zenTera - MANUAL
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ENGLISH
You can select from among 17 different models of
amps - herein called amp types - by rotating the
zenTera®’s AMP TYPE knob. Every amp type has a
distinctive sonic personality that is best suited for
very specific styles of music. Next to vintage mile-
stones that literally made amp history, the zenTera®
offers emulations of some contemporary amps. In
the following, we’ll take a closer look at each
amp type:
BLACKFACE
This American beauty is the definitive amp for
classic clean tone. Although you'd be hard-
pressed to drive it into the distortion zone, its big
sound and enormous punch left an indelible mark
on several styles of music - it even helped shape
certain playing techniques. This piece of gear has
won friends and influenced people far and wide,
from funk rhythm kings to jazz masters, from blues
howlers to country pickers. Note that the BRIGHT
function found on the original is integrated into
the zenTera®'s GAIN knob. GAIN settings of up to
5.0 (12 o'clock position) elicit that characteristic
treble boost of the original's BRIGHT switch. At
higher settings – like on the original – the top end
boost progressively lessens.
TWEED DELUXE
The kid brother of the big tweed amp, connois-
seurs of vintage grit hold its raw, throaty textures in
high esteem. A purist's dream come true, its simple
yet brilliant circuitry delivers earthy, fat tweed tone
unrivalled by any other amp. On the downside,
the original was equipped with just one tone
knob, so we elected to assign a sound-shaping
functionality to the 3-band EQ and the PRESENCE
knob for this emulation. This gives you a lot more
musically meaningful tweaking options without
sacrificing its characteristic tone.
TWEED 4x10 B(right Channel)
We were so enamored of our original Bassman’s
tone that we decided to dedicate a model to its
Bright channel. You can coax sweet, sparkling
clean tone as well as dirtier tones from this baby.
From stinging to creamy and all points in between,
it’s all there for the taking. Particularly for Les Paul
devotees with a penchant for blues and blues-
based rock, sonic heaven is just a touch of a
button away.
TWEED 4x10 N(ormal Channel)
Though the Bassman was initially designed for bass
guitars, blues and rockabilly players adopted it
and turned it into a guitar amp tour de force.
Ranking among the most versatile amps ever, its
unrivalled qualities in conjuring clean and
raunchier sounds à la Brian Setzer or Eric Clapton
are legendary.
BRIT CLASS A
The amp for classic guitar-driven pop and rock.
Judging by the many stellar songwriters who
appear on its reference list, this amp would
undoubtedly be the hands-down winner in a poll
of songsmiths. Unarguably, its EL84-loaded, Class A
power amp delivers the sweetest harmonic
distortion of all tube amps. And its flexible tone
controls with the legendary Cut and Top Boost
circuits elicit chiming, sparkling sounds as well as
fat lead tone. Cranked wide open, it also delivers
gritty, roots rock-approved goods. Note that the
zenTera®'s PRESENCE knob takes over the CUT
function. The Top Boost circuit is integrated into
the MID knob, which is handy because this lets
you dial smoothly rather than switch hard from
Normal to Top Boost mode.
HOT CLASS A
This model delivers the lead tone of the early
masters Ritchie Blackmore, Rory Gallagher, Brian
May, et al. A ‘60s-era Range Master Treble Booster
plugged into the front end of this amp was the
secret ingredient in these world class guitarists’
recipes for jaw-dropping rock tone.
PLEXI 50
This British EL34-powered classic made music
history. Many a genre-defining steel-string slinger
wielded its considerable sonic clout to leave an
indelible mark on the face of modern music. With
its hair-trigger response, the PLEXI does exactly
what the position of your guitar's volume knob tells
zenTera - MANUAL
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it to. Turn the volume down low, and you get fat,
clean tone with shimmering top end. As you crank
the knob, you can hear that vintage rock roar
unfold.
PLEXI 100
The PLEXI on steroids, this 100-watt sensation
literally rocked the late '60s and continued to
dominate the heavy rock scene throughout the
'70s and well into the '80s. A staple of innumerable
rock productions, this amp's dynamic response
made it the tool of choice for many an audio
alchemist. Indeed, it can be said with some
authority that this beast's big, cutting sound
defined what great rock tone is all about. It will
also make you the object of fear and loathing in
your neighborhood, because you won't feel the
full fury of its sonic assault until you crank it to
the hilt.
HOT PLEXI
Back in the taste-challenged ‘80s, the Plexi 100’s
already considerably oomph was beefed up with
an added gain stage. Alongside more gain, this
hot-rodder’s trick lent the amp the kind of ”brown”
sound heard on early Van Halen records.
BRIT HIGH GAIN
A logical outgrowth of the razor-edged sound of
British steel, this amp delivers gear-grinding over-
drive and meltdown lead sounds with truckloads
of sustain and in-your-face punch. The tone
controls are tweaked to deliver the response of a
modern-day boutique amp, adding many shades
and hues to your sonic palette. Less subtly, its
scooped mids elicit a merciless metal edge, while
its over-the-top high end has been rumored to
peal paint at a hundred paces.
BRIT ULTRA
A zenTera®special, this is what you get when you
hop up a British 100-watt amp until it is hot enough
to roast weenies. And, frankly, the result is awe-
inspiring - the fattest and most creamy lead sound
imaginable.
SOLO 100
The cream king among lead amps, this amp
abounds with the kind of singing tone, infinite
sustain and musical feedback made famous by
perennial wailers Gary Moore and Carlos Santana.
Still got the blues, indeed!
RECTIFIED
This amp's peerless tone is the product of three
rectifier tubes. A real firecracker, it throws red-hot
sparks of distortion for a fresh, dynamic tone. With
its fat, bad and downright angry overdrive, this
amp can take on many guises. Playing a key role
in the rise of grunge in the '90s, it has since
become the tool of choice for New Metal
merchants. And with good reason, for few other
amps can match its intensity and depth of musical
expression, particularly for soloing.
WARP
(Hughes & Kettner Warp 7, 2001)
Our take on the ‘90s-era Nu Metal sound, this
model is even more evil-sounding then
comparable amps. In fact, it offers more of
everything. This one’s a sustain monster.
ACOUSTIC
(Hughes & Kettner Montana 1998)
The Montana model was developed specifically
for piezo-equipped acoustic guitar. It softens the
piezo’s harsh – some might say ugly - edge and
adds silky highs, plenty of body and lots of warmth
to the tonal spectrum. Rarely have electric players
felt so good and so at home on stage with an
acoustic.
ATS CLEAN
(Hughes & Kettner ATS 100, 1988)
Our first dual channel guitar combo, the ATS is
now considered the classic clean machine
among solid-state amps. Cherished by jazz
guitarists for its tonal balance and warmth, it also
delivers top-drawer, effects-laden pop sounds in
the vein of The Police’s axe man Andy Summers.
JC CLEAN
An ‘80s classic, this one delivers fresh, crisp and
transparent clean sound with presence galore as
showcased in Prince’s Hendrix homage
Purple Rain.
5. AMP MODELS
zentera Manual 2.5 _4c/sw 15.10.2002 13:54 Uhr Seite 12