6L6 to EL-34 conversion in Mesa?

[JxMxFxPx]

I know I can do it but are there any gremlins in the Mesa design I should be aware of?

I converted a Custom Vibrolux Reverb to EL-34s and it sounded great!
those CVRs are screamers anyway.....

 

[Monsta-Tone]

A lot of the older ones don't have enough filament current. You will have to add a small 6.3 V transformer just for the Power Tubes. You will also have to remove the original filament supply from the Power Tubes.

 

[JxMxFxPx]

How old are we talking?
The reason I'm asking is because I'm thinking of swapping my Studio DC2 for a .50caliber and I was considering changing the .50cal to EL-34s.
Is the 50cal design new enough that the fil. current will still work?
Thanks
JP

 

[Monsta-Tone]

I don't know about the .50 cal transformer. Some of the other guys here have a lot more experience than me.


I think that most of the amps that can handle it, already have a switch on the back for EL34's.

From what I've seen though, most of the vintage Mesa stuff is much more robust than it needed to be at the time.


You can call Mesa and ask. Sometimes they get mad when people call in about older amps. They are in the business of selling new ones.

If you call, keep it short. I had George Mueller on the phone for about 30 minutes one time asking about a footswitch circuit for my DC-3. He finally got pissed because he couldn't find his drawings for the amp. Later on, he emailed me the answer, but I could tell that I was making him angry with too many questions.

I guess what I'm saying is that they are a great company, and you can actually talk to the guys who built the amps, but their time is short and I've found that it's best to not bother them too long.

 

[ramalam]

I know I can do it but are there any gremlins in the Mesa design I should be aware of?

I converted a Custom Vibrolux Reverb to EL-34s and it sounded great!
those CVRs are screamers anyway.....

Don't expect to hear as great a change in the Boogie as in the Vibrolux. Changing speakers would make a bigger difference.

 

[Monsta-Tone]

I've wondered about that. I have thought about making the change in my DC-10, but then I play it and realize that it flat out rocks as it is.


I have experimented with different speakers and the tonal differences are phenomenal.

 

[phyrexia]

http://forum.grailtone.com/viewtopic.php?t=18899

 

[Monsta-Tone]

How did that work for you? Was pin 1 already connected to pin 8 or ground?

 

[phyrexia]

I haven't pulled the chassis on my amp lately to check but I have used EL34s for 15 minutes at volume with no issues, without any mods to the amp. So I assume they are connected.

 

[JxMxFxPx]

I know I can do it but are there any gremlins in the Mesa design I should be aware of?

I converted a Custom Vibrolux Reverb to EL-34s and it sounded great!
those CVRs are screamers anyway.....

Don't expect to hear as great a change in the Boogie as in the Vibrolux. Changing speakers would make a bigger difference.

Yeah, I just figured I could get into the power section a little earlier in the volume range.I do like the was EL-4s sound better than 6L6s though.
I think a call to Mesa is in order.