DC-5 preamp tube suggestions?

[Opie Taylor]

I've got two DC-5 Heads that are the non-LED models. I've recently discoverd this message board. I wish I had come across it sooner.

Any way's any good suggestion on tube selections in the preamp.

Or if you could narrow it down to the specific tube (gain, reverb, etc..).

Thanks, Opie

 

[Opie Taylor]

I guess I should mention I like a high gain tone from the lead channel.
In
one head I have all boogie 12ax7's and it rocks. In the other head I have some ruby's and they suckola.

So this made me realize the pre tubes make a difference.

 

[Boogiebabies]

Must be from Mount Airy/Mayberry.

Ruby re-brands JJ's so you have to be cautious. JJ's are sometimes too dark.

The Chinese 12AX7C9 or the 7025SS are a decent tube. I use the GT 12AX7M in the V1 and V5 of every amp. The rest are Ruby 12AX7C9's or 7025 Silver Specials which are Chinese made for Ruby. They are also the stock preamp tube in all new Mesa's.

 

[edward]

I put in a NOS Mullard 12AX7 in the V1 and a NOS RCA 12AT7 in the V6 (PI) spot. This reduces the overall gain a bit, and I know you said you like gain, but don't worry. It changes the tone color, but still leaves you lots of gain left. My strat with single coils can still pump out lots of good, saturated gain if you dial it in. And the Lester ...whoa!! The net result is it reduces some of the graininess of the OD character. ...very nice IMHO.

I also put a NOS RCA 5751 in the ryhthm channel's gain stage (can't recall the tube position off the top of my head). This really smooths/rounds out the tone in this channel. Cleans are a bit more chimey and open. And if you dial in some crunch, it's less grainy ...very creamy/bluesy tones here, especially with the neck pup.

Finally, try an AT7 in the reverb slot. This is subtle, but it seems to "separate" the verb from the dry signal a bit ...as if some predelay were dialed in. Not really noticible to me in the Lead channel, but definitely nice (more "airy") reverb vibe when playing clean/mild crunch with lots of open spaces between notes.

Hope this helps give you some suggestions ...and as always, YMMV.

Edward

 

[Boogiebabies]

Wow, your preamp tubes are worth half the value of the amp.

 

[Monsta-Tone]

I use the GT 12AX7M in the V1 and V5 of every amp

I got a shipment of the GT's in, and every single one of them is microphonic in V1. They do ok in V5, I started using them in V4 to get better Cleans.



In my DC-3, I use:

V1 JJ 12AX7S
V2 Electro-Harmonix 12AX7 (great gain, but does get grainy)
V3-V6 JJ 12AX7 (I might try a 12AT7 in V6 though)
V7-10 JJ EL84's (Cathode Biased)



I get great Lead and crunch tones, but haven't dialed in the Cleans that I am looking for just yet.

I used to use an RCA 12AX7 in the V4 spot for extremely sweet Cleans, but it went south and I haven't replaced it yet. I might try a JJ 12AT7 here too.


These are really great amps and very suseptable to tube changes.

 

[Boogiebabies]

I had 10 of the early M's replaced by GT. I use one sputterer in the PI as well with no problems.

 

[Monsta-Tone]

I might have to call them on Monday. I love the tone, but the squeal on the lead channel was too much.

I bought them from CE Dist, the wholesaler division of Antique Electronic Supply. They are great to deal with, but I have never tried to return anything.

 

[bentium]

i can only repeat what the people above mentioned: put a AT7 in the v6 position.
I have an 40y old philips miniwatt 12at7 tube in there, in fact the entire amp is bottled with philips miniwatt tubes (they are 12ax7), but i will replace them soon with "cheaper" tubes (i dont want these tubes to die on me)