Need to buy a tube/tubes as a gift for a tone junkie

ketiov · May 10, 2011

Hey guys, I'm the kind of player that likes clear distortion and really little else matters. I don't notice nuance differences in tone.

I have a teacher that is a total tone junkie, and I thought it would be cool to buy him some sweet sounding NOS tube for his Vox AC30. I need to buy him a thank you gift for writing me a college recommendation and this seems like a better idea than a Starbucks giftcard or something like that.

He loves classic rock, he's not really a metal head like me. He loves this band called The Hellacopters, they've been his favorites for a few good years now, just so you can gauge what kind of tones he likes.

topcat0399 · May 10, 2011

ketiov said:
Hey guys, I'm the kind of player that likes clear distortion and really little else matters. I don't notice nuance differences in tone.

I have a teacher that is a total tone junkie, and I thought it would be cool to buy him some sweet sounding NOS tube for his Vox AC30. I need to buy him a thank you gift for writing me a college recommendation and this seems like a better idea than a Starbucks giftcard or something like that.

He loves classic rock, he's not really a metal head like me. He loves this band called The Hellacopters, they've been his favorites for a few good years now, just so you can gauge what kind of tones he likes.

what kind of budget did you have in mind?

ketiov · May 11, 2011

topcat0399 said:
ketiov said:

Hey guys, I'm the kind of player that likes clear distortion and really little else matters. I don't notice nuance differences in tone.

I have a teacher that is a total tone junkie, and I thought it would be cool to buy him some sweet sounding NOS tube for his Vox AC30. I need to buy him a thank you gift for writing me a college recommendation and this seems like a better idea than a Starbucks giftcard or something like that.

He loves classic rock, he's not really a metal head like me. He loves this band called The Hellacopters, they've been his favorites for a few good years now, just so you can gauge what kind of tones he likes.

Click to expand...

what kind of budget did you have in mind?

Maybe up to like 50 bucks?

blazer986 · May 11, 2011

You might want to see if he has a few of something already that he likes. Sometime those tone junkies can be particular

. Wouldn't want to drop $50 on something only to find out he has that and doesn't like them, or something like that.

ketiov · May 11, 2011

blazer986 said:
You might want to see if he has a few of something already that he likes. Sometime those tone junkies can be particular . Wouldn't want to drop $50 on something only to find out he has that and doesn't like them, or something like that.

He says he's running the stock set

Vox AC30 Custom Classic. I don't know if this is the newer reissue or what.

212Mavguy · May 17, 2011

Try to find a vintage Mullard shortplate 12ax7, does not have to be NOS, vintage used is good!Also Amperex 12ax7 shortplate, RFT 12ax7, Raytheon black plate 12ax7 w/Baldwin (organ company) yellow label. These will all sound nice in that amp. Make sure that the gift tubes are not microphonic. This is a start. Others will help here...

Peace

PS this is a list of best of best affordable vintage tubes for that amp IMO...