• Registered: 2008-04-29
  • Posts: 7

Topic: Question for Joe about kt 66

I have question about  kt 66 tubes...
i'm playing through 1975 marshall super lead 100w that i got modded to run on 50w with some stuff that tech did to the preamp section and it's loaded with groove tubes el 34.
also i play a gibson les paul custom shop 58 reissue.the sound i get is close to marc fords when he played through roccaforte amps in black crowes.

i didn't realize this before but clapton,page and some of other greats played with kt 66 or kt 77...and i love clapton tone in the cream!(i'm also a big page freak).

so i'm really satisfied with my tone but was just wondering what exactly would the kt 66 tubes (or kt 77) do to my tone?would it get cleaner?more headroom?closer to that tone of page or clapton?thanks mr. joe

  • Registered: 2006-04-22
  • Posts: 1,168

Re: Question for Joe about kt 66

KT 66's were used on very early Marshall amps.  I only heard them on a very early 100 watter.  It was a JTM-45 /100 "super amplifier" .  It was glassier and cleaner than other 100 watt superleads I own.  Early Bluesbreaker combo (aka Clapton models) were actually bigger in physical size then the reissues now and later 60's early 70's models.  They used 5881 valves and were basically give or take and again Im not a amp expert British military spec 1959 Fender Bassman clones.    Each Marshall is different especially old ones.  I have 5 superleads and they are all different.  Each input sounds different, has varing amount of gain ect.  If it was my amp I'd put KT 88's and see what happend.  Making it somewhat of a Park 75.  I have one and its extrodinary.  Good luck / and only do any mods with a qualified amp tech.  Ive shocked myself more than I care to remember and plus there are lethal amounts of voltage stored in the caps. 
Joe B

  • Registered: 2008-04-29
  • Posts: 7

Re: Question for Joe about kt 66

thank you very much...to my ears amps with kt 66 also sounded glassier and i'm not so much of a gain freak so i think thats what i liked about them in the first place...i don't even know if it's possible to get kt 66 or kt 88 in my country,but if i can get them over here i'll try them.once again thanks wink

4 Reply by Beerdog80 (edited by Beerdog80 2008-05-14 15:41:10)

  • From: Oklahoma
  • Registered: 2008-03-28
  • Posts: 263

Re: Question for Joe about kt 66

el nino wrote:

thank you very much...to my ears amps with kt 66 also sounded glassier and i'm not so much of a gain freak so i think thats what i liked about them in the first place...i don't even know if it's possible to get kt 66 or kt 88 in my country,but if i can get them over here i'll try them.once again thanks wink

You can get tubes from the net brother.  Balanced and ready to go.  Here a site I've used in the past, just make sure you know how to properly bias a tube amp before changing tubes. 

Tube Depot link to KT66's

  I actually used to keep a pair of KT's around for when I felt the need to run a cleaner tone in my Marshall since they didn't break up much at all.
 
   Funny story about getting zapped.  Just today I decide to install a cooling fan, so I drain everything and wire it up, then I kicked on the juice and heard a vibration in the tubes.  No biggie and I pull out some tube dampers and decide to add a ring from the inside as well as the outside and my hand slipped and got me a good shock.  Woke my **** right up!

Don't play leapfrog with a unicorn
  • From: Heathfield E.Sussex
  • Registered: 2007-06-10
  • Posts: 54

Re: Question for Joe about kt 66

KT88 = HUGE tone, best valve there is imho....

Crazy old Scottish person, still playing, still learning.