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Features: 8
This is a BRAND SPANKIN' NEW Z-28 head and 1x12 cabinet. 3 knobs,
1 input, 'nuff said.
2 6V6 power, EF86 pre, 12ax7 inverter I guess. 1 channel no bells
and whistles, all tone.
Loudest 22 watts I've ever heard. Plenty of juce for me. Amazingly
versitile tone controls, and extremely pedal friendly. I'll give
it an 8 only cause it doesn't need all the superflous crap that
would warrant a lot of people to give it a 10
Sound Quality: 10
I Play Bues Rock, country, and a little jazz here and there. Covers
all the basses perfectly. Not noisy. I like it best with all the
controls wide open for a thick juicy overdrive through a celestion
greenback. Back it off and it's the most beautiful clean sound.
Notes just bloom. Really accentuates differences in guitars, volume
and picking attack. Only had it a few days so far, but it's even
more than I expected.
Reliability: 10
Too new to tell, but thorough examinatioin, it's built like a tank.
great finish work, and soolid throughout. Same for the extension
cab. Would take only backup tubes, as I am eternally nervous about
that type of thing.
Customer Support: 10
The good doctor responded immediately to email, seemed very friendly
and steered me towards the right amp for my needs. Great website
as well. Ordered as I wanted a Red tolex version, and was ready
when promised.
Overall Rating: 10
I have been playing most of my life. This is by far the best sounding
amp I have ever heard. Kills my Marshall, Bassman RI and Original
70's silver faced super. Most likely they will all be up for sale.
Played with Warmoth strats and Tele's, Les Pauls, and Washburn.
and Home brew electronics effects, and Startouch A/B Boxes ( to
the tuner). Played Boogies, Fenders, Marshalls, Voxes, and line
6's. This killed them all. Absolutely perfect for me.
Features: 8
Single channel amplifier head. The basics -- Volume, Bass, Treble
controls; 6V6 output tubes with an EF86 pre-amplifier front end
(very cool). Point-to-point wired, no effects loop (you don't need
it). Amp came with dual tap output transformer (8 and 4 ohms). Rated
at 28 watts -- plenty loud for almost all applications, mic it if
you need higher listening levels. Amp came housed in a terrific
looking off-white cabinet with vox-ish oxblood diamond pattern grille
cloth and old-style 60's radio knobs. I received it in May of this
year -- one of the first ones he made. Although it may seem stupidly
simplistic to alot of gear knuckleheads, it yields a wide tonal
array that I know alot of people will appreciate, assuming their
musical pallettes haven't been destroyed. Ratings are relative --
it had everything I wanted, so I rate it an eight.
Sound Quality: 10
Equally well suited to humbuckers and single coils. I play an American
Strat Deluxe (Seymour Duncan JB in neck and hot strat in middle
and bridge) and Les Paul Standard (w/ Dimarzio's) I'm a blues and
early rock enthusiast. Currently, I have the amp mated to a 4X10
Mesa cabinet with Jensens while I await the arrival of a matching
4X10 that I have on order with the good Doctor. The Jensens sound
very good, but I had an opportunity to play through a newly designed
speaker that the Dr. had been tweaking, and the amp sounded simply
terrific, lot's of chime and sustain with plenty of low end girth
and clarity. Drawing comparisons is not the best way to classify
this amp but if I had to I would say that it reminds me of a Bassman,
but with a little more grit when cranked. What this amp offers (IMHO)
are two things: 1. Tone -- equally beautiful for chords or single
note lines, it truly stands on it's own without pedals and, 2. flexibility
-- With pedals, the EF86 pre-amp permits you to drive the front
end as hard as you want without the resulting muddiness that can
result when driving other amplifiers. Plus I just like Doctor Z's
approach to amplification -- start with great basic tone, and use
the mind numbing assortment of pedals on the market to sculpt your
own signature. In specific terms, the amp yields a nice clean balanced
tone with tons of sustain. The fun begins when you increase the
bass and treble -- the notes thicken and "bark." Lot's
of harmonics with great balance along the frequency spectrum. As
you increase the volume, the notes get richer but still retain complexity
particularly in the upper registers. Distortion is smooth, and full
sounding, not ice-picky or harsh in the least. What amazes me is
the amount of bottom end that (2) 6V6 tubes are able to put out.
The low end rivals any 6L6 Bassman I've ever heard. Don't like pedals
-- you don't need them. Try it.
Reliability: 10
Based on my previous Z purchase (Route 66), I have no worries at
all. I've played the Route and the Z28 for extended periods of time,
and haven't had an issue. Mike Zaite (Dr. Z) overdesigns his products,
is very methodical and very detail oriented. I don't want to sound
like a public service announcement, but he tweaks and crafts and
doesn't release it until he gets it just right. A true craftsman.
Customer Support: 10
Z is great! I like his no nonsense approach to doing business. I
have no doubt that if something were to arise, (aside from usual
maintenance -- tubes) that he would fix the problem and then some.
Mike is a helluva nice guy, that is passionate about his work and
his product, and it shows! Mike is very gracious and responsive,
and I think that's important when you invest in these types of subjective
products.
Overall Rating: 10
I've been playing for about 23 years, and have amassed lot's of
tube gear -- Mesa Boogie, Egnater, Matchless, Clark, all great manufacturers
in their own right. But this was one heck of a great deal. I'd replace
it in a heartbeat if I had to. Alot of people are talking about
Dr. Z's products and it's no mystery, because he offers terrific
value. I share the opinion of lot's of folks out there -- his amps
are truly undervalued.
Features: 10
Posted as a follow up. Had my Z28 for 6 months now, and the honeymoon
is nowhere close to over!!!!!!!!
3 knobs, tons of tones best amp I have ever owned, hands down.
Extremely Versitile. Tone knobs do a tone of shaping and have a
huge effect on the overdrive characteristic and tone.
Sound Quality: 10
Playing pretty much just my PRS guitars now, with the occasional
tele. Cranked with the PRS it nails the vibe I was after. Great
for any type of music. Very sesitive to speaker changes which is
a great thing. I mostly use it through a 1x12 greenback, but I have
a 2x12 with G12M/G12H30 set up that really adds a bit more volume
(the G12H is a bit more efficient) and lows. Get's it a hair closer
to Marshall territory, but the amp is just so F'ing amazing. I can
get David Grissom, Vintage clapton, Brad Paisley, and all tones
in between.
Reliability: 10
Solid. No issues. Killer build quality for sure.
Customer Support: 10
Dr Z is the Best! Never waited more than a day for an email response,
very helpful with information and suggestions.
Overall Rating: 10
I have been playing for 20 years now (since I was 10 years old)
and this is the best amp I ever owned I picked up a Z Mazerati to
go with it, but I just love this amp. If it were stolen I would
bawl like a Baby and replace it immediately if not sooner.Just has
the tone I was looking for forever.
Have since sold my Marshall, Super Reverb, and the Bassman RI will
be on the block next!
Doesn't need anything. I am amazed daily with the incredible range
of amazing tones available from a 22 watt 3 knob amp. And deseptively
loud!
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Z28
Reviews