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Post by hitoverdrive on Jun 21, 2010 16:40:24 GMT -7
You should email Don the repair guy. He made a lot of recommendations for me--the one that seemed to work best (softening the gain a bit while still retaining the amp's nasty character) for me was the rectifier switch, but he suggested other stuff, too--particularly switching out the V1 preamp tube for something a bit lower gain than the stock JJ. I tried TungSols and EHs and ultimately didn't like them that much, but they might work for you. What kind of guitar are you using? Are you running a Brakelite with your Monza? Is it a 110, 112 or head? I emailed repairs@drzamps.com about the problem.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 1, 2010 7:41:33 GMT -7
So, any response?
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Post by hitoverdrive on Jul 1, 2010 7:44:42 GMT -7
Yeah. We just got done talking about it yesterday. I've tried everything I can...all his suggestions too. So he wants me to send it in. Problem is I have to wait til I have the money to ship it. Hopefully around the 10th of this month. I'll keep you posted on how it turns out. How's your's doing by the way?
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Post by Deleted on Jul 2, 2010 7:35:12 GMT -7
It's good with single coils and moderate settings, which is pretty much what I want it for, anyway. I get that weird overtone on a couple of notes around the 12th/14th fret, but it's barely noticeable. Still pretty evident with humbuckers, not with P90s or my Gretsch. I feel like I should get a free Brakelite or something for all the beta testing I'm doing!
Let us/me know what the results are, once you get your Monza checked over by the repair guys. I'd be really interested to hear whether they find an issue.
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Post by hitoverdrive on Jul 2, 2010 14:31:06 GMT -7
It's good with single coils and moderate settings, which is pretty much what I want it for, anyway. I get that weird overtone on a couple of notes around the 12th/14th fret, but it's barely noticeable. Still pretty evident with humbuckers, not with P90s or my Gretsch. I feel like I should get a free Brakelite or something for all the beta testing I'm doing! Let us/me know what the results are, once you get your Monza checked over by the repair guys. I'd be really interested to hear whether they find an issue.They better find a solution hehe. Otherwise I'll have an amp that will annoy me to use and it WON"T get played. I'm sure it will work out. Dr Z has stellar support. I use Humbuckers with it mostly. I'm finding the same thing on settings with the volume at 11am and under, the drive at around 1pm. I can still hear it a little but it is much less. When the volume and drive are at 12pm and above it becomes really apparent and much harder to ignore. I play mine with the volume at noon to 2:30. The higher the volume the less drive I add. I like just the right mix of power and drive. Too much gain is too much. If I have the volume up to 2:30 then the drive is at 11am. You should hear all the in between tones just with rolling off the guitar when set like that. Really I have to say after spending $1150.00 there shouldn't be any unwanted artifacts or overtones in an amp. None of my other amps do this and with the same equipment. I know its not my imagination either. I don't try to find things wrong with an amp. I like to enjoy great tone. This amp has great tone we all know that. The extraneous noise needs to go though...I do expect that. Anyways Don's going to check it out and I hope take care of it. I won't settle for an amp that does what mine is doing. I'm sure Dr Z wouldn't expect me to either.
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Post by hitoverdrive on Jul 10, 2010 1:01:45 GMT -7
It's good with single coils and moderate settings, which is pretty much what I want it for, anyway. I get that weird overtone on a couple of notes around the 12th/14th fret, but it's barely noticeable. Still pretty evident with humbuckers, not with P90s or my Gretsch. I feel like I should get a free Brakelite or something for all the beta testing I'm doing! Let us/me know what the results are, once you get your Monza checked over by the repair guys. I'd be really interested to hear whether they find an issue. I sent the lil' bruiser out today to get looked at. Should get to Don at Dr. Z's next Friday. So the process has begun...
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Post by prspastor on Jul 21, 2010 9:57:51 GMT -7
You know, reading through this thread - it reminds me of my Clubman. It has that same fizzy harmonic thing going on when I really crank the amp. I've tried all sorts of new make and NOS tubes in it as well - it is just still there.
Amazing how gain affects tone. If I run that Clubman at a lower gain, it is really nice. However, if I put a bucker guitar in front and max it out - man, it really gets that fizzy thing going on that you all are talking about - especially when you sustain a note. My only guess is that this is the way a 12AX7 sounds when it is pushed to its limits in particular circuits.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 21, 2010 14:35:56 GMT -7
That may be right, although it happened in my Monza at lower volume/gain, too, particularly with the Brakelite at 2 or higher. But yeah--I was playing my Reverend CK290 through it yesterday, and hearing that funky artifact a good bit between the 10th and 15th frets. I think to an extent it's just the nature of the beast--probably not a problem for 90% of the folks that play/own the amp.
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Post by hitoverdrive on Jul 21, 2010 16:30:51 GMT -7
Well Don's got my amp now and is checking it out. Its a really weird artifact as I have never had it in any of my other amps at volume same gear. I'm hoping it isn't inherent with the amp but something that can be fixed. I didn't hear it in Frankies vid clips when he had his cranked and at various drive levels. All my guitars have buckers in the bridge. We'll see what happens...
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Post by prspastor on Jul 21, 2010 19:58:32 GMT -7
I know that Don will be able to do right by you, hitoverdrive.
Just to add to the discussion, my Clubman's fizzy artifact really shows up when I run it through the Brake-Lite above 2.
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Post by hitoverdrive on Jul 21, 2010 21:30:30 GMT -7
I know that Don will be able to do right by you, hitoverdrive. Just to add to the discussion, my Clubman's fizzy artifact really shows up when I run it through the Brake-Lite above 2. Thanks for adding to the topic. I like to hear what others are finding as well as what it might be/what to do about it. Don's gonna keep me posted as he works on it. I'll pass it on here.
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Post by hitoverdrive on Jul 23, 2010 13:32:17 GMT -7
Well its on its way back to me. It has a new chassis although Don didn't exactly tell me what the problem was. I don't think he likes to type much and I work graveyard so talking on the phone was a problem due to me sleeping hehe. Sounds like they found something wrong and changed out the chassis. Plus a new set of tubes along with mine back and shipping on them. damn! I like these Z people!LOL
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Post by Deleted on Jul 24, 2010 9:28:42 GMT -7
That's interesting--I'd sure like to know what the issue was. And I'll be VERY interested to hear how you like what's essentially a new amp. I wonder if they'd do something similar for me...
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Post by hitoverdrive on Jul 24, 2010 9:54:16 GMT -7
That's interesting--I'd sure like to know what the issue was. And I'll be VERY interested to hear how you like what's essentially a new amp. I wonder if they'd do something similar for me... I asked but Don didn't say what. I'll try him again. New warranty as well. Got to throw the old one out. Remember I had been getting the noise without using attenuation. Something was definitely wrong as I suspected. It wasn't a noise I recognized or experienced ever with any amp. What was puzzling is the amp essentially worked fine except generating the noise which of course took away from the playing experience. I was also right about the stellar customer service. Makes me even more of a fan and proud owner of a Dr. Z amp. I can't imagine Don not sorting your problem out either especially if you think it is the amp and the issue still stands after trying things out as he recommended.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 28, 2010 8:27:02 GMT -7
A funny thing: got a Brakelite SA from Humbucker Music yesterday and took it for a spin with my MAZ 18 NR head/cab this morning. With the BL/SA at 3 or 4, I got a bit of the same effect, with single coils. This is with the Volume cranked and the Master about 1:00 or so. Markedly more zingy when you add an OD pedal. Interesting, right? In my case, I'm pretty sure at least part of what I'm hearing is a weird interaction between the amp and the Brakelite.
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Post by hitoverdrive on Aug 3, 2010 21:35:25 GMT -7
A funny thing: got a Brakelite SA from Humbucker Music yesterday and took it for a spin with my MAZ 18 NR head/cab this morning. With the BL/SA at 3 or 4, I got a bit of the same effect, with single coils. This is with the Volume cranked and the Master about 1:00 or so. Markedly more zingy when you add an OD pedal. Interesting, right? In my case, I'm pretty sure at least part of what I'm hearing is a weird interaction between the amp and the Brakelite. I got the amp back. I also got a whole new complement of tubes in the amp plus a new set of power tubes. The power tubes are the TAD EL84STR instead of the JJ's. So far it sounds great. I haven't got to stretch its legs quite yet but hit a few chords and leads at a pretty good volume and I don't hear that fizz/zing. When I get to open it up for a good bit of playing where I like it(Volume 2:30pm/Drive 11am/tone noon)I'll post back and give you the full verdict. Probably Friday... One of my buddies gave me a Mullard GZ34 to use in it. I'll try that later. I want to finish trouble shooting this the way it is before I roll tubes. So far it seems good to go... Dr Z CS rules! Thanx Don!
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Post by hitoverdrive on Aug 5, 2010 20:06:15 GMT -7
I think prspastor is right about this amp. When revved up volume and drive it has that artifact or lil' extra hanging around. I wonder if the Red Fang speaker minimizes the artifact as compared to my Veteran 30 or K100 each in a 112 cab. I'd like to get one of Z's 410 cabs for mine. My 412 loaded with GB's sounds great with it. I always wanted to try a 410. Down the road a spell...
So anyways I think its just inherent to the amp. This is the second one and it does the same once turned loose. I like the tone and feel I'm getting out of it though and I can minimize the extraneous werzzzz coming through. I'm going to keep it and play the shiat out of it for now. I put a mini-watt in V1 and a strong RCA in the PI. Kept the TAD EL84's in and popped in a Mullard GZ34. It feels a bit more dynamic and sings I think better. Like the sag characteristics of the Mullard. I do not like the JJ83S's in V1 of anything. Seem to always sound a bit flat/dull to my ears. The LPS is fine though. Great PI tube!
Did I say this is a naughty lil' amp...? Tasty too!
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Post by Deleted on Aug 7, 2010 6:42:29 GMT -7
Interesting. I find with the BL clicked down to 2, 1 or off and the drive and volume at 11:00, where they sound best to my ear, the artifact doesn't appear with single coils or P90s. It becomes more evident the higher I set the BL and/or push the volume. What I get at those settings is glorious tube raunch, though--throw a little reverb in front o it and it's just amazing. So for now, at least, I'm hanging on to my little green demon.
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Post by hitoverdrive on Aug 7, 2010 12:25:58 GMT -7
Interesting. I find with the BL clicked down to 2, 1 or off and the drive and volume at 11:00, where they sound best to my ear, the artifact doesn't appear with single coils or P90s. It becomes more evident the higher I set the BL and/or push the volume. What I get at those settings is glorious tube raunch, though--throw a little reverb in front o it and it's just amazing. So for now, at least, I'm hanging on to my little green demon. I agree at these settings. I start to notice it really when volume and drive are from about 1pm on. I can detect it a bit when volume is beyond noon and drive about 1pm. Funny thing is I like to put the volume at about 2 or 2:30 and have drive at about 11am. At this setting there is just a hint of it happening. With a little roll back on guitar I can get more variation of break up tones as opposed to having the volume/drive lower. I like other settings too and how you have it is one of them. Thats how I first had it set. This amp has some good spots on it depending on how much break up you want. Remember I am not a high gain player but I love a healthy raunchy OD with sag and bloom here and there. I'm a blues/classic rocker mostly. Also I'm thinking of trying a 5V4 rectifrier for a little more sag just to see how that sounds. I don't want it too loose in the arse end though. Mines a green meany too!LOL
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Post by frankiestarr on Dec 24, 2010 9:39:13 GMT -7
Funny, My ears hear the complete opposite. I use the brake-lite on about 2, and it tames the high-end fizzy. I pretty much just keep it there....
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