Guitar Toad
Toadily Stratologist
All you tube gurus already know this stuff...but, I felt like doing some tube experimentation. The HellHound came with 2 Electro Harmonix 6L6GC's and two EH 12AX7's. I contacted an online vendor for recommendations. And I went with the recommendation.
I bought 2 NOS Jan Phillips 6L6WGB's, small bottle, power tubes and 2 RFT 12AX7 preamp tubes.
Wow, what a difference! These small bottle Jan Phillips 6L6WGB's produce a much thicker fuller sound. I changed the power and pretubes at the same time. I want to go back and see how the EH 6L6GC tubes sound with the RFT 12AX7's.
If you ever play a strat through an amp and you think "the sound is just too thin. Especially the bridge." These tubes may be the solution for you. The one draw back is the upper fret tones. I didn't have the "ice-pick" sound above the 15th fret with the EH tubes. But with these I have in now, the thickened tone is producing an ice picky effect. And the tone is less bright.
I liked the tone with the EH tubes, but simply wanted to see how a change would affect the tone. These, Jan Phillips NOS 6L6WGB's with the RFT 12AX7's produce much more articulate tone, tight low end bass and are a little less bright. I think there is definitely an overall improvement in the HellHounds tone with these NOS tubes. These tubes were describes as having earlier breakup. In terms of headroom, I haven't noticed a big difference in terms of when breakup starts with both sets of tubes the breakup really starts at about 6-7 on the gain setting.
All things considered, I think I may like the thinner sound of the EH tubes a little better. But these NOS's certainly produce much better bass and mid's tightness and better articulation in overall tone. I wish they were a bit brghter. But, that's why I wanted to experiment to see how the tone will change and see what I like better. If anyone is interested in these NOS tubes, I would be willing to swap them for a pedal or different tubes or a Texas Hot Custom Bridge pickup.
I bought 2 NOS Jan Phillips 6L6WGB's, small bottle, power tubes and 2 RFT 12AX7 preamp tubes.
Wow, what a difference! These small bottle Jan Phillips 6L6WGB's produce a much thicker fuller sound. I changed the power and pretubes at the same time. I want to go back and see how the EH 6L6GC tubes sound with the RFT 12AX7's.
If you ever play a strat through an amp and you think "the sound is just too thin. Especially the bridge." These tubes may be the solution for you. The one draw back is the upper fret tones. I didn't have the "ice-pick" sound above the 15th fret with the EH tubes. But with these I have in now, the thickened tone is producing an ice picky effect. And the tone is less bright.
I liked the tone with the EH tubes, but simply wanted to see how a change would affect the tone. These, Jan Phillips NOS 6L6WGB's with the RFT 12AX7's produce much more articulate tone, tight low end bass and are a little less bright. I think there is definitely an overall improvement in the HellHounds tone with these NOS tubes. These tubes were describes as having earlier breakup. In terms of headroom, I haven't noticed a big difference in terms of when breakup starts with both sets of tubes the breakup really starts at about 6-7 on the gain setting.
All things considered, I think I may like the thinner sound of the EH tubes a little better. But these NOS's certainly produce much better bass and mid's tightness and better articulation in overall tone. I wish they were a bit brghter. But, that's why I wanted to experiment to see how the tone will change and see what I like better. If anyone is interested in these NOS tubes, I would be willing to swap them for a pedal or different tubes or a Texas Hot Custom Bridge pickup.
Last edited:
