Question about tubes in my 3Ch rect.

[rickou812]

I just got myself a 3CH triple rectifier. I noticed that 2 of the coke bottle 5U4G rectifier tubes are loose in their bases. I have a couple of questions.
How loose is two loose? They seem to work OK.
He also sent some extra tubes. BUT, the extra MESA 5U4G he sent are the coke bottle shape, but have black bases and have 5 pins on the bottoms. The ones that are in the amp have brown bases and only have 4 pins.

Why are they different? They all are stamp "MESA 5U4G"...

Thanks for your insight.

 

[gaco]

Bases color doesn't effect anything. If the tubes are lighting up then their fine. Some rectifier tubes have 4 pins some have 5. The 5 pin tubes will be a little tighter.

 

[rickou812]

Bases color doesn't effect anything. If the tubes are lighting up then their fine. Some rectifier tubes have 4 pins some have 5. The 5 pin tubes will be a little tighter.

Thanks,
Can they mixed? I have 2 (5)pin, and need to replace at least 1 of the (4) pin that is loose in its base and not lighting up.

 

[mikey383]

No problem mixing them.

The rec tubes are wired in parallel, so there's no harm in having two or three different rec tubes in there.

 

[rickou812]

No problem mixing them.

The rec tubes are wired in parallel, so there's no harm in having two or three different rec tubes in there.

Cool, thanks

 

[R_ADKINS80]

Yeah, I have 2 different sets of the big coke bottle 5U4's. My stock Mesa ones have 4 pins and my NOS Winged C's have 5 pins. I dunnow why, exactly, but they are constructed completely different yet the are both 5U4G big bottle tubes.