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Post subject: Its hard to find good tubes these days.
Posted: Tue Mar 08, 2011 5:02 pm
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I went to GC and picked up some tubes for my blues jr .It was sounding fizzy and figured it needed new tubes.Put them in and found one of the preamp tubes sounding like a baby rattle.Took it back , popped in the new one and played for about 30 minutes and one of the other tubes (v2) went bad.There was hardly any sound coming out.Put in one of the original tubes for now.I think I will just get me some JJs and be done with it.


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Post subject: Re: Its hard to find good tubes these days.
Posted: Tue Mar 08, 2011 6:47 pm
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What brand did you try, and which tubes did you replace, preamp and/or output? I like to stick with Groove Tubes, they are worth the extra money, and I've rarely had any problems with them. :idea:

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Post subject: Re: Its hard to find good tubes these days.
Posted: Tue Mar 08, 2011 8:06 pm
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They were the Groove Tubes brand.I ended up replacing all the tubes ,the preamp tubes are the ones I have had the problems with.Totally lost my confidence in the GT brand tubes.They are rebranded Sovtek tubes.


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Post subject: Re: Its hard to find good tubes these days.
Posted: Tue Mar 08, 2011 8:36 pm
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I've used NOS tubes for years,but lately have tried the new production Tung-Sol and Mullard brands with good results for preamp tubes,and the Winged C Svetlana power tubes.


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Post subject: Re: Its hard to find good tubes these days.
Posted: Tue Mar 08, 2011 10:14 pm
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I try to avoid places like the Guitar Center for tubes. I feel they are overpriced and the variety is lacking. Check out the online stores, they have better prices and you can find some decent crrent production tubes as well as New Old Stuff.


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Post subject: Re: Its hard to find good tubes these days.
Posted: Tue Mar 08, 2011 10:40 pm
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budglo wrote:
They were the Groove Tubes brand. I ended up replacing all the tubes ,the preamp tubes are the ones I have had the problems with.Totally lost my confidence in the GT brand tubes.They are rebranded Sovtek tubes.


Yeah, that's been my experience also, only had a very few preamp tubes go microphonic. Most recently, I had two GT preamp tubes go microphonic, both used in the BJr. One 12AX7WC relabled Sovtek, and later one 12AT7 (no other label) immediately when installed to try it in the PI spot. Before that, I can't remember the last time I lost a GT, but replaced a few that became noisy/static-y over the years. I put new Sovteks in all three spots in the BJr, lost the one, and the replacement and the other two have been pushed hard for months now with no problems.

Keep in mind that the GT label only goes on after testing and selecting procedures, the same as (or better than, IMO) all other resellers of tubes. My experience with the Sovteks has been very good, they are typically sturdy tubes. I think that most problems with any brand of new tubes comes from poor/rough handling in shipping and at the store, as typically the bad ones act up almost immediately, as opposed to failing later.

I wouldn't give up after only a couple of dud preamp tubes, they are guaranteed and can be replaced. I don't think it would be fair to base my opinion of JJ tubes on the only ones that I have ever bought, or else I would never buy them again, as all 3 were bad and were returned (one howled in a C600, the others, "matched pair" were not matched) and my guess is that isn't the norm, stuff happens you know. :lol:

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Post subject: Re: Its hard to find good tubes these days.
Posted: Wed Mar 09, 2011 8:46 am
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budglo wrote:
I went to GC and picked up some tubes for my blues jr .It was sounding fizzy and figured it needed new tubes.Put them in and found one of the preamp tubes sounding like a baby rattle.Took it back , popped in the new one and played for about 30 minutes and one of the other tubes (v2) went bad.There was hardly any sound coming out.Put in one of the original tubes for now.I think I will just get me some JJs and be done with it.


+1 for JJs.

https://ssl.eurotubes.com/cart/index.ph ... gory_id=31

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Post subject: Re: Its hard to find good tubes these days.
Posted: Wed Mar 09, 2011 11:00 am
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tubedepot.com - nice selection, good pricing, shipping is fast too...haven't got a bad tube from these folks yet.


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Post subject: Re: Its hard to find good tubes these days.
Posted: Fri Mar 11, 2011 1:40 pm
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bluesky636 wrote:
budglo wrote:
I went to GC and picked up some tubes for my blues jr .It was sounding fizzy and figured it needed new tubes.Put them in and found one of the preamp tubes sounding like a baby rattle.Took it back , popped in the new one and played for about 30 minutes and one of the other tubes (v2) went bad.There was hardly any sound coming out.Put in one of the original tubes for now.I think I will just get me some JJs and be done with it.


+1 for JJs.

https://ssl.eurotubes.com/cart/index.ph ... gory_id=31


+2 for JJs and Eurotubes...informative, helpful and reasonably priced...

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Post subject: Re: Its hard to find good tubes these days.
Posted: Fri Mar 11, 2011 10:16 pm
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I personally do not care for the tone of Groove Tubes and replace them with other tubes that I have experimented with for years. I also do not waste money on NOS tubes. Tubes have come a long way in the last 25 years approx. and are much better sonically since manufacturing ceased in the U.S.

The JJ's are about the best EL84 along with Tung Sol 12AX7A's or EH 12AX7A's.

Visit Doug's Tubes website. You will get reliable service, quick shipping and quality products. They test all tubes and match them. You can always call for advice as they communicate with many guitarists and can give insight on what you are looking for.


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Post subject: Re: Its hard to find good tubes these days.
Posted: Sat Mar 12, 2011 12:45 am
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stratstar54 wrote:
Tubes have come a long way in the last 25 years approx. and are much better sonically since manufacturing ceased in the U.S.


Really......?

And they last soooo much longer than the old "junk" too, right?

The reason that "good tubes" are hard to find these days is, those in the know bought up all the NOS stuff they could get their dick-beaters on when it was still available and reasonably-priced.

I got enough mil-spec glass to last me three or four lifetimes. And if it seems as if I'm gloating over that fact, it's only because I am.

:lol:

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: Its hard to find good tubes these days.
Posted: Sat Mar 12, 2011 5:01 am
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Retroverbial wrote:
stratstar54 wrote:
Tubes have come a long way in the last 25 years approx. and are much better sonically since manufacturing ceased in the U.S.


Really......?

And they last soooo much longer than the old "junk" too, right?

The reason that "good tubes" are hard to find these days is, those in the know bought up all the NOS stuff they could get their dick-beaters on when it was still available and reasonably-priced.

I got enough mil-spec glass to last me three or four lifetimes. And if it seems as if I'm gloating over that fact, it's only because I am.

:lol:

Arjay
My favorite tubes are the JAN Phillips .I had them in my bassman and
it was tone heaven.I am not gonna waste them in my blues jr ,but will probably pick some up for my drri though.


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Post subject: Re: Its hard to find good tubes these days.
Posted: Sat Mar 12, 2011 5:59 am
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Yeah as far as NOS goes,I was digging through boxes and piles of tubes in old radio repairmen's leftover stock for several years,found some really good stuff but never a full case of RCA 6L6s or 6V6s,like somebody we know huh,Arjay? :D
It was a rush looking through all those old tubes though,like a treasure hunt.....there's still some out there.


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Post subject: Re: Its hard to find good tubes these days.
Posted: Mon Mar 14, 2011 7:20 am
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I bought RCA's, GE's, Sylvania's, for my twin reverb all when they were being manufactured here in the U.S. years ago and they were great. Those days are long gone. When the rush to manufacture tubes overseas began they were sonically terrible. Now they have come along way and you can buy very sonic sweet sounding tubes.

JAN's are great NOS and they are also quite plentiful. But as for output tubes it is so hit and miss I won't waste money or time on them not when I can get super sweet tone with what is being produced today. People like to read hype, do yourselves a favor and Experiment with all tubes that is the only way you will know for yourself. It is part of being a gear head.

Also, tubes are not the final word in refining your tone.


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Post subject: Re: Its hard to find good tubes these days.
Posted: Mon Mar 14, 2011 9:35 am
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for anything blues jr related see: billmaudio.com for mods, insights, and so-on! ( over a 1000 units under his belt)i own 2 BJrs'! one el84 and the other 6V6 octal conversion and they both sound awesome!
i like jjs in my amps, EH 12ay7 in #1 spot
jjs' in my htrd dlx/dvl( deville in deluxe size cab w/10-12 spkr setup!)
tubesandmore.com,thetubestore.com, tubedepot.com all good sources


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