Is any amp in the same league as a Wizard?

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MadAsAHatter

MadAsAHatter

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I have a short list of amps I'm saving money for to actually buy over the next few years. Because of the the price point being near double of anything else, a Wizard is on the fence of making the list or not and bumping most others off.

I have an IronHorse Copperhead being build for me now and am on the wait list for a Skeleton Key & a Hellion so those are all a definite. Rounding out the next couple of spots is a Naylor Super Drive, Morris Sirrum, and Science Decolonizer. If anything else makes the list it'll bump one of those off and if it's a Wizard pretty much knocks everything off the list for a while.

For other notable comparisons I have a Peters pro dual channel (halo & vega), KSR Gemini and ENGL Inferno & Morse. Some of the runners up that didn't quite make my list are a Granophyre, Purple Nightmare, MGL 50HG, and something from Fuchs.

So nothing of what I own, made my list, or was a runner up is by any means a slouch of an amp. But when reading up on Wizards and comparisons to said amps (or any other amps for that matter) everyone says a Wizard blows them out of the water no contest.

I know some may try to justify the price by saying nothing else beats it and there's the die hard Wizard fanboy club, but if there truly is nothing like it the higher price and bumping the other amps off the list could be worth it to me.

So serious questions...
What would you say is the defining factor that makes a Wizard so special? (I suspect that answer is along the lines of being raw yet clear & focused)
Is there any other amp out there that is in the same league, better, or can at least hold it's own when put up against a Wizard?
 
MadAsAHatter said:
Is there any other amp out there that is in the same league, better, or can at least hold it's own when put up against a Wizard?
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Better doesn't exist - it's a matter of opinion and completely personal. Only you can decide if there's a better amp than a Wizard for you, and if it's worth it to you.

If it helps, it's one of my favourites for the reasons you suspected, but a die hard Mesa fan may say the opposite, as may a Larry fan, Diezel, Bogner whatever.

Try one, decide for yourself, and report back. Expensive path, but literally the only way you are ever going to know.
 
As stated, it's truly personal preference. For me, out of the 50+ amps I've been through, nothing does what the Wizard does. Similar to a degree: Fryette D60, Morris Perplexd, Peters Bodyhammer, Mark IIB loop modded, Mark III green stripe. Similar in that they are all capable of fairly raw, organic, articulate, punchy sounds...but still a few notches below the Wizards for me. The articulation/clarity, punch/oomph, purity of tone/notes, and speed of the attack is unique.
 
RaceU4her said:
a boosted DSL
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This :lol:

But seriously, I can't answer your question either but I respect you on this board so let me see if I got this straight just to help others help you.

1. You have 3 amps being built for you now that you don't have yet. Correct?
2. You have 3 other amps, including a Naylor, that have rounded out the list. Correct?
3. You own 4 amps now (including the 2 channel Peters Pro) that are similar. Correct?
4. You have 4 amps that did not make the list including something from Fuchs. Correct?
5. So you have 3 - 10 amps that may or may not stay on the list depending on things. Correct?
6. You want to know if a Wizard will reduce the quantities of any of the listings above? Correct?
7. MadAsAHatter does not want to trade places with 311splawndude. Correct?
 
japetus said:
I haven't played one, but that Larry that Dan Travis has sounds pretty fuckin' good.
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Yeah, it totally does, but like @ZEN Amps says....

ZEN Amps said:
Better doesn't exist - it's a matter of opinion and completely personal. Only you can decide if there's a better amp than a Wizard for you, and if it's worth it to you.

If it helps, it's one of my favourites for the reasons you suspected, but a die hard Mesa fan may say the opposite, as may a Larry fan, Diezel, Bogner whatever.

Try one, decide for yourself, and report back. Expensive path, but literally the only way you are ever going to know.
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Especially if you are any fucking good at guitar, your picadillos and idiosyncrasies as a player are going to determine "if there's anything better than a wizard."

I absolutely love wizards, especially for raw power chord stuff.

But for players like me, there is literally nothing, including wizards, that can even touch my larry.

I imagine there are people that feel the same about their Naylors, Camerons, Hermannssons, etc.

I think larry's stuff blows wizards out the water, but everyone's taste is determined by their playing style.

I've never heard you play, @MadAsAHatter so I have absolutely no idea which one of these amps would be best for you
 
I like my Naylors and bogners and Monomyth and Kingsley and redplate much better than my Wizard mc25 I no longer own . I look forward to trying a wizard MCIi one day. There is no best as it is all subjective. What feels and sounds good to me may not to you.
 
It’s truly Eye of the Beholder. Though Wizard is my favorite company . But my Hermansson is on way and shall be a real test
 
tonedog said:
I like my Naylors and bogners and Monomyth and Kingsley and redplate much better than my Wizard mc25 I no longer own . I look forward to trying a wizard MCIi one day. There is no best as it is all subjective. What feels and sounds good to me may not to you.
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What else do you like better than the Wizard? Tan pants and grab’n’go combos and grab’n’go constipation medication and great grandchildren and an outstanding game of shuffleboard?
 
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So when we say Wizards are we including all models or just certain ones ? Just checking . Remember the fingers on the fretboard might have something to do with how great they sound . Just saying !
 
Panhead5 said:
So when we say Wizards are we including all models or just certain ones ? Just checking . Remember the fingers on the fretboard might have something to do with how great they sound . Just saying !
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like i and other people have said, your fingers make a difference but not in just how great they sound. They affect WHICH amp suits you.
 
I find wizards scooped and honestly not at all inspiring.

In terms of tightness, my late 90’s Bogner has over 525V on the plates. Channel 2 boosted is one of the most deep, complex, and aggressive gain structures I’ve ever heard. The Mercury magnetics OT stock from the factory that only exists on the mid to late 90’s models add further to its modern voicing.

Wizards are overpriced diode clipped Marshall inspired 4 gain stage builds. I honestly believe even my Laney GH100S can hang tooth and nail stock and I snagged mine 100 times cheaper. Good luck finding one - they were first year models in 1994 and only a handful were made, most were kept by Iommi himself. All were made in the UK.

So many people associate cost with quality. Cost in some instances is used as a price to enter the ring, and less on what actually is being paid for internally for quality and features.
 
glpg80 said:
I find wizards scooped and honestly not at all inspiring.

In terms of tightness, my late 90’s Bogner has over 525V on the plates. Channel 2 boosted is one of the most deep, complex, and aggressive gain structures I’ve ever heard. The Mercury magnetics OT stock from the factory that only exists on the mid to late 90’s models add further to its modern voicing.

Wizards are overpriced diode clipped Marshall inspired 4 gain stage builds. I honestly believe even my Laney GH100S can hang tooth and nail stock and I snagged mine 100 times cheaper. Good luck finding one - they were first year models in 1994 and only a handful were made, most were kept by Iommi himself. All were made in the UK.

So many people associate cost with quality. Cost in some instances is used as a price to enter the ring, and less on what actually is being paid for internally for quality and features.
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I agree with you about 4 stage marshall builds and I LIKE wizards, lol

Wizards are totally rad amps, but there are tons of amps that can compete and exceed them - depending on what kind of a player you are, and what you're after.

I personally would much rather have an old marshall or laney or matamp, or one of @RedPlated hellion builds or a @Monomyth skeleton key, not that I would shit on a wizard, but I would literally die before I gave up @novosibir 822.

And wizards are GREAT amps.


It just depends a lot on your personal style, and what you want to accomplish tonewise
 
ZEN Amps said:
Better doesn't exist - it's a matter of opinion and completely personal. Only you can decide if there's a better amp than a Wizard for you, and if it's worth it to you.

If it helps, it's one of my favourites for the reasons you suspected, but a die hard Mesa fan may say the opposite, as may a Larry fan, Diezel, Bogner whatever.

Try one, decide for yourself, and report back. Expensive path, but literally the only way you are ever going to know.
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This really is the right answer . I could not have said it better .
 
DanTravis62 said:
seriously though, ive used them for backline alot, and a JCM2000 dsl with a really nice boost isnt bad
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i been playing mine lately after a long while, and as much as id like to say my other amps are in a different league, even with a plain old SD1 its really right there with any amp i have. i could happily play that as my main rig and understand why so many do.
 
RaceU4her said:
i been playing mine lately after a long while, and as much as id like to say my other amps are in a different league, even with a plain old SD1 its really right there with any amp i have. i could happily play that as my main rig and understand why so many do.
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i mean it isnt even close to my 822 but yeah i totally get it. Its a good sound, and i get why other players use them.
 
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