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

[RiverRatt]

It is a smooth plate diamond bottom. Now that I've got that coming, what's next? My checklist is getting shorter. Maybe a Mazda chrome plate?

 

[jupiter89]

Hi solarburnDSL50 ! Coincidently enough, I also have a 2004 DSL50 and purchased a Vox Night Train this weekend. (I also have a 1989 JCM800 2204 (50w). The DSL50 was modded, original owner said output transformer was upgraded, and a few select resistor and cap changes. You mention "Martimus Maximus Tone Pack" - is that a package deal of all the pre-amp tubes that some firm sells? Big before and after difference in sound ? Hey thanks for the PI and microphonic answers !

 

[MartyStrat54]

It is a smooth plate diamond bottom. Now that I've got that coming, what's next? My checklist is getting shorter. Maybe a Mazda chrome plate?

You bought it yes? Great. Well I looked again at the listing and all it had in the title was <>. It didn't say whether it was a smooth or ribbed. Did you contact her before buying? She's a good, honest tube seller. I bought from her when she was first starting out on EBAY. (I'd like to know where some of these seller's find all of these tubes.)

Them French Mazda's don't seem to make any lists. They might have a following with the Hi Fi set, but I don't hear guitarist's raving about the Mazda they have in V1. If you are wanting to go in that price range, get a Bugle Boy Amperex. Do you have any Amperex right now?

 

[MartyStrat54]

You mention "Martimus Maximus Tone Pack" - is that a package deal of all the pre-amp tubes that some firm sells? Big before and after difference in sound ? Hey thanks for the PI and microphonic answers !

Hey J89. SolarBurn gave me that name. I sell tubes and Joe, SolarBurn, is one of my good customers.

 

[RiverRatt]

Yeah, I bought it. I was really happy with the Mullard I got from her.

I was just reading about that Mazda tube and how it's one of the most expensive AX7's ever made. I don't think I'll be buying one anytime soon unless it's for an investment.

No, I don't have an Amperex yet. They were a little out of my price range this time. I need to sell some more crap on ebay. UPS brought the Celestion Vintage 10 for my little Crate class A amp today. I may get it sounding right and take it to the local music store and put it on consignment. Those guys don't know a tube from a chitlin, but they move some gear.

I'm not even sure how to spot a real Amperex. I had an Amperex bugle boy EZ81 that I pulled from a hi-fi, but it was really a Mullard.

 

[solarburn]

Hi solarburnDSL50 ! Coincidently enough, I also have a 2004 DSL50 and purchased a Vox Night Train this weekend. (I also have a 1989 JCM800 2204 (50w). The DSL50 was modded, original owner said output transformer was upgraded, and a few select resistor and cap changes. You mention "Martimus Maximus Tone Pack" - is that a package deal of all the pre-amp tubes that some firm sells? Big before and after difference in sound ? Hey thanks for the PI and microphonic answers !

Well hey there jupiter. I like your taste in amps hehe. I get my NOS tubes from Marty(MartyStrat54) here on the forum. You could call him my NOS tube broker. Hence the moniker "Martimus Maximus" which in all reality he lives up too especially devising NOS tone packs. Ok enough of that. His head must be getting huge...:eek2:

I have a bunch of NOS I've bought from him and he has been right on in that they really made a difference and now I have a hard time choosing which ones to use. I refer to them as tone packs cause we line up NOS preamp tubes/power tubes and then place them in certain order or I make my own mixes and share my findings. So a "tone pack" is a quick way of saying this set of preamp tubes/power tubes, which are usually a mixture(except power tubes) rock. You wouldn't call a bad mix a tone pack though...

I came up with a real nice tone pack for the NT including the power tubes if you are interested...

Any questions just ask man and the preamp thread is where we hang out alot.

 

[MartyStrat54]

Well, it's like I said before. What happened in America with its tube companies happened to Britain/Europe and their tube companies. The solid state craze hit so fast that thousands of tubes were left sitting in warehouses. When tube plants started shutting down, everybody was buying off of everybody. A lot of tubes were "mislabeled" by the tube companies. TV tubes were the hardest hit. I've known where one tube had nine different part numbers put on it. Then you had GE and Sylvania trading tubes with each other. They hung in the longest, so they were always swapping tubes. If you remember their codes, you can tell who really made the tube. On top of all this, you add in the Japanese tubes.

The better tube amp companies used the better tubes, so you will find Fisher tubes made by Amperex and Telefunken. Packard Bell used Amperex and Mullards. There are a lot of overseas brands that I know nothing about. Most of them bought Amperex or Mullards and relabeled them.

Another thing I touched on briefly in a prior post. Philips was the big controlling figure with European tubes. I can think of at least 15 brands that were all made by Philips. Amperex is one of them. The main thing I want to tell you is that for the most part, European tubes are of higher quality than American tubes. They bough most of their raw materials from the USA, but they put them together better. It's hard for me to say it, but it's true and that is why the real tube freaks, Hi Fi fanatics use Tele's, Mullards and Amperex. If RCA gray plates were best, they would be using them instead.

When you are ready for an Amperex, give me a hoot.

 

[jupiter89]

I remember in the late 60's early 70's when my dad would send me to the local Super X drug store to test and buy new tubes for either the Zenith TV or the tube equipped stereo we had. At the front of the store was the tube tester that indicated something like poor, fair, good on a meter after you plugged in the tube into its appropiate socket. In the drawers below in pristine RCA and Sylvania boxes were brand new tubes for just a few bucks. I wonder what happened to all those old gems when the solid state TV's, radios and stereo came around ?

 

[MartyStrat54]

As we speak they are being sold on EBAY.

 

[solarburn]

I remember in the late 60's early 70's when my dad would send me to the local Super X drug store to test and buy new tubes for either the Zenith TV or the tube equipped stereo we had. At the front of the store was the tube tester that indicated something like poor, fair, good on a meter after you plugged in the tube into its appropiate socket. In the drawers below in pristine RCA and Sylvania boxes were brand new tubes for just a few bucks. I wonder what happened to all those old gems when the solid state TV's, radios and stereo came around ?

Could you imagine having those stored away somewhere and then finding them now in some garage sale for next to nothing...

Ok. I'm done dreaming.

 

[Jesstaa]

Just found a vid on youtube, you've probably all seen it already, but for those who haven't I thought it was pretty cool.
Yeah, it's a power tube, but this thread gets more attention.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WnZRJjmOZb8]YouTube - Journey to the Center of a Tube[/ame]

 

[RiverRatt]

Can you guys help me out with these tubes? I have two Sonotone-branded ECC83 tubes. I've always assumed they were RCA because they have a side getter, but they don't look like my RCA 12AU7A cleartops in their construction, and there is a little bit of flash in the top of the tubes. The plates look exactly like my 1966 Mullard, but they don't flash. They also don't have a box around the 12AX7A at the top of the tube like RCA tubes do. I know that a lot of Sonotone stuff is from Germany, but these are labled "Made in USA". Here's the best picture I could get. The bottom of the tube appears to have the number "14" embossed, with radial lines coming from the center. These pics are of the same tube. The one on the right is the side with the getter flash, but it didn't come through good in the pic. I don't think they look much like RCAs, but they may be.

I was doing an inventory of my main tone tubes. I have two RCA 12BZ7s, and i really don't need both. These are NOS and aren't microphonic. If anyone wants one of them, PM me.

 

[Jesstaa]

That has a huge plate o.0

And I want an RCA =P
But shipping would be a hell of alot >.>

 

[Procter2812]

Theres the Brimar( relabeled Mullard) on the left and the Yellow plate Mullard on the right.

They are the same. The Brimar even has a Blackburn code.

Just because it had brimar on it was £7 and sounds awesome!

Alex

 

[Jesstaa]

What year is the brimar?

 

[Procter2812]

Between 62 and 64 i guess... so im goin with 63.

Alex

 

[Jesstaa]

Well what does the date code say?

 

[Procter2812]

I can only see B1A.

But i looked at the dating picture you put on the thread and it looks like one from 62-64.

It has BVA on and ECC83 in the Mullard Style writing and then the Brimar Logo

 

[Jesstaa]

That'd be 61 then.
B = blackburn, and I'm pretty sure the 1 is the last digit in the year, it'd be from the 60's, so 61.

48 years old xD

 

[Procter2812]

That'd be 61 then.
B = blackburn, and I'm pretty sure the 1 is the last digit in the year, it'd be from the 60's, so 61.

48 years old xD

Wowzaaaaaa

And still working strong!