need help choosing tubes for my mesa

[Nite_Maresz_25]

Well, as most of you know, my head is in at the tech now. I just got off the phone with him and he said it is comming up in line pretty soon(today or tomorrow night-ish) and he said if he would retube it it would be with Electro-Harmonics 6L6's, but if i wanted to I could buy tubes and bring them in or have him order tubes for me(depending on what brand of tubes). I'm leaning twards the Hi-gain retube kit(jj/telsa) from eurotubes strongly at this point. He said he would check the amp over and just hold off on retubing it for now.
I would call him to order the tubes or have him but the EH 6l's in.

My question is this: What brand of tubes should i go for? the EH's? the Hi gain option from eurotubes (JJ/telsa)? other(sovtek?)?

thanks,
alex.

[krankguitarist]

Re: need help choosing tubes for my mesa

I got the JJ/teslas in my Krank, and they really smoothed out the tone in comparison to the stock sovtek 5881's (why the hell they decided to use that tube is a mystery to me).

I retubed a guy's peavey classic 30 once with a JJ/tesla High gain retube kit from eurotubes, sounded great to me.

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: need help choosing tubes for my mesa

I like the EH 6L6's, I have also heard good things about the JJ stuff. The Sovtek 12AX7LPS is great for High Gain, and I also like the Mullard reissue 12AX7's...tubes are like pickups, it's all a matter of choice and to find out what you really like you have to try out some and you will find out that you won't like some of them...

[Robert S.]

Re: need help choosing tubes for my mesa

I can't offer an opinion on the EH tubes.

I just installed a total of 16 JJs into my Mesa rig, including the high gain preamp tubes and matched drivers and inverters. The JJs sound killer in my Mesa stuff. Some of what I have noticed so far is a tighter fuller bottom end, far better mids and a more searing but less buzzy top end with the gain pushed. The overall tone is rounder with more definition and there is definately more gain. It's hard to describe a tone with more gain and focus coupled with less harshness but thats what I got.

The cleans are far warmer and rounder, absolutely beautiful.

The EHs may be killer I don't know. The JJs sound fantastic and are a major tone upgrade in Mesa amps from what I am hearing.

[Dirt123]

Re: need help choosing tubes for my mesa

When I got my Mesa Mk II, it was loaded with Sovtek tubes. I put in all new Mesa tubes, & was quite happy with the results.

However, the Mk II is a different animal from your amp....

[JALIN]

Re: need help choosing tubes for my mesa

What Mesa amp do you have? If you have the Dual or Triple Rectifier then go for the JJ6V6 and the high gain preamp kit, talk to Bob, I heard samples and they are killer. It won`t work for the Single Rectifier ( my amp ) so I`m going for the high gain preamp tubes, I already own the JJ6L6GC.

[Nite_Maresz_25]

Re: need help choosing tubes for my mesa

JALIN, it's a F-50

[some_dude]

Re: need help choosing tubes for my mesa

I have a preference for Svetlana 6L6s.....same basic sound as the stock Sovtek's, but more harmonically rich IMO.

[bungalowbill]

Re: need help choosing tubes for my mesa

In my F-30 I use 12AT7's in V-1 and V-2. Much better clean and much more useful overdrive tone. The F series amps are very high gain in the lead channel and the At7's give a more usable range of overdrive IMHO. You can call the techs at Mesa and let them know what tone you are after and I'm quite sure they will be happy to help you.

[Nite_Maresz_25]

Re: need help choosing tubes for my mesa

In my F-30 I use 12AT7's in V-1 and V-2. Much better clean and much more useful overdrive tone. The F series amps are very high gain in the lead channel and the At7's give a more usable range of overdrive IMHO. You can call the techs at Mesa and let them know what tone you are after and I'm quite sure they will be happy to help you.

I'm after super high-gain(no mud) metal tones, so at7's would be outta the picture
And I called hte tech to see what his prices of tubes are as apposed to online tube stores/dealers.

[JeffB]

Re: need help choosing tubes for my mesa

I'm after super high-gain(no mud) metal tones, so at7's would be outta the picture

If you set the gain knobs on an F-50 over 1 or 2 o' clock it generally turns to mud anyways...they have a TON of gain... more than I could ever see anyone using...unless you like farty muddy high gain...then by all means dime that ba$tard.

I think the at7's would actually be a great idea, regardless of style.