Wizard Amps: Guys swear by them, clips don't do justice. Are there any clips - even of other amps - that come close?

[RaceU4her]

What speakers are you using? My old Mesa Hermansson sucked with V30s but was good with Greenbacks.

G12-65's work best for me as they are smoother, v30s are just too much clank. i told him i wanted as tight and aggressive as can be, and it certainly is that

 

[glpg80]

Yes it is a worthy replacement. The HRG RI absolutely kills and is as good, if not better than any vintage C+, depending on your taste (same goes for the Recto RI). If you prefer a more vintage flavor, the OG is your amp. If you’re cool with a slightly more modern sounding C+, get a RI. The bottom line is the RI is still a raw, vicious beast that’s 100% C+ and in no way sounds sterile, filtered, or polite like many modern amps.
If cash was a non factor, I’d still have both, because they are still different enough to justify that. In my case, I’m just as happy with the RI and the extra scratch.
As far as the ridiculous prices that the ++’s are going for, only a fool would spend more on a RI than what the OG’s are going for because “mEtAlLiCa ++ dRg.” It’s a $5.00 mod ffs and pulling the treble and bright knobs will get you close enough as far as saturation and additional gain go. If your amp is on Mike B’s bench, paying extra for the ++ mod is worth it. If it means spending an additional $4k plus for a RI to have it, fuck to the NO.
A C+ RI can do the scooped OSDM sound all day long and then some. I sold my VH140C because my OG ++ could nail that tone and do it better, with more punch, aggression and far better clarity.
If you’re considering an HRG RI for Metallica and OSDM toans, I can say with 100% certainty that you should do it ASAP.

Would you recommend the HRG 100 even against the coliseum? Debating getting an HRG in addition to the coliseum just to check it out but I wonder what it brings to the table that I don’t already have.

Backstory for everyone else - he owned my coliseum before I did.

 

[Steinmetzify]

Man I’ve been wondering about this for a few years now. I’m only on pg 1 but I don’t see/hear anything I have to have.

Not ragging on any guys’ clips as they were all stellar but it just really doesn’t seem to be my bag.

I’m all about my Herbert and my Mesas and my Cameron Kemper tones lately….

 

[Greazygeo]

Man I’ve been wondering about this for a few years now. I’m only on pg 1 but I don’t see/hear anything I have to have.

Not ragging on any guys’ clips as they were all stellar but it just really doesn’t seem to be my bag.

I’m all about my Herbert and my Mesas and my Cameron Kemper tones lately….

If you like those, there is nothing for you in a Wizard.

 

[Steinmetzify]

If you like those, there is nothing for you in a Wizard.

Glad to hear it man. Thanks for letting me know. You just saved me like $5k.

 

[DanTravis62]

If you like those, there is nothing for you in a Wizard.

Yeah those are definitely non-overlapping magisteria as far as tones go

 

[Steinmetzify]

Yeah those are definitely non-overlapping magisteria as far as tones go

Thanks man and thanks @Greazygeo for the tips. Like I said before, I’ve wondered. Nice to know I can cross em off my list and I only have like 35 amps to go….

 

[DanTravis62]

Thanks man and thanks @Greazygeo for the tips. Like I said before, I’ve wondered. Nice to know I can cross em off my list and I only have like 35 amps to go….

Man, I think we can all relate.

everyone has white whales out there that we need to try out. I've never played one of the new reissue marks or rectos, an uber ultra, a whole bunch of amps I really need to try out just to make sure

 

[glpg80]

Man, I think we can all relate.

everyone has white whales out there that we need to try out. I've never played one of the new reissue marks or rectos, an uber ultra, a whole bunch of amps I really need to try out just to make sure

I really want to try out the new driftwood Atlas 180

 

[DanTravis62]

I really want to try out the new driftwood Atlas 180

Absolutely, that thing looks beastly and the super high headroom and output is really a cool idea

zagging while everyone else zigs, as it were

 

[Beyond Black]

Would you recommend the HRG 100 even against the coliseum? Debating getting an HRG in addition to the coliseum just to check it out but I wonder what it brings to the table that I don’t already have.

Backstory for everyone else - he owned my coliseum before I did.

I’d recommend getting an HRG just to slave it through the Coli!
I’d slave my SG++ through it and it was incredible. All the tightness and aggression of the 60 through that 180 watt powerband was mindblowing.
IMO the HRG and your Coli are different enough to justify owning both. I prefer the core tone of a C+ to that of the Mark III, and you may as well. The HRG RI sounds incredible and has a juicy thing to it that the OG’s don’t even have.
Same goes for the Recto RI, as they’re both much improved in the mids. I say go for it.

 

[Greazygeo]

Glad to hear it man. Thanks for letting me know. You just saved me like $5k.

Sure thing, just being honest. Nothing wrong with what you like, just the Wizard stuff is not really anything like those.

 

[LPMojoGL]

I've had too many amps since my first "boutique" Zinky Mofo #13 of 100, that I got in 2005(?).
Bought my house in 2009. The amp flipping was in full swing after that, probably peaking in 2018, when I made the "Tower of Power" video, I'll post below.

I've learned that many amps will sound the same, going thru the same cab/mic, reactive load/IR or phone recording setup. The differences are mostly felt, and not really conveyed thru recordings.

I've narrowed down my favs to just 3, after flipping way too many amps: Soldano SLO100, Ground Zero modded Friedman SS100 and Wizard Modern Classic 50.

I absolutely love playing thru the Wizard. I've owned 3 Wizards. All had a feel/punch thing that I've only experienced with Wizards.
The feel is perfect, addictive, for the way I play.
The 50w MC sounds as big, if not bigger, than the other 2 100w amps.
I don't think it's the best sounding amp for all things. It can sound kind of hollow in the mids. It's not as juicy or singing on solos as a Naylor or SLO. It doesn't have the bark and rolled back chime of a cranked old Marshall or Vox. Certainly doesnt have the tubey compressed cleans and breakup like an old Fender. It sounds like a Marshall and Mesa MkIII had baby (maybe a touch of distortion pedal?), with some Hiwatt hugeness.

One of my friends hates the Wiz because it feels so unforgiving, but he loves the GZ SS.
I can make those 2 amps sound nearly identical, yet they feel quite different.
The Wiz is not quite VHT/Fryette stark. It doesn't have the give on pick attack of a boosted Marshall, which the GZ SS captures nicely (while sounding way more clear and punchy, amazing really). The Wiz is super rewarding for tight and dynamic picking.

Here's a pretty good Wizard clip, from Jason Hobbs. He has lots of em, of different Wizards, on his channel:



Here are a couple of clips I made of the SS vs Wiz:




A few of my fav clips I've made with the Wiz:




https://youtube.com/shorts/guxJoVSsYME?si=Tp0IIVAQjS28ffQR

https://youtube.com/shorts/3m49C1lmWhY?si=wKVW5HvvSR9gpsHj

And finally, that "Tower of Power" clip, comparing a Naylor, Mesa Rev F Dual Recto, JMP Marshall mv 100 and Wizard MC50:
https://youtu.be/0KqzZMVPeDg?si=gKXoVYeylsVMfiwF

 

[Steinmetzify]

Sure thing, just being honest. Nothing wrong with what you like, just the Wizard stuff is not really anything like those.

Much appreciated brother. I really love that 6L6 smeary easy high gain tone. I’m glad you could see that and go ‘nope!’ for my shit.

Thanks mang.

 

[Greazygeo]

Much appreciated brother. I really love that 6L6 smeary easy high gain tone. I’m glad you could see that and go ‘nope!’ for my shit.

Thanks mang.

There are times I like that too..usually have a 5150 around for that. Fun amp.

 

[saxxamafone]

I thought I’d love a wizard but I was very wrong. Had a mk2 MTL, sold it

Strange mids and the bright knob made it sound like an AM radio in my rig

Wasn’t modern but wasn’t classic either, caught in no man’s land

Tried tubes, settings, speakers etc, nothing worked

My Headfirst modded Marshalls slay the MTL in my experience and my Rev F recto is also well above the Wizard

All in my opinion of course

Good news is they hold their value pretty well when reselling

 

[ChurchHill]

Yeah those are definitely non-overlapping magisteria as far as tones go

Just curious, what would you consider overlapping? Same question for @Greazygeo and anyone else who likes Wizards.

I'm kinda in the same boat. I really like the clips, but I find myself wondering what it brings to my table. VH4 and Ultralead are probably the tightest amps I have. Not really in the same ballpark, but I don't really know because I've never played a Wizard.

 

[S̷͖͑m̵͎͂á̵̺s̸͚̈́h̴̬̑]

I thought I’d love a wizard but I was very wrong. Had a mk2 MTL, sold it

Strange mids and the bright knob made it sound like an AM radio in my rig

Wasn’t modern but wasn’t classic either, caught in no man’s land

Tried tubes, settings, speakers etc, nothing worked

My Headfirst modded Marshalls slay the MTL in my experience and my Rev F recto is also well above the Wizard

All in my opinion of course

Good news is they hold their value pretty well when reselling

I recently played a dual recto reissue and some unknown old dual rec and it was awesome. I am a big fan of the groundzero moab mod too. Wizards mids can be a bit offputting in a smaller room. But in a big enough room where the frequencies arent bouncing off everything, i think the wizards kill also.

 

[Greazygeo]

Just curious, what would you consider overlapping? Same question for @Greazygeo and anyone else who likes Wizards.

I'm kinda in the same boat. I really like the clips, but I find myself wondering what it brings to my table. VH4 and Ultralead are probably the tightest amps I have. Not really in the same ballpark, but I don't really know because I've never played a Wizard.. So I bought an UL 98-99 after hearing the guy in Danzig playing his. I owned that UL as my main amp for about 8 years. Then finally got a used Metal, then ultimately my MC that I still play.

I bought an UL in 98-99 and was my main amp for about 8 years. Got my MC1 in ‘05. Still playing it as my main amp. For me, the UL and my MC that Rick built for me in between ACDC tours are really not alike. The UL has a more modern tone and feel. The Wizard more high gain vintage Marshall voiced. They are both very clear with chords,tight lows etc. Similar gain. FX loop and channel switching are better on UL. The UL took a set and half to warm up then it sounded awesome. Wizard sounds awesome from the get go. Feel is different. But I like both. Sold the UL ages ago.

The newer Wizard stuff I have not tried, MCII, MTL Hellrazor etc, so I cannot comment. Newer stuff seems like more gain and saturation…

Never played a VH4, doesn’t seem like an amp for me.

Would like to have another UL…cool amp.

 

[ChurchHill]

Not to get too far off topic, but I find the VH4 to be incredibly versatile. Cleans are great, and I just stuck on Ch 2 which has a few things in common with a 2203. Gain and saturation just go up from there in Chs 3 & 4. Not that it sounds the same, but it has that in common with both the UL and SLO. While I find the high gain channels extremely satisfying, I'm more likely to get stuck on Ch 1 or 2 on the UL and on the Crunch channel on the SLO. They're not low gain sounds, but the clarity is unreal.

Are there any vintage or new Marshalls or Hiwatts that come close? I'd guess the feel would be different. I've heard some great Wizard clips, but it seems I can cover most of those sounds, at least same ballpark. Anything else feel like a Wizard?