|
Post by telefty on Apr 1, 2012 18:30:15 GMT -7
Hello Z fans! First post. I just got a new Monza. Old style head, no master volume. I really like the amp but experienced what many have talked about with this amp: no clean headroom and going quickly to roaring volume. So, I experimented with different pre-amp tubes. I put a 12AU7 equivalent in VI and a 12AT7 (ECC81) in V2. Made a big difference in both volume and clean headroom. I may have sacrificed overall volume too, but I don't know that yet. I have it running through an Old School Amplifiers 1x12 cabinet with a Jensen Falcon (green cone) speaker. I heard that lower gain pre-amp tubes may work the power tubes harder. Can anyone here confirm or deny this? Anyway, it still sounds good to my ears in this configuration, but I cant crank it that loud because it is Sunday afternoon and the family is home. Oh yeah, and I use the Drive control as a "fine tune" for the volume. Works good this way and in conjunction with my guitar volume, I can get many tones.
|
|
|
Post by gplayer1965 on Apr 1, 2012 19:50:05 GMT -7
I sorta did what you did as well and yes, I did gain a bit of clean headroom but I felt like the Monza wanted/needed to go back to original design.
Congrats on the purchase of the Monza. Some call it a "one trick" pony but I don't think it is. it may not be as versatile as other amps but it does what it was design to do and it does it well. I have the MV on mine and it allows a bit more options. total different tone when Volume and gain are around 8 0'clock and MV just cranked Vs Volume and gain at 12 O'clock and master still just cranked....not just louder but different tone, growl etc. get the MV if you can. it is the only thing that comes close to taming the beast plus gives you a bit more "play".
Ask PCNS and Doctrice.....they know the Monza better than I do. Still learning mine. I love it
|
|
|
Post by telefty on Apr 2, 2012 11:45:19 GMT -7
Thanks for the insight gplayer. I was thinking that the MV mod may be in my future. I don't like the idea of shipping the amp off to a distant locale where the brutes at UPS/FedEX may toss the amp around while en route, but I understand that the guys at Dr. Z amps take good care of their customers. Does the MV mod have any different affect on the Drive control? So if you lower the MV and turn up the Drive, do the notes still fatten up?
|
|
|
Post by Maddog on Apr 2, 2012 14:14:20 GMT -7
So if you lower the MV and turn up the Drive, do the notes still fatten up? BIG TIME!!!!! I LOVE this amp!!!!!
|
|
|
Post by gplayer1965 on Apr 2, 2012 14:52:55 GMT -7
So if you lower the MV and turn up the Drive, do the notes still fatten up? BIG TIME!!!!! I LOVE this amp!!!!! OH YEAH
|
|
|
Post by gplayer1965 on Apr 2, 2012 19:52:27 GMT -7
Played today a bit.....all knobs but tone at 8 O'clock, tone at 1 O'clock American standard strat middle pick up volume on guitar all the way...I got some nice cleans out of it
|
|
|
Post by gplayer1965 on Apr 2, 2012 19:54:19 GMT -7
So if you lower the MV and turn up the Drive, do the notes still fatten up? BIG TIME!!!!! I LOVE this amp!!!!!
|
|
|
Post by telefty on Apr 3, 2012 0:55:18 GMT -7
Thanks for the link. I did some playing around with different pre-amp tubes tonight and I am leaving it with the 12AU7 in VI and 12AT7 in V2. Lower volume, plenty of clean tones, but I can still crank up the amp for gig volume (I think, it is hard to tell when alone). We rehearse this Friday so I should know more after that. Anyone know if the lower gain pre-amp tubes work the power amp tubes harder? Seems I heard that someplace but can't seem to locate it again. Anyway, it still sounds good to me. Thanks for all of the input, fellas.
|
|
|
Post by gplayer1965 on Apr 3, 2012 2:57:09 GMT -7
Let us know how it goes with rehearsal. You may want to go to the "ask the experts" section of the forum and look for "ask Myles". That question may have been answered already
|
|
|
Post by telefty on Apr 7, 2012 20:44:24 GMT -7
Took the Monza to rehearsal last night. No drummer and a neighbor came over about 3 songs in and asked us to turn it down, so I couldnt crank it up very much. I was also playing my Gibson LP with P-90s, which is not my usual go to guitar. Overall impression: sounded OK; not stellar but not bad. Kind of sterile. I'm wondering if the pre-amp tubes I am using are killing the tone somewhat (12AU7 in v1 &12AT7 in v2). They do bring the volume down and clean the amp up, which is what I was looking for. I think I might play around with pre-amp tubes some more. Also I think I will wait until we have our drummer with us and can turn the amp up some before I make any definitive judgements. Any suggestions from anyone on things to try to keep the amp clean and the volume manageable while still achieving righteous tone would be welcome. Maybe I am asking too much from this particular amp.
|
|
|
Post by jimmysmith on Apr 8, 2012 9:08:08 GMT -7
well. i just bought a used one, dont have it yet. the 12au7 prolly brings the volume down so much it makes it unusable in this amp. i might try a 5751,, then use the volume on t he guitar.
|
|
|
Post by gplayer1965 on Apr 8, 2012 13:23:04 GMT -7
Took the Monza to rehearsal last night. No drummer and a neighbor came over about 3 songs in and asked us to turn it down, so I couldnt crank it up very much. I was also playing my Gibson LP with P-90s, which is not my usual go to guitar. Overall impression: sounded OK; not stellar but not bad. Kind of sterile. I'm wondering if the pre-amp tubes I am using are killing the tone somewhat (12AU7 in v1 &12AT7 in v2). They do bring the volume down and clean the amp up, which is what I was looking for. I think I might play around with pre-amp tubes some more. Also I think I will wait until we have our drummer with us and can turn the amp up some before I make any definitive judgements. Any suggestions from anyone on things to try to keep the amp clean and the volume manageable while still achieving righteous tone would be welcome. Maybe I am asking too much from this particular amp. put it back to original design specs.....You will be happy with this amp Sterile sound? not mine
|
|