Tube basics?
- Thread starter Clint 55
- Start date
NegativeEase
New member
Tubes break up into a pleasing distortion earlier or later -so picking one that are cleaner or dirtier at different levels is important depending on what you are trying to do.
Also the shape of the tube, state of the vacuum, physical dimensions and material of the cathode, anode, filament, insulators, thickness of the glass (heat dissipation) etc etc all affect the tone. slightly.
NegativeEase
New member
He's being funny.
Erlend_G
New member
Is this a "joke", thread?
.Well, to answer your question;
I believe it is widely known, - that different models of tubes, (i.e. EL34, EL84, 6V6, 6550....) sounds "drastically" different.
Also, most everyone I have spoken/written to; says- that different brands of tubes, also sound different.
I'm still running 100% fine, on the stock tubes in my Blackstar combo. I guess, that in... some years time; one, or all- of the tubes; may need replacement.
I am not going to "skimp on the patè", i.e. buying the cheapest tubes; I'll ask an expert for which ones, would make a good fit.
rock on \m/
-E
Ascension
Well-known member
I do have for many years. The effect can be dramatic depending on the amp design and the tubes. Example is when i tried a full set of JJ Pre amp tubes in my Carvin X50B. Instantly turned that amp into a toneless soulless mass of mush. Just absolute mud no definition just mush. Drop in a set of the Mullard 4004's and the amp sounds great. Now my PRS amps run the JJ's stock and they sound good in those amps. I prefer a little different mid character so I'm running a mix of JJ's and the Mullards in my MT 15. Power tubes are most of the time more subtle but there is a difference and at higher volumes it can be pretty dramatic as the power tubes get into breakup.
GuitarStv
Sock Market Trader
Tubes are manufactured with relatively loose tolerances and this is supposed to give different tubes different characteristics. You can easily hear the difference between preamp tubes. Plug a few different ones in the V1 slot and try for yourself. The PI tube seems to make a lot of difference when you have the amp up high volume and distorting. Tubes certainly have some effect on the sound . . . but I'd say their effect is less than that of the actual circuit that they're in or the speakers they're going through. You're not going to make a Fender amp sound like a Marshall or vice versa with a tube swap.
beaubrummels
Well-known member
I use an Emery SuperBaby and different tube sets make it a different amp. Totally different sounds and response. So yeah OP.
NegativeEase
New member
So am I
WAT.... sometimes (especially since the HS GF stuff.)... I question your seriousness.
Sorry for not picking up on it.
yes tubes effect your tone. swap a different tube into v2 on a fender reverb amp (assuming you are using the vibrato channel) and youll hear a difference. even different 12ax7 tubes can sound fairly different. a jj 6v6 will sound different than a tung sol 6v6. a sovtek 6l6 will sound different than an eh 6l6 even though they are owned by the same company
ehdwuld
A Ficus
Dang man
from now on you gonna hang that over his head
In 20 years you will refer to him as the guy with the HS GF. And no one will know that he was a much younger 35 yrs old at the time.
They will just see that old man and think dang
WINNER.
