acidvoodoo
Well-known member
I stumbled across one on eBay a couple days ago and snagged it. Don't know much about them other than the demo videos Jason has posted on the tube.
HeadFirst Wizard MTL anyone played one?
- Thread starter acidvoodoo
- Start date
easstudios
Well-known member
my buddy built one. Tons of gain, squishy and fun to play.
depends on who built it though and what parts and features they included really. The Headfirst part is only the PCB, the rest is down to whoever built it. I think a lot of people adjust values to get the volume of the channels more evened out
depends on who built it though and what parts and features they included really. The Headfirst part is only the PCB, the rest is down to whoever built it. I think a lot of people adjust values to get the volume of the channels more evened out
easstudios
Well-known member
they quite obviously aren’t sanctioned by Wizard. it’s not a Wizard unless Rick builds it - having a builder signing off on their work is what you’re paying for. It’s their vision for the build and delivering what the customer expects. Their reputation doesnt come overnight.
All amps are derived from existing circuits, Wizards included. Would we have the MCII if Rick didn’t try to improve the Jubilee circuit? Who’s to decide what amps the DIY community can and can’t build?
thegame
Well-known member
You'll get my point when your 'new member' status reaches maturity.
easstudios
Well-known member
Does it give me a free pass to act like a child online? Is sneering about being registered to a forum longer than me really the best explanation you can give?
There’s no end of components and schematics available online, anyone can build what they want and it doesn’t make it official. Anyone can make their own Les Paul style guitar - it doesn’t make it a Gibson.
If you think that a Headfirst build of an MTL is close enough to a real Wizard to cause concern, then I recommend you look harder at what makes a Wizard (or any other amp) worth what they cost. It’s such a dumb argument to get wound up by when the entire industry is built upon expanding existing ideas and moving them forwards.
acidvoodoo
Well-known member
Whoa. Ok I should have know this might ruffle some feathers.
Thanks for the reply easstudios. The builder says the chassis, cabinet, transformers are from Ceriatone and the rest of the parts are sourced from US distributors.
Thanks for the reply easstudios. The builder says the chassis, cabinet, transformers are from Ceriatone and the rest of the parts are sourced from US distributors.
thegame
Well-known member
You know what? My jabs were just a little 'warning' that some here may take issue with Headfirst selling Wizard clones or the components that would allow DIY'ers to construct their own. There's some pretty serious Wizard diehards here with huge collections and it's hard to image a builder that'd be more livid than Rick knowing someone else was making a buck off their associated name brand. These PCBs aren't sold as "modded Jubille" but as "MCII". The Wizard inference is clear. Despite initial appearances, believe me, I don't care. Rick builds a fine amp, when it works right, but is an asshole through and through. Good day to you.
easstudios
Well-known member
I think Jason is pretty well known and respected by the likes of Dave Friedman, Shea Monomyth, GroundZero and others.
The cats long been out of the bag for most schematics out there - there’s no magic involved, it’s care, attention to detail and taste that sets any amp apart. If someone is going to make a clone, it’s a lot more involved than just ordering a PCB and dropping components in. A PCB is not an amp, and the skill is really in building it and making it work. The PCB’s themselves aren’t as simple to design as it sounds, and certainly isn’t making a quick buck. There’s a skill involved in that that very few amp builders are capable of and usually outsource to others. Just because a PCB is based on an MCII (for instance), who’s to say what transformers and valves it’ll use? what about if someone tinkers with cathode bypass values or plate resistors or coupling caps or adds a gain stage? There’s so much work to do beyond just ordering a PCB. The PCB essentially just helps to keep the noise floor of the build down and make things like grounding and relay switching easier.
There are many respected manufacturers of amps in these parts that borrow heavily from existing circuits and are celebrated. Germino, Metropolous, MGL, Mezzabarba, Suhr, Friedman all have amps that have pretty heavy influence from other circuits. There are so many awesome pedals made from various PCB companies doing their own twist on classic circuits with the ability for different options.
I have no involvement with Headfirst FWIW, but I appreciate the information Jason shares - he’s helping people all over the world better amps and should be lauded for doing so IMO. I’m sure hes not taking any business away from Wizard or anyone else in the slightest - Wizard don’t cater to DIY builders or offer PCB’s.
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easstudios
Well-known member
i’m no builder but it looks like they’ve done a nice job, it’s a pretty complex build and not a lot of space so you’d only really attempt this if you’re experienced. I’m sure you’ll love it - I’m very curious to hear what you think of it as the one my friend built sounded excellent and made me very jealous!Whoa. Ok I should have know this might ruffle some feathers.
Thanks for the reply easstudios. The builder says the chassis, cabinet, transformers are from Ceriatone and the rest of the parts are sourced from US distributors.
Yeah I mean he is selling to the DIY groups. Not people building commercial clones of the wizard stuff. It's really no different than buying a kit. If someone made a pcb of a Larry even if I did my best work on it, it still wouldn't be a Larry. I do not think anyone is going to buy one instead of a Larry and in this case a wizard. Same as a Marshall Wizard.. A DiY Mtl is not going to have Rick's skill or ear nor is it going to have his spec of transformers.
It's basically aimed at guys who want to build their own amp and learn. Every single amp builder learned by building other people's amps.
It's basically aimed at guys who want to build their own amp and learn. Every single amp builder learned by building other people's amps.
It probably has the Gargoyle transformers which are gigantic.Whoa. Ok I should have know this might ruffle some feathers.
Thanks for the reply easstudios. The builder says the chassis, cabinet, transformers are from Ceriatone and the rest of the parts are sourced from US distributors.
Racerxrated
Well-known member
The two Wizards I owned, a 2012 MTL and a 2010 MC100 were about as closely related to any of the 10 Jubilees I’ve owned prior as say, comparing a Mesa Mark to a 71 Superlead.
Very very different in every way. I’ve heard the Jubilee comparison before, but what actually comes out of the speakers are two tones that sound nothing alike.
Both great in their own way though.
SpiderWars
Well-known member
It's kind of funny that Fender borrowed from the tube handbooks (because people needed 'recipes' in order to use these new 'ingredients' i.e. vacuum tubes). Then Marshall borrowed from Fender. But then Marshall came up with something new with the Silver Jubilee. And then Wizard borrowed from that to build an entire amp brand.
But you better not copy a Wizard...because Rick will be really, really mad.
But you better not copy a Wizard...because Rick will be really, really mad.
I'm sure that guys building their own MTL isn't going to hurt Rick's bottom line. I have a couple boards laying around of the wizard stuff, a Jose, a couple marshall boards. Even if I built the amp perfect I would have no illusions of saying it's the same cause it's really not. It's like me getting a les paul kit building it and then thinking I have a Gibson LP. To me it might be better but it's not the same and it won't have the same value. Can it sound good and be lots of fun? Certainly.It's kind of funny that Fender borrowed from the tube handbooks (because people needed 'recipes' in order to use these new 'ingredients' i.e. vacuum tubes). Then Marshall borrowed from Fender. But then Marshall came up with something new with the Silver Jubilee. And then Wizard borrowed from that to build an entire amp brand.
But you better not copy a Wizard...because Rick will be really, really mad.
easstudios
Well-known member
Oh totally different sounding for sure - there’s just similarities with how the gain stages, clipping and the tone stack that has its roots tied to a Jubilee (which itself is sort of derived from 2210/2205 Marshalls). As we all know, you can have a similar circuit, tweak a few things and turn it into a totally unique sounding beast. An SLO, Rectifier and 5150 all sound pretty unique but share a similar background.
There’s only so many ways you can do this stuff, so you may as well start with something that is close to what you’re going for and tweak from there. It’s the end result that matters.
All the Klon clones and hysteria have only driven the value of the originals up. Plexi clones haven’t affected the going rate of Plexi’s. Bluesbreakers have been cloned a ton and are going for mental amounts. Tons of great SLO clones out there but if you want to real deal you just buy it.
acidvoodoo
Well-known member
I’m pretty excited to play it! Should be here sometime next week. I’d never drop the coin on a real one so I figured this would give me a taste and it was very reasonably priced. The builder says it sounds fantastic and will please any player into the heavies…so we shall see.
I’m a newb to Wizard, I never bothered looking at them because of the crazy price tag but I know a lot guys here swear by them. I didn’t realize they were born from the Jube that’s cool
That1Guy
Active member
I saw that a few weeks ago! I’m so glad someone on the forum bought it, please let us know what you think!
ZEN Amps
Well-known member
This is nothing against Jason as he's a good guy, and I own one of his amps (that he built) - but I do have concerns about what happens to amateur-built amps upon resale. The ones not built by Jason, but bear the Headfirst logo specifically.
The OP asked about the MTL he saw for sale. It could be an awesomely built amp with quality components, or a sloppily wired mess that is downright dangerous to operate. Likely something in between judging by the pictures, but who knows - it really is case by case.
The DIY stuff is great for the DIYer, but I've lost count of how many badly assembled Ceriatone kits I've seen for sale and resale from people who should never use a soldering iron. Down the track you just know some new owner will assume the shoddy work was done by Ceriatone (or Weber, Mojotone, Headfirst etc).
The OP asked about the MTL he saw for sale. It could be an awesomely built amp with quality components, or a sloppily wired mess that is downright dangerous to operate. Likely something in between judging by the pictures, but who knows - it really is case by case.
The DIY stuff is great for the DIYer, but I've lost count of how many badly assembled Ceriatone kits I've seen for sale and resale from people who should never use a soldering iron. Down the track you just know some new owner will assume the shoddy work was done by Ceriatone (or Weber, Mojotone, Headfirst etc).
acidvoodoo
Well-known member
It looks well built to me. He’s recently sold a few other clones, SLO 50, JJ jr, Jake E Lee 800…I’m not worried about it. He guaranties the build of the amp for a year.