New Build - Z Wreck Style

[hans-jörg]

Hi Geoff,
the main schem you can find in the Wreck file section. The secrets of Dr. Z you have to find out by yourself. Its more or less a tasty interpretation of the Express. My opinion.
As long as Dr. Z is a member of this forum you can ask him direct about his ingrediens. But these guys linving form their secrets.

But files for Express, Rocket, or Liverpool even with newest Fischer style, the Komet 60 or Concorde, you can find here.

Good luck

Hans-Jörg

[lovetone]

Hi Hans

Thanks for the reply, I’ve found the information I need. The big problem now it the mains transformer with the tapped secondary. I’ve not managed to find a supplier her in Europe.

Do you know of any?

I might have to get one wound !!

Cheers Geoff

[Gaz]

Hi Geoff,
the main schem you can find in the Wreck file section. The secrets of Dr. Z you have to find out by yourself. Its more or less a tasty interpretation of the Express. My opinion.
As long as Dr. Z is a member of this forum you can ask him direct about his ingrediens. But these guys linving form their secrets.

But files for Express, Rocket, or Liverpool even with newest Fischer style, the Komet 60 or Concorde, you can find here.

Good luck

Hans-Jörg

I think you meany interpretation of the Rocket, or AC30 Top Boost for that matter.

[rooster]

Wow, Dr., I too appreciate your openess here. Thank you. Too, the tube info/your issues with, and the % of bad tubes is staggering.

Which reminds me of a time, ten years ago, when I was on another forum and questioned a Texas amp repairman's new tube failure rate of 1%. I dealt with the same brand tubes and was coming up with a 15% number. When I posted this he pulled out a what I imagined to be a typical Texas response: 'Are you calling me a liar?' Well, he never did back down and I have been thoughtful with folks from Texas ever since. ..But I digress.

Your honesty has nothing to do with selling tubes, but is born instead of the wish to sell a well designed product that performs as it should. Which makes your input all the more valuable to me. It's really too bad someone like you doesn't have more of an impact on the tube industry as a whole. Yeah, EH does not like getting those tubes back, but they will sell them to the next guy. Great.

FWIW, I do know that J/J, urged by one of the USA suppliers, did try to add additional mica spacers within the EL84 bottle, notably at the top of the tube. J/J gave up on it, said it was too difficult.

However, what I cannot understand is how can it be that in 2012, a manufacturer of anything cannot solve what appears to be a simple problem? In this case, create/design a mica spacer that tightly secures the tube element withing a glass tube. Or is it all about money and cost effectiveness? I hate to think this but it has to be true in the case of tubes being made today. Well, like I said, understanding your needs, it's a shame you don't have a bigger voice on the subject. Again, thank you for your honesty!!!

[hans-jörg]

Hi Geoff,
the main schem you can find in the Wreck file section. The secrets of Dr. Z you have to find out by yourself. Its more or less a tasty interpretation of the Express. My opinion.
As long as Dr. Z is a member of this forum you can ask him direct about his ingrediens. But these guys linving form their secrets.

But files for Express, Rocket, or Liverpool even with newest Fischer style, the Komet 60 or Concorde, you can find here.

Good luck

Hans-Jörg

I think you meany interpretation of the Rocket, or AC30 Top Boost for that matter.

Sorry, Rocket fore shure, my mistake ...

Hans-Jörg

[lovetone]

Hi Steve

Your chassis looks great, do you have a dimensioned drawing i could have a copy of?

Cheers Geoff

[bigbean]

Although I have the chops to build a clone (with a little help from my friends), I just ordered a Z-wreck.

Here is my analysis for buying this product vs. building it.

Your analysis may be different.

I will likely keep this amp until I die or go to a extending care facility (functionally the same thing for a electric guitar player's tube amp needs). How long is that for me? Probably about 15 to 25 years.

At that time the amp will be not quite half way through it's life span. The Zwreck will have grown in reputation and have a resale value. Based on the resale history of similar excellent guitar amplifiers, like let's say a Fender blackface deluxe or a Mesa DC or Studio, the Zwreck should at least hold it's dollar value and it's value will probably increase.
If I build a clone (even a better sounding amp) it's resale value will be half of it's parts value or less. (bunch of guys nodding their heads - those that aren't do - an e-bay search for heath kit guitar amps).

In the mean time if the good Dr comes out with a Zwreck JR combo with Verb and Trem and I decide I just got to have one, I've got a off-able product I can use to further my plans, as opposed to, some loving built, great sounding, boat anchor.

Plus if I build one I will keep screwing with it indefinitely as opposed to playing through it and leaving it unmolested to preserve it's cash value.

Product on order.

[DR.Z]

Well bean thanks.
I hope it gives you years of inspiration.


DR.Z

[martin manning]

I use to eat my bad tubes , I thought of it as shrinkage, cost of doing buisness. But I can not any longer absorb these costs and keep my amp prices resonable. I now RA these tubes back to the supplier for credit.
Boy did Mike Mathews throw a FIT when I sent back 135 bad Tung-Sol 12AX7's.

Great, and keep it up! Much more leverage to drive improvements in quality when this is coming from OEM's rather than than individuals.

[Colossal]

I use to eat my bad tubes , I thought of it as shrinkage, cost of doing buisness. But I can not any longer absorb these costs and keep my amp prices resonable. I now RA these tubes back to the supplier for credit.
Boy did Mike Mathews throw a FIT when I sent back 135 bad Tung-Sol 12AX7's.

Dr. Z,

If you don't mind my asking what percentage of the total Tung-Sol 12AX7s screened was 135?

Thanks.

[DR.Z]

That was one quarters worth.
I order 100 of the tung-sol 12AX7's a month.
So the 135 failed was from 300 I purchased in 3 months.

DR.Z

[M Fowler]

Dr.Z,

That JJ EL84 tube rattle is from combo amp models I assume. It's hard not to get combo amp tube rattle no matter what you use. The trouble for me is the JJ EL84's sound so good compared to other brands.

The JJ 12AX7 tubes are high gain and low in noise compared to the tubes other companies are putting out.

I watch this thread in earnest to find comparable tubes for my amps

I always value your input and knowledge Doc.

Mark

[Structo]

While I have no reason to doubt Dr. Z, I find it hard to believe his material costs would be the same as one of us hobbyists.
But his labor costs are surely a big part of the price of his amps.

We have to pay retail for parts and I would assume that Dr. Z is able to get wholesale due to buying in quantity.

When I build an amp, I can't get everything from one supplier so I have multiple shipping costs that quickly add up.
On a complex build these costs can quickly reach $100.
Add in the mistakes made when ordering wrong parts and there is another chunk of change.

I don't count my labor costs but if I had to I would probably have to pay myself about $1.00/ hour if even that much.

I have an idea about how hard it would be to make a living doing this and the amount of years required to get established.

So my hat is off to men like Dr. Z that can make a go of it.

[M Fowler]

If I didn't love the challenge of building I would save money and just order amps from all the big dog builders on this forum. Money ahead buying instead of building.

I just know someone is going to jump in at this opportune time to tell us about the $200 dream amp they built

Mark

[rooster]

I also learned two more things relating to J/J tubes.

#1) About two years ago they began using a machine that inserts the elelments into the bottle. I assume there are still tubes that are loaded by hand, but at least the smaller bottle 12AX7s etc. are using the machine load. This saves money, yes, but it is also said to improve the seating process as well. This is what I was told.

#2) This year they are moving to a laser type welder to seal the tubes.

Oh. Mark, ha, I wish I was here to report a killer $200 amp, but no, not me.