Help me choosing tubes!!

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Breogan

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Hi there!

I am about to change the tubes in my ENGL Thunder 50... Two years and a half it's more than enought for a tube to last!!!! :smack: I need 4 12AX7 preamp and 2 6L6 power tubes. I decided to stick with Groove Tubes since it offers mached power sets and seems they have lot's of quality controls. At least that's what they say ;). I don't have much money to spend, and that's good beacause It halps to narrow the options :D. Finally I ended with this two options: chinesse and russian, I am more biased to the Russian type since it seems to be more realiable, but I would like to hear your opinions.

If you know other realible tubes feel free to coment...

PREAMP
GT-12AX7-C
"A new offering from China, warm round and fat tone, not too bright"
GT-12AX7-R
"Older style Russian type, strong tone but a little edgy"

POWER
GT-6L6-C
"Chinese made, sweeter tone and nice break up. Latest design handles higher plate voltage and output is equal to the Russian tubes"

GT-6L6-R(B)
"Russian made, same as the 5881 you are using now, but when these are matched in our system they are improved. These are a very sturdy and reliable tube"

What do you think?
 
Re: Help me choosing tubes!!

It's not a bad idea to hit the search function on this one, but my advise is to buy from www.revolutionguitar.com and tell Todd I sent ya.

As far as the choice.....Chinese 12AX7's are absolutely great. Chinese power tubes, on the other hand SUCK! I'd suggest buying JJ 6L6's and GT12AX7C's for that amp.
I've done a lot of 'splitting hairs' on tubes, and I know your amp would sound great setup with those. Other great pre's that he carries are the GT12AX7M's (Mullard replicas) and also the reissued Russian Tungsol 12AX7. If you want to save a few bucks, use a C or M in the 1st position and cheaper JJ's in the other 3. JJ power tubes sound great, and don't cost nearly as much as GT's.
 
Re: Help me choosing tubes!!

El Dorado said:
Just order the pre's from this guy: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=14947&item=7502858023&rd=1

And the Powers from: http://www.eurotubes.com/index.htm

Whole amp tubed for less than $60 including shipping. :)
Click to expand...

Thanks GearJoneser and El Dorado!! I definetly will check the JJ tubes, what I don' know it's why they doesn't come in mached duets. I don't believe they are that quality standard to do not show diferent behaviours. In fact Groove tubes sells this JJ tubes after testing them and mach them in duets...

Same happens with the preamp tubes... If you buy then without garranty you are exposed to early failure with no returns!!!

From what Gearjoneser said it seems that I have to go for the Chinesse preamp tubes and the Russian power ones.

Any other suggestion?
 
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Re: Help me choosing tubes!!

More info?

Buuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuumppppp!!!!! :D
 
Re: Help me choosing tubes!!

GJ is right about JJ power tubes. I'd go with a set of those or "winged C" tubes. THose are old Svetlana's. And any tube dealer will "match" the power tubes in duets or quads. Also, IMO don't waste $$ and pay extra for GT and their "tests" on pre amp tubes. Any dealer worth his salt will send you a new pre amp tube if one fails on you. For good cheap tubes try Sovtek LPS, Chinese and EH. JJ has a new long plate tube out that is supposed to be better than the GT12AX7M and Doug has them in stock. Some good dealers are:
Doug at dougstubes.com
Bob at eurotubes.com
Mike at KCAnostubes.com
Todd at revolutionguitar.com
 
Re: Help me choosing tubes!!

If you're strapped for cash, don't replace the preamp tubes. They don't wear out nearly as quickly as power tubes do.
 
Re: Help me choosing tubes!!

I can't speak highly enough of Electro Harmonix's 6L6 "Blackplate" copies. They sound great in my BF Bassman, even when played back to back with my NOS RCA's and my friend's NOS GE's. ;)
 
Re: Help me choosing tubes!!

Benjy_26 said:
I can't speak highly enough of Electro Harmonix's 6L6 "Blackplate" copies. They sound great in my BF Bassman, even when played back to back with my NOS RCA's and my friend's NOS GE's. ;)
Click to expand...

Yeah they are pretty kickass. I put them in a Fender Blues Deville and the thing really came alive.
 
Re: Help me choosing tubes!!

9th generation Chinese Shuguang 12AX7's
Sovtek 12AX7LPS
JJ ECC83S (graded for high gain)
Groove Tube 12AX7-M
 
Re: Help me choosing tubes!!

MrHeavyMetal said:
9th generation Chinese Shuguang 12AX7's
Sovtek 12AX7LPS
JJ ECC83S (graded for high gain)
Groove Tube 12AX7-M
Click to expand...


Yep, those are my favorite current production tubes. I think the GT C's are the Shuguang 9th Gen.

From what I've heard, it's not a bad idea to stock up on a few of your favorite sets of tubes. I've been told that most of the tube manufacturers are raising their prices a LOT higher, starting right about now. The distributors are getting hit with a major price hike.
 
Re: Help me choosing tubes!!

Listen to GJ and MrHeavyMetal, they know what they're talking about :fing2:

Winged C Svetlana power tubes kick! I really love the tone of chinese preamp tubes surprisingly. It's tough to beat the 12AX7M (Mullard RI) for the V1 spot of a good distorted amp.
 
Re: Help me choosing tubes!!

the_Chris said:
Listen to GJ and MrHeavyMetal, they know what they're talking about :fing2:
Click to expand...

Sure they are!!! :)

I want to be carefull about the tubes I choose since I can't afford a bad tube. Most dealers here (Spain) doesn't have many tubes in stock but I would like to buy the then in a local shop. If a malfuctioning tube comes I'll have somebody to complain and that offers me a exchange without any extra cash. If I buy the tubes by mail then I'll have to pay the shipping to the shop to return the tubes... And that's a lot more than buying high quality tube!!

So I think I am going to stick with the GT-12XA7-R since they are realiable and may be I'll get a GT-12XA7-M for position V1. About the power tubes I still think the GT-6L6-R(B) pair as a good option. The fact that Fender usses them stock in their amps gives me a lot of confidence.

But, since I know GJ and MrHeavyMetal known what they are saying, I'll check the JJ ECC83S!!! :D

Thanks guys, you gave a lot of info!!!

However, more opinion are welcome... ;)
 
Re: Help me choosing tubes!!

I also can highly recommend the JJ 12AX7-s. Really nice - those tubes really made a difference for me. I didn't like chinese 12AX7 - the sound was not what I wanted.
The pair of GT 6L6-R(C) I have is ok, but I haven't compared them to other 6L6's...

If you'll definitely be buying them in a local shop I'd ask if you could compare the chinese with the russian tubes. That way you can _hear_ the difference (reading the supposed sound difference is only one thing) and also can check the tubes.
 
Re: Help me choosing tubes!!

You won't have to "return" any bad tubes.....guess I should say "normally". I've had a bad jj from Bob......just e-mailed him and he sent a new one right away. Did not have to return the bad one. But, if you want to buy locally, that's fine. Totally understand, but you'll just pay a little more. But it sounds like that's where your comfort level is. Good luck.
 
Re: Help me choosing tubes!!

remember also....Preamp tubes "self bias" once you stick them into your amp...Matching isn't really as much of an issue with preamp tubes,but they are with output tubes....Naturally different brand preamp tubes will sound different,but if you were to use all of the same brand preamp tubes,the matching isn't an issue...Don't get scammed and hyped into having your preamp tubes matched..It's fine to have a matched tube for the phase inverter tube I guess?
 
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Re: Help me choosing tubes!!

Buckeyedog said:
You won't have to "return" any bad tubes.....guess I should say "normally". I've had a bad jj from Bob......just e-mailed him and he sent a new one right away. Did not have to return the bad one. But, if you want to buy locally, that's fine. Totally understand, but you'll just pay a little more. But it sounds like that's where your comfort level is. Good luck.
Click to expand...

You are completely right at this point!!!!!! :smack: :smack: I don't have to return the tube!

Did you have to pay the new shippment?
 
Re: Help me choosing tubes!!

STRATDELUXER97 said:
remember also....Preamp tubes "self bias" once you stick them into your amp...Matching isn't really as much of an issue with preamp tubes,but they are with output tubes....Naturally different brand preamp tubes will sound different,but if you were to use all of the same brand preamp tubes,the matching isn't an issue...Don't get scammed and hyped into having your preamp tubes matched..It's fine to have a matched tube for the phase inverter tube I guess?
Click to expand...

Yes, this is completly true... This makes me reconsider again the brand of the tubes. I guess I am going to ask what's avaliable apart from GT and make my spectrum bigger...

Thanks!!!! :)
 
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