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Replacement Tubes for Fender Blues Deluxe Reissue

RedMosquito22RedMosquito22 Posts: 8,158
edited March 2012 in Musicians and Gearheads
I don't need to just yet and this is my first tube amp. Just curious what you would get to improve the tone. Right now I have to have the base pot all the way at zero, it's very bassy. Not sure if it is something a tube replacement would fix or if it's a speaker replacement.

What have you guys used and what are your opinions on the setups.
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Comments

  • PSUS2HPSUS2H Posts: 2,194
    Im curious about this as well. I have a Fender Super Reverb amp that I recently aquired from a friend that I want to know what to do. Thinking 6L6 tubes, but maybe EL34s.
    Pittsburgh, PA September 28, 2005 || Washington, DC June 22, 2008 || Barstow, VA May 13, 2010 || Seattle, WA  August 10, 2018 || Dana Point, CA September 29, 2018 (EV) || Dana Point, CA September 28, 2019 (EV) || Dana Point, CA September 25, 2021 (EV) || Dana Point, CA October 1, 2021 || Dana Point, CA October 2, 2021 || Chicago, IL August 29, 2024 
  • All Those YesterdaysAll Those Yesterdays Posts: 2,723
    PSUS2H wrote:
    Im curious about this as well. I have a Fender Super Reverb amp that I recently aquired from a friend that I want to know what to do. Thinking 6L6 tubes, but maybe EL34s.

    Ah Super Reverbs.... wonderfully clean amps... What year? Who carries it for you? Joking 65 lbs is a bit much to lug around, but well worth it. Stick with 6L6's no matter what, that is the Fender way.. I'd just go with JJ's for that. Unless you find an appealing set of EH's.
    E. Lansing-98 Columbus-00,03,10 Detroit-00,03 (1&2),06, 14 Cleveland-03,06,10 Toledo-04, Grand Rapids-04,06 London-05, Toronto-05, Indianapolis 10, East Troy (1&2) 11, Chicago 13, Detroit 14

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  • All Those YesterdaysAll Those Yesterdays Posts: 2,723
    RedMosquito22 wrote:
    I don't need to just yet and this is my first tube amp. Just curious what you would get to maybe gritty it up a bit.

    What have you guys used and what are your opinions on the setups.

    I tend to try to clean amps up, not get them more gritty, so I'm not the expert to help you. But I'd honestly look into replacing the speaker with something from Weber that breaks up a lot sooner.
    E. Lansing-98 Columbus-00,03,10 Detroit-00,03 (1&2),06, 14 Cleveland-03,06,10 Toledo-04, Grand Rapids-04,06 London-05, Toronto-05, Indianapolis 10, East Troy (1&2) 11, Chicago 13, Detroit 14

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  • RedMosquito22RedMosquito22 Posts: 8,158
    All Those Yesterdays wrote:
    RedMosquito22 wrote:
    I don't need to just yet and this is my first tube amp. Just curious what you would get to maybe gritty it up a bit.

    What have you guys used and what are your opinions on the setups.

    I tend to try to clean amps up, not get them more gritty, so I'm not the expert to help you. But I'd honestly look into replacing the speaker with something from Weber that breaks up a lot sooner.

    I think I didn't properly describe it. I agree with you with the cleaning up since I get my dirt from pedals anyway. My BDR is very bassy(when clean) and have the bass set to zero and it's still not great so I don't know if it's a tube or speaker replacement I should go with first.
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  • All Those YesterdaysAll Those Yesterdays Posts: 2,723
    RedMosquito22 wrote:
    All Those Yesterdays wrote:
    RedMosquito22 wrote:
    I don't need to just yet and this is my first tube amp. Just curious what you would get to maybe gritty it up a bit.

    What have you guys used and what are your opinions on the setups.

    I tend to try to clean amps up, not get them more gritty, so I'm not the expert to help you. But I'd honestly look into replacing the speaker with something from Weber that breaks up a lot sooner.

    I think I didn't properly describe it. I agree with you with the cleaning up since I get my dirt from pedals anyway. My BDR is very bassy(when clean) and have the bass set to zero and it's still not great so I don't know if it's a tube or speaker replacement I should go with first.

    By the looks of a bunch of posts on line, that is quite common for that amp. Speaker will help more then tubes. But the question would be if it helps enough. CJ @ Weber would be the one to ask about this, and see what he recommends. Really nice guy.
    E. Lansing-98 Columbus-00,03,10 Detroit-00,03 (1&2),06, 14 Cleveland-03,06,10 Toledo-04, Grand Rapids-04,06 London-05, Toronto-05, Indianapolis 10, East Troy (1&2) 11, Chicago 13, Detroit 14

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  • mccreadyisgodmccreadyisgod Posts: 6,395
    I definitely agree that a speaker replacement will change overall tone more than different tubes. Celestion V30 is the go-to swap for the Fender Hot Rod/Blues amps, but I don't know if that would be a huge change in the bass. One thing worth noting is that the Presence control will also affect the tone, including bass response. I believe your amp also has a Bright switch.

    Do you have any other reason to want a tube swap? Or is this just a tonal question? What kind of guitar are you plugging into it? What kind of pedals? What style of music?
    ...and if you don't like it, you can suck on an egg.
  • RedMosquito22RedMosquito22 Posts: 8,158
    Honestly I have a pretty good tone going. I have both channels set pretty darn good right now. It's also from what I've been told "still being broken in process". I like to tinker and get the best tone possible. I have the pure clean on channel one and a little dirtier clean on channel 2(drive on 4). I get my overdrive from pedals. I just ordered the new MXR Badass overdrive and a new MXR '78 distortion(for a Marshall tone). Right now I have a Boss SD-1.

    Just curious as to what are the replacements to go for to keep the same fender tone with perhaps a little less bass.

    We pretty much play everything from clean to punk Social D style. We do cover The Misfits though. No Metal.
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  • DewieCoxDewieCox Posts: 11,429
    Have you considered an eq pedal? Not sure how it would work, just thought it might be something to look into.
  • RedMosquito22RedMosquito22 Posts: 8,158
    DewieCox wrote:
    Have you considered an eq pedal? Not sure how it would work, just thought it might be something to look into.

    I definitely have. It is probably the best idea to actually reduce the bass.
    Member 164xxx

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  • PSUS2HPSUS2H Posts: 2,194
    All Those Yesterdays wrote:
    PSUS2H wrote:
    Im curious about this as well. I have a Fender Super Reverb amp that I recently aquired from a friend that I want to know what to do. Thinking 6L6 tubes, but maybe EL34s.

    Ah Super Reverbs.... wonderfully clean amps... What year? Who carries it for you? Joking 65 lbs is a bit much to lug around, but well worth it. Stick with 6L6's no matter what, that is the Fender way.. I'd just go with JJ's for that. Unless you find an appealing set of EH's.

    Got some Wing-C Svetlana 6L6's for it. :-)
    Pittsburgh, PA September 28, 2005 || Washington, DC June 22, 2008 || Barstow, VA May 13, 2010 || Seattle, WA  August 10, 2018 || Dana Point, CA September 29, 2018 (EV) || Dana Point, CA September 28, 2019 (EV) || Dana Point, CA September 25, 2021 (EV) || Dana Point, CA October 1, 2021 || Dana Point, CA October 2, 2021 || Chicago, IL August 29, 2024 
  • JH228JH228 Posts: 38
    Yeah winged c's are very nice tubes. I use them in my custom amp builds.

    I have also been really liking the TAD 6L6WGC-STR lately. I just installed these tubes into a run of 59 bassman amps I made and they matched up nicely next to my original rca black plate 6l6gc's.

    I like the tung-sol reissue 6l6's too.
    www.GlacierAmps.com
  • RedMosquito22RedMosquito22 Posts: 8,158
    There are just so many options.

    From reading up it looks like the Svetlana 6L6GC are the choice and not really sure which JJ's 12 AX7's to get. Any reccomendations?

    http://thetubestore.com/ne-6l6gc.html
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  • JH228JH228 Posts: 38
    The svetlana's you are looking at there are the "new" reissue tubes made by new sensor in Russia. Not that it's a bad thing, New Sensor Corp. bought the rights to use the Svetlana brand and are making them to Svetlana specs.

    The real Svetlana tubes are the SED "winged C" ones. They sound fantastic. These are the one's with mojo.

    As for 12ax7's...

    I have been using the reissue tung-sols and mullards with success. I like them a lot. The mullards seem to be just a little darker to my ears. The Chinese 12ax7c is a nice tube with higher gain than most others being manufactured right now.

    Lots of choices!
    www.GlacierAmps.com
  • All Those YesterdaysAll Those Yesterdays Posts: 2,723
    JH228 wrote:
    The svetlana's you are looking at there are the "new" reissue tubes made by new sensor in Russia. Not that it's a bad thing, New Sensor Corp. bought the rights to use the Svetlana brand and are making them to Svetlana specs.

    The real Svetlana tubes are the SED "winged C" ones. They sound fantastic. These are the one's with mojo.

    As for 12ax7's...

    I have been using the reissue tung-sols and mullards with success. I like them a lot. The mullards seem to be just a little darker to my ears. The Chinese 12ax7c is a nice tube with higher gain than most others being manufactured right now.

    Lots of choices!

    That's interesting I've had nothing but issues with Chinese 12ax7's. They go micro-phonic pretty much instantly.
    E. Lansing-98 Columbus-00,03,10 Detroit-00,03 (1&2),06, 14 Cleveland-03,06,10 Toledo-04, Grand Rapids-04,06 London-05, Toronto-05, Indianapolis 10, East Troy (1&2) 11, Chicago 13, Detroit 14

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  • RedMosquito22RedMosquito22 Posts: 8,158
    JH228 wrote:
    The svetlana's you are looking at there are the "new" reissue tubes made by new sensor in Russia. Not that it's a bad thing, New Sensor Corp. bought the rights to use the Svetlana brand and are making them to Svetlana specs.

    The real Svetlana tubes are the SED "winged C" ones. They sound fantastic. These are the one's with mojo.

    As for 12ax7's...

    I have been using the reissue tung-sols and mullards with success. I like them a lot. The mullards seem to be just a little darker to my ears. The Chinese 12ax7c is a nice tube with higher gain than most others being manufactured right now.

    Lots of choices!

    No doubt on the choices. I am going to go with your advice since a lot of others agree and am going to go with these:

    http://thetubestore.com/6l6gc.html

    http://www.dougstubes.com/brands/tung-sol-tubes/tung-sol-12ax7-re-issue.html

    Look good to you guys?

    Another question....Will the amp have to be re-biased with this tube change or will it be ok where it is?

    Is swapping the tubes pretty easy because I'd like to avoid paying someone for 5 minutes of work but I also don't want to shock myself.
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  • JH228JH228 Posts: 38
    I have had mullard's and tung-sol's become microphonic on me too. Pretty much all tubes can become microphonic.

    It's a guessing game most of the time, wish it wasn't like this but it is.
    www.GlacierAmps.com
  • JH228JH228 Posts: 38
    RedMosquito22 wrote:
    JH228 wrote:
    The svetlana's you are looking at there are the "new" reissue tubes made by new sensor in Russia. Not that it's a bad thing, New Sensor Corp. bought the rights to use the Svetlana brand and are making them to Svetlana specs.

    The real Svetlana tubes are the SED "winged C" ones. They sound fantastic. These are the one's with mojo.

    As for 12ax7's...

    I have been using the reissue tung-sols and mullards with success. I like them a lot. The mullards seem to be just a little darker to my ears. The Chinese 12ax7c is a nice tube with higher gain than most others being manufactured right now.

    Lots of choices!

    No doubt on the choices. I am going to go with your advice since a lot of others agree and am going to go with these:

    http://thetubestore.com/6l6gc.html

    http://www.dougstubes.com/brands/tung-sol-tubes/tung-sol-12ax7-re-issue.html

    Look good to you guys?

    Another question....Will the amp have to be re-biased with this tube change or will it be ok where it is?

    Is swapping the tubes pretty easy because I'd like to avoid paying someone for 5 minutes of work but I also don't want to shock myself.


    Your tube selection is good. I have a quad of winged c 6l6's in my twin reverb and it's got nothing but tone! You won't be disappointed.

    Tube preference is totally subjective. The best thing to do is buy a bunch to audition and then form an opinion. It's not exactly an inexpensive endeavour though!

    As for biasing...

    Yes, your power tubes (6L6's) need to be properly biased. Your amp will sound its best and you'll have confidence in the performance of the amp. Whenever you install new tubes, this needs to happen to ensure proper operation. I am an amp technician/builder/diy'er...so I have a little bit of insight here.

    The reason your amp should be taken to an amp tech is because to properly bias the tubes, a few high voltage measurements need to be taken inside the amplifier. This is dangerous ( 400-500 Volts!). With that measurement the tech will then calculate, based on the plate voltage where your tubes need to be set at idle current. Typically this point is set to 70% of the maximum ratings for the 6L6's. Yadda yadda yadda. This job requires know-how and proper training to do safely. Pay someone a few bucks or learn how and buy the tools to measure bias yourself.

    The preamp tubes can simply be installed without any extra biasing. They are fixed bias on the circuit board.

    Hope this helps
    www.GlacierAmps.com
  • RedMosquito22RedMosquito22 Posts: 8,158
    Thank you so much!! I do know of a tech, so I will definitely have them installed and re-biased by a pro.
    Member 164xxx

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