Anyone Still Have Original 6L6 Tubes From The '80's?

[tabl10S]

I do and Mike B said to keep them as they're the best sounding(Sylvania).

 

[BlackBoxy]

actual mesa 6l6's are awfull, keep yours 80ès safe , when they 'll vanish, you replace it with winged C tubes, the best 6l6 in production these days on sale ..

 

[gonzo]

my brand new branded mesa 6l6's sound better than my original '81 6l6's, which i still have.

go figure.

 

[boogieman60]

I have 4 RCA Blackplates...out of a Fender Super Reverb. 1965 or so. and some RCA 12ax7's. and a Tele. rectifier from same era. it's like my private tube museum....LOL

 

[BlackBoxy]

my brand new branded mesa 6l6's sound better than my original '81 6l6's, which i still have.

go figure.

str440 are tone pants compared to coke bottle str 420 in the 80's in any mesa amp 6l6 charged barell!

but each taste is different !

Go figure!

 

[Dude2Dude]

Yep, have a quad +1 of Sylvania STR-387s. They sound way better than the 440s I bought to replace them with.

 

[MrMarkIII]

Yes, still use the originals that came new with the amp in 1990, and they still sound great after 20+ years. The reason you need to replace power tubes more often nowadays is because nowadays they are crap. Neener neener neener.

 

[DJPattP]

You mean these??

 

[DJPattP]

A little closer

 

[megavoice]

Nice to read all this, but power-tubes wear down after a certain time ??? What's coming after then ???
I also still have my originals from '86 in the drawer sleeping and have used them about ten times.

 

[gts]

Nice to read all this, but power-tubes wear down after a certain time ??? What's coming after then ???
I also still have my originals from '86 in the drawer sleeping and have used them about ten times.

The old Mesa STR-415 6L6's were made by Sylvania and are a 10,000 hour tube.
That's a lot of hours. As some have said they still have their originals and still going strong.

Pretty sure the STR-416 EL34's were also a 10,000 hour tube.

So if you have a pair (or pairs) of either of these 'sleeping in the drawer', you are probably going to be set for awhile.

 

[megavoice]

Nice to read all this, but power-tubes wear down after a certain time ??? What's coming after then ???
I also still have my originals from '86 in the drawer sleeping and have used them about ten times.

The old Mesa STR-415 6L6's were made by Sylvania and are a 10,000 hour tube.
That's a lot of hours. As some have said they still have their originals and still going strong.

Pretty sure the STR-416 EL34's were also a 10,000 hour tube.

So if you have a pair (or pairs) of either of these 'sleeping in the drawer', you are probably going to be set for awhile.

Should have known this earlier. In twentyeight years I've swapped the EL34s about 10 times. Dind't keep the old ones........
But every time after swapping and comparing there was a big difference in sound. It seemed to me true they'd wear down after about 2 years of steady using ???????
So this is absolutely new for me that those old power tubes last that long ??????

 

[gts]

Maybe the old Sylvania EL34's aren't as robust as the 6L6's.
I think the outer tubes in a Simul Class amp get hammered a little harder than the inner tubes as well.
So whether you have 6L6's or El34's in the outer sockets they are getting beat on a little more than the inner pair.

 

[megavoice]

.................O.K.....................

 

[gts]

Bottom line for me is the old Mesa /Sylvania 6L6's (STR415) and EL34's (STR416) are the best tubes I've ever had in my Mark III and IIC+.
The tonal difference with the Sylvania EL34's (STR416) in particular was WAY better than any other the EL34 I had tried.
They sounded so amazing! Not thin like so many others.
In fact I didn't like EL34's in these amps until it was suggested I try some Sylvanias.
Since putting them in I haven't gone back to using just 6L6's in all four slots. It's a pair of each.
Fwiw the Sylvania EL34's don't lose bottom end like so many other El34's out here. It's one of, if not the biggest difference I found.

 

[megavoice]

Are these Sylvanias still in production and to buy anywhere ?
Many of tubes like the AEGs, Simens, etc. had been within the last 20 years i.ex. Russian backyard production after buying the brand.

 

[DJPattP]

A little closer

Thanks for all the PM's but those EL34's are a family members and not mine and not for sale

 

[gts]

Are these Sylvanias still in production and to buy anywhere ?

Nope they are long gone. But they come up for sale (NOS and used) from time to time.
imho a used but still good Sylvania is better than any 6L6 or EL34 made today.

 

[megavoice]

Are these Sylvanias still in production and to buy anywhere ?

Nope they are long gone. But they come up for sale (NOS and used) from time to time.
imho a used but still good Sylvania is better than any 6L6 or EL34 made today.

Thanks.
But I'm wondering how s.o. can forsee how much a tube has been used previously............ :wink:.........

 

[gts]

Thanks.
But I'm wondering how s.o. can forsee how much a tube has been used previously............ :wink:.........

how s.o.? sorry got no clue what s.o. means...