Berning ZH-270 Grill / Cover

I don't believe he used a particular manufacturer for the driver/input tubes. The original 12AT7 and 5965 (12AV7)tubes in mine were GE. I am using GE 5 Star Platinum 5965 and a combination of Amperex and Tung Sol 12AT7 (RCA is the manufacturer of the Tung Sols, same tube different label). These tubes last forever, I recently checked them out after 7 years continuous use with the SAME TUBES and they test darn close to NOS, same with the output tubes, just amazing how efficient this design is. Not only that but replacing these tubes is so inexpensive relative to what you would spend for other driver input tubes 12AX7, 12AU7 or 6SN7 for example. Tube rolling is quite inexpensive, a beautiful thing.

Enjoy your amp, it is a gem and a keeper and will never be the weak link in making music!

3 / 32 allen key it is then - thanks everyone, especially, Tubegroover

Interestingly the majority of the 12AT7s and 5965 are Amperex, what was the stock manufacturer tubes for the ZH-270?

Off to buy a set of allen keys especially a 3/32.

My screws are Allen screws and my unit was the last ZH270 model David Berning made and he built it with all of his latest upgrades. Assuming your ZH270 is recent vintage, I would assume the screws are Allen screws. If your unit is pre-owned, some goofball could have rounded-off the inside of the screw.

It is an allen hex head, the outside circumference is round, look closely, unless Berning changed it but I doubt that. A 3/32" works, I checked it, try it or if you are in Europe, buy a metric set. A corresponding size will be adequate or to be exact simply e-mail David Berning directly from his site.

Then you need to email the company.

No it's definitely not torx

It's a round headed screen with a roundish socket where the screwdriver goes/

Check to see if this is not a Torx-headed screw, for maybe a T20 or T25 wrench.

It does not look hex shaped, it looks round

Tubegroover is saying that the hole that you stick the allen wrench in is hex shaped, not that the screw is a hex shaped bolt.

Are you sure that it is a hex head as the screw looks to have a round head?

Use Google images and enter "screw bits". Match the image with the actual screw.

It is an allen screw, hex head. I can't tell you the size off hand, maybe 3/32" not sure in metric. These wrenches usually come in sets and are readily available.