Thanks Bill. Happy everything worked out in the end. Sometimes it's hard to tell people, especially after frustration sets in, that situations like this sometimes happen, and simply plugging the same tube in a second time can make the problems go away.
Time for a beer!
Unless you've got your gain control dimed, you don't need higher gain tubes. In fact, if you're looking for less muddiness, you probably want less gain.
Tung Sol Reissue 12aX7s are great. For EL34s, the Groove Tubes EL34Ms are excellent.
I told you what I know about bias and how the PI tube relates to that. These are facts. There's nothing personal in anything from my end.
Anything else about your amp would be speculation on my part.
I have no doubt that you experienced a problem, but I'll never know what it was. Did you ever...
As long as they're somewhat matched, are fully functional, and match the bias range of your amp, ALL 6L6GCs will work in amps designed to use 6L6GCs.
Mike K
KCA NOS Tubes
www.kcanostubes.com
World's Largest Selection of Guitar Amp Tubes.
...or you can just stick with NOS tubes that are attainable. I love the way Timbre Wolf, and others, list tubes that are virtually impossible to find, or which sell for well over $50 a pop:)
One of the best "attainable" NOS 12AX7s is the Tesla E83CC. It's also on Timbre Wolf's list.
Mike K
KCA...
Either the SED 6L6GCs or the Groove Tubes 6L6GEs should do nicely.
Mike K
KCA NOS Tubes
www.kcanostubes.com
World's largest selection of guitar amp tubes.
I'm simply defending logic and physics.
No one has said that a PI tube will cause a power tube to redplate. Anyone with tube amp tech experience knows this.
Someone aluded to using an unbalanced tube or a wrong tube type for the amp and how it might affect performance negatively. Neither of...
Only power tubes, themselves, or a bias problem within an amp will cause redplating. Phase inverter tubes have nothing to do with the bias of power tubes.
All tubes are tested prior to shipment. Testing does not predict the future or guarantee that every tube will work in every amp. The warranty covers the less than 1% of tubes that customers have problems with.