Z Wreck

[Ian444]

It looks to me the voltages at the preamp tube stages will be fairly different to a TW Rocket, going from the Rocket voltage charts, and assuming similar current draw through the tubes. The sag from the power supply, when the amp is under heavy load, is dependent on the current rating of the power tranny, also the screen grids can draw considerable current up to 8W max for four EL84 (maybe 25mA max for all four) and therefore the voltage drop across the choke will add to the sag from the power tranny for the pre tubes. Another difference is that V1 and the CF will have less filtering than a TW, and also as mentioned in previous post, the filter caps are much smaller too. Who knows the result, have to build it and see.

[Roe]

Z wreck Differences to the Rocket are,

1. V1 signal cap to volume pot is 470pf ceramic disc, Treble cap in tone stack is 47pf.
2. The 220k/220k voltage divider exiting the tone stack into the PI.
3. Long tail section - 976k R's instead of 1M, 47.5K R instead of 47K.
4. 250uf bias cap for power tubes.

5. B+ dropping string is paralleled from the output tube screen node to all stages and not in series as is the Rocket.
PI = 27k
CF = 22k
V1 = 27k


...

basically, the Z is closer to an ac30 than the rocket

[M Fowler]

I still have no idea what the DCR of the Zwreck choke is.

[DustyBadlands]

Moving slowly...

Mark, Hows your second Z-Wreck looking? Have you tried a different choke?

If I'm not happy with the way this build sounds I'll turn it into a Rocket. You can never go wrong with a Rocket!

[M Fowler]

Hey yours looks good.

I have not started on the boards yet.

How come you aren't enjoying the amp?

[M Fowler]

Here is Brad playing at Daytona 500 race with his Zwreck.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M2dfoJZY ... r_embedded

[Ken Moon]

Looks like Brad has two Dr Z amps going into one 2x12 cab - does each amp go into one speaker, using a stereo pedal setup?

[M Fowler]

One is the Zwreck and the other is the Z-verb.

[ampmike]

Thanx Mark,Watched the whole thing,He is amazing,He is almost to good!!!Saw him last summer,Monster player!!!!!!Mikey

[angelodp]

He is a great player, but would'nt you like to see him do a looser blues thing and reach for some new ground.... just sayin. If I could play like him I might shut-up.

[XgamerGt03]

He is a great player, but would'nt you like to see him do a looser blues thing and reach for some new ground.... just sayin. If I could play like him I might shut-up.

Did you ever hear any of the stuff off of Play other than Start A Band. He plays quite the variety on that album... a tribute to Les Paul, an Eric Johnsonesque song, and a few others as well.

For those of you building your own Z-wreck what are the dimensions of the two boards you are using for the amp? I have a lot left over from a past build and am thinking about doing this next.

[cap217]

bumping an old thread that just died but was reading over this because I went and played a Zwreck for the first time today and it blew me away. Turned down, it had the balls and punch of a plexi to me and the louder I went with it, the better it sounded.

I ran it through the matching 2x12 with a gold/blue open back and I left all the knobs at noon. I am having Dana build me an Express and am talking with his brother (danas email isnt working for me) and trying to figure out what to expect out of the express vs the Zwreck.

I am tempted to buy the Zwreck as well but I dont want overlap in sounds.

Anyone play both and can give me a sound comparison? I am hoping the express sounds as big and even bigger. Has great touch sensitvity and more drive. You really have to crank the Zwreck for drive.

But I can also have someone build me an express vs buying the Zwreck and save some money. Just worried bc I know what the Z sounds like. I dont know what to expect from the TW builds.

Any advice would be great!

[DustyBadlands]

Frist try out a Tophat Emplexador! Great amp! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ji9RyfXgVkY

[Reeltarded]

Emplex is a great amp, different.. far from a Wreck and kind of darkish at least with Pacifics.

Needs more gain.

[cap217]

I am debating a rocket build or going w the zwreck.