Re-Tubing a Roadster 1x12

[diesel389]

A couple quick questions for experienced roadster owners..

1: Any tube recommendations for Aggressive Hard Rock (lots of palm muting), need tightness in low-end bottom sound, think sounds like Hum, Jane's addiction, Quicksand, Helmet, etc.

I am currently using V1 Tungsol, V2, Tungsol, V3 7025 Tubestore, V4 JJ ECC83, V5 JJ ECC83, V6 Mesa Russian. Power Tubes = TAD 6L6GC-STR's

2: Do you have to take the chassis out of the casing to replace V1 & V2 preamp tubes? I have pretty small hands and I can barely take them in/out and had to remove it last time I replaced...it's kind of a pain in the @$$ to do this.

Thanks for any feedback fellow boogie rockers

jp

 

[gribbly]

1. No idea!

2. Nope. I pulled one power tube to make it easier to get to V1/V2, but you can do it. At least in my Roadster 1x12 combo the pre-amp tubes have a metal cover so it's a multi-step operation:

* Twist the metal cover until the lugs align and it moves downward (it's spring-loaded so it'll move down automatically when you get the rotation right)
* Remove the metal cover with the spring in it by pulling it straight down off the tube
* Now remove the tube

...I found that way easier to do (especially in reverse) with the power tube out of the way.

 

[diesel389]

Yeah, you definitely have to remove the power tube...I changed my V1 and V2 last night and still had to unscrew the top mount to pull the chassis partially out so that I could get to V1 & V2, they're trapped behind the transistor. Even with my small hands couldn't unscrew the caps and get tubes out. Kind of a pain in the @$$ everytime you want to change tubes.

 

[ryjan]

A couple quick questions for experienced roadster owners..

1: Any tube recommendations for Aggressive Hard Rock (lots of palm muting), need tightness in low-end bottom sound, think sounds like Hum, Jane's addiction, Quicksand, Helmet, etc.
EL34's might add the tightness you're after. 6L6's are a bit more versitile but they have more of a sub low that can get a bit undefined.
I am currently using V1 Tungsol, V2, Tungsol, V3 7025 Tubestore, V4 JJ ECC83, V5 JJ ECC83, V6 Mesa Russian. Power Tubes = TAD 6L6GC-STR's
Looks good there.
2: Do you have to take the chassis out of the casing to replace V1 & V2 preamp tubes? I have pretty small hands and I can barely take them in/out and had to remove it last time I replaced...it's kind of a pain in the @$$ to do this.
I can change V1 and V2 in my Roadster head by removing the 2 power tubes on that side. You probably can do the same in a combo.
Thanks for any feedback fellow boogie rockers
\m/ :lol:
jp