this Wizard MCll sounds amazing!!!

[braintheory]

Yes I agree with the others about the wizard's mids. I own a 2016 MTL 100 and it's one of my top 5 favorite amps ever and not going anywhere, but it doesn't have mid or upper mid growl of my marshalls. I also used to own a 1996 Wizard mc and it was the same in the mids. I guess that's just how wizards are voiced. If it had the Marshall mids and a bit more gain on tap it would be perfect and would possibly even make me sell some or maybe even all of my modded marshalls but it doesn't unfortunately

 

[Whowantsamustache]

Weird mids!

 

[halebox]

Weird mid mod $800 but if you unscrew back panel with magic bit you're disqualified. Ha sorry

 

[sjk]

Well I owned 2 MCII's so I'd hardly call anything I said urban legend. Sad thing is guys spend $4K on an amp and automatically expect it to sound good.

Fortunately, I only spent $2500 from guitar center used gear for the MCI I've been rocking for the last 18 months...stopped my gas for now have not bought an amp since. No loop on mine so I use a fryette power station for a delay. You loose some of the oomph of the wizard but it has plenty to spare.

Seems unlike most on here I used mine a bit different. The scott Ian youtube video sold me. I set mine up on lead channel no boosts pulled, gain around noon...sometimes a little more or less but I never used the pull boost although if I was in a band it would come in very handy for two different sounds and I'm sure I'd use it for that if I needed it.

This clip gives a close representation of how my MCI sounds, and set up on the lead channel about like I set mine, no pull boost. Sounds almost every bit as old school as my Metropoulos 12,000 but even better in my view.

 

[Alex_S]

Well I owned 2 MCII's so I'd hardly call anything I said urban legend. Sad thing is guys spend $4K on an amp and automatically expect it to sound good.

That happens, but the Wizard actually does sound amazing. At least to my ears and taste.

 

[sg guy]

-WIZARD MC I-(UPGRADED TO A II)-& I LOVE IT!!-(i haven't experienced any of what has been mentioned, but I did find some things I didn't like in the cab & speaker department's)-

-(2x12 + 100w = not good)-even hi-end ported cabs, aren't 1/2 as good as a average quality-(1960-B)-4x12-Add a great quality-4x12-(100%--3/4" -Baltic Birch-(ORANGE cabs are 3/4")-big cabs with quality thick ply everywhere, make big, thick tones-a must have for a mortal 100w amp, make that amp a WIZARD, SLO, HIWATT & an average Marshall kinda cab, it will cripple your tone

 

[halebox]

SJK those clips sound good. I do remember liking my SG the most through it. Also I will mention the clean channel on the MCII was amongst the best and instant great sound. The other channel I just couldnt get it where I needed it in a live situation. I played one show blasting that $4000+ amp and I kept shoving my ears in the speakers thinking where is it? I swapped speakers and tubes a bunch then gave up. But it recorded really nice go figure? I think its just the diode clipping sound that I cant connect with. Also felt like way too many balancing knobs like the bright in back the loop level the boost. I don't like that. And that fuckin Contour knob WTF it barely did anything. I spent a lot of time with it and just wasn't my sound. And you have to order a weird after market footswitch with 4 1/4 inch jacks.

 

[sg guy]

-4x12-(low wattage-55hz and/or 75hz Greenback's)-I've used this set up with every 100w Marshall I've ever had since 1979, Rick also has & suggests many greenback options-(it didn't work very well at anything above "talking" volumes for me, i dug in a little to get some greenback-growl,.... But instead I got cone bounce, The very first time I had it at that volume... They need help, so bring on the usual suspects & a couple wild cards-(15" FULLBACK & a matching pair of ROLA G12-65's)-the 15"-(with GREENBACK DNA)-FULLBACK-(was impressive, i tried to get that 15" cone to bounce, even alone...it more than held together with bass @ 75% & boost pulled It will get another shot when its broken in)-the winner Mesa & Marshall proprietary V-30's on the bottom & 55hz GREENBACK's-(now just one 8ohm & one empty speaker hole)-on top.

 

[halebox]

I tried all greenbacks, all vintage 30's, all G12-65, 2 v30 and 2 g12-65 mix, V30 and 75 watt mix.......so it wasn't a speaker thing for me.

 

[sg guy]

Well I owned 2 MCII's so I'd hardly call anything I said urban legend. Sad thing is guys spend $4K on an amp and automatically expect it to sound good.

-no problemo muchacho!!

-I had the same kind reaction to the DIEZEL-FLAGSHIP- VH4 & a SLO-(I liked both of them, a lot!! BUT I DIDNT $4000 LIKE UM.. I might $1700-$1900 like um!!!

 

[sg guy]

I tried all greenbacks, all vintage 30's, all G12-65, 2 v30 and 2 g12-65 mix, V30 and 75 watt mix.......so it wasn't a speaker thing for me.

-just not your thing I guess, what did ya rock after the WIZARD?

 

[lespaul6]

It just all comes down to taste.. my guess is that some prefer an "easier" playing amp and gravitate towards that.. hence the BE 100 crowd. Its all good

 

[lespaul6]

Well I owned 2 MCII's so I'd hardly call anything I said urban legend. Sad thing is guys spend $4K on an amp and automatically expect it to sound good.

and thank God what sounds "good" is a subjective assessment!

 

[flimz]

I think I might try some of those Redbacks mixed with the M65s. I like what Ive heard in the few clips out there.

 

[LP Freak]

Well I owned 2 MCII's so I'd hardly call anything I said urban legend. Sad thing is guys spend $4K on an amp and automatically expect it to sound good.

and thank God what sounds "good" is a subjective assessment!

Well it's far from sounding bad

 

[halebox]

I tried all greenbacks, all vintage 30's, all G12-65, 2 v30 and 2 g12-65 mix, V30 and 75 watt mix.......so it wasn't a speaker thing for me.

-just not your thing I guess, what did ya rock after the WIZARD?

The SLO is home for me and main amp. It is also not an easy amp to figure out for some and it's not an easy amp to shred on. It cuts through anything and I always hear it. The mids are just where I want them. If something is off in the chain you hear it where as some other amps everything sounds similar. Once you play a good guitar with good frets and pickups through a good cab then you hear what this amp can do. I did record an album with MCII on one side and SLO on other. It worked really well

 

[Racerxrated]

Well I owned 2 MCII's so I'd hardly call anything I said urban legend. Sad thing is guys spend $4K on an amp and automatically expect it to sound good.

and thank God what sounds "good" is a subjective assessment!

Well it's far from sounding bad

Agreed.

Like I said before, they are awesome. But I think a good Marshall either modded or with a boost is equally awesome.

I also like a good Marshall over all the Friedman stuff too. Something about those Marshall mids that the other brands don't quite capture.
For me to spend 3k or so it better be heads and tails above my favorite Marshall tone. For me it wasn't so I sold it.
Still a fantastic amp though.

 

[Alex_S]

Well I owned 2 MCII's so I'd hardly call anything I said urban legend. Sad thing is guys spend $4K on an amp and automatically expect it to sound good.

Fortunately, I only spent $2500 from guitar center used gear for the MCI I've been rocking for the last 18 months...stopped my gas for now have not bought an amp since. No loop on mine so I use a fryette power station for a delay. You loose some of the oomph of the wizard but it has plenty to spare.

Seems unlike most on here I used mine a bit different. The scott Ian youtube video sold me. I set mine up on lead channel no boosts pulled, gain around noon...sometimes a little more or less but I never used the pull boost although if I was in a band it would come in very handy for two different sounds and I'm sure I'd use it for that if I needed it.

This clip gives a close representation of how my MCI sounds, and set up on the lead channel about like I set mine, no pull boost. Sounds almost every bit as old school as my Metropoulos 12,000 but even better in my view.

The clips are amazing! Great tone and playing. Reminds me that I miss a SG

 

[RedPlated]

I tried all greenbacks, all vintage 30's, all G12-65, 2 v30 and 2 g12-65 mix, V30 and 75 watt mix.......so it wasn't a speaker thing for me.

-just not your thing I guess, what did ya rock after the WIZARD?

The SLO is home for me and main amp. It is also not an easy amp to figure out for some and it's not an easy amp to shred on. It cuts through anything and I always hear it. The mids are just where I want them. If something is off in the chain you hear it where as some other amps everything sounds similar. Once you play a good guitar with good frets and pickups through a good cab then you hear what this amp can do. I did record an album with MCII on one side and SLO on other. It worked really well

I found my SLO was actually extremely easy to play leads on. That's it's forte imo. And I usually had gain between 2-4 on the dial. Wizard is far less forgiving.

 

[Alex_S]

SJK those clips sound good. I do remember liking my SG the most through it. Also I will mention the clean channel on the MCII was amongst the best and instant great sound. The other channel I just couldnt get it where I needed it in a live situation. I played one show blasting that $4000+ amp and I kept shoving my ears in the speakers thinking where is it? I swapped speakers and tubes a bunch then gave up. But it recorded really nice go figure? I think its just the diode clipping sound that I cant connect with. Also felt like way too many balancing knobs like the bright in back the loop level the boost. I don't like that. And that fuckin Contour knob WTF it barely did anything. I spent a lot of time with it and just wasn't my sound. And you have to order a weird after market footswitch with 4 1/4 inch jacks.

Don't get me wrong: it's perfectly fine, how you think about the Wizard. Even a complete dislike would be completely ok. Everyone has different ears and everybody a different taste. It is just that your comments like "the Contour knob did barely anything" that makes me wonder what's the difference between what i have and what you had. If your amp was broken or whatever. The Contour on mine does make a huge difference.

Again don't want to convince you about anything. It's just my experience differs very much. Leaving out the taste aspect.