The Steel Guitar Forum

Hand built in Ohio, USA !

Holly SMOKES !!.....Look at the size of that transformer !!.....Talk about BIG IRON !!....YIKES !!...JIm

Ultra-linear transformers.

sweet.. hold sheet that is a big transformer!

would love to hear this amp.. Dr. Z makes great stuff!

2 questions.

going to come in a combo?

reverb tank?

Combo? Maybe. Reverb, no.Reverb messes up the unique preamp sound. But it has a tube buffered loop, which sounds great with reverb and other pedals.

Did anyone see/hear/try the Surgical Steel at the Dallas show?

John Billings wrote:Did anyone see/hear/try the Surgical Steel at the Dallas show?

Wally Moyers and I were there at the same time and tried both the Little Walter with the Double T 12" and the Dr. Z with the standard 15". (EP whatever) We could not find anything we liked with either for half an hour. In fairness, the steel that the Eminece guys had was a rented stage prop Emmons Legrande with very old strings. (This was a last minute fill in because Travis was not able to be there with his guitar). Later on TC Furlong came in and didn't really dial in either one either. Then TC plugged the Dr.Z amp into the 12" Double T in the LW cabinet and immediately there was a fine sound!

I really didn't hear anything I like better than my Furlong/Sarno SMS Classic. On the other hand I sound almost as good with a Peavey. You know..the "hands" thing . Maybe with more time and better strings?

YMMV.

I hounded Dr. Z and just took delivery of the first sold proto Surgical Steel amp. I've played out with this amp twice now in typical weekend warrior type gigs. I've got several very good tube steel amps that I'm pleased with, so in all honesty do I rate this amp above them, hard to say. Splitting hairs...the Surgical Steel stands out right away in it's extremely clear string response, nothing harsh up and down the fret board. My model doesn't have the effects loop but has the mid control. I use the Benado Steel Dream, single 15 Telonics Neo, and 1965 Emmons bolt with original pickups. I'm very fortunate to be playing a lot and at stage of my life that I can enjoy the whims of my passion. I'm going to be playing a very small club Thursday and will bring my Zoom H4 and see what it sounds like recorded in that atmosphere. Got a larger club gig on Saturday that has everyone going direct from microphone and recorded from our QSC Touch Mix. See what I come up with..
Again, with all the new amps available to our steel guitar community it is really all about how it sounds to you and you alone. Touch, technique obviously all play into it. If I could snap my fingers we'd all have an easy way to try out any potential steel amp under a real life condition, whatever that may be, home use or on stage.
Dr. Z Surgical Steel is an awesome new contender in the custom tube steel guitar amp market. My opinion...of course.

Surgical Steel in use this past weekend. Excellent new addition to Dr. Z's amp line up.

Well I got mine! Went to Doc's shop Wednesday and picked it up. It's the red amp that was at NAMM. Work of art! Doc put in the tube buffered loop, and my favorite speaker, a D-130. He knows what I like!
I plugged in my 1974 Shobud S-10 and played for as long as I could. That wasn't a long time as I need orthopedic work on my left hand. Can't hold the bar long, and it hurts.
The amp sounds fantastic, clean, clear, wonderful string separation! Lots of power. I played it straight for a few minutes, then added my Fender reverb into the loop. Gorgeous, and again, unique. Nobody makes amps like Doc does. His preamps are pure genius!
Then, out of curiosity, and just for a kick, I plugged in my Baritone Strat. Freaking awesome!
JB

The amp sounds fantastic, clean, clear, wonderful string separation! Lots of power.
JB[/quote]

And that John is my take as well! Another great addition to the steel guitar amp world.

Sounds incredible with my old Shobuds! Can't wait to try it with my '63 Fingertip!

John that's cool that the Doc is doing steel amps! Don't tell him that it's a small,unprofitable niche market....

I wonder how much the surgical steel amp.costs? Thanks, Tommy......

I think the head is around $1700 or $1800....I played it and liked it and will get one when I sell my Dr. Z EZG 50 which is a guitar head but sounds decent for steel, but not as good as an amp designed just for steel...

Dan Morris just got this beauty! Stunning!

Nice looking set up John! Superb dynamics in this amp! Very pleased with mine.