So many preamp tubes, so little time!

[Quencho092]

My dad had bought a ton of preamp tubes a year back and tried them all to get different tones from his mic.

Now that i have an amp with a tube preamp, i gotta try all of those tubes.
In a fender blackface, where's the V1 and V2 for the vibrato channel?

Heres the tubes-Sovtek 12ax7WA, Sovtek 12ax7LPS, Electro Harmonix,
JJ ECC83 S, GT 12ax7.

Im looking for a rich natural tone, not too much breakup.

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: So many preamp tubes, so little time!

That's cool. Take the amp somewhere you can crank it, and swap the pre tube furthest from the power tubes with all your tubes. Come back and tell us your results.
I'd bet the Sovtek LPS and GT12AX7 would be tops, but plug'em all in and report your results.

 

[mrid]

Re: So many preamp tubes, so little time!

I'd agree with GJ about the LPS's...they sound great in Fenders.

 

[Robert S.]

Re: So many preamp tubes, so little time!

In most amps V1 is closest to the input jack and the tubes number across from there.

 

[Curly]

Re: So many preamp tubes, so little time!

Fender Amp Preamp Tube Layout

 

[Quencho092]

Re: So many preamp tubes, so little time!

yea, but i always use the vibrato channel, so thats 2nd from the right

are the jj's any good

I know the LPS are great tubes, clean sounding and round. Don't they use electroharmonix in hi gain amps?

 

[Quencho092]

Re: So many preamp tubes, so little time!

Too bad i live in coral gables-'the city beatiful' aka the city full of cranky rich people who enjoy filing complaints against people having fun. I'll see if i can set up a jam with the band today.

 

[Quencho092]

Re: So many preamp tubes, so little time!

i just tried the LPS and the amp came to life! The bass was incredibly huge; when turned down with the treble up a tad my neck pickup (Ant II Surfer) delivered a sweet wailing hollow clean tone.

Much better than the one the guy had in it, he probably took out his good tubes and put them in his '66 bassman. I'm off to try the JJ's in the normal channel to A/B them against the LPS.

 

[Quencho092]

Re: So many preamp tubes, so little time!

the JJ's are similar to the LPS as they are very clean, but they have more definition and a tad more bite. It complements the bassy position 2 of my strat. I'm just going to keep the 2 different tubes in there in case i want a different flavor of tone while jamming or gigging.