It is currently Tue Mar 17, 2020 12:07 am

All times are UTC - 7 hours



Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 6 posts ] 
Author Message
Post subject: VALVE GURUS - need your advice/suggestions
Posted: Thu May 02, 2013 2:16 am
Offline
Aspiring Musician
Aspiring Musician
User avatar

Joined: Tue May 15, 2012 2:49 am
Posts: 560
Location: Perth, Australia
Hi Guys

I am looking for some suggestions on using some old valves l have in place of stock GT ones. I have a very small collection of 20+ year old valves and I don't want to hoard them anymore, I want to use them.

2x Sylvania 12AT7
Image

2x Mullard 12AX7
2x Mullard 12AT7
Image

1x Amperex 12AU7
Image

1x Teonex 12BH7A
Image

ARE these tubes any better than the stock GT ones?
Where in my SuperSonic Twin would you suggest I use them?

thanks.

_________________
GUITAR: Fender USA JazzMaster.
BASS: Fender USA 58'AVRI
AMP: Fender USA SuperSonicTwin - Blonde.
Image


Top
Profile
Fender Play Winter Sale 2020
Post subject: Re: VALVE GURUS - need your advice/suggestions
Posted: Thu May 02, 2013 3:25 am
Offline
Rock Icon
Rock Icon
User avatar

Joined: Fri Feb 05, 2010 4:31 am
Posts: 14049
Location: Province de Québec, Canada
Better than GT ! Are you kidding ? These old tubes are great , a wayyyyy better than GT. If they are good put them in your amp .
12AX7 , 12AT7, 12AU7


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: VALVE GURUS - need your advice/suggestions
Posted: Thu May 02, 2013 6:05 am
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star
User avatar

Joined: Sat Jul 03, 2010 2:18 pm
Posts: 6544
AaronK, I completely agree with Stratele. Modern tube seem to lack the overall response and long life of the old bottles.

The Amperex maybe a US made or late Dutch one. Should see small alpha-numeric in black at the base of the tube --- if it's a European made one.

It is very hard to find evenly matched (across the two triodes) 12AT7 these days. Save the Sylvania 12AT7 for the phase inverter position (the socket next to the 6L6GC or 6V6GT in nearly every Fender amp). Balanced 12AT7, in the PI position makes a big difference in tone.

The Mullard ECC83 may not be Blackburn made. It's cool. You may see a tiny plate hanging off the mica or anode plate. With a two digit stamped number. If so, those are Tungsram (Hungarian made) ECC83/12AX7 --- one of the best 12AX7s type made.

In any event, do some tube rolling are find out the resultant tone,


Have fun with that.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: VALVE GURUS - need your advice/suggestions
Posted: Fri May 03, 2013 1:37 am
Offline
Aspiring Musician
Aspiring Musician
User avatar

Joined: Tue May 15, 2012 2:49 am
Posts: 560
Location: Perth, Australia
Thanks BMW2002TI,

Here is a picture of the numbers on the ECC83, maybe they tell their manufacture history.
Image

also are you saying that those Sylvanian 12AT7's should already be well balanced because of their supposed manufacture year? They are pre 1994 for definate but beyond that I do not know.

The Amperex just says U11 under the base between the pins.

_________________
GUITAR: Fender USA JazzMaster.
BASS: Fender USA 58'AVRI
AMP: Fender USA SuperSonicTwin - Blonde.
Image


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: VALVE GURUS - need your advice/suggestions
Posted: Fri May 03, 2013 4:19 am
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star
User avatar

Joined: Sat Jul 03, 2010 2:18 pm
Posts: 6544
You have Mullard, UK: Code B9B4 is:

B = Blackburn (one of the finest tube manufacturing plant)

9 = 1969

B = February

4 = 4th week of ...

I63 is:

I6 = ECC83/12AX7

3 = Third iteration (long plate).

http://www.cs.helsinki.fi/u/oheinone/va ... ng.html#r4


That Sylvania looks like a black plate. The only BP made after 1970's were for the military. That is prolly a mil spec 12AT7 relabeled & re-packaged for consumer use. This tend to be good tubes. Tough and balanced across the triodes.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: VALVE GURUS - need your advice/suggestions
Posted: Fri May 03, 2013 5:07 am
Offline
Aspiring Musician
Aspiring Musician
User avatar

Joined: Tue May 15, 2012 2:49 am
Posts: 560
Location: Perth, Australia
Thanks BMW2002Ti, great info. I did aquire these tubes from a millitary firm when I was doing my apprenticeship there from 1998-2003, and I know they used them for old military radios about 20 years or so before my time there, I had no idea though how good they would be as I have only in the last 6 years gotten into using Valve amps. Darn they were throwing out a whole huge box of tubes, if only I had known.

Well at least I have some great tubes to test and enjoy.
Thanks again.

_________________
GUITAR: Fender USA JazzMaster.
BASS: Fender USA 58'AVRI
AMP: Fender USA SuperSonicTwin - Blonde.
Image


Top
Profile
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 6 posts ] 

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: