6L6/5881 or EL34?
- Thread starter brit84
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FamousForSustain
New member
Re: 6L6/5881 or EL34?
6L6 - For that swingin' All-American sound!
6L6 - For that swingin' All-American sound!
Hot _Grits
Buttery Toneologist
Re: 6L6/5881 or EL34?
I've used both for different applications. In general I like to have a good EL34, EL84, 6l6 and 6V6 amp in the toolbox depending on what I want to achieve. For me that's more important than having all the various guitar types around to work with.
Right now, I have no 6l6 amp and two identical EL34 amps. must get around to changing that up...
I've used both for different applications. In general I like to have a good EL34, EL84, 6l6 and 6V6 amp in the toolbox depending on what I want to achieve. For me that's more important than having all the various guitar types around to work with.
Right now, I have no 6l6 amp and two identical EL34 amps. must get around to changing that up...
alex1fly
Well-known member
Re: 6L6/5881 or EL34?
I had 6L6s in my Fender Hot Rod, I liked the clean but hated the dirty. Got my Mesa Roadster, came with 6L6s, liked the clean but the dirty was still lacking. Swapped the Mesas tubes for EL34s and I love it. Punchier, more upper mids, and I can be heard better in live situations without having to play a certain way or on certain settings. They feel more alive to me, like they're working WITH me instead of against me. I like the tighter bass of EL34s too. The Roadster is the only amp I have experience with in swapping tubes, however, but it helped me open it up and make it sound more organic and like a real amp instead of a typical nu-metal Mesa buzzsaw volume machine.
I had 6L6s in my Fender Hot Rod, I liked the clean but hated the dirty. Got my Mesa Roadster, came with 6L6s, liked the clean but the dirty was still lacking. Swapped the Mesas tubes for EL34s and I love it. Punchier, more upper mids, and I can be heard better in live situations without having to play a certain way or on certain settings. They feel more alive to me, like they're working WITH me instead of against me. I like the tighter bass of EL34s too. The Roadster is the only amp I have experience with in swapping tubes, however, but it helped me open it up and make it sound more organic and like a real amp instead of a typical nu-metal Mesa buzzsaw volume machine.
barbarianbrute
New member
Re: 6L6/5881 or EL34?
el34 first, 5881 second. i love the mids and crunch of el34 tubes. to me, they're not as smooth as 6l6. i like all the good harmonics i can get with el34 tubes too. such a wide sound.
to me the 5881s sound like they're in between el34 and 6l6s. i played a jcm 900 for a while and was totally impressed. i used to have a traynor with 5881s and it sounded awesome.
a lot has to do with the amp. for some reason, i like the cleans of 6l6s better than el34s generally, but that's where the 5881s come in.
el34 first, 5881 second. i love the mids and crunch of el34 tubes. to me, they're not as smooth as 6l6. i like all the good harmonics i can get with el34 tubes too. such a wide sound.
to me the 5881s sound like they're in between el34 and 6l6s. i played a jcm 900 for a while and was totally impressed. i used to have a traynor with 5881s and it sounded awesome.
a lot has to do with the amp. for some reason, i like the cleans of 6l6s better than el34s generally, but that's where the 5881s come in.
PFDarkside
of the Forum
Re: 6L6/5881 or EL34?
I like 6L6's cor the extremes, and EL34's for the middle ground. For clean tones, edge of break up tones and all out assault, I like the boldness of the 6L6, and for everything else (the area where you are getting into some breakup) through hard rock and 80's metal I like the EL34.
I'd love to add a low wattage EL84 and a 6V6 amp to the stable... Maybe a tweed deluxe clone and a matchless clone?
I like 6L6's cor the extremes, and EL34's for the middle ground. For clean tones, edge of break up tones and all out assault, I like the boldness of the 6L6, and for everything else (the area where you are getting into some breakup) through hard rock and 80's metal I like the EL34.
I'd love to add a low wattage EL84 and a 6V6 amp to the stable... Maybe a tweed deluxe clone and a matchless clone?
FamousForSustain
New member
Re: 6L6/5881 or EL34?
Actually, despite preferring the tone of 6L6's I will submit that you seem to get better mix presence with EL's
Actually, despite preferring the tone of 6L6's I will submit that you seem to get better mix presence with EL's
