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Tubes

sustainediasustainedia Posts: 112
edited June 2005 in Musicians and Gearheads
what kind of tubes do you guys use in your amps? what should i put in my sovtek mig-50? what do all these #'s mean, 6L6, EL34, 5881, 12AX7, etc. where can i learn about these? i just purchased some jj/tesla ecc83s and jj/tesla 6L6s, and though i have not received them yet, it made me wonder: how the hell am i supposed to know which sound the best if i can't try them out? anyway, any suggestions because i am not above sending these back if i find a better fit. Ruby Tubes seem to be rated great on Musician's Friend.
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Comments

  • mccreadyisgodmccreadyisgod Bumfuq, MT Posts: 6,395
    Say hello to my little friend:

    http://www.thetubestore.com/

    Spend at least an hour going through their resource pages and tube reviews. Good stuff for Intro to Tube-ology.

    I would personally avoid Ruby Tubes like an ugly, drunk, underage high school girl with herpes. You'll definitely be okay with the JJ/Tesla's. They'll give you a good British sound for your Mig. If you want a more California sound, I'd suggest Electro Harmonix. And if you want something just kinda funky and cool, get Chinese. And if you're ever in doubt, get some Sovtek tubes. They were good enough to make your amp, they're certainly good enough to make the tubes for that amp.
    ...and if you don't like it, you can suck on an egg.
  • All Those YesterdaysAll Those Yesterdays Posts: 2,723
    The tubestore website is a god send!
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  • casper leblanccasper leblanc Posts: 1,246
    mccreadyisgod wrote:
    I would personally avoid Ruby Tubes like an ugly, drunk, underage high school girl with herpes.

    I have Ruby Tubes... :( but I do have a very hot and herpes-free girlfriend. Can't win 'em all!

    I'll hold on to the Ruby's for now, get an other set when they're worn...
  • enharmonicenharmonic Posts: 1,917
    Lord Valve is also the bomb!

    In your Mig...EL34's...Svetlana winged C's. Done.

    12ax7's are trickier because you can get a lot of different results from switching them around. I personally prefer 5751's in a Marshall style amp...the SRV preamp tube. Less gain, but more complexity. :)
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  • Pacomc79Pacomc79 Posts: 9,404
    hmmm, 5751 eh.... learn something new every day.
    My Girlfriend said to me..."How many guitars do you need?" and I replied...."How many pairs of shoes do you need?" She got really quiet.
  • mccreadyisgodmccreadyisgod Bumfuq, MT Posts: 6,395
    I've always been more of a 7025 kinda guy...
    ...and if you don't like it, you can suck on an egg.
  • MissYouAllDayMissYouAllDay Posts: 939
    Can we talk a bit about tube biasing.

    LIke when I replace my preamp tubes will they likely need to be biased?

    12Ax7 preamp tubes: I am buying 5 of em cause I have 2 bad ones and I want all the same brand in my preamp. I am getting the tesla ones like you guys previously recommended.
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  • mccreadyisgodmccreadyisgod Bumfuq, MT Posts: 6,395
    Biasing is much more important with power tubes because of the higher voltages they're wired for. The question here is, do your preamp tubes have a bias adjustment?

    You do realize you don't have to get all the same tube type and brand for preamp tubes, right?
    ...and if you don't like it, you can suck on an egg.
  • MissYouAllDayMissYouAllDay Posts: 939
    Yah, I just figure I want all the same brand for a uniform sound. I might consider having different tubes but I don't know how that would effect the sound. YOu guys have told me that those teslas will maintain the character of my HIWATT.
    I miss you already, I miss you always
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  • mccreadyisgodmccreadyisgod Bumfuq, MT Posts: 6,395
    MissYouAllDay wrote:
    Yah, I just figure I want all the same brand for a uniform sound. I might consider having different tubes but I don't know how that would effect the sound. YOu guys have told me that those teslas will maintain the character of my HIWATT.


    You can't really go wrong with the Tesla's, so that's a good bet. The big thing is figuring out what each tube does specifically and figure out what brand/model will give the best results. Then you could mix and match and really get every ounce of tone from your amp.
    ...and if you don't like it, you can suck on an egg.
  • All Those YesterdaysAll Those Yesterdays Posts: 2,723
    mccreadyisgod wrote:
    You can't really go wrong with the Tesla's, so that's a good bet. The big thing is figuring out what each tube does specifically and figure out what brand/model will give the best results. Then you could mix and match and really get every ounce of tone from your amp.

    I know we've talked about this before, but I'm still shocked how much you guys like Teslas. Even the local amp fixing dude in town swears by them, but I've had two issues with them in a row (with them lasting about 1/2 the time I usually get out of them), and another friend of mine has had the same problems. I had nothing but problems with those dam'n things. But hey to each its own.

    Thats why I do a lot of new old stock or may electros now and then.

    FYI the problems have been in a Carvin 212 belair, and a Marshal JCM 900. Obviously some of the issues from the Carvin can be just the wear and tear from it being a combo and the power tubes being EL84's. But the Marshal had the 6L6'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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  • Pacomc79Pacomc79 Posts: 9,404
    All Those Yesterdays wrote:
    I know we've talked about this before, but I'm still shocked how much you guys like Teslas. Even the local amp fixing dude in town swears by them, but I've had two issues with them in a row (with them lasting about 1/2 the time I usually get out of them), and another friend of mine has had the same problems. I had nothing but problems with those dam'n things. But hey to each its own.

    Thats why I do a lot of new old stock or may electros now and then.

    FYI the problems have been in a Carvin 212 belair, and a Marshal JCM 900. Obviously some of the issues from the Carvin can be just the wear and tear from it being a combo and the power tubes being EL84's. But the Marshal had the 6L6's.


    some guys at a local shop I go to hate the Tesla's too for whatever reason. I chalk it up to a few bad batches. They have a generally good rep for being well built.

    I've got EI's in my Orange and I've been pleased. I really want lower gain preamp tubes and a little more headroom from my power tubes.

    I generally just read the descriptions hope and pray.

    There is a company in England called Watford Valves that has a good reputation. They have thier own revolutionary testing process for EL84's.

    I think it's http://www.watfordvalves.com

    regardless, choosing tubes is a bit like roulette sometimes. I try to use companies I think have decent quality control but companies like Bogner swear the Chinese 12AX7's sound best in thier and other Marshall style amps.
    My Girlfriend said to me..."How many guitars do you need?" and I replied...."How many pairs of shoes do you need?" She got really quiet.
  • mccreadyisgodmccreadyisgod Bumfuq, MT Posts: 6,395
    Pacomc79 wrote:
    regardless, choosing tubes is a bit like roulette sometimes. I try to use companies I think have decent quality control but companies like Bogner swear the Chinese 12AX7's sound best in thier and other Marshall style amps.


    I'd venture to guess those tubes are individually tested before they're installed in the amps...
    ...and if you don't like it, you can suck on an egg.
  • Pacomc79Pacomc79 Posts: 9,404
    mccreadyisgod wrote:
    I'd venture to guess those tubes are individually tested before they're installed in the amps...

    bingo......
    My Girlfriend said to me..."How many guitars do you need?" and I replied...."How many pairs of shoes do you need?" She got really quiet.
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