Preamp Tubes? - Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How?

[solarburn]

Wow. I've been doing a little surfing and took a look at New Sensor's Home Page. I thought it was strange that they were promoting JJ tubes. I mean JJ is one of their main competitors. However, I wasn't expecting to see them listed as TESLA/JJ's. What's up with that.

NewSensor:roduct Listing

Putting the 2 together as if...

The Tesla name just makes JJ that much better I guess...

 

[Stymie13]

Wow. I've been doing a little surfing and took a look at New Sensor's Home Page. I thought it was strange that they were promoting JJ tubes. I mean JJ is one of their main competitors. However, I wasn't expecting to see them listed as TESLA/JJ's. What's up with that.

NewSensor:roduct Listing

...and why are they're prices so outrageous?

 

[30stringsandblackdog]

I don't think that the mod's will move your post. If you did it all of the time they might, but once in a while is no big deal.

Well, you were gassing hard for a long time. Sometimes you have to let out a little gas.

Nothing like some Maalox to help relieve the pressure and bloating

Marty,
For the SL 100, I was thinking
1)Brimar in V1, Raytheon BP in V2, and EI in V3
2) Brimar in V1, EI in V2, and Raytheon in V3
Which do you feel is a better choice, or if you think something all together different.
I keep watching those Telefunken auctions...lots of dough

 

[RiverRatt]

I came so close to a big score this afternoon. I was driving home from work and passed a house where they had a lot of old junk out for trash pickup. One of the items was an old console stereo. Said "High Fidelity" on the outside, it was the real deal. I asked a guy out in the yard if he minded if I took it. Naw, he didn't mind, so I crammed this thing in the back seat of my Maxima and took off. I got it home and ripped the back off it to start harvesting tubes. Someone with a pair of wire cutters had been there before me. The entire tuner and amplifier had already been removed. The only thing left were a couple of moth-eaten speakers and the turntable assembly.

 

[core]

Been seeing a couple Marshall's lately with original Tesla tubes. All this talk about them, are they the "Holy Grail" of tubes? Does anyone know when they came stock on Marshall's?

 

[MartyStrat54]

Been seeing a couple Marshall's lately with original Tesla tubes. All this talk about them, are they the "Holy Grail" of tubes? Does anyone know when they came stock on Marshall's?

Tesla is not the Holy Grail, but the original's are up there in the top 15. The older a Tesla, the better. The Tesla EL34's are probably the most desirable.

Marshall used Tesla in "some" of their amps during the 80's. After about 1986, Marshall struggled once again with finding reliable tubes for their amps. They finally settled with Ei and used them up until 2001 for both power and preamps. They were able to keep the DSL401's going with Ei EL84's and ECC83's until 2004. Some older Marshall's from the early 80's have the nipple tip EL34's in them.

 

[LPMarshall hack]

Tesla is not the Holy Grail, but the original's are up there in the top 15. The older a Tesla, the better. The Tesla EL34's are probably the most desirable.

Marshall used Tesla in "some" of their amps during the 80's. After about 1986, Marshall struggled once again with finding reliable tubes for their amps. They finally settled with Ei and used them up until 2001 for both power and preamps. They were able to keep the DSL401's going with Ei EL84's and ECC83's until 2004. Some older Marshall's from the early 80's have the nipple tip EL34's in them.

what kind of tubes does Marshall currently put in its new amps? Power and Pre Amp?

 

[Landshark]

what kind of tubes does Marshall currently put in its new amps? Power and Pre Amp?

I know for a few years they went to JJs... my 2006 TSL had Marshall labeled JJs in them. Whatever is cheapest for them though... don't really know. Could be Ruby at this point.

 

[MartyStrat54]

what kind of tubes does Marshall currently put in its new amps? Power and Pre Amp?

Someone can correct me, but for some time now they have used Svetlana's for power tubes and Sovtek and Shuguang's for preamp tubes. Some amps have all Sovteks, some all Svetlana's and sometimes a mix. Marshall isn't going to stop production over preamp tubes.

For EL84's, Marshall is using JJ's.

 

[Landshark]

Hey Marty, did you see my post on the last page (99) about rolling tubes in my Vox?

 

[SpiritOfTheAge]

Bought a couple of Wurlitzer branded GE blackpplates last night, anyone have any experience with GE blackplates?

 

[core]

Someone can correct me, but for some time now they have used Svetlana's for power tubes and Sovtek and Shuguang's for preamp tubes. Some amps have all Sovteks, some all Svetlana's and sometimes a mix. Marshall isn't going to stop production over preamp tubes.

For EL84's, Marshall is using JJ's.

Not sure if they are all original but my 93 4100 has Svetlana power tubes and one Sovtek preamp with two Marshall labeled tubes so who knows maybe they are original. The Marshall's don't have any other markings and the Sovtek in V1 is a 7025 so that might have been changed later on.

Picked up another amp today! An EL34 model JCM900. Been really interested in giving it a shot and comparing to the 6L6's in hopes of being able to settle on one good amp that will do what I need.

 

[ken361]

Someone can correct me, but for some time now they have used Svetlana's for power tubes and Sovtek and Shuguang's for preamp tubes. Some amps have all Sovteks, some all Svetlana's and sometimes a mix. Marshall isn't going to stop production over preamp tubes.

For EL84's, Marshall is using JJ's.

my jvm has winged c power tubes and jj and chinese preamp tubes

 

[guitarmartin416]

Bought a couple of Wurlitzer branded GE blackpplates last night, anyone have any experience with GE blackplates?

I have a few, havn't treid them yet....couldn't get past the mMullard Tele's and RCA?????

 

[SpiritOfTheAge]

I have a few, havn't treid them yet....couldn't get past the mMullard Tele's and RCA?????

It was late when i got em, and im following about 12 lots so got confused, they were not black plates, they were just regular grey plate wurlitzer GEs

 

[LesPaulopolis]

I wanted to be the 3,000th post but barely missed it.

Who's selling preamp tubes around MPLS? PM me!

 

[LPMarshall hack]

Not sure if they are all original but my 93 4100 has Svetlana power tubes and one Sovtek preamp with two Marshall labeled tubes so who knows maybe they are original. The Marshall's don't have any other markings and the Sovtek in V1 is a 7025 so that might have been changed later on.

Picked up another amp today! An EL34 model JCM900. Been really interested in giving it a shot and comparing to the 6L6's in hopes of being able to settle on one good amp that will do what I need.

Cool! What model? Hi Gain MKIII or Dual Reverb? I've got a MKIII 50 watt and it sounds great. When I got it, it had Sovtek el34G's in it. Not sure if they were stock. The pre amp tubes just read, "Marshall Ecc83" on them. Sounded good but the tubes started to go so I got some RFT's from Marty. Sounds killer now.

 

[MartyStrat54]

The GE Black Plates are pretty good. A notch above some of the regular USA tubes. I have an amp where I use two GE Black Plates in V3 and V4. I have a Raytheon BP in V2 so it is a thick, bluesy sound. Chunky and crunchy in Channel Two.

The Gray Plates are okay tubes. The don't command much attention or price. But if they are cheap, I'll buy them. Three years from now, they may sell for a good price.

Right now, I put a GE near a Sylvania in Ranking. I think the Raytheon Short Gray Plates are even better, but RCA tubes are probably the best when it comes to USA made Gray Plates. Of course, this applies to tubes made prior to 1967. RCA banked so heavily on the transistor, they were out of tube manufacturing by the late 70's. (GE and Sylvania lasted in one form or another until the late 80's. GE=Ken-Rad and Sylvania=Philips ECG.)

 

[MartyStrat54]

So I opened up the back of my Vox today because I was interested to see what brand of tubes were used in the amp. I was kinda ticked when I saw Ruby tubes in it. Any ideas Marty on where to start with rolling new tubes in this head?

Sorry for the delay. Yes I saw it and needed to verify something about the amp. Then I ended up spacing out.

What I need to know is what your V1 tube part number is? In other words, does it say 5751 or 7025S on it? VOX states the tube line up as follows:

Tube complement: 4 x 12AX7 (V1:Low microphonic) and 4 x EL34B

I'm curious to see if they are using a Chinese Shuguang or TAD 7025 in that slot. The VOX "chime" sound comes from a really quiet tube in V1.

Now it may just be a hand select tube, IDK. If I was retubing it, I would stay with an American 7025 in V1 or at least a 12AX7A or 12AX7WA. V2 you would have to experiment with. I don't know if a Raytheon BP would be the best choice. I'm thinking more like a high gain Tele or Philips tube. Now if you are wanting to revoice the preamp, then yes, use a BP. You can use CP, GE or Sylvania's in V3 and V4. The preamp tubes are set up like a DSL100.

Are the EL34B's Tung-Sol or Shuguang?

(Do you guys see what I mean? Another amp designed around 400VDC tubes. I'll bet the plate voltage on this amp is at or below 400.)

I will say that for the price, this is a pretty nice two channel amp. If it's too pretty sounding for you, stick a Mullard in V1. That will raunch it up some.

 

[MartyStrat54]

It was late when i got em, and im following about 12 lots so got confused, they were not black plates, they were just regular grey plate wurlitzer GEs

SpiritOfTheAge was our 3000th poster. Congratulations and thanks for being on our thread.