panhead
Well-known member
If they are so great why does everybody sale them? Serious, I want to know.
cardinal
Well-known member
I'd love to try one to see what they're about. But the descriptions of them relative to a Marshall kinda remind me of how people describe a Matchless compared to a Vox, and I love Vox amps but just do not like the stiffness and lack of compression of a Matchless. I worry a Wizard would give me the same problems.
Devin
Well-known member
People get cold feet having that much money wrapped up in an amp
Having played one, I can say I think they are incredible
Having played one, I can say I think they are incredible
R
Racerxrated
Well-known member
Because they are worth a lot of money, and GAS is a real thing.
I sold mine because I figured out a way to nab a C+ Coliseum. But if not for that I’d still have that MC100. They are great amps with the best clarity and thump out there; short of a Mesa Coliseum. But they have NO compression at all, even less than a VHT IMO. Which takes some getting used to. It’s also picky about boost pedals, if you want to add back compression. The mids are not quite Marshall if that’s your thing. But no amp stays together like they do all the way up the volume knob…I think every gearhead should try one at some point.
I sold mine because I figured out a way to nab a C+ Coliseum. But if not for that I’d still have that MC100. They are great amps with the best clarity and thump out there; short of a Mesa Coliseum. But they have NO compression at all, even less than a VHT IMO. Which takes some getting used to. It’s also picky about boost pedals, if you want to add back compression. The mids are not quite Marshall if that’s your thing. But no amp stays together like they do all the way up the volume knob…I think every gearhead should try one at some point.
Mark Skid
Well-known member
Wizard amps sound good. Not what I'd choose as a go-to rig, as that's not my sound. For me, it's VOX, Ampeg, and Marshall. Although, I would love to get my hands on an old Fender tweed Deluxe. For anyone who's interested, Ritchie Blackmore's Marshall's were refitted with VOX AC30 guts.
lespaul6
Well-known member
I like the way they sound.. I sold mine because I thought I had too much money in them- and I just sound like me when I play through different amps anyway.
RockyStar
Well-known member
Probably because they are loud as piss and not a bedroom players amp. They aren't the most versatile amps out there either compared to some others. They sound amazing, they are loud, they are expensive, they are loud. Did I say they are loud?
ZEN Amps
Well-known member
Exactly this. I would add that equating quality of product with resale frequency is a flawed argument. There's a number of 1959 bursts for sale at any given time, and they're pretty ok axes.
ZEN Amps
Well-known member
Plenty of things in life to worry about - this is not one of them. Personally I don't find them all that stiff and uncompressed, contrary to these popular descriptors.
Devin
Well-known member
Agreed; i found it to be a joy to play personally
thegame
Well-known member
Let's define "everybody". OP, you are correct in observing that there is a higher than expected turnover of Wizard amplifiers amongst your average gear hobbyist (like myself). However, it's an undisputable fact that Wizards populate quite a large number of professional world class recording studios worldwide. All those producers, engineers, etc at those studios are not letting those Wizards go because they perform incredibly well under the mic. And there are quite a few touring artists with Wizards in their live racks that keep them for years because not much else punches through a pumping loud live band like a Wizard. What I'm taking a long time to say is that a Wizard cannot be fully appreciated until it is heard in a recorded full band mix with all other instruments or live on stage with a full band blasting away.
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DanTravis62
Moderator
Moderator
Wizards are great amps.
I think they're for sale alot because people buy them, and then realize they cant really use them to their potential as a bedroom practice amp.
I think they're for sale alot because people buy them, and then realize they cant really use them to their potential as a bedroom practice amp.
DragonCrestPC
Well-known member
Wizards are great amps, i had a MCII KT150 but there were other amps i preferred so i sold it.
Luca79
Well-known member
Don't think is a always a good thing for hi-gain.
panhead
Well-known member
Thanks guys, I just wanted some insight as to why.
Geetarman74
New member
I grabbed one recently to see what all the fuss was about. I feel like I had tried almost everything else.
So far, I love the amp (MCII). It has a great growl in the mids, stays incredibly tight, takes all the OD pedals I’ve tried very well.
While it doesn’t have the compression of a Friedman, I haven’t found it difficult to play.
I think one of the main reasons people flip them is the unrealistic expectation of life-changing tone when you spend that kind of money. They get it and realize they are still the same player…with a really nice amp, that doesn’t make them suddenly sound and play like their hero.
And…you can get two other awesome amps for the price of a Wizard. Most people make that choice.
So far, I love the amp (MCII). It has a great growl in the mids, stays incredibly tight, takes all the OD pedals I’ve tried very well.
While it doesn’t have the compression of a Friedman, I haven’t found it difficult to play.
I think one of the main reasons people flip them is the unrealistic expectation of life-changing tone when you spend that kind of money. They get it and realize they are still the same player…with a really nice amp, that doesn’t make them suddenly sound and play like their hero.
And…you can get two other awesome amps for the price of a Wizard. Most people make that choice.
RedPlated
Well-known member
I’ve had four Wizards. Two MCII and two MTL. Just didn’t do it for me in the end. The MTL’s had too round of an attack and lost clarity at high gain for me. MCii is cool but just not “enough” without a boost.
They’re amazingly built amps but I found myself constantly turning knobs to get the sound I wanted that just wasn’t there.
I probably did not play them loud enough. But my ears ring already so I don’t need an amp that I have to blow the windows out with to sound great. And the price point makes it hard to justify if it doesn’t do exactly what I want.
I am not knocking these amps at all in general. They just weren’t for me. And that was the question asked by the OP.
They’re amazingly built amps but I found myself constantly turning knobs to get the sound I wanted that just wasn’t there.
I probably did not play them loud enough. But my ears ring already so I don’t need an amp that I have to blow the windows out with to sound great. And the price point makes it hard to justify if it doesn’t do exactly what I want.
I am not knocking these amps at all in general. They just weren’t for me. And that was the question asked by the OP.
R
Racerxrated
Well-known member
True..I ran my OD1X in front and it did add some saturation and compression, plus a bump in the upper mids.
R
Racerxrated
Well-known member
Yep; I knew I had to try a Wizard when I first heard one live in 2014 with The Pretty Reckless….one of if not THE best live tone I’d ever heard.
* velcro-fly *
Well-known member
I'm the opposite. I got a great deal on used MC25 4 years ago and sold basically everything else. I do have a Bogner 3534 too but its a completely different amp. I've owned a shit ton of amps and nothing else out there does the Wizard thing. That 'thing' doesn't work for everybody though and its critical to understand this isn't a play by yourself kind of amp, the magic is apparent in the mix and on stage with other instruments.
Besides the expense, which is crazy, I really think the majority of people trying these should get the MC25 first....the 50 and 100 watt MCII's have sonic missile capability, potential to completely overwhelm everything. That monstrous low end and footprint becomes unusable in a normal band setting. I play with a loud drummer, other guitar guy has a 100 watt Marshall DSL, and I get nowhere near to completely opening the MC25 up. Outdoors I add a cabinet. I don't use any pedals, just plugging straight in. I would look at a 50 watt MCII if he was able to stuff it in an MC25 sized shell, but the price of that would frighten me too... I also think people mistake "loud" for "clarity". I'll guarantee that if you put a db meter on a Bogner / Friedman and Wizard and they were reading the same level, the Wizard will sonically present and feel as louder due to lack of compression.
Long winded, but yeah, mines not going anywhere but back to Rick for an update.
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