.50 Caliber tubes

[RickLed]

First time posting hello
I have a el84 50 caliber rackmount head. I know the studio 22 runs 2 el84 and is 20 watts. If I pull 2 tubes from the caliber would it basically be a studio 22? Would pulling 2 tubes cause any damage?

 

[tommyhawk13]

I have tried this, but in my opinion, the results were not that big of a difference.
I have heard that it changes the impedance on the transformer. I think it cuts it in half.

I removed the tubes on the outside of the quartet, V6 and V9.

My results were a thinner sound, and not much difference in volume.

My goal was to get the power tubes to break up earlier, and I did not think it gave me what I was looking for.

My next experiment is with a weaker preamp tube in V1.

 

[RickLed]

Hmmm I didnt even think of a working the V1 with a weaker tube

 

[tommyhawk13]

I am going to try a JJ 5751 this weekend. Other possibilities are 12AT7, 12AY7, and12AV7, but I hear they improve headroom, and that's not what I'm looking for.

 

[Ran7Bari]

I am going to try a JJ 5751 this weekend. Other possibilities are 12AT7, 12AY7, and12AV7, but I hear they improve headroom, and that's not what I'm looking for.

5751 will give you more headroom and a cleaner sound. I believe you need to go in the other direction. Try a NOS RFT 12AX7 that tests higher gain than normal in V1 for earlier breakup.

 

[Arf]

I am going to try a JJ 5751 this weekend. Other possibilities are 12AT7, 12AY7, and12AV7, but I hear they improve headroom, and that's not what I'm looking for.

The most gain is the X, gain factor of 100. 5751 is just a notch lower at 70. T=60, Y=44, U=20.I've used the 5751 when I wanted to get just a little cleaner and it worked great with very nice tone.

 

[tommyhawk13]

I bought the 5751 based off of something I read in Dave Hunter's "The Guitar Amp Handbook". He said it was a "secret weapon" to get past preamp distortion and coax more power tube distortion.
I tried it, and it seems a little quieter, still has most of the same character, but more pleasant sounding, for a lack of words.

Volume 3
Master 9
Treble 8.5
Bass 4
Mid 0
Presence 1.5

I'll keep it in there for a while. I'm going for a Reverend Horton Heat sound with a Gretsch 6120 loaded with TV Jones Classic pickups.
I might try a boost or overdrive pedal (set low) and see if that helps.