tsp17

Well done.

Got it back from my amp guy today. Sounds really good. He replaced the reverb tank with a smaller one and relocated it to avoid the hum/buzz. Runs super quiet and well now. Also had him connect the bias adjustment pot to the back panel so i don't have to pull the chassis when re-biasing.

I’ve also replaced the 59s in a lot of guitars, but they sound great in my H575 Custom. I usually end up with Lollar Imperials as the replacement.

Love this. Genius. I went there once. Wish i had thought to have an H with me. Well done!!!

awesome snag.

Yeah- I can’t figure it out. I will give my amp tech jeff Snider (Snider Amps) a shot at it. He often recommends other little tweaks to improve an amp and is very reasonable. Good guy. He modded my old Vintage Sound 20 and it was awesome. I might have him do some version of the Dr. Z mod on this one. Dr. Z recommended sending it to them to do (rightly so) but the shipping cost alone makes it not so feasible. Would almost double the cost of the mod round trip.

Ugh! Had it dialed in perfect for a day then i moved the amp to try it with a different cabinet (the one i gig with) and the reverb cut out. Tried changing the reverb tube, no luck. Maybe a loose connection. Into the shop it will go. Bummer.

This amp was good but almost unmanageable on delivery. Sounded really kind of amazing, but noisy and so LOUD. Very Aggressive tone, even with the 'Pre" less than 11:00. Cool, but I need it to be more palatable at small/medium club level. I can hear why Dr. Z advertised it as having the SRV Mocambo sound. Jeez this thing is an animal. Couldn't quite settle it down at manageable volume. It was not original tubes. Loaded with what looked like a combination of JJ power tubes and a mix of JJ, GrooveTube and NOS preamp tubes. did some experimental tube swapping .... Tried TAD 7025 in V1 and V3 in an attempt to quiet the noise and settle things a bit. Nope. Tried Mesa Boogie 6L6GC and rectifier tubes I had hanging around from another amp...Better ... Tung-Sol 12ax7 reissue in V1 and V3- YES!!!!! Much quieter, warmer and just really plain soulful. Classic 6L6 bold and clear, lots of guts even super clean, still reflecting the character of this amp. I like it a lot. I'm going to try some other power tubes, and see where the tone journey takes it.

+1....me too. this simple device really helps.

thx @Jaguarguy. i think i’ll keep mine as is now too. i talked to Drt. Z and they say that the mod involves installing a choke and some other tweaks to make it more “user friendly”. I did some tube tweaking and I’ve got it sounding REALLY GOOD, so i’ll keep it stock for now. It was on the noisy side with the tubes that came in it, so i tried a few and settled on reissue Tung Sol 12ax7s that really did the trick. Between the cost of the mod and shipping (and hassle factor), maybe later. Next time i take it in to my tech i’ll have him install bias points and adjustment screw on the back panel for easier tube swapping.

I've heard about that. just sent Dr. Z an email to find out more. what does it entail if you know? I'm replacing some tubes today and it is coming into form....new Mesa rectifier tube, New Mesa 6L6 GC (also ordered some of my favorite TAD 6L6 to try). replaced the installed 12ax7s with TAD 7025. waiting on some new 12at7 to be delivered....

Thx. it is a lot of AMP. maybe too much for my needs, but I’ll play around with it for a while and see if I can dial it in. I didn’t believe the hype about Z WATTS. It is a beast. I get it now. I’m playing small/med places. Keeping the “pre” low seems to work best for me. Feedback an issue with hollow and semi which is what i play. I’ll keep tweaking…. I bet cranked it is close to as loud as a Twin Reverb or Dual Showman. Scary.

Dr. Z EZG-50 is now in the house. This thing is a beast. Big muscular sound. Can barely turn up to 11:00 volume even with the ‘pre’ at 9-10:00. Geez. 50 watts but feels like more. Love the 6L6 feel. reverb was a little noisy/hum. Changed the tube. Much better.

@Jaguarguydid you special order that red tolex and wood front panel or did they offer it that way as an option? Very cool vibe. also- correcting my prior post- my purchase was on Reverb. Not eBay.

@Jaguarguy very cool. Here’s mine awaiting shipment. Looking forward to getting it someday…

@Jaguarguy thanks for the videos. These give a better sense of it that the ones i found. I got a 20th anniversary version i found on eBay. The seller is in Asheville, so who knows when he’ll be able to ship, but i wanted to support musicians so i sent him the money. Hopefully a little cash infusion will help. He said that “most” of his family and friends are ok and accounted for. Sheesh. Scary stuff. He said the nearest functional UPS is an hour away. Roads flooded…geez. Tough going for those folks. I told him not to ship until safe to go. P.S. the Z-verb is 6v6. This one is 6L6. Looking forward to getting it (someday)

Considering head version of these - Anyone had experience with one or both? Always in search of a great clean portable 6L6 tone….not too bright, not too dark, ….tight low end…

What he said. I get the value in a true vintage instrument in its original stock form for collectability, posterity, nostalgia and resale value. But if I’m playing it for my own enjoyment or performing with it, I’ll customize it to feel, look and sound good to me. I usually keep the stock parts so that the next person can make their own decision based on their preferences, and it enhances the resale value. Other than that, game on. I’ve changed out at least one part on almost every guitar I’ve owned. Even my Super KB.

Side by side mesa 6v6s and JJ 6v6s are very similar , e.g. the ‘window’, but JJ is a bigger bottle and different base. You all with more tube expertise may notice other differences but those were visible to me with limited knowledge. Will post pics later.

I was thinking the same thing…I’ll do a side by side look.

Gigged with the JJs in my amp last night. Cleans were terrific. I’ve never been a JJ tube fan but these are good. posts above about them being somewhere between a traditional 6v6 and 6L6 are accurate. I liked it last night. They seem to suit this amp pretty well.

Very fun!

+1