Express Plus worth selling a DR Z Maz???

[gitaryzt1985]

I decided to come to the source! I currently own a Dr Z Maz 18 1x12 combo, which has been no slouch in the amp department and probably my favorite amp that I've owned so far. I'm always willing to try something new and move gear I like, even if I miss it. It's just part of the experience called life as a guitar player!

I'm looking at an Express 5:50 Plus head and 2x12 Vertical Recto Cab. Visually, this will be the coolest thing I've ever owned, but sonically I have some concerns. First, I play through a Strat 80% of the time, and a PRS SC245 when I want to get dirty or switch it up. I've heard the cleans on the new Express line is better than previous, and even though I did own an original 5:25 express, I never complained about the cleans! The only thing is that the Maz delivers in the blues department and I can't really imagine me liking the Express better, but who knows right? I really can't try one where I'm located.

Why do I want to sell the Dr Z if I'm so in love with it? I'm looking for something that sounds great for more styles of music through my Strat AND my PRS. I love everything from Metal to Blues, to Contemporary Christian at my church. Just looking for a do it all amp that doesn't compromise in tone! Also, the head and cab is the only way I'll go with the Express. I want big 2x12 tone and the look of the head and cab setup.


Pros for the Maz:

-Best strat tone I've ever heard PERIOD
-Portable combo with big sound, very open

Cons for the Maz:

-Impossible to get any drive at home volumes
-Hard to dial out that inherent honky Maz flavor for metal
-Very bright and piercing at high volumes


Pros I see for the Express:

-Nice Fender like clean tone
-Big 6L6 fatness
-Headroom
-Burn channel
-The ability to lose some drive pedals

Cons:

-Don't want the combo, and Mesa cabs are heavy!
-Not going to take it anywhere, probably a stay at home or big gig amp!
-Will have to buy a small combo for portability
(ok ok, it's not like I wouldn't load it up and take it places, but I wouldn't want to do it 3 times a week for practice!)



So what do you guys say? Sell the Z?

 

[David Garner]

I LOVE my Express 5:50 as a gigging amp, but the MAZ 18 is a phenomenal amp. I don't think I'd do it.

If the MAZ lacks an effects loop, maybe. Maybe. But man, it's such a great amp, I'd have a hard time pulling the trigger on that.

 

[Heritage Softail]

I have a Maz 38. Hard amp to beat for what it is intended to do. I use a Wampler Triple Wreck to get crazy gain tones with it. Check out the YT vids of the pedal. It is insane. Monster in a box.

And you still have your Strat and Maz magic!

 

[gitaryzt1985]

What about the Mesa pedals with the Maz? I really just need high gain, and I want more oomph. Does the Throttle Box really sound similar to a Mesa amp? How would it sound through my Maz?

 

[Heritage Softail]

What about the Mesa pedals with the Maz? I really just need high gain, and I want more oomph. Does the Throttle Box really sound similar to a Mesa amp? How would it sound through my Maz?

I would say to take your amp to a store and try a few pedals.

I have a dozen diet boxes. Nothing touches the TR. even the Bogner Red lacks the power of the TR.

 

[TimeSignature]

I wouldn't consider the Express a hi gain amp. I couldn't get usable gain out the Express 5:50 at low / home volumes. Now, at loud volumes, the overdrive is awesome! Maybe the Express Plus is different when it comes to the gain/ overdrive at low volumes.

I don't know about pedals in front of the Express either. I think that for the most part, Boogies don't take overdrive / distortion pedals well. The Express has a mid thing going on too (much like the DC's, Nomads, Marks, etc.) Maybe with the EQ it can be dialed out? In a band setting you might find the mid thing beneficial. I found that running an Express thru a cab with mid heavy speakers is a no no. I have no experience with the Maz. Only heard great things. But you should try an Express through your rig / pedals first before you pull the trigger!

 

[Newysurfer]

But you should try an Express through your rig / pedals first before you pull the trigger!

well this last line of TimeSignature's post is the only thing he said i agree with hehe.

The OP is comparing an 18w EL84 amp with a 50w 6L6 amp and........ it can't really be done imo.
The Maz 18 is single channel so wouldn't interest me for starters.
They are different beasts - not really comparable.
The 5:50 plus has lots more features, is far more tonally versatile, has lots more gain & more headroom.
You won't find a better pedal platform than a 5:50 or Lonestar Classic imo.

The OP should fully test out the 5:50 with his own gear and decide for himself :mrgreen:
Asking people on a forum ain't gonna help cause these 2 amps are not comparable imo.

 

[gitaryzt1985]

But you should try an Express through your rig / pedals first before you pull the trigger!

well this last line of TimeSignature's post is the only thing he said i agree with hehe.

The OP is comparing an 18w EL84 amp with a 50w 6L6 amp and........ it can't really be done imo.
The Maz 18 is single channel so wouldn't interest me for starters.
They are different beasts - not really comparable.
The 5:50 plus has lots more features, is far more tonally versatile, has lots more gain & more headroom.
You won't find a better pedal platform than a 5:50 or Lonestar Classic imo.

The OP should fully test out the 5:50 with his own gear and decide for himself :mrgreen:
Asking people on a forum ain't gonna help cause these 2 amps are not comparable imo.

My thread is not so much about comparing the Maz and the Express, as that would be impossible as you alluded to. What I'm trying to get opinions on is if giving up an amp that I actually do love for something that might give me a more versatile pallet for a broader range of music. I may not like the cleans as much as the Maz, and I might not tonally like the Express better than the Maz, but is giving up a single style of tone worth getting an amp that does it all?

In a single word, I've decided "no"...it isn't. The tone I'm getting from the Maz is amazing for blues and contemporary christian music at church. What am I after here? GAIN in a single word. The Maz takes pedals well, so I might try the Flux and Throttle Box. Another amp I'm after is the Lonestar Special. That amp just sings in it's lead tones and the cleans are amazing. Would I like it better than the Maz? I have no clue as I can't try one.

Simply put, I really want a head and 2x12 set up, but if I did start playing at my church again, I would hate that setup the second I joined the band. Carrying a combo is much easier than a heavy head and an even heavier cab. Maybe the Flux drive can get close to the Lonestar's singing gain? Maybe the Throttle Box can help me get my Tremonti/Alterbridge fix? Thanks guys!

 

[jmontgomery]

I'd take the Express over the Maz anyday myself.

 

[Newysurfer]

But you should try an Express through your rig / pedals first before you pull the trigger!

well this last line of TimeSignature's post is the only thing he said i agree with hehe.

The OP is comparing an 18w EL84 amp with a 50w 6L6 amp and........ it can't really be done imo.
The Maz 18 is single channel so wouldn't interest me for starters.
They are different beasts - not really comparable.
The 5:50 plus has lots more features, is far more tonally versatile, has lots more gain & more headroom.
You won't find a better pedal platform than a 5:50 or Lonestar Classic imo.

The OP should fully test out the 5:50 with his own gear and decide for himself :mrgreen:
Asking people on a forum ain't gonna help cause these 2 amps are not comparable imo.

My thread is not so much about comparing the Maz and the Express, as that would be impossible as you alluded to. What I'm trying to get opinions on is if giving up an amp that I actually do love for something that might give me a more versatile pallet for a broader range of music. I may not like the cleans as much as the Maz, and I might not tonally like the Express better than the Maz, but is giving up a single style of tone worth getting an amp that does it all?

In a single word, I've decided "no"...it isn't. The tone I'm getting from the Maz is amazing for blues and contemporary christian music at church. What am I after here? GAIN in a single word. The Maz takes pedals well, so I might try the Flux and Throttle Box. Another amp I'm after is the Lonestar Special. That amp just sings in it's lead tones and the cleans are amazing. Would I like it better than the Maz? I have no clue as I can't try one.

Simply put, I really want a head and 2x12 set up, but if I did start playing at my church again, I would hate that setup the second I joined the band. Carrying a combo is much easier than a heavy head and an even heavier cab. Maybe the Flux drive can get close to the Lonestar's singing gain? Maybe the Throttle Box can help me get my Tremonti/Alterbridge fix? Thanks guys!

Well for transport i prefer lugging head & 2x12 cab in 2 separate trips than 1 trip with a heavy combo - 2 light trips compared to 1 heavy trip.
Plus I see your 18w Maz is a heavy little beast.
About the same as the 50w 5:50.

It'll help you if you get more clarity about what are your gain desires / needs.
The Dr Z you have is a clean one trick pony & you say you want GAIN.
Then you talk about the Lonestar Special - great amp - luv it - but it only does low gain overdrive - no distortion imo.
So is that gonna satisfy you ?
Then you mention the Mesa Throttle box pedal - well that'll give you metal Rectifier high gain - do you need that much?
And what flavour of gain do you want.
Before you do anything you should be clear on

a) exactly how much gain do I need/want.
b) exactly what flavour of gain do I want - Mesa modern, Marshall 1980s & 90's JCM style, low gain tubescreamer, mid gain OCD smooth, Fuzz - there's 100's of different flavours & gain levels - and there's 100's of individual pedals that'll do most of em - good, bad or ordinary depending on many factors.

Nobody you don't know on a forum can help you with this.
Like all of us you gotta do your own research, make your own mistakes and find what suit you best.
And most of all - enjoy the journey :mrgreen:

 

[gitaryzt1985]

Enjoying the journey is what I do best

Thanks for clearing my head on this man, I appreciate it. I know very little about Mesa amps. I owned the 5:25 combo and thought the cleans were nice and the burn was pretty good, but it didn't sound big enough. I bought the Mini Rec after the Express and HATED, I repeat HATED the cleans. I'm very much in love with Voxish Style cleans and the Maz excels at giving me the Vox tone without the ice pick and brittleness. I've considered the TA15, but it still doesn't have the amount of gain or huge sound I'm after. So, I've decided the Maz isn't going anywhere for now.

So, getting into what I want from a Boogie. I think the Lonestar Special would be the best for me, but it still doesn't have the gain I'm after. I'm after that thick syrupy clean and lead tone that Mesa seems famous for, but with more gain than the Lonestar can provide. I guess, if there was an amp with Lonestar Cleans, the Lonestar lead channel and then some sort of 3rd channel with Rectifier tones. All that combined is what lead me to the Express. The thought is that one of the Mesa Pedals could take a Lonestar into metal territory, but the MOST IMPORTANT thing to me are the cleans.

Here is the plan as I stand now: I'm keeping the Maz and getting the Flux Drive to stack with my current overdrives. If that doesn't take me far enough into metal territory I may sell an overdrive or two and get the Throttle Box. I play everything from Blues to Tremonti style riffage. I know I want another cab to pair with the Maz for now for that "bigger" sound, so I may get a Mesa 2x12 and use it for when I play metal. Then I can keep my eyes open for the right Mesa head down the road.

 

[ifailedshapes]

I guess, if there was an amp with Lonestar Cleans, the Lonestar lead channel and then some sort of 3rd channel with Rectifier tones.

I don't know if you're aware of this, but you just basically described a Mark V.

 

[jmontgomery]

Described the Mark V to a "T".

 

[gitaryzt1985]

I always thought the Mark V had it's own thing going on in the cleans and high gain? I do like the sounds I hear on youtube, but are the cleans really that close to a Lonestar?

There is a video out there from Haggertys comparing the Express and the Mark V. I like the gain on the Mark V better, but the cleans were nearly indistinguishable.

 

[jmontgomery]

I keep the EQ switched off on my Vs clean channel. I have an LSS and the cleans are comparable.

 

[ifailedshapes]

I have pretty discerning ears, and I've always felt that the Express cleans were on par with the Lone Star. Seriously, and Express into a larger cabinet is wonderful. The fact that they upgraded the clean circuit in the Plus series has me jonesin' to try one out!

Really, though, Boogie knows the Lone Star clean circuit is one of the best things they've ever come up with, and you're seeing it make its way into almost every amp they make now.

 

[Newysurfer]

I guess, if there was an amp with Lonestar Cleans, the Lonestar lead channel and then some sort of 3rd channel with Rectifier tones.

I don't know if you're aware of this, but you just basically described a Mark V.

I thought the same thing except the Mark V doesn't really have Rectifier high gain though.
It's more Mark series high gain - a little different, not so mid scooped, and even better imo.
It'll also do Lonestar Classic cleans (not Lonestar Special) plus lots more Fenderish & Express type cleans.
Then ad on various Mark crunch & OD tones, singing Mark leads, fabulous reverb etc etc.
My dream amp but too $$ in australia unfortunately :mrgreen:

 

[Newysurfer]

I have pretty discerning ears, and I've always felt that the Express cleans were on par with the Lone Star. Seriously, and Express into a larger cabinet is wonderful. The fact that they upgraded the clean circuit in the Plus series has me jonesin' to try one out!

Really, though, Boogie knows the Lone Star clean circuit is one of the best things they've ever come up with, and you're seeing it make its way into almost every amp they make now.

+1
I've always found 5:50 cleans & reverb to be very similar and just as great as LSC.
I prefer it to the Fenders I used to own.

 

[SteveB]

Hi ifailedshapes,
If you have a minute I'd be interested in hearing a little more about how you think the 5:25 compares tonally to the LSS, including channel 2 the LSS. I bought a 5:25 Plus about 9 months ago and preferred it over the LSS for a bunch of reasons (more versatile, less $, smaller footprint) but thought the LSS was a really cool amp.

Thanks!
Steve

 

[ifailedshapes]

I wish I could give you a true comparison, but an 10" 5:25 combo vs a 12" LSS combo isn't exactly fair.

With that said, I did run the 5:25 into a larger cabinet a couple times, and it sounded much better than the Mark IV I was comparing it against. Just a fuller sound both clean and dirty.

My Strat and LSS were a match made in Heaven. I never should have sold it! Anyway, the LSS drive channel isn't nearly as versatile as the 5:25. I wish I could say more, but the speaker differences will overshadow my opinions.

I do remember my favorite drive sound being ch 1 Crunch, so I would actually use channel 2 Burn (super low gain) for cleans. I read that on here years ago as an alternative to the Blues mode.

Anything more specific you want to know?