I don’t even own a Dr. Z yet, but I know I want one because he’s such a genuinely cool guy, this is the kind of amp company I want to do business with!
I'm an amp tech.... this is a good presentation. The best advice I can give is to not let little problems become big problems. If you have a loose input jack, tighten it before the wires get messed up.... If you have a noisy tube, replace it before a big pop can damage a speaker. Know what your amp is like in proper working order, so if it ever slips from that, you can solve it before any negligent damage happens.
I'd like to add a couple things to save folks some frustration. If you're going to use DeOxit in the tube sockets it would be best if it does not have lubricant in it. The lubricant doesn't evaporate and will create popping sounds, plus it will be damn near impossible to remedy (ask me how I know). D5 is ok, F5 is not. On the same note, do make sure your cleaner has fully evaporated before powering up. I take a Qtip to the surface of the tube sockets after cleaning, you'd be amazed at how much gunk comes off on older amps. Be safe out there.
The Dr Z channel is one of the best from any amp manufacturer - boutique or otherwise. Never trying to sell you anything, just giving you great advice like this maintenance video. Ironically because of that no-sell approach, I'm definitely buying a Dr Z as my next amp!
Just happened on this gentleman’s web site. As a guitar player and an X-Ray service engineer I found Mr. X to be an excellent Instructor, and a learned ability that few folks have these days. Blew me away with his mention of exfoliation corrosion example. Which comes from 2 dissimilar metals in contact with each other. Being an aircraft maintenance instructor in my past, he appears to have the understanding of lesson plan for teaching. If you ever need a student of amplification I would love to be your student. You have allot to portray to what I believe to becoming a fast lost art of time. Wax on, wax off, so as Mr. Meyagee instructs. Thanks.
These short videos are amazing Doc!! This shows you really care about your amps and want people to have them sounding their best for years on end!! Better do my maintenance!
Thanks for this straight forward, well explained procedure. Vibration from playing, moving them etc., but because of your great builds and my analness, i've had the Maz 18 and EZG for 6 and 7 years and they are as good today as they were on day one, thanks. One thing Doc, I know on my old Gibson 6, the capacitors look like shot gun shells and i know we should not get close to them, because they can maintain a charge, etc, were the capacitors on this amp the two larger blue (double A like) devices. Thanks again for this video.
Awesome info to have! I use a Maz 38 and a Carmen Ghia in stereo 6 nights a week for about 5 hours a night in Myrtle Beach, SC. Humidity, salt air, cigarette smoke. I'll definitely be pulling the rig apart soon to clean the girls up!
Thanks for this, I’m new to your channel and I don’t even own a Dr.Z amp…..yet. My buddy purchased one of your Maz 18 combo’s and it sounds outstanding. I’m planning to purchase your Maz head with the reverb in it as well as soon as I’m in the position too here 🤙
Can you show how to tighten small tube bases like 12ax7's & EL84's, that are pc mounted. I am trying to figure out the proper sized tool for the job of pushing the tiny copper sockets back towards center. So as to tighten the connections for the tube pins when inserted correctly. I made the mistake of listening to someone online who stated that to remove tubes, you need to slowly rotate the tube in a circular motion inside the base as your removing the tube. Which I am sure you know when someone does that. All they are doing is pushing the tiny pieces of spring copper further & further open & away from the tubes pins. So that when you go to reinsert your tubes pins, that the connections will be loose & cause unwanted noises to intermittently come from your amplifier due to poor connections from the tubes pins & their female spring copper bases. Now in the bigger style tube bases this is much less of a problem because it can be much easier to push those larger spring pieces of copper back to the center of the holes, thus tightening the spring connectors to the tube pins. My problem is only trying to find a proper sized & strength so as to perform this same function on my pc board mounted EL84 & 12AX7 bases. They all need tightening. I have figured out that turning the cabinet upside down & loosening the chassis screw will give me perfect access to perform this action. I'm just completely unsure of a proper sized tool to use to perform this task. Can you please advise? I am sure that I am not the only 1 who has been burned by similar advice. I do know that I must use my multimeter to drain my caps & make sure there is insufficient voltage to hurt myself. I just need help finding the proper sized tool to accomplish this task. I am also sure that this will be a delicate process & that I need to take my time & be very careful to not screw anything else up or get myself killed. I just need advice on what type/size of tool to use to perform the delicate surgery? Can you please advise on how/& what to use to proceed?
Hi doc: I hope you get this. You mentioned DeoxIT. I’ve read that Hosa D100S-2 CAIG DeoxIT 100% Spray Contact Cleaner is superior. Or, is that exactly what you mentioned here? Because I cannot really see the can you held up. Thank you, sir;)
There is a shop in Sydney, Australia that carries two DrZ combos, M12 & a lovely little blonde Maz 8. Superb in every way. Brad Paisley was the conduit for me.
It is important to use an anti-seize thread lubricant on stainless steel fasteners. You will have galling issues with or without power tools unless you coat the threads.
Jason Randolph there’s only low voltage AC signal that typically goes through that part of the circuit, in most amps BUT NOT ALL. SO YES, you should leave your standby disengaged and power the amp off and unplug if from the wall it to discharge the caps IN CASE you make contact with high voltage circuitry.
In your video regarding not using your stand by switch, you addressed flipping that switch on to discharge cap current. Shouldn’t that be done prior to doing this maintenance as well? Especially if the amp had just been used? Thanks for this video. Very helpful.
any word on a potential shock hazard inside the amp, or since it's not being played is there not enough current to worry about if the caps do still have some high voltage in them?
tgitarezam b certainly, taking the proper precautions while working on an amp is in order. Turning the amp on and then off standby, then turning off while standby switch is still up should drain the caps after a few minutes. Then making sure amp is unplugged of course. In the video, Dr. Z is sure not to touch areas where there is high voltage running through the amp, but precautions are indeed always in order.
Someone once told me Deoxit becomes acid over time and isnt good for electronics... what do you think of that? I personally still use it but that still goes through my head every time
Camilo Velandia Just for thought, I work as an X-Ray service Engineer repairing imaging systems in hospitals and clinics. Detox it is recommended for our CT imaging system Calander PM’s ( Preventive Maintenance) Inspections. I have used it over the years with nothing but “Good Results”. Just never use it while power is applied to the system of any sort ! It is a liquid and will cause a path to ground and destroy the system electronics you are working on. You know like Ghost Busters scene in the movie, Don’t cross the beams! Lol. Use it with confidence but sparingly.
never a bad move. keeps the dirt out and the resistance strip and wiper from becoming sticky or oxidized. Some pots at self cleaning and/or sealed like the very sensitive PEC pots we use on some of our volume circuits.
remember when you could test the health of your tubes at the grocery store at that test stand and even buy new ones if in stock, those were the days, lol
Question. I have a hybrid amp. I think that it’s a PCB with tubes soldered into it. It’s 22 watts, so it self biases. Other than spraying the pots and dusting it, is there anything to with it maintenance wise?
I have a Therapy head...for the life of me I can't get the back panel off. Of course I remove the screws, then pull the panel to the point that I feel like it's gong to break. Am I alone here? Any tips? It feels like it was glued on with construction adhesive..
Hi Joe, sometimes as the amp experiences changes in temperature, the wood can shrink and expand. Also, as it heats up over the years, the adhesive of the tolex on the backside can begin to adhere to the wood. Take a palette knife (or paint scraper) and gently run it along the ends of the back panel and wiggle. The take it and use it on the bottom of the panel to slowly pry it away.
I have a problem after I did the Maintainence of my bass amp. I took out the chassis and spray all the knobs will contact cleaner spray. I also spray the contact cleaner to the mother board. And after I put everything back.. and when I switched ON my amp there was a very long boom sound and it never stop unless I switch off the amp. Can you advice me what to do? Thanks
The mother board is not typically something you spray, because it doesn't have parts that get repeatedly moved by mechanical contact. If the cleaner wasn't completely evaporated, it's possible something shorted.
You forgot cleaning the pots? That's like the most important part...what?? Also you don't really want the oil from you hand all over the tubes. Interesting about having the nuts tight on the pots. Somehow they seem to have a tendency to disappear.
35 years down the road, handling tens of thousands of tubes, in thousands of amps, all with our bare hands, you would think there would be more issues wouldn't you? If the oils on your hands had an effect the glass on a vacuum tube, there would be a lot more issues with the glass than just handling them with your hands.
I don’t even own a Dr. Z yet, but I know I want one because he’s such a genuinely cool guy, this is the kind of amp company I want to do business with!
I'm an amp tech.... this is a good presentation. The best advice I can give is to not let little problems become big problems. If you have a loose input jack, tighten it before the wires get messed up.... If you have a noisy tube, replace it before a big pop can damage a speaker. Know what your amp is like in proper working order, so if it ever slips from that, you can solve it before any negligent damage happens.
I'd like to add a couple things to save folks some frustration. If you're going to use DeOxit in the tube sockets it would be best if it does not have lubricant in it. The lubricant doesn't evaporate and will create popping sounds, plus it will be damn near impossible to remedy (ask me how I know). D5 is ok, F5 is not. On the same note, do make sure your cleaner has fully evaporated before powering up. I take a Qtip to the surface of the tube sockets after cleaning, you'd be amazed at how much gunk comes off on older amps. Be safe out there.
The Dr Z channel is one of the best from any amp manufacturer - boutique or otherwise. Never trying to sell you anything, just giving you great advice like this maintenance video. Ironically because of that no-sell approach, I'm definitely buying a Dr Z as my next amp!
Just happened on this gentleman’s web site. As a guitar player and an X-Ray service engineer I found Mr. X to be an excellent Instructor, and a learned ability that few folks have these days. Blew me away with his mention of exfoliation corrosion example. Which comes from 2 dissimilar metals in contact with each other. Being an aircraft maintenance instructor in my past, he appears to have the understanding of lesson plan for teaching. If you ever need a student of amplification I would love to be your student. You have allot to portray to what I believe to becoming a fast lost art of time. Wax on, wax off, so as Mr. Meyagee instructs. Thanks.
These short videos are amazing Doc!! This shows you really care about your amps and want people to have them sounding their best for years on end!! Better do my maintenance!
This is “The Best” AMA ever!
Thanks Doc!
Great info from the doc. Thank you DR.Z.
Thanks Dr. Z, We all appreciate your knowledge and your willingness to share your wisdom ~ Keep On Rockin' !
I'm in #humid #deepSouth Alabama so my ears perked up
thank you for taking the time to make these videos very helpful
love your vids, love your amps (and saving wonderfully to buy one for myself someday). Thanks for sharing all this info!!
Thanks for this straight forward, well explained procedure. Vibration from playing, moving them etc., but because of your great builds and my analness, i've had the Maz 18 and EZG for 6 and 7 years and they are as good today as they were on day one, thanks. One thing Doc, I know on my old Gibson 6, the capacitors look like shot gun shells and i know we should not get close to them, because they can maintain a charge, etc, were the capacitors on this amp the two larger blue (double A like) devices. Thanks again for this video.
Great video Doc. God bless
Another great one.
Very practical advice! Thank you sir!
Awesome info to have! I use a Maz 38 and a Carmen Ghia in stereo 6 nights a week for about 5 hours a night in Myrtle Beach, SC. Humidity, salt air, cigarette smoke. I'll definitely be pulling the rig apart soon to clean the girls up!
Great information. Thanks Doc.
Thanks for this,
I’m new to your channel and I don’t even own a Dr.Z amp…..yet. My buddy purchased one of your Maz 18 combo’s and it sounds outstanding. I’m planning to purchase your Maz head with the reverb in it as well as soon as I’m in the position too here 🤙
Great trick with sticking it on the head shell- would have been great for me to know that trick when I had my amp apart the other day!
Z you know you're the best! Thanks!! BTW, Loving my Carmen Ghia!!! perfect!!
In Maui you want to!
Tube Amps are great!!
Thank you!
Thanks for the tips Dr. Z and thinking about buying one of your amps. Merry Christmas! 🎄
Great to hear!
@@DrZAmplification Hey Dr Z! While we’re talking I like the sound of the Z Wreck hearing a few demos. Is that your take on a Marshall?
@@stevestarr6395 Not quite Steve, it's closed to a modified Top Boost AC30, but it's certainly in the british vein.
@@DrZAmplification Thanks Dr Z and love the tone!
Yearly amp maintance
Solid state "Never heard of her"!
going forward in production maybe it would be good to either mark jack/plug for reverb tub or use two different cable tip sizes for tub
awesome vid as usual Dr. Z! Can anyone recommend a deOxit equivalent available here in Germany?
humid area, down south, and in the rust belt up north.
Can you show how to tighten small tube bases like 12ax7's & EL84's, that are pc mounted. I am trying to figure out the proper sized tool for the job of pushing the tiny copper sockets back towards center. So as to tighten the connections for the tube pins when inserted correctly. I made the mistake of listening to someone online who stated that to remove tubes, you need to slowly rotate the tube in a circular motion inside the base as your removing the tube. Which I am sure you know when someone does that. All they are doing is pushing the tiny pieces of spring copper further & further open & away from the tubes pins. So that when you go to reinsert your tubes pins, that the connections will be loose & cause unwanted noises to intermittently come from your amplifier due to poor connections from the tubes pins & their female spring copper bases. Now in the bigger style tube bases this is much less of a problem because it can be much easier to push those larger spring pieces of copper back to the center of the holes, thus tightening the spring connectors to the tube pins. My problem is only trying to find a proper sized & strength so as to perform this same function on my pc board mounted EL84 & 12AX7 bases. They all need tightening. I have figured out that turning the cabinet upside down & loosening the chassis screw will give me perfect access to perform this action. I'm just completely unsure of a proper sized tool to use to perform this task. Can you please advise? I am sure that I am not the only 1 who has been burned by similar advice. I do know that I must use my multimeter to drain my caps & make sure there is insufficient voltage to hurt myself. I just need help finding the proper sized tool to accomplish this task. I am also sure that this will be a delicate process & that I need to take my time & be very careful to not screw anything else up or get myself killed. I just need advice on what type/size of tool to use to perform the delicate surgery? Can you please advise on how/& what to use to proceed?
Hi doc: I hope you get this. You mentioned DeoxIT. I’ve read that Hosa D100S-2 CAIG DeoxIT 100% Spray Contact Cleaner is superior. Or, is that exactly what you mentioned here? Because I cannot really see the can you held up. Thank you, sir;)
Lets not forget to drain the filter caps !
Great video but I didn't see you use deoxit on the pots.
There is a shop in Sydney, Australia that carries two DrZ combos, M12 & a lovely little blonde Maz 8. Superb in every way. Brad Paisley was the conduit for me.
Grab them up, not many Z's left in AUS stores!
It is important to use an anti-seize thread lubricant on stainless steel fasteners. You will have galling issues with or without power tools unless you coat the threads.
YES!
DEEZ NUTZ!!
(Sorry doc… couldn’t resist)
I wanna hang out with the Doc
Is there any shock risk? Should we discharge the caps first before sticking our fingers in to hold the pots in place (while we tighten)?
Jason Randolph there’s only low voltage AC signal that typically goes through that part of the circuit, in most amps BUT NOT ALL. SO YES, you should leave your standby disengaged and power the amp off and unplug if from the wall it to discharge the caps IN CASE you make contact with high voltage circuitry.
In your video regarding not using your stand by switch, you addressed flipping that switch on to discharge cap current. Shouldn’t that be done prior to doing this maintenance as well? Especially if the amp had just been used? Thanks for this video. Very helpful.
Yes, exactly. Power off but standby left in the run position will slowly discharge the caps in many (but not all) amplifiers.
any word on a potential shock hazard inside the amp, or since it's not being played is there not enough current to worry about if the caps do still have some high voltage in them?
tgitarezam b certainly, taking the proper precautions while working on an amp is in order. Turning the amp on and then off standby, then turning off while standby switch is still up should drain the caps after a few minutes. Then making sure amp is unplugged of course. In the video, Dr. Z is sure not to touch areas where there is high voltage running through the amp, but precautions are indeed always in order.
Someone once told me Deoxit becomes acid over time and isnt good for electronics... what do you think of that? I personally still use it but that still goes through my head every time
Camilo Velandia I've heard things like that too. I think the same thing to haha.
Camilo Velandia Just for thought, I work as an X-Ray service Engineer repairing imaging systems in hospitals and clinics. Detox it is recommended for our CT imaging system Calander PM’s ( Preventive Maintenance) Inspections. I have used it over the years with nothing but “Good Results”. Just never use it while power is applied to the system of any sort ! It is a liquid and will cause a path to ground and destroy the system electronics you are working on. You know like Ghost Busters scene in the movie, Don’t cross the beams! Lol. Use it with confidence but sparingly.
Hey Dr. Z, what other new production 6V6 tubes would you recommend for a CURE amp? I don't like the JJ 6V6 sound.
Can't say for sure, JJ's have the least rattle of 6V6s so those are what we go for. Might want to look at NOS GE for some that are reliable.
Doc.. do you see any need in spraying DeOxit INSIDE the potentiometers at some interval?
never a bad move. keeps the dirt out and the resistance strip and wiper from becoming sticky or oxidized. Some pots at self cleaning and/or sealed like the very sensitive PEC pots we use on some of our volume circuits.
Thanks!
Does DeoxIT leave a residue behind? And might this harm other components?
Don't get it on your cab or grill or if you do, wipe it immediately, but it is safe to use on all electronic components.
remember when you could test the health of your tubes at the grocery store at that test stand and even buy new ones if in stock, those were the days, lol
wow, never heard about that! super interesting.
Question. I have a hybrid amp. I think that it’s a PCB with tubes soldered into it. It’s 22 watts, so it self biases. Other than spraying the pots and dusting it, is there anything to with it maintenance wise?
You could clean and lubricate the jacks, then tighten all the hardware as to make sure proper grounding is occurring.
@@DrZAmplification Got it. Thanks!
I have a Therapy head...for the life of me I can't get the back panel off. Of course I remove the screws, then pull the panel to the point that I feel like it's gong to break. Am I alone here? Any tips? It feels like it was glued on with construction adhesive..
Hi Joe, sometimes as the amp experiences changes in temperature, the wood can shrink and expand. Also, as it heats up over the years, the adhesive of the tolex on the backside can begin to adhere to the wood. Take a palette knife (or paint scraper) and gently run it along the ends of the back panel and wiggle. The take it and use it on the bottom of the panel to slowly pry it away.
Do you have any training or learning DVDs or have written any books on tube amp repair and building etc I’m interested in learning more on this stuff
Uncle Doug on youtube is a great resource.
@@DrZAmplification yes by the way I like to watch your channel Can’t wait to see what you are working on next thanks Doug
I have a problem after I did the Maintainence of my bass amp. I took out the chassis and spray all the knobs will contact cleaner spray. I also spray the contact cleaner to the mother board. And after I put everything back.. and when I switched ON my amp there was a very long boom sound and it never stop unless I switch off the amp. Can you advice me what to do? Thanks
The mother board is not typically something you spray, because it doesn't have parts that get repeatedly moved by mechanical contact. If the cleaner wasn't completely evaporated, it's possible something shorted.
Dr Z Amplification Thank you Dr Z for the advice.
Dr Z Amplification but since I already did that (spray the mother board) is there anything that can be done to try to save it?
Thanks
Holy crap I've never done any of this to my 18 year old Vox...maybe I should open her up...
So, absolutely nothing on safety, voltage, touching stuff inside etc.?
You forgot cleaning the pots? That's like the most important part...what?? Also you don't really want the oil from you hand all over the tubes. Interesting about having the nuts tight on the pots. Somehow they seem to have a tendency to disappear.
35 years down the road, handling tens of thousands of tubes, in thousands of amps, all with our bare hands, you would think there would be more issues wouldn't you? If the oils on your hands had an effect the glass on a vacuum tube, there would be a lot more issues with the glass than just handling them with your hands.