Wizard of Ozz
Well-known member
... and they are purple!!!
Been waiting to try both of these for quite sometime. These are a couple of amps I've haven't tried yet, but have been really wanting to. So I did. Brand new 2017 KSR Gemini Custom and brand new 2017 Wizard MTL. No means of trying them out first, so I just bought both blind. Can't say I'm disappointed in either case.
Let's start with the KSR Gemini. It's a 2 channel, multi-mode amp with a ton of switchable modes and options. Most all of which are midi-switchable. 4 6L6GCs and 6 preamp tubes... one dedicated preamp tube in the V1 input stage per channel. Custom O-Netics power, output transformers and choke. The Lead Red & Violet mods are my favorite so far... each of these modes is using 5 preamp gain stages and they sound pretty monstrous. It's hard to describe this amp as it's pretty unique and unusual. It's a bit Mesa Recto/Bogner Uber Blue, Soldano SLO, and just a touch Fryette UL. It's a big, heavy, warm, semi-dark amp. It was made for the big chunky massive modern rhythm chords... and you can tell. It stays very tight and articulate while brining in all the sledgehammer, pile-driving low end chunk you'll ever dream. Just a really thick, chunky amp. You can dial in some nice smooth, liquid lead sounds too... very SLO-ish. The blue mode is like a vintage orange Recto setting... and works great for semi-crunchy rhythms. Built like a tank. And despite the plethoric abundance of modes, switches and features everything switches activates/deactivates smoothly and seamlessly without any pops, lag, delay, or hiccups. That's pretty amazing in and of itself considering the feature set of this amp. The clean channel is very nice too... it's a big, warm, wide clean... more like a Recto clean. Really killer amp with more gain than most other, tight/articulate sound... but can bring down the house with the crushing boom-boom-chugg bass with ease. Some have mentioned hearing a Mesa Mark tonality from it... but it is more in the Recto family for me. Dark, smooth, and thick. Definitely a modern metal monster.
Next up for discussion... an amp I've been waiting awhile to try... the mighty, mighty Wizard MTL:
This is a new 2017 MTL with the 5 LEDs on the front panel and pull-loop on the presence pot. I know there have been several revisions, but this is the only Wizard Ive played, so I can't compare to the others. I've owned enough amps where I know within the first 5 minutes if I like it or not... this one took about only 2 minutes. It kills. Period. Yep... it's special. Believe the hype, myths, bed time stories and tales you've heard. They are real. It does it all. Some compare it to a super modified Marshall 2203... with a touch of HiWatt... others say it's more of a hot-rodded Jubilee 2555... and I'll add it can do all those tones and then some. A definite a modified Marshall sound to be sure. Bright, tight, articulate... with a hard, punching lowend. Open, uncompressed... yep. But smooth and fluid enough to make it very enjoyable and fun to play. You don't have to fight the amp. It is also super touch-sensitive and responds amazingly well to the use of the guitar volume pot to clean up or bring the pain as needed. Built like a tank and heavy. It's a battleship anchor and then some. Switching was also super silent, smooth, and delay/pop free. This amp is really special. I've owned/played just about all of the modified Marshalls from all the usual amp building/tweaking suspects... and this is the top of the heap for me. It's just really big, thick, full sounding... while keeping that tight, bright upper mid-Marshally bite and kerrang... we all know and love. Equally at home with rhythm or lead... and excels at both. And if anyone is wondering or hesitant... yes this has plenty of gain for the most modern metal... death, black, power, prog et al. It will keep right up with my Diezel Herbert, Engl SE, or Bogner Uber as far as gain go. So no worries. It bridges that gap from old-school modified Marshall to the more modern heavy metal sound. And does it very well. Between this and my Mesa JP2C... I don't foresee my SLO getting much use.
In closing, two real killer high gain amps.
Been waiting to try both of these for quite sometime. These are a couple of amps I've haven't tried yet, but have been really wanting to. So I did. Brand new 2017 KSR Gemini Custom and brand new 2017 Wizard MTL. No means of trying them out first, so I just bought both blind. Can't say I'm disappointed in either case.
Let's start with the KSR Gemini. It's a 2 channel, multi-mode amp with a ton of switchable modes and options. Most all of which are midi-switchable. 4 6L6GCs and 6 preamp tubes... one dedicated preamp tube in the V1 input stage per channel. Custom O-Netics power, output transformers and choke. The Lead Red & Violet mods are my favorite so far... each of these modes is using 5 preamp gain stages and they sound pretty monstrous. It's hard to describe this amp as it's pretty unique and unusual. It's a bit Mesa Recto/Bogner Uber Blue, Soldano SLO, and just a touch Fryette UL. It's a big, heavy, warm, semi-dark amp. It was made for the big chunky massive modern rhythm chords... and you can tell. It stays very tight and articulate while brining in all the sledgehammer, pile-driving low end chunk you'll ever dream. Just a really thick, chunky amp. You can dial in some nice smooth, liquid lead sounds too... very SLO-ish. The blue mode is like a vintage orange Recto setting... and works great for semi-crunchy rhythms. Built like a tank. And despite the plethoric abundance of modes, switches and features everything switches activates/deactivates smoothly and seamlessly without any pops, lag, delay, or hiccups. That's pretty amazing in and of itself considering the feature set of this amp. The clean channel is very nice too... it's a big, warm, wide clean... more like a Recto clean. Really killer amp with more gain than most other, tight/articulate sound... but can bring down the house with the crushing boom-boom-chugg bass with ease. Some have mentioned hearing a Mesa Mark tonality from it... but it is more in the Recto family for me. Dark, smooth, and thick. Definitely a modern metal monster.
Next up for discussion... an amp I've been waiting awhile to try... the mighty, mighty Wizard MTL:
This is a new 2017 MTL with the 5 LEDs on the front panel and pull-loop on the presence pot. I know there have been several revisions, but this is the only Wizard Ive played, so I can't compare to the others. I've owned enough amps where I know within the first 5 minutes if I like it or not... this one took about only 2 minutes. It kills. Period. Yep... it's special. Believe the hype, myths, bed time stories and tales you've heard. They are real. It does it all. Some compare it to a super modified Marshall 2203... with a touch of HiWatt... others say it's more of a hot-rodded Jubilee 2555... and I'll add it can do all those tones and then some. A definite a modified Marshall sound to be sure. Bright, tight, articulate... with a hard, punching lowend. Open, uncompressed... yep. But smooth and fluid enough to make it very enjoyable and fun to play. You don't have to fight the amp. It is also super touch-sensitive and responds amazingly well to the use of the guitar volume pot to clean up or bring the pain as needed. Built like a tank and heavy. It's a battleship anchor and then some. Switching was also super silent, smooth, and delay/pop free. This amp is really special. I've owned/played just about all of the modified Marshalls from all the usual amp building/tweaking suspects... and this is the top of the heap for me. It's just really big, thick, full sounding... while keeping that tight, bright upper mid-Marshally bite and kerrang... we all know and love. Equally at home with rhythm or lead... and excels at both. And if anyone is wondering or hesitant... yes this has plenty of gain for the most modern metal... death, black, power, prog et al. It will keep right up with my Diezel Herbert, Engl SE, or Bogner Uber as far as gain go. So no worries. It bridges that gap from old-school modified Marshall to the more modern heavy metal sound. And does it very well. Between this and my Mesa JP2C... I don't foresee my SLO getting much use.
In closing, two real killer high gain amps.
Woa dude! That's fucken awesome! I want to be you when I grow up hehe... Grats brother and enjoy! You going to post some clips? 
