Tell me about Wizard amps...

Red_Label

Red_Label

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I was looking up some info on one of my favorite players (Damon Johnson -- Brother Cane, Slave to the System, Alice Cooper, Whiskey Falls) and I see that he's endorsing Wizard amps now. I've seen them for sale here and there (usually at pretty steep prices), and I know that the Young brothers from ACDC have been closely associated with them from the beginning.

So what's a Wizard amp offer that a good Marshall, Friedman, Bray, etc cannot offer? I haven't heard a lot of clips of them, but the ones that I have sound very Marshally. I'm just wondering why they seem to command such prices and respect from players out there. Not that I think that they shouldn't. I just wanna know what the big deal is before I start including one on my wish list. ;)
 
Yikes... it appears that despite my years of being on music forums (since 2007 on TGP and the SD forum), I have never stumbled on what appears to be one of the hot-button topics.

The cryptic responses thus far are leading me to believe that Wizard amps, while good, may be more hype than not. I dunno... in the absence of any actual opinions thus far regarding my question, what else am I to believe?

*** DISCLAIMER ***

Again... for someone just joining us -- I'm genuinely curious as to how these amps sound and have no predisposition against them. Just had to restate that in the interest of someone not stumbling upon this thread and having a coronary after jumping to the conclusion that I'd dissed the love of their life. If this brand really is that great. I wanna hear about it and WHY it is so.
 
The highest gain moddels have shockingly little compression no matter how high the gain is set. Its the most "open" high gain amp I think there is, to the point where this particular feel may or may not work for certain players. Its very unforgiving.

They sound gainier than they feel, if that makes sense, which in turn gives them a touch sensitivity few amps can come close to.
 
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I had a modern classic. Cool amp, but very loud and sounds like shit a low volumes. If you cant play at loud volumes dont bother with one because they are NOT a bedroom amp. Also dont buy one new one of the worst resale values out there. I really like the tone of the amp but IMO they are way over priced for what you are getting.
 
I forgot to mention if you do buy one do yourself a fave and make sure you get the gain mod which is just a push/pull on the gain knob.
 
i've only played a modded one, so maybe not a fair judge? :scared:


but my 2 cents is that the Positive Hype is real, the amps kick ass. :rock: much better for my ears than a modded Marshall. clearer, faster, just more better everywhere than a Marshall.


as mentioned, the one i've plugged into needed to be cranked. so not for apartment dwellers without a hotplate or something.
 
I agree with the statement about get the amp with the gain mods. ;)
I own one that has that mod and several others. I played the amp tonight.
Wizard amps have the purest tone. Just undamn pure tone going for them. :rock:
The tone from these bad boys just screams, No prisoners.
They need to be wound up. Not for a guy living and playing in a phone booth.
Also the guy that posted about the feel and the gain was absolutly dead on.
I cringe at the prices for new ones myself, but heck look at the economy Brah!
If you can get a deal on a Wizard modern Classic, get it.
But don't get it if you need high saturation, compression, and gain together, because that is not what Wizards are about, at least not the modern classic any ways. They play out great if you want quality tone. Period! :)
 
I've never played one, but I did hear one at the Nashville Amp Show a few years back. We walked in and some dude was tearing it up. The amp was very loud, but wow, what was coming from the speakers was impressive.
 
Hmmm... thanks for the input guys. Sounds like they are great amps, but...

Though I do gig, I like my amps to still sound at least decent at home volumes. Doesn't sound like that's where it's at with the Wizards. Also, from what I'm reading in various threads out there, there is a drama-factor associated with these amps if you need support. Soup Nazi types do NOT impress me and I'm not one to just shuffle-along with my eyes downwards after someone treats my like @#$% for asking a simple, reasonable question.

I've got to give the guys at Bogner credit, they've always been very happy to answer whatever question I've had about my Shiva and XTC. The guys at Traynor (Guy especially) were always the same way. THAT is the kind of customer service that I expect (and appreciate), especially in these hard times. A guy doesn't have to be my best friend and answer his cell phone in the john for me, but he'd better not fly off the handle either. Rick sounds like he's been on the road with rock stars for too long -- ie, become one in his temperment and disposition. He doesn't need me as a customer, and I don't need his brand of drama. :)
 
Rick is a really great guy. He has gone out of his way to help me at every turn. Most if not all of the negative stories deal with Wizard owners who have screwed up their amps on their own by trying to mod them, etc. (Pilot Error) Also, both of my Wizards sound great at lower volumes and do not have to be cranked. Always try before you buy....and be careful believing everything you hear bro. :thumbsup:

Here is a clip of one of my Wizards...comes in around 3:45.

 
Red_Label":190ges0c said:
Hmmm... thanks for the input guys. Sounds like they are great amps, but...

Though I do gig, I like my amps to still sound at least decent at home volumes. Doesn't sound like that's where it's at with the Wizards. Also, from what I'm reading in various threads out there, there is a drama-factor associated with these amps if you need support. Soup Nazi types do NOT impress me and I'm not one to just shuffle-along with my eyes downwards after someone treats my like @#$% for asking a simple, reasonable question.

I've got to give the guys at Bogner credit, they've always been very happy to answer whatever question I've had about my Shiva and XTC. The guys at Traynor (Guy especially) were always the same way. THAT is the kind of customer service that I expect (and appreciate), especially in these hard times. A guy doesn't have to be my best friend and answer his cell phone in the john for me, but he'd better not fly off the handle either. Rick sounds like he's been on the road with rock stars for too long -- ie, become one in his temperment and disposition. He doesn't need me as a customer, and I don't need his brand of drama. :)
Click to expand...

Buy the amp that sounds best to you. Its a simple tube amp, not a car or computer. How much after sale service do you think you'll need ?
 
I use my Wizards at home too and they sounds great at low volume. In a band settings they ROCKS.
They sound big,open, organic and raw, love mine. :rock:
 
AmpliFIRE":1i8uuo0t said:
One word: wayoverpriced
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:LOL: :LOL:


To the OP: I would look up Greazygeo (George) here on the board. He has owned (or owns) a Wizard. He has posted clips too. Seem like great amps. I believe Erock has owned one as well and his clips always sound great. I will say that to get the most out of this amp it requires a lot of volume. Maybe the mods help the volume obstacle.
 
parntz145":1eac7ahh said:
very loud and sounds like shit a low volumes
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Yes, they are VERY loud, some of the loudest if not the loudest amps out there, they eat most other modern amps for breakfast. However, many would disagree with your latter comment, including many professional musicians/producers including Bob Rock, James Headfield, Dimebag Darryl, and other touring bands, and of course Rick himself.

When I original purchased my Wizard amps in the late 90s, after hearing Econoline Crush using them live (awesome tone, set at a low volume), I did speak in length with Rick before purchasing it, and it seems the philosophy was to achieve the sound of an amp being driven/speakers pushed at a low volume to make it more useful in the studio, hence why the amp breaks up very early when you turn up the volume, and why Rick uses Greenbacks speakers and designed the MC and VC cabs to sound like they are driven at low volumes. He told me Metallica/Bob Rock recorded their Wizards at around bedroom volume in the studio, as did Dimebag Daryll, he was in the studio when Dimebag recorded TGSTK and said he had a conversation standing in front of the cab while the amp was being played at the volume they were recording at. So, I'm not sure where this started, but depending on the sound you are going for, playing the amp at bedroom volumes may be preferable for some styles (Metal). Almost certainly the amp will work better in the studio than most of the competition, in addition to all of the great things people have said about the Wizard in this thread, the Wizard records amazingly well, in any recordings I have done the Wizard sits in the mix perfectly compared to every other amp I've recorded with. Rick really fine tuned the frequencies, the way the amp sits in the mix without any eq is just something you have to try for yourself, and I'm sure a lot of guys in these forums who purchased and sold their Wizards never experienced this, yet professionals like AC/DC swear by them and have used them going on decades. And the difference here is that Rick did tweak his amp on the road and in the studio with professional musicians.
 
thegame":1r6gdgai said:
Buy the amp that sounds best to you. Its a simple tube amp, not a car or computer. How much after sale service do you think you'll need ?
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When I buy a product I NEVER expect to need service. I certainly hope never to need service. But sometimes things happen and you have to deal with the person(s) that made your product. I'm not the kind of guy who calls a service department. I prefer to send and email or two to deal with the issue. So I'm not a "squeaky wheel" who is out to irritate a technician. But to ask a question or two and run the risk of getting a dumble-esque slap-down for something you paid good money for seems insane.

At any rate, if I ever have the chance to try a Wizard, I certainly will. Because I'd like for my ears to decide if it is for me. My whole purpose in starting this thread was just an honest curiousity about them. I had zero knowledge of any history with the builder at the time and no reason to even think there was one. I was just curious about an amp that commands such high prices for seeming to look just like a Marshall clone. With some other boutique amps (Diezel, Bogner, etc) you get more channels, features, etc... so I get that. At any rate, I'm sure that Wizards are awesome amps and if I found a great deal on one that floated my boat, I'd still have no problem buying it -- moody builder notwithstanding. ;)
 
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