Epiphone Valve Jr. Head... a few questions

[JohnnyGuitar]

Well, after playing quite a few amps and reading about others online I think I've decided to go with an Epiphone Valve Jr. Head. (mainly after reading the good review here, less because of the also good reviews on Harmony Central ).
I also want to try different cabs and speakers so I'm not going for the 8" speaker combo...

Now, educate me, if I'll decide to change the EL84 to 6V6 or 6L6 (to get more of a Fender then Marshall amp tone)...
a. is it possible?
b. will it have the affect I expect, or am I way off?
c. if a and b are possible, do I have to do any adjustments to the amp (rebias, etc...)

Thanks...

 

[Guest]

Re: Epiphone Valve Jr. Head... a few questions

Sorry...

But it would probably be easier to build a new amp from scratch or shoot for something else if you want 6l6/6v6's.

Would have to do radical mods to the Valve Jr to make it work with 6V6 or 6L6's.

I can't explain why but I've read that that's the situation :sad:

 

[JohnnyGuitar]

Re: Epiphone Valve Jr. Head... a few questions

Sorry...

But it would probably be easier to build a new amp from scratch or shoot for something else if you want 6l6/6v6's.

Would have to do radical mods to the Valve Jr to make it work with 6V6 or 6L6's.

I can't explain why but I've read that that's the situation :sad:

I've read a post here by someone who made the change... can't find it though...

Are there any tubes that would replace an EL84 and shape the tone closer to a 6L6 or a 6V6 type tube?

 

[JohnnyGuitar]

Re: Epiphone Valve Jr. Head... a few questions

If I'm not clear enough here (I'm a dummy when it comes to tubes) I'm trying to get more Fender cleans (I do understand that an EL84 is relativly cleaner then the EL34)...

 

[JohnnyGuitar]

Re: Epiphone Valve Jr. Head... a few questions

bump

 

[aleclee]

Re: Epiphone Valve Jr. Head... a few questions

EL84s use different sockets from 6L6/6V6/EL34 tubes. The output transformers are different as well. It's definitely not a plug & play substitution.

 

[Pepi]

Re: Epiphone Valve Jr. Head... a few questions

The power transformer would probably have to be changed also. Look into building a AX84 amplifier.

 

[stangme01]

Re: Epiphone Valve Jr. Head... a few questions

just get a different amp, the VJ is probably the worst sounding tube amp i've ever heard, and not only that but my old vox ad15vt was probably 4 times as loud

 

[Pepi]

Re: Epiphone Valve Jr. Head... a few questions

just get a different amp, the VJ is probably the worst sounding tube amp i've ever heard, and not only that but my old vox ad15vt was probably 4 times as loud

I'll have to disagree. My JR is a cooking amp and if I was still gigging I would use it miked. You VOX is louder since it's 15 watts compared to 5 :eek13:

 

[Dabros]

Re: Epiphone Valve Jr. Head... a few questions

I bought it after playing it with an SG through a 4x12 box. The cranked sounds were ok, and it IS a very cheap little amp.

I returned it about 3 days later, and wen't out and bought the little Marshall 18w 2061x head slighty used, and though it is a whole lot more expensive, it is worth every penny.

5w is probably too low to get good clean sounds, unless you wan't to play at bedroom levels. I find the 18w fantastic for medium level clean sounds, and it really is a little mini-plexi when you crank it.

This is still a 2xEL84 amp, and not that close to the fender camp. Having said that, it really has some remarkable clean sounds. Best low wattage amp i've ever played.

If it is a little practice amp with good clean sounds you're looking for, i have a little tranny Vox Escort from the 70's, and while it is very small, it still has plenty of bottom and volume. Also it will, if needed, run on two PP9 size batteries. Great amp.

 

[JohnnyGuitar]

Re: Epiphone Valve Jr. Head... a few questions

Thanks Dabros...
Cleans are important to me but I didn't played an amp that I couldn't clean enough for my taste by rolling the volume back with a plit humbucker/single coil...

For piano, no singing voice cleans I'm all for going through the mixing board or a solid state amp (that's what they are for)... there were funk players that were playing straight through mixing boards with great results... tube amps should be crancked...

Edit: The only tube equipped amp I can't clean by rolling back my volume knob is the one standing in my room, a hybrid Tube Works amp... and trust me, this amp has a whole lot more the 5w in it... go figure...