GBREVIEW AMPLIFIER DR Z EZG-50 EZIN A UK EXCLUSIVE, DAVID GREEVESRIDER TEST-DRIVES THE NEW EZG-50, DR Z’S HOMAGE TO ONE OF THE GREATEST GUITAR SOUNDS OF ALL TIME We got our very first PRE & POWER AMP the same elliptical opening as the ... tantalising glimpse of the The EZG-50 is a single-channel amp, front, though without a grille cloth, much-anticipated EZG-50 when available in head format only. As is allowing clear sight of the amplifier’s we visited Dr Z back in issue 85. typical of Dr Z amps, there aren’t valve complement. Taking its lead from classic dozens of different knobs to fiddle Alongside the pair of 6L6 output mid-1960s ‘blackface’ Fender about with – the company generally valves is a GZ34 power rectifier valve. amps like the Super Reverb and prefers to offer the player a minimalist The natural compression that occurs Pro Reverb, the EZG-50 is billed selection of functional, carefully when this valve is faced with a surge GBINFO by Dr Z as delivering the designed controls. And so it is with the in demand for power on the initial DR Z EZG-50 definitive 6L6 clean sound – in new EZG-50, which has just seven attack of loud notes should hopefully PRICE: £1,450 other words, big, bright and ribbed cream control knobs. add some bouncy and expressive ‘sag’ BUILT IN: USA beloved of blues, country, soul The layout is clear and easy to get to the sound of the amp. The preamp TYPE: All-valve head and rock ’n’ roll players. your head around, with pre and post uses two 12AX7s and two NOS (‘new POWER: 50 watts The Fender Super Reverb was used volume controls, treble, mid and bass old stock’) 12AT7 valves. A couple of VALVES: 2 x 6L6, by a whole host of great players, EQ controls and reverb dwell and mix sizeable transformers also hang down 2 x 12AX7, 2 x 12AT7, 1 x GZ34 including Muddy Waters, Johnny controls. However, it’s worth pointing from the amp chassis and contribute FEATURES: Single channel Winter and Stevie Ray Vaughan, but out that the pre and post controls work to the EZG-50’s 18kg weight. with pre & post volume, treble, mid, bass, reverb it’s the latter who is largely responsible a little differently to conventional gain Inside the chassis, the circuitry is dwell & reverb mix for the reverence afforded to this amp and master volume controls. Dr Z all meticulously wired by hand and, controls, spring reverb, 3 x speaker outputs (4, 8 & by blues fans. explains: “That circuit came out of the having visited Dr Z’s workshop in 16 ohms) Dr Z is very open about the sound need to get to the sweet spot that Cleveland, Ohio, we have the utmost DIMENSIONS: 257(h) x he’s aiming for with the new EZG-50: 40-watt Fender amps have at 4 on the confidence in the build quality of 578(w) x 254(d) mm WEIGHT: 18kg (40lbs) “With all my amps I try to capture a dial. Today, turning up to 4 is just too these amps. The EZG-50 uses sound that I’ve heard on a recording loud for most clubs. I designed the high-quality components throughout, or a sound that’s in my head,” he says. circuit to give enough output drive to including some NOS Allen Bradley DR Z 4X10 CAB “For example, the Stang Ray – that was thicken the output at a lower volume.” carbon comp resistors. So far, so good. PRICE: £549 the opening chord of ‘A Hard Day’s We will see how this works in practice BUILT IN: USA Night’. Clang! That piano-like tone. in due course. CABINETS & SPEAKERS TYPE: Closed-back 4x10 cab The Route 66 was a ‘Hideaway’-type Meanwhile, the EQ controls are We’re testing out the EZG-50 with one POWER: 280 watts @ 4 tone from the Bluesbreaker’s ‘Beano’ self-explanatory, while the reverb dwell of Dr Z’s open-backed 4x10 speaker ohms album. The EZG came about because and mix knobs set the length of the cabinets, fitted with a quartet of SPEAKERS: 4 x 10-inch Dr Z custom speakers of the SRV Live At The El Mocambo reverb tail and level of the effect custom 10-inch ceramic-magnet DIMENSIONS: 610(h) x tone and later Hendrix recordings respectively. The tube-driven reverb speakers, made to the company’s 610(w) x 254(d) mm when he was using blackface amps.” circuit uses a short spring reverb tray, exact specifications by Eminence. WEIGHT: 24kg (53lbs) These are certainly big shoes to fill, mounted in the bottom of the head. A number of other options are CONTACT: but if the EZG-50 can deliver… Let’s There’s no effects loop at the rear, just available, including the unusual 2x12 Peach Guitars just say that there will be a lot of tone three speaker output sockets (at 4, 8 Thiele-ported ‘Z Best’ cabinet (£599). PHONE: 01376 553675 freaks out there taking an interest in and 16 ohms) and an IEC mains power The 4x10 cab uses a traditional WEB: www.drzamps.com this one. Let’s see what it’s made of. socket. The rear of the amp features floating baffle design and is built ➔ 74 GUITARBUYER NOVEMBER 2008 GBREVIEW AMPLIFIER DR Z EZG-50 THIS YEAR’S MODEL DR Z CELEBRATES THE BIG TWO-ZERO Sharp-eyed found himself readers may have building bespoke noticed this amps for small metal sometime Eagle plaque screwed and all-round into the top of guitar god Joe the EZG-50. Walsh. The This neat, company has since unobtrusive expanded to offer adornment over a dozen celebrates Dr Z different designs, Amps’ 20th all hand-built in anniversary and traditional fashion, will appear only on amps made and can count the likes of the n Both head and cab are during 2008. Mike Zaite (aka Black Crowes, Death Cab For neatly upholstered in smart Dr Z) started the company, Cutie, the Bluesbreakers’ and durable blonde Tolex which is based in Cleveland, Buddy Whittington and Brad Ohio, back in 1988, and soon Paisley among its users. from high-quality Baltic birch ply. Both head and cab are neatly upholstered in smart and durable there’s something almost blonde Tolex, though as with all Dr Z amps, they’re also available in black or red. When it comes to the grille cloth, magical about this sound you have the choice of ‘salt & pepper’ (shown here), tan, brown or black, though we think the grille/Tolex combination seen on the review samples works particularly well with the amp’s black and cream control panel, complete with it’s funky Interstate signpost-style EZG-50 logo. If the head looks rather large (and n The 10-inch speakers it’s certainly not small), this is are custom-made to something of an optical illusion Dr Z specs by Eminence caused by the fact that the 4x10 cab is the same width as the head. In fact, amp does start break into overdrive, the EZG-50 is smaller than a Marshall the sound doesn’t loose any of its DSL head, for example, and looks wonderful, sparkly clarity. Thanks in much more in proportion atop a 2x12 part to the open-backed 4x10 cab, the or 4x12 cab. However, for Fender amp pumps out a huge, room-filling Bassman and Super Reverb fans, it has sound. There’s masses of full and to be a 4x10, and we don’t think that fruity bass, even with the bass control anyone could disagree that this turned well down. Ease back the mid matching head and cab have a very control too and you’re rewarded with strong visual presence. a sweet, chiming tone that works brilliantly with single-coil pickups. SOUNDS Turning up the treble knob seems to So, on to the important stuff – how bring in more gain in the top end, does it sound? Before spending some adding some dirt to the high quality time with our review sample, frequencies. we’d already seen the EZG-50 being It’s rare to find an amp that put through its paces by some manages to sound so clean and bright top-class players (including and sweet and lush at the same time. Bluesbreakers guitarist and long-time There’s something almost magical Dr Z user Buddy Whittington) and about the top end here. Even with the were mightily impressed. So, after volume and treble turned up high, getting the amp all to ourselves and there’s no harshness in evidence – and putting it through its paces under we do mean none. The sound is laboratory conditions, we were supremely bright and clear but always pleasantly surprised to find that the very pleasing and musical, and EZG-50 sounds even better than we certainly never piercing in that remembered. take-your-head-off way that some There’s plenty of volume and lots of Twins and Super Reverbs can be. clean headroom, and even when the The EZG-50 covers everything ➔ 76 GUITARBUYER NOVEMBER 2008 GBREVIEW AMPLIFIER DR Z EZG-50 ... details HIGH-QUALITY BUILD and outstanding boutique tone n The clearly laid-out front panel features n The dwell and mix controls set the length some suitably traditional cream knobs of the reverb tail and level of the effect n The control panel is completed by a funky Interstate signpost-style EZG-50 logo GBCONCLUSION from completely clean territory up to While it will excel with any guitar, GBVERDICT medium break-up, and if you want the EZG-50 seems particularly suited LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT DR Z EZG-50 more distortion, the amp responds to Strat players.