noob with a Nomad 55 has a question.

[earachemyeye]

Hey everybody, great place you got here. Used the master volume suggestion (crank it up, turn pre-amp down) on my Nomad and WOW :shock: what a difference! Anyway to get to my question... I switched power tubes from 6l6's to 5881wxt's in my amp and like the difference (smoother OD and tapered some of the highs off). Now I see the reviews of the Tung-Sol 5881 reissues and would like to try them however they are a 25 watt tube not a 30 watt. Would these be safe to use in my amp? Thanks for any info in advance.

Joe

 

[Nomad100]

They should be fine. Mesa Boogie bias's their amps pretty cold. What this means is that pretty much any manufacturer's tube will work, though it may not sound the best. Just make sure the switch on the back is at the 6L6 setting.

Give us a tone report as I'm curious how these might sound in my Nomads.

 

[scottkahn]

Tell me you didn't get your name from a song by the long-gone band Scatterbrain??? Just noticed that and thought "hey -- that looks very familiar" and it's not like they were huge...

 

[earachemyeye]

Scatterbrain? Never heard of them. My name comes from an OLD (like me) song done by Cheech and Chong. They may have called their fake band Scatterbrain though I'm not sure. After posting here I was told by a seller of tubes that lowering the wattage in my power tubes would lower the bass output also. (True?) He also poo-pooed the sonic qualitiy of the reissue Tung-Sols. I'm a bit hesitant now because of the bass issue. Maybe I'll try the Mesa 5881.

edited to add: Just googled Scatterbrain. Seems they lifted the song from Cheech and Chong.

 

[scottkahn]

Ah -- I didn't remember that Cheech & Chong song, but now I'm having flashbacks to them standing alongside their ice cream truck... clearly this is where Scatterbrain got the idea for their song title then -- it was a mid-80s Chili Peppers-ish metal band.

Yeah, it makes logical sense that reducing the power to the tubes would reduce bass output... not to mention overall volume too.

Don't forget that while you may experiment with non-Mesa tubes, using them voids your five-year warranty, too.

 

[rs70chgrrt]

Scatterbrain

There one small claim to fame was the song

Hey Dude Don't Call Me Dude

 

[Ravensha]

Hehehe ... my band opened for Scatterbrain, who was opening for someone else (I forget who). I just remember some skin-head in the bar taking my friends hat, and I had to go grab it back. This would have been '91? '92?
Talk about a thread hijack!

I would play it safe when it comes to switching out tubes.

 

[MesaDCLP]

5881wxt's ... using them voids your five-year warranty

nuff said ...

Talk about a thread hijack!

I had to check the back of my amp on your sig, Ravensha. It doesn't say, " ... Rain, moisture or theives."

...but it should!!!

 

[earachemyeye]

Using un-Mesa tubes voids warranty? With all the JJ talk here there must be alot of voided warranties. Mesa sells a 5881 tube to use in their amps. Check their tube page. I believe it is a Russian made tube to boot as are the ones I'm currently using (matched set). Whatever.

Joe

 

[scottkahn]

Yes, it's true. If you use non-Mesa/Boogie branded tubes in your M/B amp and damage it in some way related to the tubes, your warranty does not cover it.

Because M/B are so specific in their quality control for the tubes they brand, it makes sense that they can only guaranty their products when used with their parts.

This doesn't mean you won't be perfectly fine with other tubes, but you assume all risk in doing so.

I'm glad that I love Mesa/Boogie gear with stock tubes .

 

[earachemyeye]

Thanks for the heads up. I don't have a prob with you using only Mesa products either :wink: .

Joe

 

[paleamberglow]

you should try the Shuguang 5881/6l6gc tubes. I have them in my mark IV right now and they sound really smooth on the lead channel. And they are pretty close to what Mesa sells if not the exact tubes