• From: Live Free or Die State
  • Registered: 2007-11-30
  • Posts: 11

Topic: Tube suggestions

Hi,

Always on the quest for knowledge, I was wondering what is EL-34 and preamp of choice out there.  I am looking specifically at my Jubilee's and have been running Svelt Winged C's EL's and JJ ECC83's. 

I like the crunch of the 34's, but looking for a bit more headroom before compression kicks in.  I usually run them on 7.5-8.5 on the Master and Lead and 6-7 on the input gain.

Your feedback is appreciated.

Thanks

"Orange is young, full of daring,
But very unsteady for the first go round
My yellow in this case is not so mellow
In fact I'm trying to say it's frigthened like me" ~JMH
  • From: Detroit
  • Registered: 2006-06-02
  • Posts: 5,807

Re: Tube suggestions

Well, if we were talking EL84's I'd have some opinions. I used to have an amp that took 8 (yes eight!) EL84s. It came with Sovtek tubes, and chinese generic preamp tubes 12AX7As... My first try was Groove Tubes. The EL84's had hairline cracks all around the pins. Some cracked further and popped very early. Three trys of doing that sent me runnnig back to Sovtek. The Groove tube preamp tubes were decent.

For EL-34's I've had luck with Ruby Tubes or Svetlana's...nice tubes.

- Nic from Detroit... posting on JB's Forum since 6-2-2006
Ask me about my handwound Great Lakes Guitar Pickups
Since 2010, Bonamassa fans have taken advantage of my JB friend discount = my cost + shipping. cool
  • From: Live Free or Die State
  • Registered: 2007-11-30
  • Posts: 11

Re: Tube suggestions

Thanks. I've got a George Dennis Baby Blue that I plan to get retubes with some NOS Polmar EL-84's that was highly recommended. 

Thanks again for your input

"Orange is young, full of daring,
But very unsteady for the first go round
My yellow in this case is not so mellow
In fact I'm trying to say it's frigthened like me" ~JMH
  • From: Heathfield E.Sussex
  • Registered: 2007-06-10
  • Posts: 54

Re: Tube suggestions

Tubes (valves here in uk) are an area that is full of personal opinions, some say one type is good, while others will say crap! I fell into the NOS trap, spent a small fortune on Mullards, RFT, Telefunken etc, and ended up using GT-EL34M's, good sound, reasonably cheap, and very reliable. I am in the process of converting my amp to use KT88's/6550's, what a superb sounding valve, huge headroom, and that glassiness you can only get from real valves.
Perhaps Joe might like to chip in and let us know wether he is hooked into the new V old.

Jon

Crazy old Scottish person, still playing, still learning.
  • Registered: 2007-08-15
  • Posts: 11

Re: Tube suggestions

Yep , same here. I paid 140.00 bucks for a pair of telefunkens and when I  tried them out, there was a bit more complexity in the distortion tone, but the GTs sounded real good,
and I couldn't justfy the price difference.

  • From: Live Free or Die State
  • Registered: 2007-11-30
  • Posts: 11

Re: Tube suggestions

Thanks for the info guys. Question for jockman--are GT's expensive in the UK or has the exchange rate made getting them reasonable?

Thanks again

gary

"Orange is young, full of daring,
But very unsteady for the first go round
My yellow in this case is not so mellow
In fact I'm trying to say it's frigthened like me" ~JMH
  • From: Heathfield E.Sussex
  • Registered: 2007-06-10
  • Posts: 54

Re: Tube suggestions

silverjubilee wrote:

Thanks for the info guys. Question for jockman--are GT's expensive in the UK or has the exchange rate made getting them reasonable?

Thanks again

gary

The cost varies, but is usually around £30 the pair, which to me is VERY good value.
From the reviews I have read, and from personal experiance, they sound differnt from amp to amp, so, you could try them, and as they are not to pricey, you won't be out of pocket to much.

http://www.hotroxuk.com/store/erol.html … #2114X7923

Great company for buying valves from.

Jon

Crazy old Scottish person, still playing, still learning.
  • From: Live Free or Die State
  • Registered: 2007-11-30
  • Posts: 11

Re: Tube suggestions

Thanks Much appreciated!!!!

Gary

"Orange is young, full of daring,
But very unsteady for the first go round
My yellow in this case is not so mellow
In fact I'm trying to say it's frigthened like me" ~JMH