Different tubes, different tones

[Twisteramps]

Re: Different tubes, different tones

time to offer my soul for some of those mullards... [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

FT - email me please!

Pete

[Deneb]

Re: Different tubes, different tones

Pete, I am interested to see how to bias an amp, maybe you could post an article on it. Make sure you put a warning so some wanker does not get killed and sue.

[Hetfield]

Re: Different tubes, different tones

i have an ampeg VL-502

with pre amp tubes---12AX7's..(6)
and power tubes---6550's..(2)

im not getting enough base though..it sux....and no great distortion....

any suggestions??

[LRGman]

Re: Different tubes, different tones

Good post

The 6l6-El34 comparison is dead on.

A vote here for tubestore. Cheap prices and they charge 12.95 to ship all the tubes you want. It took exactly 1 day to get my tubes from them.

[Jerry From Ghana]

Re: Different tubes, different tones

LRG
i find triode much cheaper than thetubestore

[randyvanmalmsteen]

Re: Different tubes, different tones

hey thanks for posting that very useful INFO on the tubes [img]graemlins/headbang.gif[/img] i made a copy of it! [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img]

[Old Phart]

Re: Different tubes, different tones

go to hamfests and Buy Your sweep tubes

[PowerTube]

Re: Different tubes, different tones

Originally posted by Nek:
Hey Pete, What are tubes made out of? I mean what is in the glass tube like an EL34? I heard that tubes are cousin to the light bulb, is that true?
Thanks. and Pete get TWO gold stars. [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

Nek

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Tubes are mainly made out of vacuum. Most companies import their vacuum out of Asia because the European nothingness got too costly. Hell, I'll sell you some nothing for only $25.00.
[img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

[PowerTube]

Re: Different tubes, different tones

Pete,

I read an article a couple of years ago where someone tried out several different brands of EL34's in a single amp and compared them all. The Siemens brand (out of Germany, I believe), got praised to the sky. Are you familiar with their tubes? A company I used to work for sold computer memory (DIMM's) by them, but I'm not familiar with their tubes.

[TB]

Re: Different tubes, different tones

I can't afford NOS tubes...

The new EH 6V6 tubes do sound nice, & seem to have sort of an old RCA vibe... I just put them into a '65 RI Deluxe Reverb... that along with a bias job, & clipping the bright cap, opened that amp up quite a bit. Oh, & a JJ 12AX7 in VI darkened it up just a bit, which I like.

I've not much cared for Sovteks, epecially the EL84's. They just sound too dark & compressed to me, with not enough headroom. I'm by no means a tube guru, but I've generally had good results with JJ's. That's what I use in my AC30, AC15, Dr.Z Maz 38, & brownface Fenders. No complaints.

One thing to keep in mind with current production model boutique amplifiers - for the most part, they are voiced to work well in tandem with currently available tubes, not NOS.

Thanks for the primer!

[kickaxeguitars]

Re: Different tubes, different tones

Pete,
I found a 120w head for sale-(my ole fav' Crate Blue VooDoo) cheap as the guy swears the reverb doesn't work due to bad tubes..

How is there a connection between the reverb and tubes?

I always thought reverb was generated via a seperate mechanism such as springs..

In theory, can this guy be correct? Can I assume a simple tube upgrade/replacement will cure the lack of reverb issue?

[TB]

Re: Different tubes, different tones

Originally posted by kickaxeguitars:
Pete,
I found a 120w head for sale-(my ole fav' Crate Blue VooDoo) cheap as the guy swears the reverb doesn't work due to bad tubes..

How is there a connection between the reverb and tubes?

I always thought reverb was generated via a seperate mechanism such as springs..

In theory, can this guy be correct? Can I assume a simple tube upgrade/replacement will cure the lack of reverb issue?

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Can't speak for Pete, & I know nothing of the guts of the Blue Voodoo -

But yes, if it is "tube-driven" reverb, a bad tube can indeed cause the reverb not to function. What we're usually talking about here is a simple preamp tube, like a 12AU7, and a spare should not at all be difficult to locate - so, if the guy wants to make a sale, and the reverb issue is a deciding factor either way - keep him honest. Ask him to round up a replacement reverb driver tube and confirm one way or the other.

It could be the spring reverb tank itself (if it is indeed spring reverb), which is a much more costly proposition than replacing a faulty or toasted reverb driver tube.

[ May 02, 2004, 10:10 PM: Message edited by: TB ]

[Twisteramps]

Re: Different tubes, different tones

Originally posted by kickaxeguitars:
Pete,
I found a 120w head for sale-(my ole fav' Crate Blue VooDoo) cheap as the guy swears the reverb doesn't work due to bad tubes..

How is there a connection between the reverb and tubes?

I always thought reverb was generated via a seperate mechanism such as springs..

In theory, can this guy be correct? Can I assume a simple tube upgrade/replacement will cure the lack of reverb issue?

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Some reverb circuits use a tube AND a small transformer AND the springs. He's right, it could be a tube... it could also be a bad reverb pan (the box with the springs) or even a loose or bad connection from the amp to the pan. You can get most replacement reverb pans from hammond for $30ish I think... they aren't real expensive. Most amps use a 12au7, sometimes a 12ax7 for the reverb driver. A few oddball amps use an EL84!

I bought an Egnater TOL 100 awhile back that the reverb died in transit on... had to take it apart, trace the circuit and resolder a connection. Worked fine after that.

Pete