Greazygeo
Well-known member
Have had mine since ‘05…but I gig with mine. I have to think most that buy them and flip them right away try playing at home with them, down low they are so, so. At least ime….
Greazygeo
Well-known member
I did replace the OT in my ‘69 and it was fine. But now that I found out they can be rewound, I would rather get the original rewound. Probably will get my ‘69 done too.
J
Jdub
Well-known member
This is true. They kick hard.
I got ear fatigue quickly from mine, not that I didn't from unattenuated Marshalls. Lol... I remember you making some Wizard clip WAY back and inspired me to get one. You made it sound great and I loved mine for about a year.... but there was something missing in the highs for me personally... maybe their fatigue took its toll. lol. I am not knocking them... they sound good.. I like them, but don't love them, like I do so many other amps. Strangers in the Night is my all time favorite live guitar tone. I digress...
Back on topic. Should the OP in Brazil get a Wizard? and if so which one? That is the really the question here..
R
Racerxrated
Well-known member
Yep I remember. Did Merren get back to you? Or was it Marstran? I forget…
J
Jdub
Well-known member
They would still be for sale, modded or not. As far as not functioning, pretty simple amps and easy to work on so doubt it. Bt it is all conjecture anyway. but it is curious to see a flood of brand new Wizards for sale. Those amps seem to flip like pancakes..
J
Jdub
Well-known member
This cannot be overstated. I have heard some pretty awful playing through some damn fine amps and it still sounds like shit. The whole tone chasing craze that most of us have partaken is generally a waste of time that is better spent practicing, recording, gigging etc. Not to go down a major rabbit hole, but tone IS in the fingers. Sure amps are part of it, but garbage in/garbage out and vice versa..
Smash
Hack
Tone chasing can be a waste of time, but it is really the reason we are here. I don't think anyone is under the delusion that being on rig-talk and lusting after gear makes you a better player. I know that I have been focusing on cleaning up my playing for the last couple of years, and I am constantly getting better. But it doesn't really stop me from being interested in new gear. We that frequent this forum have a sickness. The wizard has put mine in remission, but it isn't completely gone.
panhead
Well-known member
The whole high gain thing started with the idea of a cranked amp sound at low or any volume which involves a master volume. But take any newer MV amp and crank it to 10 and most of them will sound like shit. Theyre not designed to do that.
Smash
Hack
The wizards do flip like pancakes as you say. One of the most often sellers is the one you were quoting when you said this. He has more wizards than anyone else on this forum, and his flipping is the reason most of us that have wizards do have them. A good amount of us buy his after he tries every version with every tube or transformer or wattage that comes out.
Aside from that, I see a lot of driftwood purple nightmares and meshuggahs for sale, and there weren't near as many as wizards. I see 5150s and sigs and block letters and those are THE metal amp, I hear, though I could give a shit less about that amp or any other that has a fucking ribbon cable in it. One of my favorite amps was a soldano avenger, and those are consantly up for sale, Slo is THE GREATEST AMP EVER and constantly up for sale. I know i sold mine a month after gettting it.
Wizards are very expensive, and so if you buy it and it isn't what you expect, you resell, and there is nothing wrong with it. When I got mine, I thought it was going to be smooth. It wasn't at all. It was loud, and touchy, and didn't like my shitty playing. I just kept playing it, and stopped being as loose with my playing, and it started sounding better. It definitely magnifies your mistakes that high compression amps like soldanos will kindly hide.
R
Racerxrated
Well-known member
I've been in the gear chase for about 15 years now, far less than you. It's been super fun; my last band found it funny that I'd show up with a different amp about once a month. After all the cool amps (mostly modded/stock Marshalls, VHT, Mesa, a few EVH, couple Wizards I'm back to just stock Marshalls and a few pedals. My fav being a 72 SuperTremolo. It does what it does at probably 2-300w since I'm double boosting it but it just kicks you in the chest while punching you in the face...but it's an enjoyable pain lol. It's the best tone I've ever heard. And, it's the first NMV Marshall I've owned that didn't have a MV mod. If only I'd have tried one out years ago. I'd have saved a ton of cash.
The 2010 Wizard MC100, had about the same gain as a 2203. When I boosted it that amp was sonic destruction; and I'd have kept it if I could keep them all. I sold it to fund a C+ Coliseum, a bucket list amp. If I had a chance to trade/buy that 2010 MC back(it had the C transformers) I'd do it. That amp was a far better amp for my tastes than the 2012 MTL I had.
But ultimately, my desert Island amp is my 72.
R
Racerxrated
Well-known member
Nah; people are hoarding them and not selling. Marshalls are far more reliable than some on this forum think. That’s all I’ve gigged with since about 2008 and all are pre 1990 vintage…no failures for me. A few Mesa gigs but 98% Marshalls.
japetus
Moderator
Fr Fr no cap
Techdeth
RESIDENT ROCK PROFESSOR
Everyone is differ remember. I’m opposite of you . I definitely found jcm 800 lacking a lot for me and I preferred wizard , with they being said my fav amp is actually an jcm800 5 gain stage Hermansson and it’s heavily modified. I’m not saying I’m right or you’re wrong it’s definitely just preference . I don’t think anyone can say one is actually better .
Hermanson should be head guy Marshall. I can’t explain in words what this dude does to a Marshall to make it next levelLove me some Marshall, but unless you've tried a Larry I don't wanna hear about them not measuring up to a vintage marshall
J
Jdub
Well-known member
I hear ya man. It is the reason this forum and others like it exist. I am guilty as charged. I went through tons of amps for the fun of it. and I am not at all knocking the chase, but people need to be sure temper their expectations because no amp will improve ones playing. Some do hide it better....
Glad you found your tone in the Wizard. I swore by mine for some time, but ironically at a jam session with some friends, a lowly Dsl 50 sounded as good or better in the mix. I was embarrassed to have a 2500 ( at the time) amp that ultimately sounded no better in a live mix than a $500 Marshall. That happened with the XTC too but it was an 800 that blew it out of the room. The SLO always held up no matter what else came along FWIW.. I did not learn and kept geeking on gear until about 2016. I finally sold off a mighty bunch of Marshalls, Bogners and Soldanos in favor of buying a bitchen sailboat to live on and cruise for a few years. Too much sun and skin cancer got to me pretty bad so now I am back to gear lusting, but instead of amps, it is guitars I jones for and accumulate.
Amp wise, I have been using an SLO 30 and recently bought an '82 and an '83 JCM800. I forgot how amazing those amps are. I I do like Wizards and would put them fairly high on the all time list compared to some of the other stuff. I love the tone on UFO Strangers in the Night and that is my benchmark, hence my overwhelming fondness for Marshalls. .
Greazygeo
Well-known member
Yeah no amp is for everyone. I still love mine, just what I always wanted. The fat, smooth full range sound works for me. Still have some nice Marshalls that do sound good, but they do what they do. When I need that, that is what I use.
You have been thru a ton of amps for sure, nice for you to find what works for you. If I remember right you did a huge amp buy at one point?
For hard rock, MC would be my recommendation and a 412 with GB voiced speakers.
Greazygeo
Well-known member
I haven’t pulled the trigger on getting it done yet. It iis boxed up and ready though.
J
Jdub
Well-known member
Someone said, 'I am dying for a JCM 800 may I should buy a Wizard." ? Hence my reply... Absolutely, there is no right and wrong. Certainly no best or worst. It is all preference and frankly splitting hairs in many cases... I was just responding to the stated dyer want for an 800. Why not just get that?
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J
Jdub
Well-known member
100%
J
Jdub
Well-known member
Yep... I would have to recommend MC to the OP as well if he buys a Wizard. . I owned a Metal X and my good buddy has an MC 25 and I do like it. Played it just a few weeks ago. It sounded better than I remembered it prior. He had another one previously. That one I did not like at all. He also has an SLO 30 as do I.. which I like better. He likes the Wizard better.. Different strokes. I could live with either and be ok with ... but I have been Marshall- less for a few years and picked up two recently. One of them is incredible, The other one sounds good. They both put the MC25 and the SLO 30 into perspective for me... Tempted to sell my SLO and hunt down another Marshall. .
Techdeth
RESIDENT ROCK PROFESSOR
I got ya man. I do think a wizard 800 though will for sure be good though . It’s been a crap shoot with some Marshalls sometimes but I feel ya . My fav is my Hermansson 5 gain stage 800 like I said . So I’m no 800 hater