FAQ
Where can I Buy ZLi amplifiers?
Due to the individualized nature of our creations, you are best to order directly from us at ZLI, unless listed otherwise from our registered accounts on other sales platforms. Inquire about owning a current model through our email contact form, or call us personally to discuss a tailored build that molds itself to your unique personality.
What is the difference between a Production Model and a Tailored Unit?
Production Models
All our production models are limited selection - we make a small run of each model according to our production season (see current year’s season here). We are aware that this method renders our work to be exceedingly rare, but our commitment to quality shall never be compromised for quantity’s sake. Concepts are not diluted across a range of weakly designed models; each model undergoes rigorous testing and development to become the best version of itself. Unfortunately, nothing lasts forever; as the legacy of ZLI drives ever onward, we will abandon our victories for the taste of tomorrow’s sonic adventures. Purchase while possible.
Tailored Units
During each limited run, we offer a select amount of clientele the option to tailor their units to their unique brand of playing — either through augmented reality or in-person within the ZLI workshop, in accordance with the celebrated traditions. We are the only company utilizing the full extent of Levi’s time-tested techniques to create an amplifier specifically attuned to you. For the few who pursue their passion hotly enough, this culminates in the ultimate ritual - a Live Tuning, in which the designer of the amplifier reconstructs the amp to your tastes while you are plugged in and playing. The list of companies that perform this ritual is miniscule at best. To read more about this process, please see the page Modification Relationships.
These are not boutique amps. They are bespoke amps, created around you for the purpose of mainlining your soul into the aural experience of another.
Can you tell me about the construction of ZLI Amps?
What do ZLI amps sound like?
Like golden syrup that can ignite at a moment’s notice—sweet, but fiery when necessary. Many clean amps are smooth and responsive, but harsh and boxy when pushed hard. Conversely, many overdrive amps make excellent gain monsters, but fall short with flat, anemic clean tones.
ZLI amps are the rare exception to this natural limitation. Use your volume knob to go from warm, expressive cleans to scorching, vocal overdrive - continuously in real time. Additionally, if you possess a model with the secondary Glass preamp, you will have access to another flavor of sparkling high-headroom cleans in addition to the range produced by the standard amp.
Like the voice of a beautiful singer; extremely responsive, and fluid in its change from light to dark.
Like a fine wine, in that its unique complexity reveals itself under its easily identifiable power.
Like a ZLI Amplifier.
What parts do you use?
The best—Sprague. Belton. Mogami. Switchcraft. And more. Brands that humans in space entrust their lives to. An amplifier is only as good as the sum of its parts. In our case, they are better because of the best.
What sets you apart from the rest? Can you tell me about some of the “Innovations” the company is known for?
ZLI Amplifiers are constructed around the principle of Mindful Engineering - a thorough consideration of every portion of the amplifier, with marked efforts to improve upon each section with the utmost forethought. Our quality is maintained throughout the process, with checks before and after production—even down to hand-marking individual capacitors and selecting resistors for appropriate tolerance.
Our engineers maintain the full range of empathy needed to make informed improvements across the board—from the faceplate interface, to the functionality, aesthetic, and tone of the amps, the guitarists on hand ensure that responsive solutions are devised to the problems they know best.
Similarly, the technicians among us fearlessly push forward to solve established problems that other, less originally-minded companies are happy to ignore. We believe at ZLI that trying our hand at these issues and devising real solutions will move tube technology far into the future—the alternate reality in which it remained technology’s King.
Allow us to share a brief proposal of what ZLI is capable of.
Morality
Our circuits are not simply derivatives of the same old designs—why recover old ground needlessly, when the originators of these circuits are the ones with the birthright to do so? Many amp companies shamelessly steal the advancements of other individuals and pass them off as their own, yet complain that the original music they create should not be taken freely.
Even many of the other manufacturers claiming to produce “Levi-style” designs participated in such acts, either producing inferior copies with partial understanding of the circuits, or manipulating his blessing to ensure their ability to capitalize upon his work following his death.
The good news is that the true creators of artwork are the ones who have the full picture, and so they can be trusted to provide the honest item. You are not just buying a “circuit”; you are buying a legacy, a history—a history which is simply not real if it is a copy. The richness of origin is the significance; you know that if you purchase a ZLI product, its production is coming directly from the bloodline of the original source.
No one invests good money in a copy of the Mona Lisa and expects it to be of equal value or worth to the original. Do not make the same mistake with your equipment.
At ZLI, we celebrate the legacy of the other notable modders. However, we do not, and will never, thoughtlessly reproduce the work of any of them, out of respect.
We don’t need to.
For us, maintaining the legacy of the best mid-gain designs is enough.
Construction
Our designs are devised around a build philosophy that ensures the indefinitely long life of our products. Over-engineered for the best in lifespan, maintenance, and usage, the meticulous care taken in the crafting of each design is as much a work of art as the final product is.
Our chassis are, and will forever be, rust-free. The life of your amplifier is not limited to the life of its structure. Made of welded aircraft-grade aluminum, our chassis break the status quo of steel structured amps - a metal conveniently susceptible to jeopardizing the long-term integrity of the entire piece.
Our wire is incredibly well made; it was deliberately chosen for its heat-resistant properties, beautiful shiny look, and ease of maintenance. This is all made possible through its secret coating, which promotes minimal out-gassing over time, good flexibility, high and low temperature resistance, and excellent insulation. Wire should not be made to fail, and a thoughtless decision regarding it is the trademark of an inferior brand. In a ZLI amp, it simply cannot be allowed to fail—so we get our wire from the same suppliers as NASA.
Our components are individually selected for excellence in every regard. Most amp builders, even the great ones, do not take the time to install some components correctly. At ZLI, we make sure that all of our capacitors are hand-tested, marked for the lowest noise installation, and even intentionally installed in non-traditional ways to favorably alter the sound, along with many other factors of similar detail. This ensures that your sound is a cut above the rest.
Our fuse holders are wired specifically to ensure safety of the user, a detail criminally ignored by many companies.
Our tube sockets are not breakable porcelain; they are made of a sturdy mineral base that prevents any cracking or fracturing from now until forever, featuring pins of strong metal that resist the need for expensive and risky re-tensioning over time.
Aesthetics
Our aesthetics were crafted around unique arrangements of easily obtainable parts—never fear the eventual compromise of your amp’s looks by having to replace a unique part with an inferior replacement.
Our cabinets are constructed out of the tightest Baltic Birch ply we can get our hands on—a perfect compliment to the amp’s construction, serving both sonic and structural needs. Additionally, they are fitted with coverings, paint, and piping that exceed the industry standard.
Our logos are heavy, rust-resistant metal—not plastic, unlike many brands. Never fear the chance of accidentally knocking a letter or more off the face of your amplifier, rendering your usage of equipment from svelte to embarrassing in the swoop of a wayward headstock. No; rest easy in the durability of our badging, as its UV-printed surface is scratch and fade-resistant.
Our tolex is thick and durable, chosen in an off-beat classic pattern that is the most resistant to damage yet most fresh to the eye. It will withstand cleaning for many years to come, and will not fade.
Our grillcloth is one of the most expensive forms on the market today. Selected for its special sonic properties and structural integrity, every speaker baffle is covered in specially made grill fabric.
Innovations
Our power section’s components are installed with a special, patented technique called the Reeves Safety—a semi-physical connection that allows critical components to physically drop out of the circuit and protect it should something go wrong.
Our controls are designed around the ZLI-exclusive Duo-Set circuit - a combined expansion of traditional amp controls and tone stacks that render every amplifier possessing it into an enhanced version of itself. The best part? it does so without compromising simplicity, adding flexibility without the cost of complexity.
Our speaker outputs are protected with a circuit called the Forever Load—an evolved design which prevents you from ever damaging an amp by forgetting to connect its speaker.
Our speakers are installed in VOICE ARRAY? EDIT complimentary tonal shades; inside the cabinet, you will find multiple types of speaker, not just one. Whereas many amp brands are guilty of improperly voicing their amps with only one form of speaker, ZLI successfully channels the voice of our amplifiers through a range of speakers chosen specifically for their balancing characteristics. This creates a unique tone not easily found elsewhere.
Our cabinets are constructed with ZLI’s proprietary Back-Tune system—a carefully braced and seamless acoustic design which allows for instant tuning of the cabinet to the desired tonality in real time.
INTERNATIONAL
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Any other questions?
Please feel free to reach out to us at ZLI using this contact form.