Procter2812
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Hopefully Might get a few tubes tomorrow 
Its my Birthday
Its my Birthday
Preamp Tubes? - Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How?
- Thread starter joshuaaewallen
- Start date
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MartyStrat54
Well-Known Member
Well, I have all the proper equipment to bias my amp. Man, this thing has high B+. That's one ass kicking power tranny. Hard to say what it is rated at, but with no load, it is 498. With a load it is around 475.
Now, I checked the bias and it was off and lopsided. I checked all the voltages and I set the bias per pin 5. I could have used my SRS Bias Check, but at this point I had the tubes pulled and this way was easier, because the bias adjustment is under the chassis. I set it for 39mV per tube and installed a set of Sylvania Double O Getter 6CA7's that I had in stock.
Here are my preamp tubes.
V1-Telefunken Rib Plate-26/23 (V1A is gain, V1B is Cathode Follower)
V2-Raytheon Black Plate-27/29 (2nd and 3rd gain stages)
V3-Sylvania Gray Plate-29/27 (Phase Inverter)
Put it on Standby. Warmed it up and flipped the switch. No red plating. Good. Plugged in the Explorer into the high input. Oh yeah, it has balls and this is with the VOL at 4 and the MV at 3. A buzzsaw. I tried the guitar in the low input and I think that may be the way to go with a 498 and 500 pickups. The Strat sounds incredible through it. First time I ever ran the 6CA7's with a Strat. I used to get a really unique sound with my Strat through a 401. I'm getting it now with the 6CA7's. Plus, I feel safe having them in an amp running that high B+. I know that Sylvania Fat Boy is good for over 600V (rated at 800V).
Well, as you know I can't give a complete review on this amp until I've had it for a while, but I think what gives this amp its character is the fact that it runs the high B+ just like some of the old classic Marshall's. I wouldn't feel comfortable with CP power tubes in this amp. It had the Chinese EL34B's in it and one had a bias of 29 and the other has 42. It didn't sound too good when I first played it, but my experience told me it was a bias issue. I checked the tubes on the tube tester and they were off by 15 points. Both tubes were marked with a bias of 40mV. Needless to say, I wouldn't even give these tubes away, but what do you do with them?
Well, more to come as I get to play it more, but it sounds a lot better than the day I got it. The owner of Twister is one great guy and personally emailed me with all of the info I requested. That's a big plus.
Now, I checked the bias and it was off and lopsided. I checked all the voltages and I set the bias per pin 5. I could have used my SRS Bias Check, but at this point I had the tubes pulled and this way was easier, because the bias adjustment is under the chassis. I set it for 39mV per tube and installed a set of Sylvania Double O Getter 6CA7's that I had in stock.
Here are my preamp tubes.
V1-Telefunken Rib Plate-26/23 (V1A is gain, V1B is Cathode Follower)
V2-Raytheon Black Plate-27/29 (2nd and 3rd gain stages)
V3-Sylvania Gray Plate-29/27 (Phase Inverter)
Put it on Standby. Warmed it up and flipped the switch. No red plating. Good. Plugged in the Explorer into the high input. Oh yeah, it has balls and this is with the VOL at 4 and the MV at 3. A buzzsaw. I tried the guitar in the low input and I think that may be the way to go with a 498 and 500 pickups. The Strat sounds incredible through it. First time I ever ran the 6CA7's with a Strat. I used to get a really unique sound with my Strat through a 401. I'm getting it now with the 6CA7's. Plus, I feel safe having them in an amp running that high B+. I know that Sylvania Fat Boy is good for over 600V (rated at 800V).
Well, as you know I can't give a complete review on this amp until I've had it for a while, but I think what gives this amp its character is the fact that it runs the high B+ just like some of the old classic Marshall's. I wouldn't feel comfortable with CP power tubes in this amp. It had the Chinese EL34B's in it and one had a bias of 29 and the other has 42. It didn't sound too good when I first played it, but my experience told me it was a bias issue. I checked the tubes on the tube tester and they were off by 15 points. Both tubes were marked with a bias of 40mV. Needless to say, I wouldn't even give these tubes away, but what do you do with them?
Well, more to come as I get to play it more, but it sounds a lot better than the day I got it. The owner of Twister is one great guy and personally emailed me with all of the info I requested. That's a big plus.
Well I'm glad it got better with a little TLC...know how hehe. Like you said now you just need to spend some quality time with it and eek out them wondrous tones in it.
Man where is this forum member of the year? I missed it. I would have voted for ya but I didn't even get to participate hehe. Feel left out...
Did you win a haughtee?!!!!!!
Man where is this forum member of the year? I missed it. I would have voted for ya but I didn't even get to participate hehe. Feel left out...
Did you win a haughtee?!!!!!!
I'm going to have to start looking at other parts of the forum, too. I completely missed that. Congrats, Marty - I think it is deserved!
I'm boxing up some tubes for you two. Marty, did you get my PM about price/etc. from yesterday? Just for S & G, give me a price on the Bugle Boy and the Eico/Amperex. I might do both.
I'm boxing up some tubes for you two. Marty, did you get my PM about price/etc. from yesterday? Just for S & G, give me a price on the Bugle Boy and the Eico/Amperex. I might do both.
MartyStrat54
Well-Known Member
Thanks for the kudo's, but I'm not going to get all excited about it. If you read my response, you'll know what I mean.
JOE-I wished I won a hottie. The weekend date never happened. We had a two day severe blizzard. There is two feet of snow on average on the ground. If you parked your car on the road, the snow plow buried your car. I watched two people spend three hours digging their car out in 21 degree weather and still snowing. I was smart. I bought all of my provisions and I just holed up in my house. I was shocked when the FedEx guy delivered my amp. It had been snowing, but the roads were still okay. Ten hours later, the wind was frickin' howling and the snow was blowing and coming down hard. No chickee. We had phone sex. I put my phone on vibrate and had her keep calling me up.
ALAN-Yes I received your MSG. I've been hammered and then there is the new amp...so I will get in touch with you. Thanks.
JOE-I wished I won a hottie. The weekend date never happened. We had a two day severe blizzard. There is two feet of snow on average on the ground. If you parked your car on the road, the snow plow buried your car. I watched two people spend three hours digging their car out in 21 degree weather and still snowing. I was smart. I bought all of my provisions and I just holed up in my house. I was shocked when the FedEx guy delivered my amp. It had been snowing, but the roads were still okay. Ten hours later, the wind was frickin' howling and the snow was blowing and coming down hard. No chickee. We had phone sex. I put my phone on vibrate and had her keep calling me up.
ALAN-Yes I received your MSG. I've been hammered and then there is the new amp...so I will get in touch with you. Thanks.
Thanks for the kudo's, but I'm not going to get all excited about it. If you read my response, you'll know what I mean.
JOE-I wished I won a hottie. The weekend date never happened. We had a two day severe blizzard. There is two feet of snow on average on the ground. If you parked your car on the road, the snow plow buried your car. I watched two people spend three hours digging their car out in 21 degree weather and still snowing. I was smart. I bought all of my provisions and I just holed up in my house. I was shocked when the FedEx guy delivered my amp. It had been snowing, but the roads were still okay. Ten hours later, the wind was frickin' howling and the snow was blowing and coming down hard. No chickee. We had phone sex. I put my phone on vibrate and had her keep calling me up.
ALAN-Yes I received your MSG. I've been hammered and then there is the new amp...so I will get in touch with you. Thanks.
I'd expect nuthing less...
racko7566
New Member
Happy B-Day Procter.
MartyStrat54
Well-Known Member
Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you...
Happy Birthday Dear Procter.
Happy Birthday to you.
(You're taking a beating over on the "Tell A Lie" thread.)
Happy Birthday...have a good one.
Happy Birthday Dear Procter.
Happy Birthday to you.
(You're taking a beating over on the "Tell A Lie" thread.)
Happy Birthday...have a good one.
racko7566
New Member
Dudes, I got it bad.....REAL bad.....always thinking about damn tubes and where I could find some good ones in some old radio or something in some garage. And while I'm day dreaming tubes and flipping the channels on tv, I roll across the wizard of Oz right at the part where the dog pulls back the curtain and exposes Oz as a fake, and I'll be a m%$$#$ F%$#$# theres this big machinery hes talking into and flippin switches on and the whole top of this thing is loaded with old tubes, a row of like twenty, check it out. Sorry for the useless info.....F%$#%$$ tubes.
MartyStrat54
Well-Known Member
I did and I got an erection. I guess it had something to do with the pair of red girl's shoes I was wearing.
Hey...big ole tubes were used for years in the movies as part of the mad scientist's lab. If you look at some of the real old ones the high voltage comes through the top of the tube. Old tubes had more gas in them (weak vacuums) and that made the tubes glow brighter. You got to remember that the vacuum tube was developed from a light bulb and all light bulb companies became vacuum tube companies.
The first vacuum tube, the Fleming Valve was invented in 1904!!!
Holy Moly. It's hard to believe, but by 1935 the tube industry was in full swing.
The 12AX7 was released in late 1947. Earlier that year, the first working transistor was introduced. It took about another 20 years to get the transistor perfected. As I say, I try to buy tubes from 1966 on down. The transistor introduction sort of soured the quality of American tubes.
Thank god for European tubes.
Hey...big ole tubes were used for years in the movies as part of the mad scientist's lab. If you look at some of the real old ones the high voltage comes through the top of the tube. Old tubes had more gas in them (weak vacuums) and that made the tubes glow brighter. You got to remember that the vacuum tube was developed from a light bulb and all light bulb companies became vacuum tube companies.
The first vacuum tube, the Fleming Valve was invented in 1904!!!
Holy Moly. It's hard to believe, but by 1935 the tube industry was in full swing.
The 12AX7 was released in late 1947. Earlier that year, the first working transistor was introduced. It took about another 20 years to get the transistor perfected. As I say, I try to buy tubes from 1966 on down. The transistor introduction sort of soured the quality of American tubes.
Thank god for European tubes.
Procter2812
Active Member
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Cheers guys will do!
No tubes for me! but with all the dough i got i sure wll be buyin some! then sell my TSL and get a hollowbody
Anyway time to take you all down at the Tell a Lie thread
No tubes for me! but with all the dough i got i sure wll be buyin some! then sell my TSL and get a hollowbody
Anyway time to take you all down at the Tell a Lie thread
Congrats, Procter!
I've got one coming up in a couple of weeks. Doesn't it suck to have a birthday right after Christmas?
I've got one coming up in a couple of weeks. Doesn't it suck to have a birthday right after Christmas?
Here's an interesting thread from Vintage Amps. Tube Tramp talking about Amperex and buying tubes with EVH in the old days. Joe, he even mentions Realistic Lifetime tubes.
Vintage Amps Bulletin Board • View topic - Amperex ECC83 Favorites?
Vintage Amps Bulletin Board • View topic - Amperex ECC83 Favorites?
30stringsandblackdog
Member
RR, that is an interesting thread...I have to check the Amperex tubes I have just out of curiousity.
Yeah that was a cool read. My Realistic LT is on the way but my Marshall is on its way to Jon Wilder.
He talked me into letting him pet it too...
:eek2:Now I'll be playing my NT exclusively while he penetrates my amp...I mean works on my baby....er...Marshall.
Yeah that was a cool read. My Realistic LT is on the way but my Marshall is on its way to Jon Wilder.
He talked me into letting him pet it too...
Now I'll be playing my NT exclusively while he penetrates my amp...I mean works on my baby....er...Marshall.
What are you having done to the DSL?
I really like that Eico Amperex I got from Marty. I think it's the hottest tube I've got. Well, maybe one of the Matsushitas is hotter, but it has a lot of grit where the Amperex is a smoother tube. Both have more pronounced mids, which is what I'm after. I tried out an Amperex Bugle Boy that really had some nice, throaty mids but it was a little compressed sounding and not as articulate as the other.
Jon's going to check a volume problem I'm having from about 4 on up. Seems to be starving and running a bit thin when that should be the sweet spot for it. So in goes the MM PT...
Also I want his relay switch so I can run either the choke or resistor as I want.
I told him to make it into a Super DSL50 and I'd let him take credit for his work.
Should be kick'n more ass when I get it back. We may try the C12 mod. I'm interested in this to mellow out some of the trebliness on the red channel but only if it sounds good. We'll have to see on that one.
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