MartyStrat54
Well-Known Member
What is the plate voltage of a Tweaker 15? This is a cathode biased amp, so do they run the plate voltage below optimum?
Preamp Tubes? - Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How?
- Thread starter joshuaaewallen
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Yes, it'll take just about any octal power tube with no modification at all.
I don't know Marty, I've never checked it. I'd imagine it's pretty low as the amp was designed around 6V6 power tubes. I've never had the chassis out so I could check it. It works, and it sounds good doing it. That may be why the 6P3S works so well in it. It's closer to a 6V6 than any of the other tubes I mentioned earlier.
sccloser
Well-Known Member
I was gassing for the tweeker. Been trying to pick up one used, but they want as much as I can buy a new one at GC right now. But then I saw that Tele/Strat in the Guitar thread and I'm gassing hard!
MartyStrat54
Well-Known Member
That was a cool looking guitar.
sccloser
Well-Known Member
Yeah, it was. Strat comfort and tele rip! But I think I may get over that...if I just breath deeply.
MartyStrat54
Well-Known Member
Well since it's Custom Shop, I'm sure it is $$$.
sccloser
Well-Known Member
Mine would be Allparts...hehe!
sccloser
Well-Known Member
My buddy can spray Nitro so I could build a sweet one if I were so inclined.
brp
Well-Known Member
Hello and Happy Holidays, tube bros!
I've decided I'm totally getting a Tweaker 15h when I go to Seattle in mid January. I'll get my holiday pay and so I must buy myself a late xmas gift, since I won't be getting much from anyone else.
I've also been looking for a used one but only one has came up around here and was gone fast.
STILL haven't had any time to roll tubes or play for that matter. Haven't even tried out the BP Raytheon EL84's Marty gave me or any of the other 12ax7's for that matter. I work in the toy biz so you can imagine that this time of year is beyond crazy for me.
I am going to steal a couple hours xmas day for it though.
I've decided I'm totally getting a Tweaker 15h when I go to Seattle in mid January. I'll get my holiday pay and so I must buy myself a late xmas gift, since I won't be getting much from anyone else.
I've also been looking for a used one but only one has came up around here and was gone fast.
STILL haven't had any time to roll tubes or play for that matter. Haven't even tried out the BP Raytheon EL84's Marty gave me or any of the other 12ax7's for that matter. I work in the toy biz so you can imagine that this time of year is beyond crazy for me.
I am going to steal a couple hours xmas day for it though.
61rocker
Active Member
The Tweaker is on my short list.....someone in Cleveland Tn has a RI Marshall 2203 for $1200, if it's available in Feb....it's a 2004 Model so I think it's before the 2203X which I have read is not as strudy of a build...ooops here we go......
There's a 2204S head on eBay right now for $1,200. I would love to have one of those with a 1965A and a 1966B cab.
Bill my man, go get that Tweaker. You won't be sorry you did. I'll hook you up with some 6P3S tubes for it at a very discounted price. I need to get rid of the remains of the last batch for cheap, now that I know which years to focus on.
Bill my man, go get that Tweaker. You won't be sorry you did. I'll hook you up with some 6P3S tubes for it at a very discounted price. I need to get rid of the remains of the last batch for cheap, now that I know which years to focus on.
brp
Well-Known Member
Sounds like a deal, Alan. Thanks!
sccloser
Well-Known Member
Alan,
I've been thinking of getting the Tweeker 15h, but may have a chance at a Tweeker 40h for about $350. I was wanting the 15 to run at small gigs. 40 may be too much. Any tone differences? I seem to remember you saying the Tweeker 15 is not that good pushed hard.
I've been thinking of getting the Tweeker 15h, but may have a chance at a Tweeker 40h for about $350. I was wanting the 15 to run at small gigs. 40 may be too much. Any tone differences? I seem to remember you saying the Tweeker 15 is not that good pushed hard.
I've not tried the new higher power Tweaker heads so can't compare. But, I LOVE my Tweaker 15 for the Fender cleanish tones. I have the 6P3S tubes that Alan has mentioned (they RULE in this amp). I crank the master WIDE OPEN. Fat mids and natural tube compression, it's a wonderful thing...
Yeah, like John said, they sound fine cranked. My complaint would be with the stock 6V6 power tubes. I thought that just about any other octal power tube sounded better. The Russian 6P3S tubes are stupid-cheap for such a good sounding tube, too. Look for the ones from the 1970's. I think I prefer them to the others I've tried.
As far as the Tweaker 40, Moose Lewis has one and loves it. He said you have to re-bias when changing power tubes. There's a running Tweaker thread in the Other Amps forum - go over there and ask Moose what he thinks about his. He has the 15 and 40 so I'm sure he can give you a good breakdown on both.
One thing I've noticed since I got my new Tweaker 15 head is that they sound really different when you go from a closed back to an open back cab. When I was running through a closed back Marshall 1966 2x12 with G12T-75's it seemed more aggressive. I like the open back cab better - IMO it's more versatile. I'm sure it'll sound good with just about any decent cab though.
Well, I finally got around to firing up the Hickok 534 tester. I'm getting zero meter deflection with any setting on the tube tester. The meter does move when I select the different multi-tester functions, but for some reason the tube tester functions aren't getting to the meter. The line adjust is working - the pilot lamp gets noticeably brighter as you turn up the voltage. A 12AX7 in the noval socket lights up normally. I figured it would be too good to be true.
61rocker
Active Member
Well, I went to the GC in Little Rock, and they had sold out of the Tweaker 15. I may check the one here in Memphis....or I may just keep saving for tax refund time...I also get a payout on holiday pay...plus a small quarterly bonus all in Feb. ...now if I can just be patient....saw a 50 watt DSL here in Memphis Craigslist for $495....any problems I should look out for or be aware of if I decide to check it out?
Just make sure the channel switching and the Clean/Crunch and OD1/OD2 switches are working. Check the reverb and FX loop and make sure you aren't hearing anything bad tone-wise. If you can, get the MV up to at least 4 for the tone test.
GC Memphis sucks hard, or at least they did the last time I was in there. I only saw one Egnater in the place and it was a Rebel 30 head on the clearance display. Most of the amp display was empty. They had a Haze 40 and some MG stuff from Marshall, a couple of the Vox custom classics, 2 or 3 Oranges and Line 6 stuff and that was about it. I usually only go in there to check out the used stuff. It was mostly all shite. They had a homemade strat that was maybe the worst guitar I've ever seen. When I say homemade, I mean like it was made by a 13-year-old with a wood chisel and not much patience.
khan
Active Member
I had this brilliant idea to print out this thread so I could do a little night (before I go to bed) reading but, it's saying it would be over 400 pages. I think I would buy that book. What a bank full of information here. I'm going to be pulling some old tubes from a 1950's Zenith radio and like vintage Philco TV to try with my amp in the next couple of weekends. I'll report back with results. Thanks for the TON (literally) of advice and knowledge in this thread. Wow!
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