Tubes for Blackface Princeton Reverb

[Fresh_Start]

Have one of these gems on my bench. I'm interested in your thoughts on the 6V6 power tubes and the 5AR4/GZ34 rectifier.

Sovtek 5AR4 - anything better (not NOS) to replace it with?

Power tubes - I've used Tung Sol 6V6s in a couple of P.R. clones. Any other new 6V6 tubes sound better? (please leave out JJs - they aren't really 6V6s IMHO)

How about NOS 6V6 pairs for under $100? JAN Phillips 6V6GT tubes come up on several sites. Anyone used Marconi 6V6G power tubes? Any other ideas?

BTW I've got the preamp tube spectrum pretty well covered. Just need to experiment with various tubes in various spots.

Thanks,

Chip

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: Tubes for Blackface Princeton Reverb

Chip!

Whats up brother???

New GZ34, best bet is the Sovtek.

New 6V6's, the EH are alright, the reissue Tung Sols are better by a large margin IMO.

NOS 6V6's under a bill...I like the Jan Phillips for sure, there are also some brown base NOS GE's out there right now at a GREAT price.

All that said I'd just go with the new Tung Sols if I were you...$20 for a pair and they sound great.

 

[Fresh_Start]

Re: Tubes for Blackface Princeton Reverb

Thanks C!

Been busy with life. Fixed a couple of amps, and now I'm just cleaning up a really sweet Blackface Princeton Reverb. Needs a 3-prong cord and the owner wants adjustable bias. That plus a couple of new tubes should put him in the cat bird seat. Same guy who bought the Super Reverb build. A year later he LOVES it!

Cheers,

Chip

 

[Tom Huff]

Re: Tubes for Blackface Princeton Reverb

I just put Marconis in my '65 Princeton. I've been doing some tube swapping in it the past couple weeks.

The Tung Sols have a really nice sweet spot with a chime to them. I like them in there.

The EHs were fine and sounded good to my ear.

The Marconis just sound really rich and full to me. It may be a psychological bias because I paid a lot more for them but I swear the response from them is better.

This was all done without re-biasing though. I'm taking it to my tech friend this week to get that done as I don't trust myself to do it without an amp having bias pots.

 

[Fresh_Start]

Re: Tubes for Blackface Princeton Reverb

I just put Marconis in my '65 Princeton. I've been doing some tube swapping in it the past couple weeks.

The Tung Sols have a really nice sweet spot with a chime to them. I like them in there.

The EHs were fine and sounded good to my ear.

The Marconis just sound really rich and full to me. It may be a psychological bias because I paid a lot more for them but I swear the response from them is better.

This was all done without re-biasing though. I'm taking it to my tech friend this week to get that done as I don't trust myself to do it without an amp having bias pots.

Tom - I'd think twice before having someone tweak the bias in that Princeton Reverb unless it's been modded or extensively repaired already. If you don't care about losing vintage value, go ahead and have adjustable bias added.

It's a musical instrument, not a museum piece, after all. Just know that if your friend goes inside and diddles with the bias board in a squeaky clean '65 P.R., it's going to lose market value.

FWIW the original Princeton Reverb I'm working on has the power tubes biased pretty darn hot - 80% plate dissipation and that's using the more modern 14 watt rating for a 6V6. Sounds darn good though! The owner wants adjustable bias, but I'm inclined to tell him to leave it be...

Cheers,

Chip

 

[kmcguitars]

Re: Tubes for Blackface Princeton Reverb

Hey Chip how ya been? When I 1st got my PR in the early 90's I put in a pair of NOS JAN Phillips in. (Cost me $40 ,Righteous bucks back then ! ) Good Tubes,But Not the best in the NOS world IMO. I found a pair of Hytron pulls that where much more musical & warmer than the JAN Phillips. In the NOS 6V6 world ,Brimars are consider by most to be the best next to RCA Blackplates. If I was still able to get the JAN's for $40 ?? I'd still probably go w/t the N.P. Tung-Sol's.

 

[Tom Huff]

Re: Tubes for Blackface Princeton Reverb

Tom - I'd think twice before having someone tweak the bias in that Princeton Reverb unless it's been modded or extensively repaired already. If you don't care about losing vintage value, go ahead and have adjustable bias added.

It's a musical instrument, not a museum piece, after all. Just know that if your friend goes inside and diddles with the bias board in a squeaky clean '65 P.R., it's going to lose market value.

FWIW the original Princeton Reverb I'm working on has the power tubes biased pretty darn hot - 80% plate dissipation and that's using the more modern 14 watt rating for a 6V6. Sounds darn good though! The owner wants adjustable bias, but I'm inclined to tell him to leave it be...

Cheers,

Chip

So like someone said in my thread about biasing it, it was suggest that if the tubes are not red plating I should leave it be. That's fine with me. I just worry about silly stuff like damaging the trannies and stuff. Is this a an unnecessary worry? I could just monitor the tubes for a couple hours upon installation like was suggested in the thread too.