I have come to the conclusion that I hate

[ItsaBass]

Re: I have come to the conclusion that I hate

Well, I guess I'm here to bring down the average. P90's + EL84's = the best guitar tones I've ever had. P90's sound like vicious watchdogs. EL84's sound like a chainsaw. It's a match made in heaven if you thrive/rely on natural amp breakup, and not overdrive and effects, for your tone. That said, I don't particularly like Vox amps.

 

[JeffB]

Re: I have come to the conclusion that I hate

I do not expect everyone to feel the same, I was just venting. Do not take anything as a personal insult, folks. Its JMO. :bigthumb:

As for a proper AC30, does a model from the 1960s count? Along with a similarily aged AC15? I have played both.

This is not a tirade against low wattage or lunchbox heads either. Simply the inherent tone characteristics of the EL84 tube.

I wish there were more 6v6 options in low wattage heads or single EL34/6L6. That new Fender Ramparte uses a single 6l6.

 

[CountFeedback]

Re: I have come to the conclusion that I hate

I wish some of these lunch box amps had some good clean headroom, they all seem to be fizz machines even at bedroom level.
I don't know if that's the sound of the EL84... FIZZ?
I can get great clean out of my old 6V6 princeton, from bedroom to lower decibel band situations.
I'm always hoping one of these little El84 heads would give me a clean with a bit of Plexi authority but it's always fizz :sad:

 

[TwilightOdyssey]

Re: I have come to the conclusion that I hate

I do not expect everyone to feel the same, I was just venting. Do not take anything as a personal insult, folks. Its JMO. :bigthumb:

As for a proper AC30, does a model from the 1960s count? Along with a similarily aged AC15? I have played both.

This is not a tirade against low wattage or lunchbox heads either. Simply the inherent tone characteristics of the EL84 tube.

I wish there were more 6v6 options in low wattage heads or single EL34/6L6. That new Fender Ramparte uses a single 6l6.

Sounds like someone needs to try a tweed Champ or Champ clone!

Guitar + pedals + Champ + Weber 12A125A = killer old school tones!

 

[ken361]

Re: I have come to the conclusion that I hate

the bogner atma sounds pretty sweet.

yeah it does!

 

[Robert Delahunt]

Re: I have come to the conclusion that I hate

Yeah I don't like EL84s either. I can tolerate them barely enough to continue owning my Fender Pro Junior a little while longer. If they came out with a light enough, portable enough 6L6 amp (my favorite tubes), I would probably sell the Fender PJ.

 

[JeffB]

Re: I have come to the conclusion that I hate

I think as a last resort I will try a set of those TAD STR 84s. Alot of folks feel they sound more like a 6v6.

I need new tubes anyway to sell both amps, as the JJs I had fried. I have been pulling a Mullard RI from the TM18 to use when I feel like playing the class5.

 

[JeffB]

Re: I have come to the conclusion that I hate

Sounds like someone needs to try a tweed Champ or Champ clone!

Guitar + pedals + Champ + Weber 12A125A = killer old school tones!

I had an old silverface champ at one point, and I have played some tweeds before. Not sure I would go that route again, they dont really do it for me.
But I am definitely thinking of going the Fender route and using the Bogner Blue, and cover my bases for Fender and Plexi type tones. I REALLY liked that 68 CDR,and my brother has an Excelsior Pro that sounds great too (also has a speaker out, so I can use my H30)

Avatar makes a 6v6 1974 modded type amp head for a grand. If I could move my amps and strat I could probably swing that.

 

[Luke Duke]

Re: I have come to the conclusion that I hate

Generally I prefer bigger bottles, that said I like my Class 5. I believe that due to the interesting EQ of EL84s you need an old schoool treble booster to really get the most out of them.

Luke

 

[JeffB]

Re: I have come to the conclusion that I hate

Generally I prefer bigger bottles, that said I like my Class 5. I believe that due to the interesting EQ of EL84s you need an old schoool treble booster to really get the most out of them.

Luke

Heyya Luke.....The class 5 is a love/hate affair for me and has been since day one. Some days it sounds buzzy as all get out, other days it just seems to be raunchy in a good way like a mini JMP. Ear fatigue maybe. I do know that it smoothed out the most with the G12H30. It sounds better by itself now, rather than as platform for the Bogner Blue.

Care to share what you have yours tubed up with? And your TB?

 

[SongsForTheDeaf]

Re: I have come to the conclusion that I hate

You and me both OP..after going through several EL84 amps none of them compare to a nice big bottle amp like EL34s or my personal fave 6L6s like in my Mesa 5:50 and EL34s in my Traynor YBA-1

 

[Ascension]

Re: I have come to the conclusion that I hate

I think as a last resort I will try a set of those TAD STR 84s. Alot of folks feel they sound more like a 6v6.

I need new tubes anyway to sell both amps, as the JJs I had fried. I have been pulling a Mullard RI from the TM18 to use when I feel like playing the class5.

I will recommend those myself as that is what I was running in my jet City JCA22 and have in my Zinky Velvet now. Both did not sound like typical EL84 amps. The Zinky Velvet in particular is a beast with gain out the absolute wazoo when you need it!

 

[Luke Duke]

Re: I have come to the conclusion that I hate

Heyya Luke.....The class 5 is a love/hate affair for me and has been since day one. Some days it sounds buzzy as all get out, other days it just seems to be raunchy in a good way like a mini JMP. Ear fatigue maybe. I do know that it smoothed out the most with the G12H30. It sounds better by itself now, rather than as platform for the Bogner Blue.

The Class 5 is definitely not a "platform amp" like a blues Jr or Pro Jr. It has its own distinct sound and "adding" to it is probably a step in the wrong direction for many people. That's why I'm a proponent of just boosting the existing sound. I know that makes it louder and many people got these for a "cranking" practice amp. I don't use it for anything other than practice at the drummer's house or in my practice space so I haven't messed with speakers or anything and no one complains if it's boosted and dimed that way.

Care to share what you have yours tubed up with? And your TB?

Preamp-wise I'm all about Tung-Sols. They are in darn near every amp I own. Power Tube-wise I'm using some NOS Russian EL84s off ebay. I bought 15 or 20 of them for about a dollar and a quarter a piece and they made a TON of difference compared to the stock power tube.

I'm using a few boosts, but haven't procured my TB yet. Christian turned me on to the Analogman Beano Boost and that's what my intention to have is. That said I've been easily distracted and have got it yet. The reason I said TBs specifically is because they seem to eliminate that wooly low end nonsense people hat.

The boosts I am using are the GT-OD (all knobs at 1-2 o'clock its a more TB style tone), Analogman SD-1 set (2,12,10 o'clock) or Script Distortion+. The D+ is almost a fuzz, but I like the tone it give me on many different settings....maybe because it's germanium like a TB.

 

[BloodRose]

Re: I have come to the conclusion that I hate

the bogner atma sounds pretty sweet.

Well, Ive found that most Bogners do sound amazing, regardless of the config. The Friedman Pink Taco sounds awesome with EL84s too. But both the Bog and Friedman are pricey. Most of the "affordable" el84 amps sound dark to me.

 

[JeffB]

Re: I have come to the conclusion that I hate

I will recommend those myself as that is what I was running in my jet City JCA22 and have in my Zinky Velvet now. Both did not sound like typical EL84 amps. The Zinky Velvet in particular is a beast with gain out the absolute wazoo when you need it!

Thanks Bro! Yeah I think I will give these a go just to see. Worth a try I guess. Cos in my price range and the wattage I am looking for, there is not much floating my boat. I am probably better off sticking with what I have until I can afford something a significant step forward.

The Class 5 is definitely not a "platform amp" like a blues Jr or Pro Jr. It has its own distinct sound and "adding" to it is probably a step in the wrong direction for many people. That's why I'm a proponent of just boosting the existing sound. .

Yep. It definitely IS the foundation tone. Some Amp in a Box pedals sound better than others (and I have tried quite a few , none cheap) but the Class5 just needs to be its own man

Preamp-wise I'm all about Tung-Sols. They are in darn near every amp I own. Power Tube-wise I'm using some NOS Russian EL84s off ebay. I bought 15 or 20 of them for about a dollar and a quarter a piece and they made a TON of difference compared to the stock power tube.

I'm using a few boosts, but haven't procured my TB yet. Christian turned me on to the Analogman Beano Boost and that's what my intention to have is. That said I've been easily distracted and have got it yet. The reason I said TBs specifically is because they seem to eliminate that wooly low end nonsense people hat.

The boosts I am using are the GT-OD (all knobs at 1-2 o'clock its a more TB style tone), Analogman SD-1 set (2,12,10 o'clock) or Script Distortion+. The D+ is almost a fuzz, but I like the tone it give me on many different settings....maybe because it's germanium like a TB.

Good info Bro. I appreciate your input! :bigthumb:

 

[dr.barlo]

Re: I have come to the conclusion that I hate

I thought I was alone!

COOL!

I don't like them p90's, don't like EL84's, don't like the JB because of the very same reasons that Jeff has raised in the original post. I am a big fan of using 6V6's instead of EL84's on them low powered amps.

B :beerchug:

 

[NecroPolo]

Re: I have come to the conclusion that I hate

I wish more companies would start using 1 fullsize octal tube, with an auto biasing feature. Lunchbox type amps would be so much better if you could switch between EL-34, 6L6, KT-88 etc.

That.I always preferred EL-34 to anything else back in my tube head days.

Now I prefer having light bearable spine pain to heavy desolating spine pain so I prefer my EHX44Magnum mini power amp to any heavy stuff.

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: I have come to the conclusion that I hate

The only amp I've ever owned with EL84's that I loved was my AC30.

Every other amp had a graininess to it that just wasn't my sound.

I even had a couple of the Matchless SC30's. Just couldn't fall in love.

They do work in a real Vox AC30 though - at least they did for me.

But that amp was so loud and heavy that it never left the house. Didn't feel like throwing my back out to gig with it.

Wish I hadn't sold it, but I did.

 

[Ascension]

Re: I have come to the conclusion that I hate

For the most part I also am not much of a EL84 fan.
However I have found 2 amps that seem to be exceptional. With both of these I have run them on stage many times and loved um both.
1-25 watt Zinky Blue Velvet. Big sounding with a TON of gain on tap and tight without almost all of that raspy woolie sloppy fuzzy mess like most EL 84 amps have when pushed hard. I'm also running the bigger than normal bottle TAD EL84- STR's in mine and that change in particular made a huge difference when I have had to really push the amp hard!!
2- Jet City JCA22H- First off these are not plug and play cathode bias like just about any other EL84 amp out there is but are biased up like any normal amp running bigger tubes. At first I was not happy with mine because it was so bright and woolie like most EL84 amps I have played. However when I switched to the TAD EL84 STR's then played with the bias some to find a sweet spot it woke up nicely. In the end when pushed hard it sounded more like a baby 50 watt Marshall than a VOX.

 

[misterwhizzy]

Re: I have come to the conclusion that I hate

At first I was not happy with mine because it was so bright and woolie like most EL84 amps I have played. However when I switched to the TAD EL84 STR's then played with the bias some to find a sweet spot it woke up nicely. In the end when pushed hard it sounded more like a baby 50 watt Marshall than a VOX.

Bingo. I had to tweak a bunch of power-stage stuff to get mine sounding right. To thicken it up while maintaining tightness, I had to install a depth mod, which ABSOLUTELY should have been there in the first place. Secondly, I had to put a 12AU7 in the PI position, which made a giant difference in the feel and the tightness and the clarity without dropping much gain. Finally, I had to add a cap in the feedback section to cut off some of the excessive high frequencies. Then it was a matter of tweaking the bias around to get the sound right.

I have a slight lack of clarity, but I think it's due to the extra bypass cap I added in the preamp. I'm about to mod it to SLO100 preamp specs, and that ought to fix things.