Get those JJ preamp tubes out of your 1959RR!

[thegaindeli]

Just replaced the awful sounding JJ's 12AX7 tubes from my 1959RR... WHAT A DIFFERENCE!!!
I personally think JJ's 12AX7's are some of the worst preamp tubes ever made! IMO they're just to stiff,and lack acoustical dynamics.Even without my TS9 turned on,the amp would feedback like crazy! I had my volume I at maximum,and my volume II at 2:00 o'clock.I'm always plugged into my THD,and play at the 12db setting.I pulled the JJ's and replaced them with 2 original Mullards,and a 5751 tube at the PI(or V3 position).NO MORE FEEDBACK! This Improved drive,tone,picking dynamics,and improved focus 10 fold! It was sounding kind of harsh,and the feedback was quite annoying.I can switch over to a 12AX7 at the PI to increase my power-tube drive intensity if I want.At least that's how my ears perceive it anyway? I pulled the JJ's out of my Guytron,and have experienced the same improvements their also.

 

[steelhorse]

Depending on your source the JJ's you received or had installed may not have been quite up to snuff but I wouldn't bash JJ pre amp tubes because you had a bad experience with them.

They're not the harbinger for all users that you experienced. In fact quite the contrary those of us who've purchased our tubes from Euro Tubes for example have very positive experiences to report with both pre amp and power tubes.

I've had poor experiences with Mullards but that doesn't make them bad in all applications.

I bet a quality hand picked set of pre's from Euro would work quite nicely in that amp.

 

[Stretchy]

I use JJ in my DSL and really can just praise them. Better make sure you got those from a serious dealer like Eurotubes.

I would never say JJ tubes sucks.

 

[RED4100]

jj preamp tubes are awesome it sounds like you got a bad bunch. i too would never say jj tubes suck. i have jj preamp tubes in 3 amps and love them.

also i think putting a ts-9 or any drive pedal infront of a 1959rr defeats the point of having that amp. pedals are great and fun, but let your machine be itself imo.

 

[steelhorse]

jj preamp tubes are awesome it sounds like you got a bad bunch. i too would never say jj tubes suck. i have jj preamp tubes in 3 amps and love them.

also i think putting a ts-9 or any drive pedal infront of a 1959rr defeats the point of having that amp. pedals are great and fun, but let your machine be itself imo.

+1

Putting a solid state pedal in front of any great tube amp has never made sense to me.

That 1959rr is an awesome amp, let it breathe.

 

[thegaindeli]

+1

Putting a solid state pedal in front of any great tube amp has never made sense to me.


I guess someone better tell Edward Van Halen to stop using his MXR Distortion II? What was Randy Rhoads thinking when he plugged into an MXR Distortion + ?
That statement make NO sense whatsoever... I can't believe you even said it!
I can't understand why anyone would ever want to play through a Marshall DSL/TSL... But they do? It's never made sense to me why anyone would plug into any Marshall amp made after the JCM800... But they do? Then it dawned on me... I'm 45 years old! I grew up playing Marshall "Plexi" amps.If you wanted "high-gain" - you had to use a drive pedal! When I listen to Randy,Eddie,Stevie,and Gary - I figure I'm in good company!

 

[thegaindeli]

I still say the JJ's 12AX7 tubes suck for vintage tone! I've heard nightmare stories about JJ's power-tubes also... The KT77's come to mind.I had a set of JJ's EL34's in my Guytron which sounded fantastic,so I guess it depends on what amp you're putting them in?
The JJ's 12AX7 tubes are just to dam stiff sounding,and add too much poor quality low-end IMO.I said the same thing Guy Hedrick and he agreed! Guy is one of the most respected designer/builders out there.Respected enough that EVH took his "Plexi" to Guy to have him completely rebuild it after Jose Arrendondo basically ruined it! Guy was scratching his head,trying to figure out why Jose would have removed the original "mustard" caps,and the original Marshall transformers? Jose probably wanted the transformers for himself...who knows?
I guess if you're playing through a TSL,it really doesn't make a whole lot of difference... Those amps are so noisy anyway,that JJ's 12AX7's may actually be an improvement.They seem to have a "gated" character to them? Like a built-in noise gate or something? I hate em! I replaced the JJ's in my Guytron with some older 12AX7A tubes,and it sound infinity better.To each his own I guess?

 

[Adwex]

Dude, not saying you're wrong, but you're the first one I've ever heard bashing JJ's.

 

[RED4100]

Originally Posted by thegaindeli
I can't understand why anyone would ever want to play through a Marshall DSL/TSL... But they do? It's never made sense to me why anyone would plug into any Marshall amp made after the JCM800... But they do?

the DSL IMO is great amp, and FYI your bashing any amp after the JCM800, that 1959RR you got there was made after the 800....Put that in your pipe and smoke it.

 

[thegaindeli]

Everyone's ear is different I guess? I mentioned this to Bruce Zinky,and he also agreed.I think the "modern" players like the JJ's,as they do seem to be a little more "gainy"? IMO - the JJ's are just not traditional sounding tubes.My friend Mark came over and played through my 1959RR,and we tried 3 different set of JJ's... Then we put in a 12AX7A at V1,a JJ's (Gold Pin) 12AT7 at V2,and a 5751 at V3.The results were astounding! I then put in a set of Mullard's into V1,and V2,with the 5751 in the PI (V3) position.The results there were also WAY BETTER than using JJ's 12AX7's in V1,and V2.
If you own a 1959RR,and a THD HotPlate - try it! If you prefer the JJ"s over the 12AX7A's,then it truly is a matter of personal taste.I'm confident that you and I have the same taste in "gain"... As a matter of fact - after changing the tubes,the sound reminds me more of EVH's early Marshall sound over Randy's tone!

 

[thegaindeli]

the DSL IMO is great amp, and FYI your bashing any amp after the JCM800, that 1959RR you got there was made after the 800....Put that in your pipe and smoke it.

Here we go... The 1959RR is a RECREATION of the JMP Super Lead 100.The JCM800 wasn't even made yet... Put that in your paper and roll it!

 

[thegaindeli]

I did hear a TSL that was modded by (I don't know who?),and it sounded great! As far as a stock DSL/TSL... They sound like "bird shit"! Is the diode clipping distortion I hear? Op-amps? They sound much better than the JCM900 - I'll give you that...but again..."bird-shit"!
As a matter of fact - the TSL I heard sounded AWESOME!!! I wish I knew who did the mod on it? I would definitely buy one with the mod!
BTW - Your red half-stack is SWEET!

 

[steelhorse]

+1

Putting a solid state pedal in front of any great tube amp has never made sense to me.


I guess someone better tell Edward Van Halen to stop using his MXR Distortion II? What was Randy Rhoads thinking when he plugged into an MXR Distortion + ?
That statement make NO sense whatsoever... I can't believe you even said it!
I can't understand why anyone would ever want to play through a Marshall DSL/TSL... But they do? It's never made sense to me why anyone would plug into any Marshall amp made after the JCM800... But they do? Then it dawned on me... I'm 45 years old! I grew up playing Marshall "Plexi" amps.If you wanted "high-gain" - you had to use a drive pedal! When I listen to Randy,Eddie,Stevie,and Gary - I figure I'm in good company!

I'm even older than you and have been down this road many times and ultimately have come to the inescapable conclusion that a good tube amps drive/distortion is many times better than any pedal.

Also I don't think you're comparing yourself to these players are you?

Just remember MANY factors including endorsements play into what pedals they're using, For gosh sake now EVH has a wah pedal?! Since when is he known for using a wah?

Slash, Zakk, yeah but Eddie, I don't think so, and let's not forget many of these pedals were used with truly vintage amps that utilized variacs and all sorts of mechanisms and mods to get the sound.

I don't think I'd need a pedal in front of Eddies EVHIII, that'd be insane imo.

And fwiw, no matter who, it's only my personal opinion that I still question the use of a solid state pedal in front of a great tube amp.

And also, the use of high quality matched high gain tubes would probably solve a great deal of lack of gain issues etc.

I also take what many modders way with a grain of salt, not to discredit them but they are in the business of making money off of what they endorse or sell.

 

[steelhorse]

My amps the TSL100 and DSL100 sound great. The TSL100 admittedly sounds better for one because I replaced the entire tube set with a high gain kit of KT77's and pre amp tubes from Euro Tubes in it.

What's with the bashing anyway? You think your amp is the best amp that's cool but you're crossing the line calling other amps bird shit.

 

[Stretchy]

I did hear a TSL that was modded by (I don't know who?),and it sounded great! As far as a stock DSL/TSL... They sound like "bird shit"! Is the diode clipping distortion I hear? Op-amps? They sound much better than the JCM900 - I'll give you that...but again..."bird-shit"!
As a matter of fact - the TSL I heard sounded AWESOME!!! I wish I knew who did the mod on it? I would definitely buy one with the mod!
BTW - Your red half-stack is SWEET!

First, to me a good tone is what you appreciate. What your ears like to hear. I'm not sure what bird shit sounds like, but I guess I crave that tone and like it, cause the DSL 100 is what I have and like... with nothing but a hotplate.... no pedals.

They way you talk is like somewhere, someplace lurks the "correct tone". I think the "correct tone" lies at different places for all of us.

Nobody here told you you suck because you use a solid state pedal in front of a tube amp. I sure dont do it cause I like the sound the amp (the bird shit one) gives me.

All we say is "We dont think JJs sucks. You are the only one!"

Have fun!

 

[thegaindeli]

I don't know about the TSL/DSL amps when it comes to the JJ's... My Guytron GT100 will definitely cover "high-gain".There's just something about the JJ's 12AX7's that I don't like? Again,they sound like they have a gated quality to them? When I wrote Guy Hedrick,and mentioned my personal dislike of the JJ's 12AX7's he wrote back: "I agree with you on the JJ's 12AX7's as far as tone is concerned - but they are a very reliable tube".I have 13 JJ's 12AX7 tubes in my personal inventory,and have tried all of them in both the Guytron,and 1959RR.At various times I've pulled my V1,and V2 out of my Guytron - but I still get the same results! I will say that my "clean" channel on the Guytron sound incredible with a JJ's 12AX7... But on the gain channel - no way! My Guytron has 13 valves total... 7 x 12AX7's,2 x EL84's,and 4 x EL34's.Five of the 12AX7's are out of a Soldano SP-77,and I believe those were Chinese? They sound fantastic!
As far as putting myself in the same league as Randy,Eddie,and Gary... Who knows? Quite frequently (15 years ago) I would have people tell that I could be one of the best! I was then told I didn't take my music seriously enough to do it...oh well.
If some other 1959RR owners could try some different tubes - that would be great! I do love the JJ's power-tubes though.
The new Vintage Modern sounds interesting...

 

[sojatriani]

I don't know about the TSL/DSL amps when it comes to the JJ's... My Guytron GT100 will definitely cover "high-gain".There's just something about the JJ's 12AX7's that I don't like? Again,they sound like they have a gated quality to them? When I wrote Guy Hedrick,and mentioned my personal dislike of the JJ's 12AX7's he wrote back: "I agree with you on the JJ's 12AX7's as far as tone is concerned - but they are a very reliable tube".I have 13 JJ's 12AX7 tubes in my personal inventory,and have tried all of them in both the Guytron,and 1959RR.At various times I've pulled my V1,and V2 out of my Guytron - but I still get the same results! I will say that my "clean" channel on the Guytron sound incredible with a JJ's 12AX7... But on the gain channel - no way! My Guytron has 13 valves total... 7 x 12AX7's,2 x EL84's,and 4 x EL34's.Five of the 12AX7's are out of a Soldano SP-77,and I believe those were Chinese? They sound fantastic!
As far as putting myself in the same league as Randy,Eddie,and Gary... Who knows? Quite frequently (15 years ago) I would have people tell that I could be one of the best! I was then told I didn't take my music seriously enough to do it...oh well.
If some other 1959RR owners could try some different tubes - that would be great! I do love the JJ's power-tubes though.
The new Vintage Modern sounds interesting...

Like Steelhorse said, if the tubes had "garbage" written on them, but sounded good, I'd use them no problem. I have had great sounding tubes with no name on them from the "who knows what these are" bin at the local techs shop. By the way, my VM has JJ's from Eurotubes and it sounds fantastic...


....you want to sell me your personal inventory of JJs cheap, that could bring this thread to life....Cheers....

 

[sojatriani]

jj preamp tubes are awesome it sounds like you got a bad bunch. i too would never say jj tubes suck. i have jj preamp tubes in 3 amps and love them.

also i think putting a ts-9 or any drive pedal infront of a 1959rr defeats the point of having that amp. pedals are great and fun, but let your machine be itself imo.

If you want RR's sound, 'ya better put a MXR in front...and double track

 

[thegaindeli]

If you want RR's sound, 'ya better put a MXR in front...and double track

I have an MXR Distortion II on the way... Unfortunately I think I'm going to sell the 1959RR.It's just to dam loud for my needs! I guess I really am getting old?

 

[big dooley]

I'm 45 years old!

start acting like your age.... not your shoe-size...


good discussions can be healthy, but your manic subjective balls out way of talking, makes me want to run to the hospital, to get some morphine for you, so you may relax a little...

or you just may want to visit our capital... some dutch herbs will probably do you good