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

[sccloser]

Happy New Year everyone! Hope we all have a great year tube hunting!

 

[dragoneti]

Hello everybody and happy new year!!

I would like the opinion of the NOS experts about a preamp tube that i have at my disposal for some time that has labeling as a telefunken (without a diamond mark at its base) but construction wise is more like a tesla ecc83 as far as i can see from web photos to compare with (or worst case scenario a JJ ecc83s although i came from a respectable tube shop to be a fake, but...).

i have taken 3 photos with my camera, i think they should be clear enough...

ImageShack® - Online Photo and Video Hosting

ImageShack® - Online Photo and Video Hosting

ImageShack® - Online Photo and Video Hosting

Is it real nos or fake?

Thank you in advance!!

Stelios

 

[RiverRatt]

Happy New Year everyone! Hope we all have a great year tube hunting!

Thanks! I'm not looking as much as I used to. I've got enough to last me awhile and I'm pissed off at eBay and a buyer who picked up $75 worth of 6L6GC's from me and returned them for what I thought was a BS reason. You can't even leave bad feedback as a seller.

The wife and I took a weekender to Nashville and of course I hit the guitar stores. I've got a bunch of new goodies to play around with. Guitar Center had a great clearance sale on pedals and stuff. Naturally I had to walk out with something. I got a new BBE AM64 distortion pedal for $14.99 - I figure the carling switch and the box and jacks were worth that easily even if the pedal sucks. Got an Ibanez FL9 reissue MIJ flanger for $50, a Hercules wall hanger for $11, a Monster Cable for $12. I bought a Sennheiser E609 mic, too, but it was full price. I'd been wanting one since my SM57 died. I'm going to go unpack some of this stuff and see how it sounds.

 

[MartyStrat54]

Is it real nos or fake?

Thank you in advance!!

Stelios

I hate to tell you this, but those are fake Telefunkens. Can you rub on the lettering? Is it painted on or chalky? It looks like it is painted on. The internal tube construction does look like a JJ. The very rare Telefunken 803 had short plates, but this is listed as an 83. Date code is not right. No <> on bottom of tube. Fake.
Sorry.

 

[dragoneti]

Thanks for your answer Marty!

I think its painted... i was afraid it would be a JJ faked...but i wanted to give it the benefit of the doubt...

I have one other... long plate, not at all like this one construction wise, with chalky lettering that rubs very easily, i think its a type 2 build by RFT (no diamond on the underside) to my unexperienced eyes but i want a second opinion so if you can can you take a look to the following pics?

ImageShack® - Online Photo and Video Hosting

ImageShack® - Online Photo and Video Hosting

ImageShack® - Online Photo and Video Hosting

ImageShack® - Online Photo and Video Hosting

Thanks again Marty!

Stelios

 

[MartyStrat54]

Okay, I have several of these. They could be Ei's "or" they could be a Telefunken smooth plate copy by RFT. RFT made tubes for Telefunken when Telefunken started slowing down its tube production. Both the Ei (which was made on Telefunken equipment) and the RFT are very similar in construction, because they were basically a copy of a Tele smooth plate.

 

[dragoneti]

Thanks again Marty for you answer!

Yeah i seen these vintage Ei (i had made a search about them some years ago when i had found a pair of brand new nos 6ca7 in a basement) but i think as i have read on the net, the difference between them the tele/rft and ei is on the top of the bottle where ei is more round where the rtf is a bit flatter (like mine)?

Of course i could be wrong...at least its not a fake JJ...

I think either of them is considered to sound pretty good, isn't it?

 

[MartyStrat54]

Yeah, the RFT or the Ei is a good sounding tube. Maybe not as good as a real Tele smooth plate, but pretty close.

 

[hacksaw]

I played there a couple times around '81 or so. Can't remember the name but some massive club in an old theater. The gig was several days and they gave you a band "apartment" upstairs around back, you wanted a full body condom just to lie on the beds. Good times...

I remember the theater, I used to go there when they actually showed movies, LOL. Had a cup holder on one side and a ashtray on the other side of each seat. We never went there after it became a bar. I don't know why.

Johnfv-The biggest, most well known bar in Stillwater is Eskimo Joe's. I used to party at it when it was under a different name. That was so long ago, I can't remember what it was. I always remember seeing a band called Zuider Zee. The lead guitarist was thrashed on something, but he played flawlessly. We used to go up there on Friday nights for 10 cent beer night. Later, it was sold and became Eskimo Joe's. Does that name ring a bell? They have always had live music there.

Been there too on those cheap nights. grab a pitcher and chug, haha! Had a pinball machine upstairs and that was about it. We would head over to wiskers ( I think was the name) and watch a band called crossroads. Man they were great. Ended up with the drummer from that band about 10 years ago for about 2 years, he was a great time clock.

We would start at the Mason Jar and work the strip up one side and down the other then head back to the house at 12th and hudson. Stillwater was great fun!

 

[MartyStrat54]

I wouldn't recognize Stillwater. It has grown so much. The last time I was there, I visited with a friend. We went to a bar, but it wasn't downtown. That was in 2000. If I went there now, I would walk around with my mouth open. I guess the strip is high dollar now.

 

[MartyStrat54]

I just looked up Eskimo Joe's. Apparently they do not have live music there anymore.

It's also more of a place to eat than a place to rock out. It says; "Good for families." That means it ain't my kind of place.

Only got a 3 out of 5 star rating.

 

[RiverRatt]

I was messing with the Sennheiser mic and I'm starting to get a feel for it. It likes it LOUD. I had the master up on around 4 on the Vintage Modern and it sounded OK but I'd really like to get the amp cranking.

This is the LDR on the amp running a long-plate Mullard in V1. I'm still trying to get a little more bass in the tone without it being boomy. I was playing the Epiphone Special II with the new BBE AM64 and Ibanez flanger.

This is just a short tone check.
DirtyFlange 1.mp3

 

[MartyStrat54]

Sort of sounds like Mick Ralphs (BADCO).

 

[hacksaw]

Sounds good! Through my headphones it sounds like it has good bass in it.



Marty,
Would you mind recommending me some tubes for my 72/73 metal panel spec metro 1959. It's ok but not open sounding enough. I usually just run off the shelf in the amps that get a lot of time. I'm thinking of changing it to more of the 68/69 spec.

 

[Marshall Mann]

I was messing with the Sennheiser mic and I'm starting to get a feel for it. It likes it LOUD. I had the master up on around 4 on the Vintage Modern and it sounded OK but I'd really like to get the amp cranking.

This is the LDR on the amp running a long-plate Mullard in V1. I'm still trying to get a little more bass in the tone without it being boomy. I was playing the Epiphone Special II with the new BBE AM64 and Ibanez flanger.

This is just a short tone check.
DirtyFlange 1.mp3

Sounds good Alan. I've always wanted to play around with a 609.

Happy New year!

 

[joshuaaewallen]

I was messing with the Sennheiser mic and I'm starting to get a feel for it. It likes it LOUD. I had the master up on around 4 on the Vintage Modern and it sounded OK but I'd really like to get the amp cranking.

This is the LDR on the amp running a long-plate Mullard in V1. I'm still trying to get a little more bass in the tone without it being boomy. I was playing the Epiphone Special II with the new BBE AM64 and Ibanez flanger.

This is just a short tone check.
DirtyFlange 1.mp3

Sounds cool Alan!

 

[RiverRatt]

Thanks, guys. I'm not really happy with it yet. It's still a little boxy sounding to me. I need to record some dry stuff with it and get that dialed in before I add flangers and shit.

Hi Josh!

 

[joshuaaewallen]

Thanks, guys. I'm not really happy with it yet. It's still a little boxy sounding to me. I need to record some dry stuff with it and get that dialed in before I add flangers and shit.

Hi Josh!

Hey Bro!

 

[RiverRatt]

What gets me is how good that $144 Epiphone Special II sounds. I still can't believe they are selling an all-mahogany guitar for that cheap. When I get some cash I'm going to get a pair of MHD pickups for it. The ceramics sound good but I know some good alnicos will make a big difference in the tone. That thing is the best "budget" guitar I've ever played. The only drawback is the bolt-on neck, but the fit is so tight you'll never notice it.

 

[RiverRatt]

Hey Bro!

How are things in Middle Tennessee? It's been awhile - we need to get caught up.