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Posted: Mon Dec 07, 2009 6:11 pm
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mike1walsh wrote:
Well what adjustments can be made to the pre amp tubes?? how do i get more gain from my Hot Rod Blues deville just add the JJ's and that should give it some more dirt?


I use a combo of EH and Mesa pre-amp tubes with my JJ 6L6's. They are also rebranded but the EH are very good for handling microphony and in a combo like that they work wonders.

Mesa test their tubes, apparently, on their distortion ratings and I use one of them in V2.

Thats just my take on it, as 63supro said, mix it up basically, test different combinations out, read about them, listen to them on youtube.

But the JJ's should sort a hell of a lot out on their own if you bias between 80-90mv bro. Crunchier, less muddy and more string definition while chording.

Cheers,

CC

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Posted: Tue Dec 08, 2009 6:09 pm
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GT tubes are fine. They sell all the Chinese, Russian, and Slovakian tubes, like the JJ. GT's number for the JJ 6L6 is 6L6S. They all come from the same factories. 20 some years ago, GT started testing and matching tube sets that were guaranteed. Now everyone does it. As for higher prices, well we have to help Fender pay for their new company. Other than that, I've never had any problems with these tubes. If you can get a matched set of JJ 6L6's cheaper, buy them. They are the same tube. As for preamp tubes, I tend to favor the Chinese stuff. They have a good fat tone that some others seem to lack. Try different tubes here and go with what sounds good to you. Hope this helps.......barryg


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Posted: Tue Dec 08, 2009 6:15 pm
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barryg wrote:
GT tubes are fine. They sell all the Chinese, Russian, and Slovakian tubes, like the JJ. GT's number for the JJ 6L6 is 6L6S. They all come from the same factories. 20 some years ago, GT started testing and matching tube sets that were guaranteed. Now everyone does it. As for higher prices, well we have to help Fender pay for their new company. Other than that, I've never had any problems with these tubes. If you can get a matched set of JJ 6L6's cheaper, buy them. They are the same tube. Hope this helps.......barryg


I understand people match tubes but do they all not look for different things? e.g. Mesa look for gain.

GT's are harsh and expensive. Most people agree with that and the difference between them and a set of JJ's is extremely noticeable to my ears and remarkable IMHO (and most others).

CC

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Posted: Tue Dec 08, 2009 6:59 pm
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I've heard tons of good and bad opinions about different tubes. All I'm saying is they can't be that different comming from the same factory aside from different batches. I was once told that Mesa tubes were junk, and only sound good in Mesa amps. How can that be? I've had no problems with Mesa tubes either. We AB'ed a set of JJ 6L6's and GT 6L6S in a Vibro-King and other than the JJ's were not as closely matched, they sounded the same. As did the Sovtek 6L6 and the GT 6L6R. We also liked the Mesa Chinese made EL34 over the GT EL34M. However, I do agree that they are over priced and over hyped. It's just a matter of what sounds good to you......barryg


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Posted: Tue Dec 08, 2009 8:06 pm
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With GT you rarely know what your getting. They ARE expensive and sound horrible and harsh to my ears too. In my HRDlx I had one 6l6 fail, and two of preamp tubes go microphonic in 3 months. The amp was brand new out of the box. Plus they always sounded like an icepick in the forehead when pushed. To me, i was always suspect of re-branded tubes. GT's are nothing more than an overpriced gimmick that is now owned by Fender. Maybe Fender should have bought JJ's and been done with it because they eventually wind up in their amps anyway.

JJ's 6V6 tubes sound incredible and are pretty much indestructible.


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Posted: Wed Dec 09, 2009 8:08 am
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Go to www.eurotubes.com and go to shop online. Bob has all different types of re-tube kits to give you what you want. He has everything from max headroom to high gain.

https://ssl.eurotubes.com/cart/index.ph ... gory_id=32

You do not bias preamp tubes. Technically they are at the factory and are supposedly pertinent from what I understand.


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Posted: Wed Dec 09, 2009 10:24 am
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barryg wrote:
I've heard tons of good and bad opinions about different tubes. All I'm saying is they can't be that different comming from the same factory aside from different batches. I was once told that Mesa tubes were junk, and only sound good in Mesa amps. How can that be? I've had no problems with Mesa tubes either. We AB'ed a set of JJ 6L6's and GT 6L6S in a Vibro-King and other than the JJ's were not as closely matched, they sounded the same. As did the Sovtek 6L6 and the GT 6L6R. We also liked the Mesa Chinese made EL34 over the GT EL34M. However, I do agree that they are over priced and over hyped. It's just a matter of what sounds good to you......barryg


Each company looks for different things when they match tubes, except GT who seem to be happy with 5h1t quality and charging through the nose for them.

Like I said, Mesa look for Dist rating and what would operate best in their amps, EHX seem to be careful with microphony etc, etc.

JJ all the way.

CC

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Posted: Wed Dec 09, 2009 11:48 am
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Just bought 4 6L6's JJ's and 6 12 ax7 JJ tesla's for 100 bucks.. thats what i paid for the gt's in my deville only fuckin rip off
Cheers
Mike


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Posted: Wed Dec 09, 2009 6:40 pm
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Got here kind of late, but I'm suprised that the winged C (Svetlana) was not mentioned. I've retubed a number of older Fender amps with them and found them superior, in their complexity of musical amplification, to the Sovtek and JJ 6L6 power tubes. Their reliability has been very good over the years. It seems the newer amps sound better with the current production power tubes. That's good for the amp owners, NOS power tubes are getting really pricey. The pre amp may benefit from the use of some reasonably priced NOS tubes, '80s JAN tubes can still be found. I guess, I'm just trying to say, there are some choices that don't require a great deal of cash for the player. Art

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Posted: Thu Dec 10, 2009 10:43 pm
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I bought a new BDRI in which the GT's are SOVTEK 5881WXT's. If you can bias from 60 to 90, I wonder why I've read to check it monthly because it can drift. It seems the danger to the amp would only be if too low or too high (over 90?). And it would seem fine tuning would be useless. The range is large. ?


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Posted: Fri Dec 11, 2009 12:06 am
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I have a 2001 Blues Deville, Tweed with 2 Twelves, I found a guy who had 8, 1960 brand new still in there boxes RCA 6L6GC Tubes, I put them in the amp and couldnt belive how much warmer and smoother the amp sounds, and when it breaks up in the clean channel its just like chocolate, so nice, anyway,,, do i need to Bias the tubes or just leave it? sounds so kool now i dont want to mess with it, my 1975 Les Paul deluxe and 52 reissue Tele just sound so choice, any help would be appreciated. cheers


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Posted: Fri Dec 11, 2009 9:21 am
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Lucky You, I'll take a pair of those if you want to share. ( kidding ) Those are great tubes from yesteryear, and should outlast anything made today. I would have the bias checked, unless you can do it yourself, to see where you're at. As long as the plates are not glowing red, you're okay, but you should always check to make sure you're in the proper range. good luck....barryg


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Posted: Fri Dec 11, 2009 7:34 pm
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Nice score Des! The tubes are matched, right? IMHO 32ma- 36ma is fine. The plate voltage should be kept below 475VDC. If you or your tech can get them in that zone, they can last for many years. The associated components may need to be upgraded inorder to safely support these tubes. This is quite a step up and shouldn't be treated lightly. Just my take on your situation. Art

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