitarzan]

I was at Fat Sound last night and heard Stu test driving the Maz 18. WOW. That thing sounded unbelievable warm and lively. I've played through that amp before on sessions, but being buried in a tune and having the cabs in isolation masked how great them amp is right there in front of you.

[tom]

you guys need to stop this right now:D

i don't need another amp
i don't need another amp
i don't need another amp
i don't need another amp

[dannopelli]

You're right.

We don't need another amp. We NEED the right amp!

Maybe get the Jaz 20/40. Basically a 6V6 Maz but with footswitchable Reverb and Tremelo, and a half power switch. That and a Short T are on my to get list!

[tom]

don't need trem or reverb, since i'm using 18 watters now the maz should work. i'll just need to find something to trade for one. i have been on a buying moratorium for a while.

[bud]

you guys need to stop this right now:D

i don't need another amp
i don't need another amp
i don't need another amp
i don't need another amp

Thank you for your public service announcement, saved me typing the same thing. :D

[mdrs]

Thank you for your public service announcement, saved me typing the same thing. :D

G.A.S. is a communicable disease..............:D

[Suriel Zayas]

so suriel, where does one get this infant amp you speak of?

seriously, the mv is extremely useful. i've been all over the place with the dial and it stays very juicy. besides the eggy, this has been my best amp-find in a while. corey said it right, very warm, but really cuts through the mix.

tom, yes you need another amp.

[dannopelli]

.....

tom, yes you need another amp.

Honestly Tom, he is right. This could very well be your last amp. It really is that good.

Had a VERY good friend over last Saturday. Trying to get him to buy an Andy. Even sent him home with my DTC. Another story, but he does love the guitar. (No its not for sale).

Anyway, as you know I have a small handful of amps, including three Z's. After about a half hour the only one he'd play was the 18. And he is a killer player.

The amp is just like your guitars. It is just a rare find of warmth and articulation in a very well executed and fairly priced package.

[mslugano]

you guys need to stop this right now:D

i don't need another amp
i don't need another amp
i don't need another amp
i don't need another amp

I'm not trying to fuel the fire or anything (OK, maybe I am) but I spent several hours over the last week or two A/B'ing the MAZ 18 with a 65 Amps L'il Elvis. All I can say is WOW...both amps are so killer! The 65 Amps is maybe more Brit and the MAZ more USA and the L'il E gets a bit more saturated when cranked.

I am usually a Strat guy but played a Collings CL Deluxe through the Elvis for a couple hours and it totally killed. The HB's really pushed it up into Zep tone nirvana. The E also has a very usable footswitchable "Bump" that adds a bit more mids and gain for those "need to soar" moments (almost like another channel) and its tremolo is very nice.

You really should give the L'il Elvis a whirl!

...and then there's always the Budda SDII 18 (see pot stirring)...

[Janine Doubly]

I' ve owned both the MAZ 18 Reverb and NR versions and used to sell them, so I've had my hands on both...Here's what I felt were the differences...

My first Z amp was a MAZ 18 2 x 10" combo with verb. It had a nice wide range of gain, nice touch sensitivity and a great feel. Its overdrive and clean tones were a fantastic cross between a Fender Deluxe Reverb and an AC15. The thing I liked about it was the feel which I originally attributed to the tube rectifier. A little bit of give without getting into Tweed Deluxe "squash". It would cut through a mix well, whether I was the sole guitar player or competing for sonic and dynamic space. Its dynamics were what I liked. It wouldn't hurt or be TOO punchy, it always sounded and felt RIGHT, whether run clean and all the dirt came from pedals, or cranked with its own grind.

So, why did i get rid of it? Well, I needed to iso the amp when used at church and I didn't like not being able to get to my amps controls, so I started looking into a head and cab. The NR had just come out and so I decided to get an NR head and matching 2 x 10" cab. Still had the combo...Here's the difference I noticed right out of the gate...

The NR's dynamics were quite a bit different. It jumped more, had more punch and the gain was a little grittier and less forgiving, but in a good way. It was clearly the same amp DNA, just rendered a little differently. Great amp, but it seemed to fight me a bit more. For some players, that would be an advantage, but not for me. The MAZ 18 Reverb had the dynamic sweet spot for me, the NR did not. The good Doc attributed the feel with the shorter signal path the NR amp provided. It seemed I liked the "give" a reverb signal path gave me, even if I didn't (ever) use it.

I have since gone with the Prescription ES head, which has some of the same "give" the 18 Reverb had and since I run my amp clean 100% of the time, I actually prefer its "low volume/church volume" tone when using pedals to the MAZ 18 amps. Plus, its 40 watts allows me to crank on a large stage if I ever need it (Which is rare).

So, to sum up...the FEEL is what I noticed was the big difference between the MAZ 18 Reverb and NR models. Both are GREAT little amps and so is the Pres. ES. The MAZ 18 210 combo I used covered a TON of sonic ground in my cover bands at the time...Texas blues, classic rock, country, Brit pop and rock, ambient stuff, etc. Highly recommended.

Sorry Tom, that probably didn't help. :-)

[mgibson]

Hey, thanks for the helpful and detailed reply. I'm pretty sure I'm going for the reverb model.