Wizard amps Vintage Classic

[MHProd]

Looks cool !! You should add some fans to cool off the tubes though...

[photios]

Looks cool !! You should add some fans to cool off the tubes though...

That was our original plan...but during the start-up and testing phase of the amp, we noticed that the aluminum chassis conducts the heat away quite efficiently and that the amp never got anything other than just warm to the touch. Also, I don't think the picture shows this but the chassis has holes drilled at evenly spaced intervals along the side in 3 horizontal rows...we speculate that perhaps this helps quite a bit with keeping things cool.

Since we finished this build about a month ago I have been putting it thru all kinds of tests and many for long periods of time...so far it has never attained a temperature that even mildly concerns me. I do have an ultra quiet, low profile fan that was purchased to be used for this build but to date I'm glad we decided to try it first w/o the fan...I just don't believe it's needed. It certainly could still be installed and perhaps as I continue to test and use the amp it will make its way off my bench and into the amp...I won't take any chances at all so even if I get slightly concerned with the operating temperature, the fan is going in...I'm a "belt and suspenders" kinda guy...you know, where 2 nails will hold something in place I use 5 screws.

But to date I am not the least concerned with the temperature and I'm glad we elected not to install the fan...it would have added weight, a separate power supply and possibly some background noise. More testing over time will tell if it does in fact get a fan as part of the final product...I'll give another update in a month or so.

[Greazygeo]

The other great thing that I really like about this amp is the master volume on the back. I wasn't planning on using it because I've never heard a Plexi type amp that sounded good with any type of MV. BUT this one DO SOUND GREAT !!! I don't believe it's the traditional PPIMV.

looks like a big ohmite rheostat to me... http://www.ohmite.com/cgi-bin/showpage. ... _wirewound" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

If you are looking at the pic above, that is a Modern Classic's impedance selector to the right.

[Greazygeo]

Diezel, Fortin, Engl SE, or 2 Wizards

George I know you love Wizards and that's great so lets just leave it at that.

....sorry if it's not cool to ask a few questions....

No, it's perfectly cool and I don't mind at all. I just don't want to get into a pissing match over Wizard amps and it seemed to be heading in that direction.

Cool. i was interested in the valuing part. When I hear things like..."the tone is 85% there" or it sounds like a $2500 amp, I wonder how that figure was come up with. Like is there a point system I'm missing?

I can see where bells and whistles can be important for some. I had a couple midi rigs and they were great. But like always ended up using one patch and rolling back for clean. Guess I'm lazy.....

[bdc]

I guess Page played Wizards in the CP era.........but I thought the tones were too high gain sounding..(buzz saw)...I'm more about the tortured el-34 sound(or el84)
If Wizards deliver the Angus or Malcolm sound I'm down with it, but I already own a couple of 70s Marshall 50Ws and my 18 watt builds do AC/DC tone plenty good enough for me! If the guy gets 4700$ for his amps! more power to him! I think the best sounding high gain amp I've ever heard was the Bogner Extacy, but I'd rather Torture a Shiva!

I think the look of the build quality on the photo above is awesome! Looks like he has his own way of wiring heaters? I'm not into ODs either but come on, this guy builds amps for Page and AC/DC! If he likes ODs, more power to him! A lot of people like Randall Smiths amps and he uses em' too....

[Structo]

You could put the fan so it is blowing out the back, sucking clean air in from the vent holes.
Supposedly it's not good to blow air on power tubes directly because it causes uneven temperatures on the glass.

You probably already know all this but it makes me happy to type it.

[photios]

You could put the fan so it is blowing out the back, sucking clean air in from the vent holes.
Supposedly it's not good to blow air on power tubes directly because it causes uneven temperatures on the glass.

You probably already know all this but it makes me happy to type it.

That was the plan...but as stated above, its not necessary...the amp doesn't run hot.

[abugh]

Hi!
Can anybody share the circuit diagram of a wizard for example vintage or modern classic? I think it would make hundreds of people happy. (and me too Or does anybody know what's the secret of wizard, so what the difference is between wizard and marshall (in tech and schematic)?
Thank you!

[motorhead]

The jubilee comparison is because they
are diode induced for overdrive. They sound great.

[Maverick]

LED clipping on the wizard???????

[Lefty Lou]

What does a $4700.00 amp sound like?

"It sounds like a $5.00 milkshake tastes like" - John Travolta as Vincent Vega in the movie "Pulp Fiction".

[Janglin_Jack]

willing to post some gut shots of your Vintage Classic? I would be very interested in seeing what's in there, as I'm sure many other board members would too. Information on these amps is farely scarce.

I recently built this amp with a friend of mine...

Photios of KC/DC band....Are you still using that Gretsch Malcolm Young I sold you years ago. Hope all is well with you and the band.

Mike

[SteadyEddie]

Those green components on the power tube sockets, are those caps? Looks like those Russian paper-in-oil caps. I've never seen resistors that look like that (but that's not saying anything)
I would expect an amp that has metal film resistors and orange drop caps to sound like a fizzy mess, but apparently these don't, I'm curious about the circuit...

[Tone Junkie]

Probably best not to share the circuit on the internet, not cool if someone is still making there lively hood from it.
Bill

[pstar]

i can chime in here, since i own a new modern classic 2. This new model is way beyond the older model that was initially posted. This new model has alot more useful/functional features. Now this amp is built for concert stages, not a bedroom wannabe. Being a pro player who has toured many years, reliability as to road worthiness and consistent sound , nite after nite is where this amp delivers. I can not have amps acting up when i'm on the road.
Now this amp is not a jub clone. It is plexi based with more octane juice. It is not loose but very focused , so u better have some technique, u cannnot hide behind it. Also these newer models are offered with 7 different trannies, therefore a wide array to zero in on the tone /feel that you prefer.