Guitar Player magazine
"Tones From the Unknown"
by Terry Buddingh, August 2000, page 116
In the article below, the Zeeta goes head to head against five boutique amps and not only receives the highest overall rating for Tone, Workmanship, Features, Vibe and Value, but the coveted "Editor's Pick Award" as well.
Maven Peal Zeeta
The Zeeta ($3,950, with flight case) uses the late-'50s tweed Deluxe as a platform to showcase its patented Sag circuit. This circuit monitors the output signal level and automatically reduces the power supply voltage in proportion to the amount of voltage drop set by the Sag knob. There's also a variable Wattage control that lowers the power by reducing the voltage delivered to the pair of EL84 output tubes. Wide-open-settings let you pummel the single Celestion Alnico Blue G12 with about 15 watts, and the lowest setting chops the power to roughly two watts. Thanks to a fully regulated power supply, variances in line voltage have no effect on the voltage supplied to the tubes. For low noise, the tube filaments also receive regulated DC voltage.Construction. The vinyl-covered pine cabinet houses an extremely heavy-duty, 11-gauge steel chassis. A glass-epoxy turret board secures the audio components, and a glass epoxy PC board grips the complex Sag circuitry. A large torroidal transformer is used for the power supply, and the output transformer is also generously sized for an amp with two EL84s. Hi-fi grade components„such as Solen polypropylene power-supply filters, Aeon polypropylene coupling-capacitors, and Roederstein Resista low-noise, metal-film resistors„are employed throughout, as are stainless-steel bolts and aero-type lock nuts.
Tones. Looking for infinite and expressive sustain? You've come to the right place. Even at low volumes, the Zeeta excels at producing a singing sustain that evokes the nuance and dynamic sensitivity of much larger British amps. With the pre-amp boost engaged (via the push/pull tone knob) it can replicate bold, Billy Gibbons-like grind. There's plenty to bottom chunk, and the mid to high registers are exceptionally expressive. The Zeeta loves to burn, and though it cleans up well when you lower your guitar volume, it's too aggressive for clean jazz or country playing.
The Zeeta's Wattage control provides a musically effective means of limiting the volume, and the Sag circuit is truly remarkable in its ability to produce big-amp sustain, sensitivity, and response at very low volumes. It's like having a continuously variable selection of rectifier tubes, and it's definitely one of the most innovative circuit features ever used in a guitar amp.
