It is currently Tue Mar 17, 2020 5:10 am

All times are UTC - 7 hours



Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 30 posts ]  Go to page Previous  1, 2
Go to page Previous  1, 2
Author Message
Post subject: Re: JJ gold pin tubes disappoint...
Posted: Sun Jan 30, 2011 6:18 pm
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician
User avatar

Joined: Thu Nov 04, 2010 12:13 am
Posts: 1174
Thanks for the heads up.


Top
Profile
Fender Play Winter Sale 2020
Post subject: Re: JJ gold pin tubes disappoint...
Posted: Tue Feb 01, 2011 6:53 am
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star
User avatar

Joined: Tue Aug 07, 2007 2:19 pm
Posts: 8827
flyinjw wrote:
I just slapped the 3 sovtec 12ax7's back in there and left the JJ power tubes in there.
Bias at 77mv.

Completely different animal.

This amp completely sings right now.

Not perfect, but quite the improvement from just swapping those 3 tubes.


You can go hotter. I had my HRDlx at 85mv and it was a big improvement.

Check out Eurotubes biasing video. Personally I never bought into the gold pin hype. I never used them in any amp I've ever owned.

_________________
Life...... It's sexually transmitted and always fatal


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: JJ gold pin tubes disappoint...
Posted: Tue Feb 01, 2011 9:43 am
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Sun Jan 16, 2011 12:47 pm
Posts: 36
Little update...

I swapped out the JJ power tubes, so now I have all 5 original sovtecs back in there. Pushed the bias up to about 80mv.

Now the amp just has a very nice sustain, much smoother attack, and very little clean spike.
With the extra gain channel on, gain at about 6, Master volume at maybe 3, this thing just kills.
Feedback on demand, very controllable, without it running away from me...
That was just about the most satisfying hour of practice I have had in years.

_________________
The more hair you lose, the more head you get.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: JJ gold pin tubes disappoint...
Posted: Tue Feb 01, 2011 11:03 pm
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star
User avatar

Joined: Sat Jul 03, 2010 2:18 pm
Posts: 6544
Glad you got the thing to sing. Funny how some amps sound great wtih Sovteks, some with JJ, some with NOS, whatever. It's almost as if the amp was designed around specific tube manufacturers. It's kinda the neat thing about tube amps. They ALL have their own personalities.

So I never believe when someone says: "Put XYZ tube in and you'll always acheive tonal nirvana." After awhile you can kinda guess as to what brand/vintage of tube will do what, with specific amps. The way they respond to say stock items.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: JJ gold pin tubes disappoint...
Posted: Wed Feb 02, 2011 5:46 am
Offline
Roadie
Roadie

Joined: Sat Mar 21, 2009 8:02 am
Posts: 293
the reason it sounds so good now is because the bias is at 80mV. all those little electrons slamming into the plate. sorry to say in a short time you WILL replace those power tubes. cranking the bias up that high on that 5881wxt sovtek an't recomended.they are very durable tubes. if you have the cash for new tubes leave it, if not back it down to no higher than 72mV or 75mV that still won't prolong their life but what the hell if it sounds good. some tube sellers say to crank it up but you would say the same thing if that was your business too. don't abuse them...or the next thing you know you'll pull a Pete Townsend and smash your guitars. good luck.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: JJ gold pin tubes disappoint...
Posted: Wed Feb 02, 2011 8:12 am
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star
User avatar

Joined: Tue Aug 07, 2007 2:19 pm
Posts: 8827
Did you try the JJ 6L6 power tubes at 80mv. Mine handled 85mv just fine. No red plating and I had 3 years on them when I sold the amp. The GT 5881's that came with my amp sounded lie arse no matter where they were biased. Biased cold, the 5881's can sound like arse forever.

_________________
Life...... It's sexually transmitted and always fatal


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: JJ gold pin tubes disappoint...
Posted: Wed Feb 02, 2011 10:12 am
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Sun Jan 16, 2011 12:47 pm
Posts: 36
After further review...

I decided to put all the JJ's back in for a day.
Pushed the bias up to maybe 81mv.

Ok, now we are getting somewhere....

The clean channel did a jekyl/hyde thing and just sounds lush if I give it some volume. With the higher bias, the harshness just vanished and the sustain came back. The drive channels are iffy so far, but still usable.

It just seems the more bias voltage I give it, the better the experience gets, although the more drive channel just becomes a useless squeal feedback generator. Probably good for ridding the house of termites and roaches.(;-D

If burning up tubes is the price I pay for this kind of tone, well, then I'll replace tubes as needed. Time will tell just how true that is.

So, for now, the clean channel with a little boost is where it's at with this amp....so far....

_________________
The more hair you lose, the more head you get.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: JJ gold pin tubes disappoint...
Posted: Wed Feb 02, 2011 10:22 am
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star
User avatar

Joined: Tue Aug 07, 2007 2:19 pm
Posts: 8827
If you check out Eurotubes biasing video they push it to 90mv. Like I said, I got 3 years out of my JJ's though not gold pin. They weren't gigged too heavily because I couldn't trust the amp anymore. Not due to biasing a little hot, just because it couldn't hold up to gigging.

The drive channel improved, but really wasn't that usable. Fender was never known for it's distortion channels. Natural distortion? Great stuff, they just seem to have a problem with it intentionally with a gain channel.

_________________
Life...... It's sexually transmitted and always fatal


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: JJ gold pin tubes disappoint...
Posted: Wed Feb 02, 2011 10:40 am
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Sun Jan 16, 2011 12:47 pm
Posts: 36
Yep, I've seen that biasing vid a few times, which is why I was concerned when the amp tech that replaced my volume pots set it at 67mv, and said that anything more was "unmusical".

Well, I am just finding out for myself what works and what doesn't.

I'll bump it up a little more today and see what happens.

I was going to post a vid, but my gopro camera has really crummy audio for music. Makes my boat motor sound good, but not so good with guitar stuff.

_________________
The more hair you lose, the more head you get.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: JJ gold pin tubes disappoint...
Posted: Wed Feb 02, 2011 12:19 pm
Offline
Roadie
Roadie

Joined: Sat Mar 21, 2009 8:02 am
Posts: 293
glad to see the jj's are working out for you. when you said you had the sovteks at 80mV that threw up a red flag. the jj's will probably be ok they seem like they can take that bias voltage. if i might make a sugestion...run a compressor in the loop and use it to attenuate the volume and run the normal channel wide open.use your guitar volume to control breakup. i preach this alot but it works wonders for these amps. i have the bdri. with this set up i can get into that "beano" territory. give it a try.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: JJ gold pin tubes disappoint...
Posted: Wed Feb 02, 2011 12:30 pm
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Sun Jan 16, 2011 12:47 pm
Posts: 36
I have a Boss CS-3 that I have been running in front of the amp.
Haven't tried it in the loop yet.
I'll try it.

Also have a Digitech HotHead that actually seems to work pretty good with the clean channel.

This amp LOVES my 1977 Cry Baby.

_________________
The more hair you lose, the more head you get.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: JJ gold pin tubes disappoint...
Posted: Wed Feb 02, 2011 12:38 pm
Offline
Roadie
Roadie

Joined: Sat Mar 21, 2009 8:02 am
Posts: 293
run the comp at about 10 or 11 o'clock on the level adjust the other controls as you like.turn the bass down on the amp. when you run the volume full the bass will naturaly come up. i had to turn mine all the way down. by the way i don't run a boost between the guitar and amp either, but it will make a nice sound.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: JJ gold pin tubes disappoint...
Posted: Tue Feb 08, 2011 9:38 am
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Sun Jan 16, 2011 12:47 pm
Posts: 36
For me the drive channels are pretty much useless.
With the JJ's in there, and a bias set at about 88mv, the clean channel lights up pretty good. A little overdrive from a dist box gives it enough growl to have fun with.

Didn't care much for the halftime show, so I made one of my own...jus' fiddlin' around...


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xO6jivaHmEY

_________________
The more hair you lose, the more head you get.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: JJ gold pin tubes disappoint...
Posted: Tue Feb 08, 2011 12:41 pm
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star
User avatar

Joined: Tue Aug 07, 2007 2:19 pm
Posts: 8827
You can bias the amp to super nova levels and it still won't help the fizz more fizz channels on that amp. You're better off doing what you're doing.

_________________
Life...... It's sexually transmitted and always fatal


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: JJ gold pin tubes disappoint...
Posted: Tue Feb 08, 2011 12:51 pm
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Sun Jan 16, 2011 12:47 pm
Posts: 36
63supro wrote:
You can bias the amp to super nova levels and it still won't help the fizz more fizz channels on that amp. You're better off doing what you're doing.


Exactly right....I should have known that, considering the 1st amp I ever owned was an old bassman 50 head. Tried putting a master volume on that amp, and just ruined it. After using Marshalls for many years I had completely forgotten how much Fender amps love pedals.

_________________
The more hair you lose, the more head you get.


Top
Profile
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 30 posts ]  Go to page Previous  1, 2
Go to page Previous  1, 2

All times are UTC - 7 hours

Fender Play Winter Sale 2020

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 2 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum

Search for:
Jump to: