Has any gear dealer tried to bring them in here before? I was wondering coz they seem to be very good amps for their price(in-between mass produced and boutique just like THD), looks and quality. They have various models from small to big wattages and also being used by a lot of respected players. Having said that, what do you guys think why they are still not yet here?
Dr Z amps
- Thread starter edgie
- Start date
The market for amps in Singapore is sadly very poor. Just look at those beautiful Fender reissue tube amps that are just decaying away in the Swee Lee showrooms, they're even ignored during the 50% sales.
It's a sin really, when amps are actually the most important component in an electric guitar sound, even more so than your boutique pedals and guitars. A lot of people here just haven't gotten around to this fact. Why they would spend hefty dollars on guitars and pedals but unwilling to invest in a good tube amp is completely beyond me. Even Ceriatone who I've heard makes a good and reliable tube amps at unbelievably low prices is taking a back seat to cheap solid state amps.
After you consider that, Dr. Z would have an even harder time here cause their amps are targeted for Country and Blues players, and most local players are playing different genres. They do make excellent amps though, been interested in the EZG-50 myself.
It's a sin really, when amps are actually the most important component in an electric guitar sound, even more so than your boutique pedals and guitars. A lot of people here just haven't gotten around to this fact. Why they would spend hefty dollars on guitars and pedals but unwilling to invest in a good tube amp is completely beyond me. Even Ceriatone who I've heard makes a good and reliable tube amps at unbelievably low prices is taking a back seat to cheap solid state amps.
After you consider that, Dr. Z would have an even harder time here cause their amps are targeted for Country and Blues players, and most local players are playing different genres. They do make excellent amps though, been interested in the EZG-50 myself.
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So are Mesa, everyone has them, their not even in the 'boutique' category, don't mean it's that easily found here.
Their great amps yes, fantastic and I want a Stangray or the 5watter myself. However just an advice to not to let tone quest cloud your judgement on even more 'moderately' priced easier to find locally amps here.
I've played a Stingray through a Mesa Cab before, with various guitars. A Van Zandt Strat sounded cool, but a Lentz Tele through that was unforgettable. Too bad I didn't know any Paisley licks then.
If you really really really really really really really really DO want one, PM me.
Their great amps yes, fantastic and I want a Stangray or the 5watter myself. However just an advice to not to let tone quest cloud your judgement on even more 'moderately' priced easier to find locally amps here.
I've played a Stingray through a Mesa Cab before, with various guitars. A Van Zandt Strat sounded cool, but a Lentz Tele through that was unforgettable. Too bad I didn't know any Paisley licks then.
If you really really really really really really really really DO want one, PM me.
I find that the reissue Fenders for that price don't match what someone could get for cheaper, at bedroom levels, and still get tube satisfaction. Could even inport some more 'boutique' things for their price with more 'personal-I-love-my-special' mojo amp.
But their not bad, just decent.
I think you would find many guys here do pay attention to their amps. It just gets clouded by the more, I should say, naive gear hunters.
Not that I should say much, I only have a Marshall CD15 =] Start your flaming.
Dude, that would only be if you're living in the US. How many shops here bring in tube amps and how many brands do they carry? If you want to get one of those boutique tube amps, you'll have to pay at least $300 just for shipping alone. Those Fender amps at Swee Lee are actually very good value if you buy them during the 50% sale, in this case they're cheaper than importing an amp overseas, unless you're considering Ceriatone.
Could it be also because of the fact that a lot of musicicans here know that swee lee's prices are way above the normal prices for those amps? As we all know, when it comes to prices, musicians now are way smarter coz of the net.
Well, i guess this has got to do something with people's bias towards non-American made products. Ceriatone can't compete with Dr Z in the prestige deparment.
They are pricier than they should be but notice that even during the half price sales where people are crowding the guitar area, the amp section is almost always devoid of people? That to me pretty much shows the general attitude players here have towards amps. I don't think it's just biasness, regardless of how prestigious or well-made an amp is, you're gonna have a tough time selling it here.
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[QUOTE=PAF
Yes, i agree that a good guitar amp make lot of different -
Once i was playing a all tube amp and it make me forgot how to use all my pedal.
However due to the fact that most of us stay in a 100 odd square meter apartment.
and our "friendly" next door and the man in blue would turn up if we play too loud even though the vol level barely hit 1 or 2.
But i do see lot of low wattage tube amp is coming up......
Yes, i agree that a good guitar amp make lot of different -
Once i was playing a all tube amp and it make me forgot how to use all my pedal.
However due to the fact that most of us stay in a 100 odd square meter apartment.
and our "friendly" next door and the man in blue would turn up if we play too loud even though the vol level barely hit 1 or 2.
But i do see lot of low wattage tube amp is coming up......
True. Before TYMC was a dealer(still is) of THD amps, i emailed THD how much it would cost to ship a flexi-50 and their 2 x 12 cab here. They quoted 300 for the head and 400 for the cab. So that's easily 700sgd just for shipping.
But.. if i'm not mistaken, there are some tax priviledges for entrepreneurs here so shop owners can actually choose to absorb all or some of the tax or pass them to customers. Meaning we can have them here at a cheaper prices than what they are now if dealers would be happy with smaller profits but more sales rather than the aforementioned swee lee case where the overpriced amps are collecting dust in their showrooms.
We tend to compute the price amps as if we are buying online but we must also remember that official dealers are also having them for cheaper-than-or-equal-to-street prices for bnew units so I really do think that gear prices can be pulled down if more dealers would be willing to sacrifice some profit for more sale potential.
If this question is for me, I'm thinking of having their small wattage amp in the future but not so soon due to the economic crisis.
Same. I really want a mini Z. And their amps really are different although similar to the classic Vox's. But I might go for a Night Train or AC4TV. Not the same as a Dr.Z or anything else there are for Class A money, but for low volume tubeness and price from the shops here it's a way to go.
But I don't rule out a real one maybe next year =]
But I don't rule out a real one maybe next year =]
junkiemanxl
Active member
the fender amps at swee lee are great. i was planning on picking one up yesterday
BUT....
after some test between several models, Those amps delivered! but it hit me that why would i need an amp with that kinda wattage. For 2-3k+, would these beautiful amps fulfill my needs? actually no. they are all eye candy and i wont mind having one of them in my bedroom but You would have to really crank it up to work the tubes at very high volumes. Most of us live in apartments and that can seem rather unpractical.
I live in a private house and i still find it much too loud in the bedroom. I would love to remain married and hence opted out of getting a 40-60 watter tube amp and not turn the tranquility of the house inside out. hahaha
I would like to give a go at the DR Z's as well. seen quite a few of gearmandude's videos. the Z's sound good
BUT....
after some test between several models, Those amps delivered! but it hit me that why would i need an amp with that kinda wattage. For 2-3k+, would these beautiful amps fulfill my needs? actually no. they are all eye candy and i wont mind having one of them in my bedroom but You would have to really crank it up to work the tubes at very high volumes. Most of us live in apartments and that can seem rather unpractical.
I live in a private house and i still find it much too loud in the bedroom. I would love to remain married and hence opted out of getting a 40-60 watter tube amp and not turn the tranquility of the house inside out. hahaha
I would like to give a go at the DR Z's as well. seen quite a few of gearmandude's videos. the Z's sound good
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It's definitely not a good idea to get a Twin Reverb if you only play at home but what about the Deluxe Reverbs and Blues Jrs? Those are good low volume amps. The Super Reverb is useable at home too, just plug in to the low input jack when you play at night.
Loud amps (as long as you're not going above 50 watts, those are wall crackers) from a lot of builders aren't really a problem these days too; you have master volumes, half power switches, power scalings or outboard attenuators to tame them.
My point is that just by looking at the lack of interests in tube amps in local stores and forums pretty much describes everything when it comes to amp demand in Singapore. Just take the number of amp discussion threads in SOFT and versus them against separate pedal and guitar threads and you'll get the idea.
Loud amps (as long as you're not going above 50 watts, those are wall crackers) from a lot of builders aren't really a problem these days too; you have master volumes, half power switches, power scalings or outboard attenuators to tame them.
My point is that just by looking at the lack of interests in tube amps in local stores and forums pretty much describes everything when it comes to amp demand in Singapore. Just take the number of amp discussion threads in SOFT and versus them against separate pedal and guitar threads and you'll get the idea.
EugeneSmasher
New member
Many guitarists (me included) use pedals for our distorted tones, so all we need in an amplifier is a good clean tone. Many solid-state amplifiers can deliver good clean tones, and furthermore the tone doesn't break into overdrive when you crank the volume knob, so maybe that is why many pay more attention to pedals and guitars rather than amplifiers...
A low-wattage tube amplifier that remains clean at higher volumes would be a real treat for me, though.
A low-wattage tube amplifier that remains clean at higher volumes would be a real treat for me, though.
superpotato_30
New member
Its nice to want things.
I want randy's original amp back in the day when he was around but sadly
That aside besides DR z wad abt Badcats
But Carr amps are a lot more expensive than Dr. Zs, aren't they? So price-wise, it would be the other way around.