To me, the M12 is the best sounding amp in this "Champions of Chime" series. I've yet to hear someone get bad tone from any amp built by Dr. Z. I've been playing since 1995 or so, and I've owned several amps over the years, but always stayed under $1000. Never felt the need to go "boutique". But I'm considering bucking that trend and treating myself to a Dr. Z one of these days. I can't imagine I'll experience buyer's remorse over such a fine work of art.
You can easily find Dr Z's for less the 1k in the head format. Carmen Ghia head under $800 are fairly regular on Ebay and the M12 head can be found for around $950. You only live once....at least in this form .... so you might as well get a Z
The SM57 shared an input on our camera with the lav mics the three guys were using so during their talking parts, yes, the SM57 is actually unplugged so we can record their speaking audio, but rest assured, during the playing segments, we made sure both cab mics were plugged in. Thanks for watching, --PG Staff
i watched a pink concert that blew me away. first of all she amazed me. she was spinning around 40 feet in the air upside down like cirque de solel and singing on pitch. then this guys playing is unreal. when he stretched out towards the end of the show he was on fire. i dont like her music but it was one of the best concert videos ive seen. very entertaining
So Vox, Matchless, Dr. Z and Top Hat are well recieved. Not much shocked at all. I have a bunch of low watt amps, but I stick with the classic in the end. So Vox AC30 Handwired and Fender RI Super Reverb are my go to amps for that vintage tone. But glad to see and hear the other amps none the less.
I appreciate what this series aspires to show. EL84. I listen to all their adjectives. But when you separate the combo, pre/power/speaker you can get another dozen variables that help define EL84. In my experience 6L6 is much thinner and brighter, altogether different. Causes me to evaluate each combos pre section where basically everything is set via tone/gain controls. Switch up the speakers, V30, Greenback, Alnico, Creams and the final output changes dramatically. Its been hard to get to know a power section but after all I say it has the least influence. The pre/speaker sections are much more of a factor. Finally, uploads to YT. Since we have no studio monitors on most viewers, my TV, I always have to boost the mic pres to hit JUST under clip (on bridge). A better recording, sometimes needs presence or sometimes additional fullness or bass. That's the hardest part of the equation. Uploads... so source a file that is hard to confuse with compression and digitization. ie; supply YT with full spectrum digital audio. Fun process, really (sarc)
Was hoping they would use the lo input...because it sounds super sweet too...and guys like SRV prefered and used the lo inputs on there amps all the time
I'm quite surprised that you guys have not added the Swart Space Tone to this group of amps. It is at the very least the equal of the best of this group of amps.
these videos are really great, great job to all of you at premier guitar! It would be also great that these series of videos continue - my proposal - el34 amps, the monsters of crunch! thumbs up if you agree so that the guys from pg can see this
See nice amp very nice with a pair of el84 tubes just like vox ac series has like the ac10 but yet everyone tries chnaging the tubes in the vox ac10 saying upgraded tubes and it makes no sense because evrry video ive seen of someone so called upgrading vox amps tubes they always sound thinner and worse then the stock tubes I love the way the vox series sounds and I love absolutely love el84 tubes prob one of my favorite tubes nice thick and warm sou nding tubes I mean zi always say if something works great why mess with it those tubes are very jice no matter what anybody wants to admit and I always leave my amps alone with there tubes because I buy an amp that zi like the sound of and part of that sound is the tubes it comes with and vox has a great sound so why try and mess with it just like this amp some people would want tok change the tubes out because of them being el84 tubes and it makes no sense do you hear how good the amp sounds I mean come on people need to stop trying to change things that sound good already and if it isnt broke and its working and sounding great why tty to fix it or upgrade it sry just makes no sense and this video eith this amp and those tubes made me thijnk about all of this
Champions of wallet. Got a 1977 Traynor ygm3 i traded for on a blues jr years ago. Slightly modded. 2 el84 pwr tubes. Handwired. Would be considered "botique" now. I dont care. I cant afford any of these any ways. Not many can. But a that being said..Dr. Z has this one...no contest.
The rite of passage of a les paul: Drop it wrong, snap the headstock (sometimes clean off of the neck). They're notoriously fragile, but they repair pretty well, in the hands of a competent tech.
Dr. Z. with "high profiled players" ??? WHICH ? Get a Marshall 100w top and a 4x12 100w 16Ohms cabinet if you wanna play Rock History. Forget about any orther amps.
brian bridges No, Im very openminded. Been there for 40 yrs, tried em all. Back to the roots with an old strat and a halfstack Marshall. If you stay with your trusted gear, and concentrate about making music, you will go much further. 85-90% of your sound is in your hands anyway. Guitarists seems to be "gear-detail-nerds" when their music is idling.
well fair enough but you should take into account thatnot everyone thinks the marshalls are as versatile as yourself and im sure there are other amps that are capable of playing rock. also how is music supposed to progress if we keep aiming at the same sounds people were getting in the 60s and 70s, if all you want to play is blues and classic rock thn ok but some guitarists arent as clean cut as that.
For me, the Marshall is more a nice-to-have than a must-have. I have an AC30 now that gets me very far but not all of the way and I'm thinking a Dr. Z may have that little bit more. That's all regardless of style of playing.
Marshall is legendary and everyone digs that Marshall rock tone. I don't care what anyone says you know you all do. But the Marshall rock sound is all that it does well. It's nice for the average person, especially one who gigs regularly, to have versatility. A lot of people like myself depend on these videos to make a big decision. I have a Marshall stack and I have to sell it. I can't play half my set with it. Dr. Z amps are actually said by many of many different genres to be the best amps on the market right now for country AND rock so don't hate. lol
To me, the M12 is the best sounding amp in this "Champions of Chime" series. I've yet to hear someone get bad tone from any amp built by Dr. Z. I've been playing since 1995 or so, and I've owned several amps over the years, but always stayed under $1000. Never felt the need to go "boutique". But I'm considering bucking that trend and treating myself to a Dr. Z one of these days. I can't imagine I'll experience buyer's remorse over such a fine work of art.
You can easily find Dr Z's for less the 1k in the head format. Carmen Ghia head under $800 are fairly regular on Ebay and the M12 head can be found for around $950. You only live once....at least in this form .... so you might as well get a Z
+Justin Bowlin RIGHT ON!
I just scored an M12 1x12 combo for $1000
+sponger71478 How do you like it?
At least as set up here, I agree. The Goodsell sounded the worst, but in person, I like it the best. So YMMV.
Same. It's great how he stays in tune with it unlike so many other guitar videos.
That 330 sounds absolutely awesome.
The SM57 shared an input on our camera with the lav mics the three guys were using so during their talking parts, yes, the SM57 is actually unplugged so we can record their speaking audio, but rest assured, during the playing segments, we made sure both cab mics were plugged in.
Thanks for watching,
--PG Staff
I really dig Taylor Locke's playing. That 1965 ES-330 gives me the vapors too...
i watched a pink concert that blew me away. first of all she amazed me. she was spinning around 40 feet in the air upside down like cirque de solel and singing on pitch. then this guys playing is unreal. when he stretched out towards the end of the show he was on fire. i dont like her music but it was one of the best concert videos ive seen. very entertaining
So Vox, Matchless, Dr. Z and Top Hat are well recieved. Not much shocked at all. I have a bunch of low watt amps, but I stick with the classic in the end. So Vox AC30 Handwired and Fender RI Super Reverb are my go to amps for that vintage tone. But glad to see and hear the other amps none the less.
I appreciate what this series aspires to show. EL84. I listen to all their adjectives.
But when you separate the combo, pre/power/speaker you can get another dozen variables that help define EL84.
In my experience 6L6 is much thinner and brighter, altogether different. Causes me to evaluate each combos pre section where basically everything is set via tone/gain controls.
Switch up the speakers, V30, Greenback, Alnico, Creams and the final output changes dramatically.
Its been hard to get to know a power section but after all I say it has the least influence. The pre/speaker sections are much more of a factor.
Finally, uploads to YT. Since we have no studio monitors on most viewers, my TV, I always have to boost the mic pres to hit JUST under clip (on bridge). A better recording, sometimes needs presence or sometimes additional fullness or bass. That's the hardest part of the equation. Uploads... so source a file that is hard to confuse with compression and digitization. ie; supply YT with full spectrum digital audio.
Fun process, really (sarc)
Meaning- it sounded like shit for reasons not yet determined
loving this series keep them coming!
Really digging this series, premierguitar. Good stuff :)
Was hoping they would use the lo input...because it sounds super sweet too...and guys like SRV prefered and used the lo inputs on there amps all the time
Great Demo.
I'm quite surprised that you guys have not added the Swart Space Tone to this group of amps. It is at the very least the equal of the best of this group of amps.
these videos are really great, great job to all of you at premier guitar! It would be also great that these series of videos continue - my proposal - el34 amps, the monsters of crunch! thumbs up if you agree so that the guys from pg can see this
Steve Trovato is a great guitarist.
you are right of course. i like them all.
It's a very nice take on a VOX AC15 style amp. But I'm not hearing a lot of chime from the first guy??
love these series :)
great review
I like the last guy because he talks about practicality.
Now that you've said it, I notice it too.
7:37 haha how does he keeps the picks stuck to the pickguard?
i love how there is pedal to his left
IMO the strat from the second guy was the best fit for the amp.
Great series, the second guy is particularly good. But where's Rebecca??
No Hiwatt SS212?
i hope they give this amp to Phil X!! let him test this baby out :)
Swart's are 6v6 based, this is a comparison of el84 amps
is the 57 plugged in
"..sweet sounding circuits.." Take THAT alliteration ..
See nice amp very nice with a pair of el84 tubes just like vox ac series has like the ac10 but yet everyone tries chnaging the tubes in the vox ac10 saying upgraded tubes and it makes no sense because evrry video ive seen of someone so called upgrading vox amps tubes they always sound thinner and worse then the stock tubes I love the way the vox series sounds and I love absolutely love el84 tubes prob one of my favorite tubes nice thick and warm sou nding tubes I mean zi always say if something works great why mess with it those tubes are very jice no matter what anybody wants to admit and I always leave my amps alone with there tubes because I buy an amp that zi like the sound of and part of that sound is the tubes it comes with and vox has a great sound so why try and mess with it just like this amp some people would want tok change the tubes out because of them being el84 tubes and it makes no sense do you hear how good the amp sounds I mean come on people need to stop trying to change things that sound good already and if it isnt broke and its working and sounding great why tty to fix it or upgrade it sry just makes no sense and this video eith this amp and those tubes made me thijnk about all of this
LOL...yeah right...these Z's are very Voxish which I like...I have Maz38 head only
The Black Crows sound, if you ask me.
Champions of wallet. Got a 1977 Traynor ygm3 i traded for on a blues jr years ago. Slightly modded. 2 el84 pwr tubes. Handwired. Would be considered "botique" now. I dont care. I cant afford any of these any ways. Not many can. But a that being said..Dr. Z has this one...no contest.
that 'pie-zo' sounds great..
Those two mics could not be more out of phase.
Am I the only person who thinks the guy who introduces the videos sounds like the Angry Video Game Nerd?
What does a broken head stock mean?
The rite of passage of a les paul: Drop it wrong, snap the headstock (sometimes clean off of the neck). They're notoriously fragile, but they repair pretty well, in the hands of a competent tech.
For a very inexpensive chimer that matches up well check out the Carvin Vintage 16
Phil X would shred on it no doubt !!!!
steve is a great player but man he does some awkward demos. strange. but hes old school and thats okay
as much as i love steve trovato........ and i own a butterscotch lsl t-bone and a Dr Z.... Hes out of tune and its killing me.
Thanks and God Bless. Now, honestly, anyone considering this type of investment needs zero talking, Peace.
much better than ac15
I sold my Vox AC15hw with the blue celestion and picked up a Dr Z MAZ18JR and never looked back!
he said "pie-zo" and I immediately discredited his opinion
Different dialects. The way one person pronounces a word doesn't make them wrong.
sounds like the nerd with a bad cold.
not really, but I wish he'd stop knocking his mic on whatever the hell he's knocking it on. it's driving me crazy through my headphones!
you should try nace amps!!! naceamps. com
huh hes in perfect tune....perhaps you are outta tune...
Dr. Z. with "high profiled players" ??? WHICH ?
Get a Marshall 100w top and a 4x12 100w 16Ohms cabinet if you wanna
play Rock History. Forget about any orther amps.
not very open minded are u? you think marshallare the only ones who make good amps?
brian bridges No, Im very openminded. Been there for 40 yrs, tried em all.
Back to the roots with an old strat and a halfstack Marshall.
If you stay with your trusted gear, and concentrate about making music, you will go much further. 85-90% of your sound is in your hands anyway.
Guitarists seems to be "gear-detail-nerds" when their music is idling.
well fair enough but you should take into account thatnot everyone thinks the marshalls are as versatile as yourself and im sure there are other amps that are capable of playing rock. also how is music supposed to progress if we keep aiming at the same sounds people were getting in the 60s and 70s, if all you want to play is blues and classic rock thn ok but some guitarists arent as clean cut as that.
For me, the Marshall is more a nice-to-have than a must-have. I have an AC30 now that gets me very far but not all of the way and I'm thinking a Dr. Z may have that little bit more. That's all regardless of style of playing.
Marshall is legendary and everyone digs that Marshall rock tone. I don't care what anyone says you know you all do. But the Marshall rock sound is all that it does well. It's nice for the average person, especially one who gigs regularly, to have versatility. A lot of people like myself depend on these videos to make a big decision. I have a Marshall stack and I have to sell it. I can't play half my set with it. Dr. Z amps are actually said by many of many different genres to be the best amps on the market right now for country AND rock so don't hate. lol
el84 suck. 6v6 or el34