Snagged a W800

[SidViscous]

Hi y'all
A W800 showed up in the used section of my GC for a good price, so I snagged it to try it out. I'm pretty blown away by it so far. I am trying to find words to describe it but the best I can come up with is that it sounds like it is both album ready as well as raw "in the room" and just really enjoying this push in the mids that the amp does. Kinda flabbergasted since I've never heard an amp do this.

The amp is definitely super bright though, still trying to find the settings on it that will work for lead tones that are not this bright.

The interesting part is that the controls seem different from the W800 on the site(no contour and perhaps some different push-pull functionality. Do I have an older model?

Also, my ears are ringing, this is a loud boy

 

[VHTStark]

Hi y'all
A W800 showed up in the used section of my GC for a good price, so I snagged it to try it out. I'm pretty blown away by it so far. I am trying to find words to describe it but the best I can come up with is that it sounds like it is both album ready as well as raw "in the room" and just really enjoying this push in the mids that the amp does. Kinda flabbergasted since I've never heard an amp do this.

The amp is definitely super bright though, still trying to find the settings on it that will work for lead tones that are not this bright.

The interesting part is that the controls seem different from the W800 on the site(no contour and perhaps some different push-pull functionality. Do I have an older model?

Also, my ears are ringing, this is a loud boy

Nice score man! I love my W800!
Yours looks like one of the first builds/pre-production builds. Mine is a 2022 build, that doesn't have the 3 way toggle; both the boost and tone stack shift are on push/pull (boost being Foot-Switchable) and it does indeed have a contour knob, which is a pretty powerful control in this amp!

 

[* velcro-fly *]

Do these have a channel bright control on the back? If so that’s a key to taming it

 

[VHTStark]

Do these have a channel bright control on the back? If so that’s a key to taming it

They don't. And yes, for overall amp brightness, the bright control like on a Modern Classic is a more powerful global bright. Even with the contour dialed back and the treble pulled, it is still a fairly bright amp. That said, I like the aggression and normally play mine with the contour dimed.

 

[SidViscous]

Nice score man! I love my W800!
Yours looks like one of the first builds/pre-production builds. Mine is a 2022 build, that doesn't have the 3 way toggle; both the boost and tone stack shift are on push/pull (boost being Foot-Switchable) and it does indeed have a contour knob, which is a pretty powerful control in this amp!

That's sick man, I think I would have dug the contour knob a lot!!! Do you have any other wizards too? This amp has me as a fan of their amps... I'm very interested in finding out about the mc ii and the jell razor

 

[RedB4Black]

Hi y'all
A W800 showed up in the used section of my GC for a good price, so I snagged it to try it out. I'm pretty blown away by it so far. I am trying to find words to describe it but the best I can come up with is that it sounds like it is both album ready as well as raw "in the room" and just really enjoying this push in the mids that the amp does. Kinda flabbergasted since I've never heard an amp do this.

The amp is definitely super bright though, still trying to find the settings on it that will work for lead tones that are not this bright.

The interesting part is that the controls seem different from the W800 on the site(no contour and perhaps some different push-pull functionality. Do I have an older model?

Also, my ears are ringing, this is a loud boy

this was my old amp that Rick built for me. It’s actually a pre-production model W800 built in December 2020. So yes it doesn’t have the contour and it’s built on a Vintage Classic chassis. I sold it and it went through a few guys before it was sold into GC. I had it next to my 2023 50w W800 recently and it sounds just as good so don’t worry about it not being the latest/greatest. The switch on your amp has the same effect as the pulls on the new model. Only thing your amp is missing is the contour… which is just a negative feedback. I tend to run mine high anyway, which minimizes the effect.

 

[SidViscous]

this was my old amp that Rick built for me. It’s actually a pre-production model W800 built in December 2020. So yes it doesn’t have the contour and it’s built on a Vintage Classic chassis. I sold it and it went through a few guys before it was sold into GC. I had it next to my 2023 50w W800 recently and it sounds just as good so don’t worry about it not being the latest/greatest. The switch on your amp has the same effect as the pulls on the new model. Only thing your amp is missing is the contour… which is just a negative feedback. I tend to run mine high anyway, which minimizes the effect.

oh thats great to know thank you!! the minute it came up on guitar center iwas eager to try it cos i can return it if i dont like it!! Good to know that its as good as the newer models. I dont know what negative feedback does so not sure what im missing out on.

I wanted to see what the Wizard sound is and now that ive heard it, I get it, I honestly do. My only complaint with the wizard is that i wish it had a more gradual master volume since i play at home. Between 8 o clock and 10 o clock the master pretty much takes off like a rocket.

Now the big big question for me is, now that i know the hype is real. Do i return the W800 and get a used MC ii. The MC ii is what got me interested in the wizard. @mhenson42 have u had both the MC ii and the W800? the other one that has my attention is the hell razor but i dont see them used(guessing since its new).

 

[VHTStark]

That's sick man, I think I would have dug the contour knob a lot!!! Do you have any other wizards too? This amp has me as a fan of their amps... I'm very interested in finding out about the mc ii and the jell razor

The contour is a power amp control (-'ve feedback) like Matt said, but like all controls on a Wizard they aren't gimmicky and it can have a noticeable effect on tone and feel. I notice with mine all the way counter clockwise, the amp gets a smoother and more chewy in feel.

I have played a 2021 MCii and also just grabbed a 2016 (updated to 2023 specs by Rick) MCi from Clay, an awesome forum bro! Both are killer amps! With the MCi, channel 1 is essentially a dedicated clean channel, while with an MCii, you have two boosts (regular boost and black kat) which can give you pretty well another high gain channel.

Compared to my w800, the MC's have a more even mid range response to the w800's full Marshall upper mid kerrang, more low end on tap and a bit more gain. Feel wise, they are similar: immediate, percussive but not stiff.

I am fairly new to the Wizard game myself, but absolutely love them!

 

[RedB4Black]

oh thats great to know thank you!! the minute it came up on guitar center iwas eager to try it cos i can return it if i dont like it!! Good to know that its as good as the newer models. I dont know what negative feedback does so not sure what im missing out on.

I wanted to see what the Wizard sound is and now that ive heard it, I get it, I honestly do. My only complaint with the wizard is that i wish it had a more gradual master volume since i play at home. Between 8 o clock and 10 o clock the master pretty much takes off like a rocket.

Now the big big question for me is, now that i know the hype is real. Do i return the W800 and get a used MC ii. The MC ii is what got me interested in the wizard. @mhenson42 have u had both the MC ii and the W800? the other one that has my attention is the hell razor but i dont see them used(guessing since its new).

I still have 50w versions of the W800 and MC2 Mk2. I can get close to the W800 on channel 1 of the MC2 - as you can see in the video below, but the w800 sound better in the room. The MC2 adds channel 2 which will give you more gain and the other differences described in the prior post.

 

[SidViscous]

I still have 50w versions of the W800 and MC2 Mk2. I can get close to the W800 on channel 1 of the MC2 - as you can see in the video below, but the w800 sound better in the room. The MC2 adds channel 2 which will give you more gain and the other differences described in the prior post.

this is great thanks Matt! I am digging the W800 but im really contemplating the MCii, the demos sound great. The W800 also feels a bit too bright for me, I dont go past 50% on presence or treble. Im assuming the MCii is gonna be a tad darker. My only fear is i mostly play death metal, and i dont want to lose the aggression in the high end that the W800 has.

Also 50W vs 100W, any real perceivable differences?

 

[RedB4Black]

this is great thanks Matt! I am digging the W800 but im really contemplating the MCii, the demos sound great. The W800 also feels a bit too bright for me, I dont go past 50% on presence or treble. Im assuming the MCii is gonna be a tad darker. My only fear is i mostly play death metal, and i dont want to lose the aggression in the high end that the W800 has.

Also 50W vs 100W, any real perceivable differences?

The contour helps darken it a little as well as the bright knob on the back, but most would say Wizards are bright amps. I like it bright. If you get a mk2 MC2, there's a pull on the treble knob that kind of extends the highs even more. Very aggressive. The MC2 on the lead channel will give you more gain than on the W800. If you like the W800 you'd definitely like the MC2. I wouldn't worry about getting a 50w vs. a 100w. I used to be all about the 100s, but now I own 3 50w Wizards. They are awesome.

 

[SidViscous]

The contour helps darken it a little as well as the bright knob on the back, but most would say Wizards are bright amps. I like it bright. If you get a mk2 MC2, there's a pull on the treble knob that kind of extends the highs even more. Very aggressive. The MC2 on the lead channel will give you more gain than on the W800. If you like the W800 you'd definitely like the MC2. I wouldn't worry about getting a 50w vs. a 100w. I used to be all about the 100s, but now I own 3 50w Wizards. They are awesome.

oh thats great dude, i really like the W800 but the MCii seems more versatile. I just dont wanna lose that thump and massive low end of the W800. In your comparison video, the W800 seemed like it had more low end and thump. Was that just a video thing or is that fairly true.

Also, i see you have a W800 for sale? is that still something u are selling?

 

[RedB4Black]

oh thats great dude, i really like the W800 but the MCii seems more versatile. I just dont wanna lose that thump and massive low end of the W800. In your comparison video, the W800 seemed like it had more low end and thump. Was that just a video thing or is that fairly true.

Also, i see you have a W800 for sale? is that still something u are selling?

I don’t notice much difference in low end between the two.

I put the w800 up for sale awhile back when there was a guitar I wanted to buy. I ended up using cash from something else. I never took the w800 down from the classifieds, but I haven’t bumped it. I’d still probably sell it because I lean more to the MTL and Hell Razor, but really not in any rush that I need to give it away.

 

[SidViscous]

I don’t notice much difference in low end between the two.

I put the w800 up for sale awhile back when there was a guitar I wanted to buy. I ended up using cash from something else. I never took the w800 down from the classifieds, but I haven’t bumped it. I’d still probably sell it because I lean more to the MTL and Hell Razor, but really not in any rush that I need to give it away.

gotcha, ive been listening to all your videos lol!! man the hell razor sounds epic too argh. Does the hell razor cover the W800 tones?

 

[RedB4Black]

gotcha, ive been listening to all your videos lol!! man the hell razor sounds epic too argh. Does the hell razor cover the W800 tones?

Cool. Yeah the HR is a metal beast!. It's not really going to capture the essence of an 800 type tone as well as the w800 or MC2.

 

[blownJeepSRT8]

Bumping this thread. Apparently the OP of this thread returned it to GC because I picked it up last week. I got a killer deal on it, GC dropped the price $500 and also has their 10% off promotion on top of it. This is my 3rd Wizard, have had a lot of experience with modern classics. I absolutely love the W800, so punchy and big and loud. Love the lack of compression for a change. Definitely my favorite non Marshall amp. @RedB4Black- do you know the difference between the 3 positions of the toggle switch? In the middle seems to be neutral and I leave it there most often. The down position seems to be more of a Marshall voicing and the up position is more of an American voicing..? Is that right?

 

[SidViscous]

Bumping this thread. Apparently the OP of this thread returned it to GC because I picked it up last week. I got a killer deal on it, GC dropped the price $500 and also has their 10% off promotion on top of it. This is my 3rd Wizard, have had a lot of experience with modern classics. I absolutely love the W800, so punchy and big and loud. Love the lack of compression for a change. Definitely my favorite non Marshall amp. @RedB4Black- do you know the difference between the 3 positions of the toggle switch? In the middle seems to be neutral and I leave it there most often. The down position seems to be more of a Marshall voicing and the up position is more of an American voicing..? Is that right?
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Congrats man, I did indeed return it, you definitely got a great price on it! I enjoyed the tightness and punch ,but really missed the midrange after a while and I actually found it a tad compressed but in a really good way. Decided to try a few modded Marshalls instead.I also would like to try another wizard, the hellrazor has my attention.

Enjoy the amp man, it's a winner

 

[blownJeepSRT8]

Congrats man, I did indeed return it, you definitely got a great price on it! I enjoyed the tightness and punch ,but really missed the midrange after a while and I actually found it a tad compressed but in a really good way. Decided to try a few modded Marshalls instead.I also would like to try another wizard, the hellrazor has my attention.

Enjoy the amp man, it's a winner

Thanks! What speakers did you play it thru? My Friedman 4x12 with v30s and greenbacks sound great with it as well as the 68 basketweave with old broke in T1511 greenbacks. Guess I’m used to the more compressed Marshall’s and Friedman’s. Haven’t had a Wizard in about 2 years so it’s been a welcome and missed change. Every time I play it I immediately start playing AC/DC riffs lol. Love that punch.

 

[RedB4Black]

Definitely my favorite non Marshall amp. @RedB4Black- do you know the difference between the 3 positions of the toggle switch? In the middle seems to be neutral and I leave it there most often. The down position seems to be more of a Marshall voicing and the up position is more of an American voicing..? Is that right?

yes. That’s correct Regarding the switch. Congrats on the amp. It’s a beast!

 

[blownJeepSRT8]

yes. That’s correct Regarding the switch. Congrats on the amp. It’s a beast!

Thanks! I’m in love with it! You said it’s a 2020 model? -need to get it added to my insurance