Diezel VH4 1996 #34 Adam Jones Tool Rare Blue Face specs

This is a very rare occasion here in the USA to find an original VH4 from before 1997 in "old script" with original hand wound custom Euro transformers. This has 8 pre-amp tubes as well, the later post 98 silver faces went to 7 pre-amp tubes.

As Adam Jones was I believe the first customer in the USA for a Diezel VH4. He had a Blueface that was just a few numbers away from this one. As some of you know that the new (post 97) silver and reissue blue face VH4 amps do not sound like these originals. This is why Adam Jones is still to this day looking for a 1996 VH4 just like this one.

Also you may ask why isn't this one blue? This one was I believe the very first silver face made as it has the "old script" like the blue faces from the era unlike the "new script" which Peter Diezel started to use in 1997. So this amp is even more rare. I think it was probably a prototype faceplate or custom order by the customer as Peter was maybe considering the silver color back in 96 before the permanent change in 1998.

Also this has the original hand wound custom transformers that I believe were made in Belgium or somewhere in Europe. In 97 Diezel had gone to Langer transformers. Let me tell you that these original transformers help give the original Diezels that dark tone Tool and Adam is known for. Langers also were awesome, Mastadon and Metallica both used Langer era VH4s.

I also took a gut shot of the amp to show it's totally different circuit than new VH4 amps.I believe besides the other two I imported back ten years ago this is probably one of less than 5 pre-97 Diezels in old script here in the USA. Remember that many of the 94-96 Diezel VH4 amps came with 220 volt transformers hard wired so finding another 96 with selectable voltage is very difficult. 

Good condition and comes with the ATA flight case pictured. Just set up by my amp tech with JJ EL34s to Adam Jones specs which I believe cold biasing is key to his tone. Also the preamp tubes are a mixture of Chinese 12AX7 tubes. This one is setup for 110 USA voltage but if you are an overseas buyer I can have my tech set it back to 220 voltage specs.