We have always been a huge fan of Dr. Z amps. Not only are they located in our backyard in Cleveland, Ohio their tone is both original and reminiscent of our favorite amps of all time. This Z-Lux is no exception. After putting the amp through it’s paces with multiple guitars, pedals and playing styles we can honestly say this is our favorite Z to date.
The Z-Lux lives up to it’s name with top notch components both inside and out. The 1×12 combo that we tested looks huge. It looks like something that would way at least 85lbs. After looking at the specs and picking it up we found it to be very light and portable for it’s size weighing in at only 42lbs!
Upon plugging in a few different guitars we were amazed at it’s versatility. While still not quite as versatile as a Matchless or a Morgan it is a considerable improvement over the Maz series which sounds best with Tele guitars. Our Wasburn WP-50 (LP Style) guitar sounded thick and punchy through the amp and the amp did not break up like the other Z amps we have tried. It definitely is more of the Fender flavor than Vox but it also has some glassy chime that Fender’s do not have.
Like all Dr. Z’s the guts of the Z-Lux are world class. The wiring and soldering are clean and organized and the amp’s details live up to the quality that we come to expect from Dr. Z. The price at $2399 could make the Z-Lux one of the best priced boutique packages on the market.
Not only does the amp pair well with multiple guitars it takes pedals even better. We paired it with a JHS Alpine, Electro Harmonix Soul Food, and a Boss DD500 and the results were fantastic. The delays burst out of the amp while the reverb was lush and deep. The amp remains very clean so it is the perfect platform to stack overdrives.
If you are in the market for a good versatile amp that is neither too bassy nor too brittle this is an amp you should try out. If you are looking for a Nigel Hendroff Voxy chime I would stick with a Maz or other Vox style amp because while this amp can get in that general ballpark tone wise, a Vox is a Vox and a Matchless is a Matchless. On the same note the Z-Lux is a Z-Lux. It is neither Fender nor Vox which is refreshing in the world of boutique amp builders. Go try one today. Those of you looking to buy head over to one of these fine retailers:
- Woodsy’s Music – Kent, Ohio – $2399
- Chicago Music Exchange – Chicago, Illinois – $2399
- Humbucker Music – Chattanooga, Tennessee – $2399
- Reverb.com – $2399