Retubing a Mark 5....

[Blueswede]

I've read a number of posts regarding changing out the tubes on the Mk 5.....any suggestions on what 6L6s to use? If I don't use the 90 watt setting, do I need to use a matched quad? Or can I use a matched pair that I already have in the inner pair? Any suggestions on preamp tubes? Thanks. Steve

 

[lesterpaul]

I've read a number of posts regarding changing out the tubes on the Mk 5.....any suggestions on what 6L6s to use? If I don't use the 90 watt setting, do I need to use a matched quad? Or can I use a matched pair that I already have in the inner pair? Any suggestions on preamp tubes? Thanks. Steve

are you unhappy with the tone??I would just keep the power tubes stock, and do a little research on preamp flavors /the stock preamp tubes are a little bright to me, but i DO play thru a slew of EV's...I have tried different tubes in v1 and v2 and achieved a slightly darker tone..but if it ain't broke....

 

[theroan]

Tung Sol are supposed to be great.

 

[EricFeliciano]

I'm retubing through Euro Tubes. 4 E34Ls, GZ34 recto tube, and their recommended preamp tubes, some of them high gain. Great prices and WAYY better than Mesa's tubes.

 

[guitardom]

I'm retubing through Euro Tubes. 4 E34Ls, GZ34 recto tube, and their recommended preamp tubes, some of them high gain. Great prices and WAYY better than Mesa's tubes.

i went w eurotubes. got a quad of 6l6gc's high gain and got 2 kt 77's also to try out. enjoying the 2 6l6 and 2 kt77's a LOT. also just got the high gain preamp section. sounds SO much better than the stock tubes and quite a bit quieter for hum and hiss. but you can go through their mark IV selection of tube packages and just add the 2 more preamp you need and they will match them w the others.

 

[Bob A.]

Wait, if the Mesa tubes are relabeled JJ's, then how is anything you would get from Eurotubes different? I'm talking pre-amp tubes, obviously switching you type of power tube will change things. I have a quad of JJ e34l's and a quad of Ruby el-34s I will eventually try in my mk v.

 

[Facelift]

Wait, if the Mesa tubes are relabeled JJ's, then how is anything you would get from Eurotubes different? I'm talking pre-amp tubes, obviously switching you type of power tube will change things. I have a quad of JJ e34l's and a quad of Ruby el-34s I will eventually try in my mk v.

I thought the mesa tubes were relabeled Ruby tubes......

 

[Nermel]

Not entirely sure but I thought Ruby tubes were just like Groove tubes...they have an assortment of brands of tubes, pick the "best" of them and relabel the Ruby tubes or Groove tubes...or well, even Mesa tubes

 

[niilz]

I changed my V1 and V2 to Tung Sol 12AX7 and it was a huge improvement for the low end and reduced the fizziness in the preamp (it seems the newer Mesa 12AX7 highgrade are quite thin and fizzy).
The MKI mode in channel two is more or less useless now (bass overkill), but the IIC+ in the third channel is more or less spot on and the MKIV mode has the same amount of bass as the original Mark IV lead channel...
I played the MKIV mode at band volumes with the 80Hz slider all the way up before I changed the tubes. Now I have to take it under the upper line, because otherwise the bass-volume would kill my speakers (2x12 Recto vertical cab w/ V30s). :evil:

 

[LPJunky]

Interesting find! That is precisely the kind of thing we should be sharing. Thanks for taking the time to drop us a line.

 

[niilz]

Interesting find! That is precisely the kind of thing we should be sharing. Thanks for taking the time to drop us a line.

Sure!

 

[Jim Ed Love]

Not entirely sure but I thought Ruby tubes were just like Groove tubes...they have an assortment of brands of tubes, pick the "best" of them and relabel the Ruby tubes or Groove tubes...or well, even Mesa tubes

As far as I know Ruby tubes are rebranded but that doesn't mean they live up to a higher standard then a good tube dealer that tests tubes. As far as I know all guitar amp tubes are made in Russia or China. I replaced GTs with matched tubes from a good tube dealer and they blew the GTs away.

 

[Jim Ed Love]

I changed my V1 and V2 to Tung Sol 12AX7 and it was a huge improvement for the low end and reduced the fizziness in the preamp (it seems the newer Mesa 12AX7 highgrade are quite thin and fizzy).
The MKI mode in channel two is more or less useless now (bass overkill), but the IIC+ in the third channel is more or less spot on and the MKIV mode has the same amount of bass as the original Mark IV lead channel...
I played the MKIV mode at band volumes with the 80Hz slider all the way up before I changed the tubes. Now I have to take it under the upper line, because otherwise the bass-volume would kill my speakers (2x12 Recto vertical cab w/ V30s). :evil:

Thanks for the tip. I put some Tungsol 12AX7s in my Pro Junior and they sound great.

What brand does Boogie re-label? Obviously not Tung Sol.

 

[gplex]

I have tried SED winged c 6l6's they sound very nice, much stiffer than my mesa tubes ( shipped with red ). Also tried JJ E34L's, and mesa EL34's. The JJ were much better for me. Tighter than any other tube above but still have the EL34 mids. A very good tube in that amp, I feel.

However I went back to the Mesa 6L6's.

I found I had made the mistake I often warn others about. Don't try different tubes untill you fully understand the character of the amp, and the effect the tone controls have. I swapped tubes way to early because I did not know how to dial it in. My bad.

I'm gonna give it a couple more months, then try the JJ's again. Maybe. I am pretty happy with the factory tubes at this point. But still learning with the V. I may never find ALL the treasures burried in this one. Happy with what I have found so far.