If one has a Monomyth Skeleton Key... which Wizard would you go for?

J

jbcrazy

Member
Just got the skeleton Key... which I god damn love. Crossing this off my bucket list...

Now after reading these forums... I want to try a Wizard. Anyone have experience with a Mono and Wizard to see which one I Should try to procure? My gut instinct says I'd like the MTL variant for my own personal tastes but my gut also says an MCII perhaps would be a better amp in contrast to the Monomyth.

Maybe the Monomyth and Wizards in general kind of step on each other's toes and I should look elsewhere?

Any feedback would be great! Thanks!
 
A Wizard when you plug in is special no matter what amps you have .I know people think we kiss wizards ass but Rick can be a dick and piss you off . But I still go through with the purchase .lol he was a dick to me bad one time . But he’s a mad scientist
 
Techdeth said:
A Wizard when you plug in is special no matter what amps you have .I know people think we kiss wizards ass but Rick can be a dick and piss you off . But I still go through with the purchase .lol he was a dick to me bad one time . But he’s a mad scientist
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Yeah that's what I read... haha

All this reading has me curious. Probably can't do both a MTL or MCII, gotta be only one... and there's that hell razor thing out there.
 
What do you want to use it for? I have both a SK and an MCII (both awesome) but I use them differently (tele with one and les paul with the other) so I'll never sell either of them.

The MCII definitely lacks in gain compared to my SK and the low end can be wildly different (which is where I think MTL might be more similar in). It's definitely more vintage feeling, but if you get a newer one with the Pull Shift knob then it helps tighten the low end up (though still needs a boost for higher gain). Boosting an MCII can help but still don't think it gets that close to a SK for higher gain stuff. For mid/lower gain stuff I think they're both perfectly capable and their voicing isn't too different (SK is probably closer to a Plexi while MCII is closer to a Silver Jubilee).

If I had to guess I'd say the MTL might be most similar to a SK, but never played one to confirm. Both seem to have big low end with a Marshall flavor highs. The MTL is essentially just an MCII with an extra gain stage up front (and then maybe different power tubes depending if you got a hybrid or not).

Hell Raiser...no idea man. Every clip I hear online this thing lacks low end but also might just be the more modern metal style guys are going for which isn't me. Also haven't heard anything but crazy high gain.

I might be alone in this opinion, but as awesome as Wizards are they aren't head and shoulders above some guys these days (like Monomyth, GZA, etc).
 
SK and a Wizard (any Wizard) are very similar, but also very very different. MTL will be more low mid dominant, I heard the one I owned (2016) as flat or neutral in the mids and the low end and high end dominate. Wasn't for me, still incredible, just preference for frequencies. Hybrid has a bit more md/upper mid content, but still not enough for my taste. MC2, MC25 have great upper mid bite, decent mid/low mid content and boosted get angry as hell.

SK V2 I just sold was great into low gain input with gain set noon or below and boosted, especially liked the SD-1 here. Very unique tone and gain structure for me played that way, killer. But tbh, anything outside that setup was just wayyyy too much for me, too over the top with gain and compression. And that's coming from someone who plays thrashy stuff and some DM influenced riffage.

Any Wizard will kill the SK in terms of punch. balls, articulation/clarity/definition.
 
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ners said:
What do you want to use it for? I have both a SK and an MCII (both awesome) but I use them differently (tele with one and les paul with the other) so I'll never sell either of them.

The MCII definitely lacks in gain compared to my SK and the low end can be wildly different (which is where I think MTL might be more similar in). It's definitely more vintage feeling, but if you get a newer one with the Pull Shift knob then it helps tighten the low end up (though still needs a boost for higher gain). Boosting an MCII can help but still don't think it gets that close to a SK for higher gain stuff. For mid/lower gain stuff I think they're both perfectly capable and their voicing isn't too different (SK is probably closer to a Plexi while MCII is closer to a Silver Jubilee).

If I had to guess I'd say the MTL might be most similar to a SK, but never played one to confirm. Both seem to have big low end with a Marshall flavor highs. The MTL is essentially just an MCII with an extra gain stage up front (and then maybe different power tubes depending if you got a hybrid or not).

Hell Raiser...no idea man. Every clip I hear online this thing lacks low end but also might just be the more modern metal style guys are going for which isn't me. Also haven't heard anything but crazy high gain.

I might be alone in this opinion, but as awesome as Wizards are they aren't head and shoulders above some guys these days (like Monomyth, GZA, etc).
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SK is more similar to MC2 than MTL. Both are upper mid oriented. But SK is still way different than any Wizard IMO.
 
ners said:
What do you want to use it for? I have both a SK and an MCII (both awesome) but I use them differently (tele with one and les paul with the other) so I'll never sell either of them.

The MCII definitely lacks in gain compared to my SK and the low end can be wildly different (which is where I think MTL might be more similar in). It's definitely more vintage feeling, but if you get a newer one with the Pull Shift knob then it helps tighten the low end up (though still needs a boost for higher gain). Boosting an MCII can help but still don't think it gets that close to a SK for higher gain stuff. For mid/lower gain stuff I think they're both perfectly capable and their voicing isn't too different (SK is probably closer to a Plexi while MCII is closer to a Silver Jubilee).

If I had to guess I'd say the MTL might be most similar to a SK, but never played one to confirm. Both seem to have big low end with a Marshall flavor highs. The MTL is essentially just an MCII with an extra gain stage up front (and then maybe different power tubes depending if you got a hybrid or not).

Hell Raiser...no idea man. Every clip I hear online this thing lacks low end but also might just be the more modern metal style guys are going for which isn't me. Also haven't heard anything but crazy high gain.

I might be alone in this opinion, but as awesome as Wizards are they aren't head and shoulders above some guys these days (like Monomyth, GZA, etc).
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I do everything really. At this point just grabbing amps for the fun and the palette of colors needed for recording. The Skeleton Key is definitely a flame thrower.

I also assume the MTL is where the SKeleton key sits but Mike says otherwise. Which is cool... I might go hunting for a MTL now.

Skeleton key is amazing, I can't see how anything can be a true notch above.
 
MetalHeadMike said:
SK and a Wizard (any Wizard) are very similar, but also very very different. MTL will be more low mid dominant, I heard the one I owned (2016) as flat or neutral in the mids and the low end and high end dominate. Wasn't for me, still incredible, just preference for frequencies. Hybrid has a bit more md/upper mid content, but still not enough for my taste. MC2, MC25 have great upper mid bite, decent mid/low mid content and boosted get angry as hell.

SK V2 I just sold was great into low gain input with gain set noon or below and boosted, especially liked the SD-1 here. Very unique tone and gain structure for me played that way, killer. But tbh, anything outside that setup was just wayyyy too much for me, too over the top with gain and compression. And that's coming from someone who plays thrashy stuff and some DM influenced riffage.

Any Wizard will kill the SK in terms of punch. balls, articulation/clarity/definition.
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Awesome Mike.... so the MTL actually is more different you'd say than the MCII is to the SKeleton Key interesting!

I also prefer the Skeleton Key on the low gain input and boosted with various pedals. Over the top like metal I'll use the high gain input, and back the gain way back and still boost.

The blood switch is cool and kind of makes a pedal unnecessary but kind of gets you into that overly 'djent' kinda thing where that mid boost is knocking your teeth in. Very cool none the less.

I'll be looking out for a MTL.
 
Techdeth said:
A Wizard when you plug in is special no matter what amps you have .I know people think we kiss wizards ass but Rick can be a dick and piss you off . But I still go through with the purchase .lol he was a dick to me bad one time . But he’s a mad scientist
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Rick's a dick? haha
 
jbcrazy said:
Awesome Mike.... so the MTL actually is more different you'd say than the MCII is to the SKeleton Key interesting!

I also prefer the Skeleton Key on the low gain input and boosted with various pedals. Over the top like metal I'll use the high gain input, and back the gain way back and still boost.

The blood switch is cool and kind of makes a pedal unnecessary but kind of gets you into that overly 'djent' kinda thing where that mid boost is knocking your teeth in. Very cool none the less.

I'll be looking out for a MTL.
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Yeah, MC2 is more similar, but only in that they're both more upper mid dominant. The Wizard gain structure is very different, as is the punch/balls and articulation which is significantly better than the SK.
 
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Own all three MC2 (EL34), MTL (6L6) and HR (6L6).

Thumpy as fuck, all of them. The gain just keeps going up and the clarity and attack never goes away. The sound in the room through a 4x12 is just incredible.

If you don’t have a strong picking attack/accurate picking hand, be careful.

Never played a skeleton key.

What are you trying to do that your skeleton key can’t do, what type of tone are you after and what bands/style of music you want to achieve?

MCII - Hard rock to some metal

MTL - imagine the most perfect amp for 80s thrash and then some

HR - just absolutely crushing and more gain and just sheer metal ness than you could ever imagine…EVER.
 
Rick is just….different. I have all the amps in question. The SK has decent compression in a good way. Great modded Marshall tone. Tons a gain and upper mids. The Wizards have thump and clarity for days. I think blending the SK and MTL would be amazing. All frequencies would be covered. It’s my least favorite Wizard soloed (still love it). I need to blend those two soon.
 
I would just get a Hell Razor. If you want a more open rock oriented sound then the MC or maybe some of their lower gain models, but otherwise I felt the HR really is his pinnacle
 
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