wixedmords
New member
Anyone have any experience with putting 6L6's in a Marshall.
I am wondering how they changed the sound.
I am wondering how they changed the sound.
6L6's in a Marshall
- Thread starter wixedmords
- Start date
Lake Placid Blues
New member
Re: 6L6's in a Marshall
Well Marshall installed 5881's in their amps from the mid through the late 90's. Those are essentially 6L6 type tubes. They install 6L6/5881's in JTM45's and Blues Breaker combo's and that does produce a more Fendery tone, but it's still not a Fender tone, it's still a Marshall. The original Marshall sound was built around the KT66 tube, and they were like a super duty ballsier 6L6. Hendrix at Monterey and early Cream are good examples of KT66 Marshall tone.
I have installed 6L6's into a Jubilee amp and it sounded great, but the tubes were running fairly hot. 6L6's require more bias voltage than EL34's, so it would have required major changes to the bias circut for a permament swap. I just went back to EL34's. Amps wired for EL34's can take 6L6's no problem, provided they can be biased. However, Amps exclusively wired for 6L6 tubes may require rewiring of the sockets to accept EL34's.
Well Marshall installed 5881's in their amps from the mid through the late 90's. Those are essentially 6L6 type tubes. They install 6L6/5881's in JTM45's and Blues Breaker combo's and that does produce a more Fendery tone, but it's still not a Fender tone, it's still a Marshall. The original Marshall sound was built around the KT66 tube, and they were like a super duty ballsier 6L6. Hendrix at Monterey and early Cream are good examples of KT66 Marshall tone.
I have installed 6L6's into a Jubilee amp and it sounded great, but the tubes were running fairly hot. 6L6's require more bias voltage than EL34's, so it would have required major changes to the bias circut for a permament swap. I just went back to EL34's. Amps wired for EL34's can take 6L6's no problem, provided they can be biased. However, Amps exclusively wired for 6L6 tubes may require rewiring of the sockets to accept EL34's.
tone?
New member
Re: 6L6's in a Marshall
the funny thing is that a tech here put 6L6's in my sold JTM60 once and i didnt know it. when i got it back i was like wow! it sounded that much better.
makes me laugh now cause techs here in Greece ( it was the authorized Marshall dealer!) just do whatever.
anyway, it sounded waaaay better and i didnt know what the heck was up with it.
try it out
the funny thing is that a tech here put 6L6's in my sold JTM60 once and i didnt know it. when i got it back i was like wow! it sounded that much better.
makes me laugh now cause techs here in Greece ( it was the authorized Marshall dealer!) just do whatever.
anyway, it sounded waaaay better and i didnt know what the heck was up with it.
try it out
Vasshu the humanoid typhoon
Unseen
Re: 6L6's in a Marshall
The old SuperLeads had 6CA7's, they had that rounder bottom than the EL-34's.
Very American sounding in some respects.
The old SuperLeads had 6CA7's, they had that rounder bottom than the EL-34's.
Very American sounding in some respects.
wixedmords
New member
Re: 6L6's in a Marshall
Great input guys.
I was thinking more aloing the lines of taming those spikey Marshall's.
IE: I am wondering what one of my 4203's would sound like with 6L6's.
It just seems that it could create an interesting change to a Marshall.
Great input guys.
I was thinking more aloing the lines of taming those spikey Marshall's.
IE: I am wondering what one of my 4203's would sound like with 6L6's.
It just seems that it could create an interesting change to a Marshall.
Vasshu the humanoid typhoon
Unseen
Re: 6L6's in a Marshall
Yeah had a funny blend of British and US
Very nice indeed.
Yeah had a funny blend of British and US
Very nice indeed.
Nite_Maresz_25
on Elm Streetologist
Re: 6L6's in a Marshall
I heard once that Jeff and Kerry from Slayer run 6L6's in their Marshalls. Is this true?
I heard once that Jeff and Kerry from Slayer run 6L6's in their Marshalls. Is this true?
DesertRose
New member
Re: 6L6's in a Marshall
Well, I've got a JCM800 lead combo, i once mentioned in my earlier threads. I said that the amp uses 6L6 tubes and I can't remember who(sorry mate), told me to trash those and replace them with EL34s, which is suppose to give the classic Marshall tone. Well, i don't know if the amp is bias or re-wired to make compatible with 6L6s. But whatever the amp comes with it, I just play safe to stick to what it has until it tubes blows and I get the tech to check it out for me. =)
P.S the amps i've got are pre-owned
Well, I've got a JCM800 lead combo, i once mentioned in my earlier threads. I said that the amp uses 6L6 tubes and I can't remember who(sorry mate), told me to trash those and replace them with EL34s, which is suppose to give the classic Marshall tone. Well, i don't know if the amp is bias or re-wired to make compatible with 6L6s. But whatever the amp comes with it, I just play safe to stick to what it has until it tubes blows and I get the tech to check it out for me. =)
P.S the amps i've got are pre-owned
chill
New member
Re: 6L6's in a Marshall
Yes, they can. KT66's have a more stout and barrel-chested midrange which is almost walnutty, they transition into overdrive more gradually than a 6L6 (somewhat like an EL34). KT66's have tighter low end and more headroom than an EL34...and IIRC they have a bit crisper top end than the EL34 but it's been a while since I had KT66's in amps I use regularly. Overall I would say the KT66 is somewhere between the 6L6 and the EL34.
...oh, and they're hoppy. :laugh2:
n00b said:
Yes, they can. KT66's have a more stout and barrel-chested midrange which is almost walnutty, they transition into overdrive more gradually than a 6L6 (somewhat like an EL34). KT66's have tighter low end and more headroom than an EL34...and IIRC they have a bit crisper top end than the EL34 but it's been a while since I had KT66's in amps I use regularly. Overall I would say the KT66 is somewhere between the 6L6 and the EL34.
...oh, and they're hoppy. :laugh2:
Boogie Bill
New member
Re: 6L6's in a Marshall
One of the things you can do with a master volume JCM 800 Marshall is to have your tech clip out the capacitor on the gain pot--this acts like a "brite" switch at lower gain levels. Without this cap the tone is more consistent over the range of input gain.
Marshalls are really easy to figure out. They sound like caa-caa at practice volumes. Crank them up on a stage with a 412 and get them nice and hot--by about that third set--all that shrillness is GONE. The 412 moves enough air to make your low notes SOLID, the midrange crunchy, and the trebles sing ever so sweetly.
I had a JCM 800 4010 50-watt 112 combo that sucked as a practice amp. But the few gigs that I did with that little monster cranked up were most satisfying. It would really sing. :arms:
I don't think I would waste a lot of time and money re-tubing and modding a Marshall with 6L6s. (Taking a 6550 Marshall and setting it up for EL34s though, probably is a worthwhile endeavor.) There are just too many good 6L6 amps out there to bother with this, IMHO.
I would suggest finding a Mark III Simul-Class Boogie (or even a Mark IV), and run it with a combination of 6L6s in the Class AB sockets, and EL34s in the Class A Simu-Class sockets. This gives a nice mix of 6L6 "bottom-end thump" and "top-end air", with the EL-34 "mid-range aggression". That may give you the "melded" tone you're looking for. It's just one of many options.
Good Luck.
Bill
One of the things you can do with a master volume JCM 800 Marshall is to have your tech clip out the capacitor on the gain pot--this acts like a "brite" switch at lower gain levels. Without this cap the tone is more consistent over the range of input gain.
Marshalls are really easy to figure out. They sound like caa-caa at practice volumes. Crank them up on a stage with a 412 and get them nice and hot--by about that third set--all that shrillness is GONE. The 412 moves enough air to make your low notes SOLID, the midrange crunchy, and the trebles sing ever so sweetly.
I had a JCM 800 4010 50-watt 112 combo that sucked as a practice amp. But the few gigs that I did with that little monster cranked up were most satisfying. It would really sing. :arms:
I don't think I would waste a lot of time and money re-tubing and modding a Marshall with 6L6s. (Taking a 6550 Marshall and setting it up for EL34s though, probably is a worthwhile endeavor.) There are just too many good 6L6 amps out there to bother with this, IMHO.
I would suggest finding a Mark III Simul-Class Boogie (or even a Mark IV), and run it with a combination of 6L6s in the Class AB sockets, and EL34s in the Class A Simu-Class sockets. This gives a nice mix of 6L6 "bottom-end thump" and "top-end air", with the EL-34 "mid-range aggression". That may give you the "melded" tone you're looking for. It's just one of many options.
Good Luck.
Bill
