5150 tube recommendations?

[DumpyWumpy]

I want to retube my 5150 as right now it's still got stock power tubes from when the previous owner bought it like 5 years ago (he barely used it, and I've only gigged with it maybe 6 times, RARELY use it at home to practice) and the preamp tubes are Mesa branded chinese tubes I believe (the only tubes my local store had when I needed to replace a microphonic tube and decided I might as well replace them all)...

What do you guys suggest I throw in there? If it makes any difference, my dream tone is Nevermore - This Godless Endeavour... I doubt I could ever nail it with the 5150 but just thought it might help guide your suggestions!

[emperor_black]

JJ tubes. I had them in mine. Sounded awesome!!

Full-retube kit

https://ssl.eurotubes.com/cart/index.php?page=view_products&category_id=8&sub_category_id=40

[DumpyWumpy]

Wow thanks for the link man! Anyone have any experience with the Low Gain retube kit? I run the gain at like 4 on the 5150 and hit it with an OD anyways, so even with the low gain tubes I'm POSITIVE I would still have way more than enough gain, but are there any other benefits? Does it tighten the amp up a bit?

Or how about the standard gain KT88/6L6 integrated quad set? Looks appealing!!

[emperor_black]

well, according to Bob from eurotubes (the link I sent) high gain tubes have 10% more gain than the low gain ones. But with the in-build pre-amp circuit of the 5150, it should be fine to use the low gain ones. but for both my XXX and 5150, I bought only the high-gain ones.

if I were you, I would never compromise on the preamp tubes. those are more important to get your tone right and they last long. I think the average is 3 years or something.

[DumpyWumpy]

Yeah definitely, I'm not doing any compromising, just wondering what the tonal differences are between the standard, low gain and high gain sets other than the obvious difference in gain. I definitely don't need a high gain set, who the fuck in their right mind runs the gain on a 5150 past 6? Haha, there's TOO much gain with just the stock tubes! So I figured maybe going to a low gain set I'd be running the gain around 5 or 6 instead of 4 like I do now, and hopefully clean up the low end a bit too, but if there are no tonal differences than I'll probably just go with the standard gain set.

Have you ever tried the KT88s?

[emperor_black]

Have you ever tried the KT88s?

Nope! Just all JJ's all the way. Say, why dont you email Bob from eurotubes. That guy is very responsive and loves to talk about the 5150. I have pages and pages of emails that he sent. Let me see if I have asked him that very same question.

[emperor_black]

ok, looks like I have asked Bob that question.

His reply...
The high gain ECC83S's have about 10% more gain than standards which
adds a bit of bite and a sharper dynamic but does not hurt the clean tone. The
other attribute that these tubes have is a faster filament rise time
which is great for an EVH, Malmsteen, Petrucci or Satriani type style and is
also
good for fast palm mute and metal styles but they will as I said above
only get you about 10% more saturation so it's not a day and night
difference.

Yes, you can simply plug and play with both the preamp and power tubes
in
these amps.

Thanks

Bob

[kmanick]

JJ's all the way (Power tubes too) and get a couple of tung sol re-issues for V1,V2. they
help kill the "Honk" that you can get with Peavey amps.
I had that set up in my 5150 combo and it sounded great.

[jwoods986]

So these amps don't require "biasing"? A mechanically challenged person like myself could just swap tubes?

[MortenP]

So, JJ-tubes is the stuff to buy? I see they have a full set of high-gain tubes for my Laney Gh 100 L, and it needs new tubes!!

But what's the major difference between E34l's and 6l6's? I'm looking for a high gain, heavy bottom sound from my Laney - which tubes should I go for?

[emperor_black]

So these amps don't require "biasing"? A mechanically challenged person like myself could just swap tubes?

Nope. the 5150 is a fixed bias amp.

[jgcable]

you can't go wrong with Bob from Eurotubes

[minh80]

I also heard that Mesa Boogie tubes are great as well.

[RacerX]

who...runs the gain on a 5150 past 6?

Me

[1trussell]

I put a set of EH 12AX7s and Svetlana 6L6 tubes in my 5150 a while ago. They sound great to my ears. And I run through the lead channel with the pre gain on about 4. Plenty of gain for most anything heavy.

And yeah, the 5150 is a fixed bias amp. They set the bias at the factory ice cold. I've heard a ton of guys having a bias mod done to their 5150s and loving it. But, I like the tone of my amp the way it is, I'm too nervous to try something that I may not like.