Dr Z on the cheap?

Help!I'maRock!

Help!I'maRock!

Mediocringly Derivative
I'm pretty sure it's impossible, but I'm GASsing hard.

Here are the contenders that should be in the ballpark. Probably not though because they're all about one dimension of the Maz and not clones.

Vox AC15C1
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Bad Cat Cougar 15
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VHT Standard 18
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Laney Cub 12R
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Of those, I'd go with the VHT. It's hand wired so it should be easier to repair and modify.
 
I finally got to try a Maz the other day. I wanted to buy it, but the decimal point is in the wrong place on my bank balance.

Of those, I'd probably go with the ac15. But yeah, you're only going to get the one dimension.

As an aside, isn't the bad cat in the same price range as the dr z?
 
Another option is to look for a Weber or Mojo 5e3 clone built from a kit by a hobbyist. That's what I did. I love that amp.
 
hmm...I've got a Mesa/Boogie Subway Rocket that absolutely hates pedals. But the 4 knob Subway Blues is known for being pedal friendly. That could be interesting. Though I doubt it sounds like the Z.
 
Son played through a Maz 18, a couple of years ago when he bought his Strymon El Capsitan. He only played clean, no idea about the dirty sound, but I liked that amp almost as much as the Crate V16. It was very similar.
 
Save up, be patient and get the Maz 18. It is worth it and you'll never be as happy with any of the cheaper alternatives. It is your destiny.

I'm a helper!
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Help!I'maRock! said:
The Maz has a Voxy high end with solid lows and a big clean sound. I've never played another amp that hits what it does.
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Hunt down a VHT Pitbull 45 combo. That's one of the reasons I love mine so much. Amazing clean channel and very VOXish.
 
Kerouac said:
Hunt down a VHT Pitbull 45 combo. That's one of the reasons I love mine so much. Amazing clean channel and very VOXish.
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One of the other amps I play in these rehearsal spaces is the VHT Pitbull. It's got a great clean, and is a good pedal platform, but it's missing what the Maz does. That said, if it were 15 years ago, when I was looking for a channel switching amp, I'd absolutely consider it.
 
which Maz are you looking for? There is a Maz 38 combo on ebay for $1400 obo, and an 18jr combo with a bid at $850.
 
Help!I'maRock! said:
It's $1k new, where the Z is $2k new.
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Guess I didn't look at the Pricetag on the bad cat in the room I was in. I just figured all of the amps were similarly priced. It was a hell of a room, a two rock, a 65 amps something or other, a couple higher end oranges, two dr z's (maz 18 and a remedy, both were incredible) a vintage ac30 and the bad cat.

I almost forgot that I went there to check out the reverends. :embarrassed:
 
Jeremy said:
Guess I didn't look at the Pricetag on the bad cat in the room I was in. I just figured all of the amps were similarly priced. It was a hell of a room, a two rock, a 65 amps something or other, a couple higher end oranges, two dr z's (maz 18 and a remedy, both were incredible) a vintage ac30 and the bad cat.

I almost forgot that I went there to check out the reverends. :embarrassed:
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Bad Cat now makes an import line. Chances are the one you saw was similarly priced to a Z or Matchless.
 
Quite the variety there in the OP...from Vox to Marhall 18-watt TMB varient (VHT).

I'll look over my Maz schematic when
I get a chance, IIRC it's Top Boost-esque but not a straight Vox preamp.

From what I hear the Bad Cat Cougars are nothing more than a licensing agreement an have little in common withthe US Bad Cats.
 
Wyatt said:
Quite the variety there in the OP...from Vox to Marhall 18-watt TMB varient (VHT).

I'll look over my Maz schematic when
I get a chance, IIRC it's Top Boost-esque but not a straight Vox preamp.

From what I hear the Bad Cat Cougars are nothing more than a licensing agreement an have little in common withthe US Bad Cats.
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Yeah, there's lots of variation. I thought it would spark some good discussion. Thanks for looking at the schematic. It'd be very interesting to compare to the "classic" circuits and maybe some of the newer ones mentioned.
 
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