examples of EL-34 tone?

[Maury]

I'm thinking of trying some EL-34s in my LSC and I keep hearing that 34s are key for that British tone. Can anyone recommend a good example of this tone captured on CD?

 

[jbird]

Well, they won't enable your amp to leap the pond, but what they will do is chime up the cleans, a little more bubbley, if you will! They'll break up sooner as they are a little lower wattage tube than the 6L6! They tighten up the bottom frequencies, add a little upper mids, and have a nice, sometimes creamy high-end! Some of these characteristics might be mentioned with some British amps, but there's more than the tubes that go into the making them what they are! The British tone on CD? Man, your talking Marshalls, Vox, HIWATT, to name a few, that's wide open! I'd say try 'em if your looking for a little frequency shift, something a little different! :idea:

 

[Pinweaver]

I keep hearing that 34s are key for that British tone.

Shouldn't that be EL84? Marshall is hardly a typical British tone, Vox and the likes surely are.

 

[Charlie]

Marshall is definitely a british tone. It's just that you've heard so many american bands with the british tone you don't think it's british anymore.

 

[Pinweaver]

Marshall is definitely a british tone. It's just that you've heard so many american bands with the british tone you don't think it's british anymore.

I don't disagree, but here in Europe when we talk about the British sound it's always EL84 amps. Marshall would be universal and Boogie would be US.

 

[Russ]

To me, the EL34 "British" sound is more of that older Marshall sound. It is more of where the amps are designed and manufacturers are based. You'll find it in places such as Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, AC/DC, old Van Halen, Hendrix, Malmsteen, old Anthrax, Gary Moore, old Megadeth, Metallica Kill 'em All and Ride the Lightning, Thin Lizzy, Oasis, Slayer, Kiss, Deftones, ZZ Top, Def Leppard, Slash era GnR, Velvet Revolver, Black Crowes, Motley Crue, the list is very very long but these came to mind. I hope that there was enough variation in there to give you an idea of an EL34 sound. Of course, there are varying degrees of drive amongst them but that should give you a nice overview.

 

[Maury]

Thanks guys. Russ - you bring up a good point, and I hope I'm not misunderstanding ... doesn't anyone prefer EL-34s for cleans? I "cut my teeth" on lots of Iron Maiden when I first started playing guitar24 yrs ago, and from what I remember it was all dirt, nothing clean.

 

[flieger67]

Thanks guys. Russ - you bring up a good point, and I hope I'm not misunderstanding ... doesn't anyone prefer EL-34s for cleans? I "cut my teeth" on lots of Iron Maiden when I first started playing guitar24 yrs ago, and from what I remember it was all dirt, nothing clean.

A properly designed EL-34 circuit can produce great clean tones. I think Paul Rivera has done a great job with producing excellent clean tones from EL-34's. Like you, I used to think that EL-34's equated only to distorted tones but Paul's designs definitely changed my thinking.

 

[Maury]

interesting... thanks

 

[devilrob1979]

I know this is blasphemy here but my Carvin Legacy also had great cleans our of EL-34s.

 

[donated_flea]

the JSX head, has stupid good cleans with el-34's.

 

[Mick]

The Carr Mercury is 8W with 1 el34 power tube. Some very cool and quite a range of sound clips on their site.

 

[Rocky]

Hiwatt cleans are really nice.

 

[Guitarzan]

Listen to any Robin Trower or David Gilmour stuff... You'll get the idea! Especially the solo to "Comfortably Numb"! I get chills just thinking about it!

 

[fishyfishfish]

John Mayall and the Blues Breakers, the Beano album. The LSC won't be as Marshal as you think but I loved mine with EL34's kind of a raspy clean when pushed and pretty snotty on the drive channel. BUT, every set of 34's I got from Mesa rattled so bad I could not use them for low volume recording. The joys of owning a high powered combo.

 

[fishyfishfish]

I'm an idiot. Claptons' amp used KT66's. I tried.

 

[fdesalvo]

I "cut my teeth" on lots of Iron Maiden when I first started playing guitar24 yrs ago, and from what I remember it was all dirt, nothing clean.

Ahahaha, I love Maiden! First CD I ever bought.