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Tube help

BeavBeav Posts: 223
edited November 2007 in Musicians and Gearheads
First of all my Marshall JCM 2000's been sounding like crap lately. It's probably because I made the mistake of running it improperly through the Peavey cab I have. I just got a Marshall 1960A cab so I want to get everything sounding good again. When I inspected the tubes I see brown "crap" in some of the EL34's. I assume this means they need replaced. Can anyone recommend replacement tubes? Preferably something that wouldn't drastically change the sound. Thanks!
"Sooner or later you'll bare your teeth"
www.myspace.com/volinic
www.myspace.com/zane26 (band)
Post edited by Unknown User on

Comments

  • All Those YesterdaysAll Those Yesterdays Posts: 2,723
    What do you mean, made the mistake of running it inproperly through a cabinet?

    If you don't want a thing to change, then replace the tubes with the brand that's already in it. I don't know what marshall is putting in there amps these days.
    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

    https://www.facebook.com/aghostwritersapology/
  • BeavBeav Posts: 223
    The stock tubes just have an emblem with a "C" on it and say made in Russia. I ordered a quad set of Groove Tubes with a 4 rating. Hope they sound good!
    "Sooner or later you'll bare your teeth"
    www.myspace.com/volinic
    www.myspace.com/zane26 (band)
  • lucylespianlucylespian Posts: 2,403
    So long as you had some kind of resistance load on the amp, it's very unlikely that an impedance mismatch will have hurt your amp.
    Music is not a competetion.
  • BeavBeav Posts: 223
    I may have had the ohm's mismatched because the inputs on the Peavey cab weren't labeled. Plus the top left speaker wasn't working for whatever reason. I don't know if that would affect anything. All I know is the head sounds like crap so hopefully replacing the power tubes fixes this.
    "Sooner or later you'll bare your teeth"
    www.myspace.com/volinic
    www.myspace.com/zane26 (band)
  • Pacomc79Pacomc79 Posts: 9,404
    Sounds like you have Winged C Svetlana's in the power tube section. Those are pretty good generally.

    Usually people seem to like the chinese 12AX7's in those amps (that's what bogner uses) Ruby rebrands them etc.

    check out http://www.thetubestore.com http://www.tubedepot.com and http://www.kcanostubes.com for some information.

    I personally love the Tung Sol 12AX7's and you definately might try the new issue Mullards that look like they could be decent, the originals are famous and expensive so if they used the right design they could be good.

    If you retube the power section (EL34's) you need to rebias the amplifier or take it to a tech to do the retube and ensure that everything is running at the right voltages.

    I can't really tell you from...there's brown stuff in the tube if it needs to be changed or not. If it just dosen't sound as good as you remember... you could change them out rebias and see if that fixes it, generally it does but it is an expensive maintenence especially if you need a quad of EL34's
    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.
  • BeavBeav Posts: 223
    Pacomc79 wrote:
    Sounds like you have Winged C Svetlana's in the power tube section. Those are pretty good generally.

    Usually people seem to like the chinese 12AX7's in those amps (that's what bogner uses) Ruby rebrands them etc.

    check out http://www.thetubestore.com http://www.tubedepot.com and http://www.kcanostubes.com for some information.

    I personally love the Tung Sol 12AX7's and you definately might try the new issue Mullards that look like they could be decent, the originals are famous and expensive so if they used the right design they could be good.

    If you retube the power section (EL34's) you need to rebias the amplifier or take it to a tech to do the retube and ensure that everything is running at the right voltages.

    I can't really tell you from...there's brown stuff in the tube if it needs to be changed or not. If it just dosen't sound as good as you remember... you could change them out rebias and see if that fixes it, generally it does but it is an expensive maintenence especially if you need a quad of EL34's

    Thanks for the info. Yeah my tubes have the winged C. I already have the el34 groove tubes on the way. They're matched and I got a good deal on them -$50- because the seller's going out of business. How important is this rebiasing and what does it involve? It needs done even if the tubes are matched?

    -edit- Ok nevermind.. I just read some stuff on thetubestore.com and it answered my bias question and also gave me the impression that groove tubes are crap. Great. Guess this is gonna end up costing me..
    "Sooner or later you'll bare your teeth"
    www.myspace.com/volinic
    www.myspace.com/zane26 (band)
  • Pacomc79Pacomc79 Posts: 9,404
    Beav wrote:
    Thanks for the info. Yeah my tubes have the winged C. I already have the el34 groove tubes on the way. They're matched and I got a good deal on them -$50- because the seller's going out of business. How important is this rebiasing and what does it involve? It needs done even if the tubes are matched?

    -edit- Ok nevermind.. I just read some stuff on thetubestore.com and it answered my bias question and also gave me the impression that groove tubes are crap. Great. Guess this is gonna end up costing me..


    nah, groove tubes are fine. You'll be ok they are just rebrands. You're just paying more for the groove tube name. No worries. That's been going on since tube making began. They sound fantastic in the new Bassman LTD's so I assume you'll be ok too, you're just out probably 10 bucks or so for the honor of owning Groove Tubes. No worries.

    Biasing is a very important step to insure component longevity and good sound. You have to ensure the amp and tubes are seeing the voltages they are comfortable seeing. Any time you swap out the power tubes the bias needs to be checked. I'm not saying that it'll blow up or something if you don't check it out I mean I'm sure this happens all the time and people change them out like light bulbs with no fuss, but it's a 50 dollar investment you have there in those tubes and not checking for proper bias can lead to crappy tube life and or blown transformers which gets pricey.
    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.
  • BeavBeav Posts: 223
    Thanks for the help. I just called the nearest music store and they can do the rebiasing so Im all set once the tubes arrive.
    "Sooner or later you'll bare your teeth"
    www.myspace.com/volinic
    www.myspace.com/zane26 (band)
  • Pacomc79Pacomc79 Posts: 9,404
    Beav wrote:
    Thanks for the help. I just called the nearest music store and they can do the rebiasing so Im all set once the tubes arrive.


    Great, good luck.
    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.
  • enharmonicenharmonic Posts: 1,917
    I'm with Pac...the Tung Sol's are quite nice. I bought a gang of 'em just to be safe and secure in the 12ax dept for quite a long time :)
    new music: http://www.myspace.com/blackbirdsymphonique

    old music: http://www.myspace.com/slowloader
  • All Those YesterdaysAll Those Yesterdays Posts: 2,723
    enharmonic wrote:
    I'm with Pac...the Tung Sol's are quite nice. I bought a gang of 'em just to be safe and secure in the 12ax dept for quite a long time :)

    Now a gang of pre amp tubes is more then three correct? And it's still a flock of power tubes?
    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

    https://www.facebook.com/aghostwritersapology/
  • enharmonicenharmonic Posts: 1,917
    All Those Yesterdays wrote:
    Now a gang of pre amp tubes is more then three correct? And it's still a flock of power tubes?

    I was going to buy A Flock of Power Tubes, but I couldn't afford to keep 'em in funky new wave haircuts. :D

    I use the new JJ KT77's in my power section. I like them fairly well.
    new music: http://www.myspace.com/blackbirdsymphonique

    old music: http://www.myspace.com/slowloader
  • All Those YesterdaysAll Those Yesterdays Posts: 2,723
    enharmonic wrote:
    I was going to buy A Flock of Power Tubes, but I couldn't afford to keep 'em in funky new wave haircuts. :D

    I use the new JJ KT77's in my power section. I like them fairly well.


    Wasn't someone looking for a band name around here?

    Very cool on the KT77's for sure.
    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

    https://www.facebook.com/aghostwritersapology/
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