Silhouette HSH with Dr. Z Maz 18 Jr.

[edstorer]

I've had my Silo for about 10 years and I love it.

I recently acquired a Dr. Z Maz 18 Jr (reverb). Wonderful and versatile amp.

Anybody else out there using these two together?

There are almost too many combinations of pickup, guitar tone/volume, and then all the controls on the amp to wrap my head around. The cut control is the most interesting: Fender, set at 9:00, Vox, set at 3:00. I never played a Marshall, but other users indicate that 5:00 (100%) gives the best impersonation of classic Marshall tone.

I'm an old guy playing mostly 60's covers, but I'm interested in how you set your guitar and amp for the "basic" tone you're after. I've been playing Fender style amps since I got the Silo and I usually set the tones at 6 (1:00), reverb at 3 and do the rest with fingers, pick, pedals and guitar knobs.

 

[edstorer]

PS. It's been a while since I updated my signature. I have the white Silo, a thinline tele, a HH tele, and a Fender Bullet S-3. Amps are the Maz, '69 Super Reverb in 2 x 10 cab, and an Allen Sweet Spot. I'm still an old guy.

 

[Oldtoe]

For the five minutes in my life in which I *thought* I might learn to play guitar instead of bass, that is almost the exact same guitar and amp setup I had except my Maz 18 Jr. was a 1x12 Non-Reverb. Others will be able to help you more with the settings, but you have some great tools there to cover anything you'd want to play, I'd think.

 

[IvysGrandad]

I have a 25th Anniversary and a Dr Z Maz 38 Non-Reverb 2X10 combo. As we both know MM guitars play better than anything else with a natural sustain and resonance. In addition the volume and tone controls are very useable all through their range - unlike many other guitars which muddy up as soon as you roll off the tone. So how to set up the DR Z to maximise their potential? Here's what I've learned in the 9 years I've been playing through it:-
Get a Brakelite attenuator fitted;
Doing this will mean your tone will remain the same regardless of the venue;
Set the volume to the point where the amp is on the edge of break-up, set the master volume to taste (again the attenuator will let you leave these in the optimum settings);
You can now clean up the guitar by rolling back the volume;
Put a volume pedal - preferably one on which you can set the minimum volume in the "heel down" position - in the effects loop and use it to boost solos - by putting it after the pre-amp section the tone will stay the same because you don't alter the signal strength going through the pre-amp valves;
Set the EQ to maximise the treble - I have treble-3, mid-10, bass-9 - doing this means the tone control on the guitar gets an even greater usable range and 3/4 tone will give you a great sound but with treble headroom if you need it;
Cut, as you've discovered, is very critical to the overall sound - I think low Cut suits humbucker (Series on the 25th) sounds, higher Cut suits parallel or single coil sounds - YMMV;
You probably know this - but put dirt/gain/overdrive between guitar and amp and all modulation in the effects loop;
Final handy hint - a straightforward on/off foot pedal plugged into whichever guitar input is free, will allow you to toggle between the Hi and Lo channels!

My 25th is the best guitar I've ever played (and I've played a few) and the DR Z (IMHO) is its perfect partner.

I too am still an old guy...

 

[edstorer]

Thanks. I hadn't thought of the volume pedal or using my A-B-Y switch for a boost (I don't have a simple latching TS footswitch).

I've read that a T1M buffer is needed to run pedals in the effects loop unless the cables are really short (essentially placing the time base modulation effects on top of the amp).

Good news: The amp came with a Brake Lite; I've installed NOS Soviet 6p14p-EV power tubes - this amp slays.

I know that the way to use the Brake Lite is to get the tone set with lots of attenuation and then roll out if the venue warrants higher volume.

 

[IvysGrandad]

I've had no issues with the pedals in the effects loop - they're all on the board. The chain through the loop is a Vanamps Sole Mate spring reverb (the amp is NR!), MXR Carbon Copy Delay, Strymon Lex rotary cab emulator (which takes the natural chime and shimmer of the 25th and works magic with it) and a Morley Lil Alligator volume pedal.

But whatever the pedal chain, just play your MM through it and aural nirvana will be yours