quick video on tube swap

[gadgetfreak]

There was a guy on here who requested a video on how to swap a 12ax7 and a 6l6 to get him started on his own 5:50. This is just a quick video and yes I know not the best production but to hold the light and not get my hands in the way of camera it will do. Any questions ask away.

Please make sure your amp is off before doing this, I didn't say that in the video because I figured it would be common knowledge but I shouldn't assume this. If we were biasing I would of been more on the safety first issue's but this is pretty easy swap here.

Also spraying some contact cleaner on the tube pins and seating the tube in and out of the tube socket a couple times will help clean out the socket and it's just a good general practice. Cheers

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0NXn-FYNsQ

 

[Newysurfer]

There was a guy on here who requested a video on how to swap a 12ax7 and a 6l6 to get him started on his own 5:50. This is just a quick video and yes I know not the best production but to hold the light and not get my hands in the way of camera it will do. Any questions ask away.

Please make sure your amp is off before doing this, I didn't say that in the video because I figured it would be common knowledge but I shouldn't assume this. If we were biasing I would of been more on the safety first issue's but this is pretty easy swap here.

Also spraying some contact cleaner on the tube pins and seating the tube in and out of the tube socket a couple times will help clean out the socket and it's just a good general practice. Cheers

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0NXn-FYNsQ

Hey excellent vid there mate - thanks for posting :mrgreen:
I'm getting a little confused though with Dougs mix and where each tube should go as different from his original list.
His list is

V1 - Tung-Sol reissue 12AX7
V2 - High gain JJ ECC83S
V3 - Penta Labs 12AX7C
V4 - Shuguang 12AX7C9
V5 - Sovtek 12AX7LPS

can you please write in where you reckon each tube should go please by changing their order - thx Senor Gadget

 

[gadgetfreak]

Well if you like your tone leave it be, Or you can always swap V1 and V2 also swap V4 and V5. I am using those tubes right now but in that order. It's all what you like and how hard you pick and play,also for what kind of pup's you use in your guitars.

I'm still pondering throwing a nice sturdy Jan nos 12ax7a in the reverb driver which is V5, right now I have a mullard and it sound's great but just to see if it makes a difference I will try, I have many amps so if a tube doesn't work out for my mesa the way I want I can always throw it in one of my Fender's which uses a lot of preamp tubes.

Newysurfer you have had your tubes in that order for so long you might not hear a difference or you may, hard to tell because they are all superior to the stock mesa tubes, at least the crappy chinese mesa's. The mesa tubes that say Russia 2 on them are actually Electro Harmonix which are pretty dang good in certain spots and I have heard they rebrand Sovtek Lps as well but not sure which one that is yet, I don't have one to compare the tube build to each other.

 

[Newysurfer]

So your saying the high gain JJ should go at V1 and the

Shuguang at V5 (reverb tank position) - yes/no ?

I'll do this next time I change tubes
The stock Mesa tubes in mine were ordinary Chinese one's.
Not crap but not great either.
What was in yours stock ? :mrgreen:

 

[gadgetfreak]

I had the mesa russian 2 tubes which are e.h's I believe and they are pretty good but I had such incredible hiss that when I swapped tubes I can dime the gain and it's basically silent now.

You can try the JJ there, The only reason I said any of this is because so many guys were thinking they had to follow dougs list to a tee and this amp is different as we know. I am still myself going back and forth with the JJ and the tungsol seeing which one is going to stay in V2 and which one is going in V1, I do hear an audible difference when I switch mine. I don't know if it's because they are brand new tubes or just because the tubes are different animals. With the tungsol in V2 I get better single note soloing and with the JJ in V2 I get a little heavier chording when gain is cranked on burn. When clean they both sound equally amazing and really can't hear to much difference. Yeah next time put the LPS in V4 and the Shuguang in V5 but I would get a different tube for the reverb driver all together, just my 2 cents. I'm using an Rca 12ax7a in the reverb socket and it sounds freakin phenomenal. You want a really low microphonic tube in there, I think the Shuguang is a pretty strong tube and could actually be a starting point tube. Another LPS in Reverb is good, or a JJ, E.H is really low microphonic tube and good for reverb slot.

That is why I was trying to explain to people that Doug threw out some great tubes and basically gave a starting point but use your knowledge of your amp and your ears to decide what you like. I just buy a bunch of different 12ax7's and change them around until I find the absolute sound I want. I have an idea of what is going where but there are usually 2 tubes that I will go back and forth on until I finally say screw it i'm done or I hit that sweet spot i'm looking for.

I have to say that the Sed winged c's are badass tubes and if you play loud enough to drive the power tubes you will like them, nice heavy sturdy bottle with great break up at loud volumes. I like them alot and I'm like you I'm not trying to tame my amp at all, I went for full gain with low noise.

 

[Newysurfer]

I had the mesa russian 2 tubes which are e.h's I believe and they are pretty good but I had such incredible hiss that when I swapped tubes I can dime the gain and it's basically silent now.

You can try the JJ there, The only reason I said any of this is because so many guys were thinking they had to follow dougs list to a tee and this amp is different as we know. I am still myself going back and forth with the JJ and the tungsol seeing which one is going to stay in V2 and which one is going in V1, I do hear an audible difference when I switch mine. I don't know if it's because they are brand new tubes or just because the tubes are different animals. With the tungsol in V2 I get better single note soloing and with the JJ in V2 I get a little heavier chording when gain is cranked on burn. When clean they both sound equally amazing and really can't hear to much difference. Yeah next time put the LPS in V4 and the Shuguang in V5 but I would get a different tube for the reverb driver all together, just my 2 cents. I'm using an Rca 12ax7a in the reverb socket and it sounds freakin phenomenal. You want a really low microphonic tube in there, I think the Shuguang is a pretty strong tube and could actually be a starting point tube. Another LPS in Reverb is good, or a JJ, E.H is really low microphonic tube and good for reverb slot.

That is why I was trying to explain to people that Doug threw out some great tubes and basically gave a starting point but use your knowledge of your amp and your ears to decide what you like. I just buy a bunch of different 12ax7's and change them around until I find the absolute sound I want. I have an idea of what is going where but there are usually 2 tubes that I will go back and forth on until I finally say screw it i'm done or I hit that sweet spot i'm looking for.

I have to say that the Sed winged c's are badass tubes and if you play loud enough to drive the power tubes you will like them, nice heavy sturdy bottle with great break up at loud volumes. I like them alot and I'm like you I'm not trying to tame my amp at all, I went for full gain with low noise.

ok thanks - All good advice mate :mrgreen:

 

[mcbain]

Gadgetfreak you are THEE MAN for making this tube swap video :!: :!: :mrgreen: I took a vacation this weekend, and just came home to all this kick *** info that you've posted about your new tubes from Doug's. Again, thanks a lot for taking the time to help a noob, and I will keep you updated on how it goes.

Another dumb question...How long do you wait when you're rolling through different tubes? Or should I ask, how long does it take to get cool enough to touch and change?

 

[gadgetfreak]

The pre amp tubes cool off really quick, If your playing for awhile give them a couple minutes to cool off but if you insert a tube and then listen and then shut amp down and go to pull the tube you will be fine, common sense here rules. When I'm only playing for a minute I will take them right out and they are fine. Power tubes will burn your frigging hands bad, be careful you don't inadvertently hit one when reaching for the 12ax7's behind the 2 power tubes. Good Luck and don't be afraid to try different tubes.