Roadster Head: Front End Retube Kit

[ixoye777]

I am looking at this kit from eurotubes:

Mesa Roadster & Trem-O-verb High Gain Front End
Price: 72.00
Description: This is a high gain front end kit consisting of three hand picked high gain ECC83S's for V1, V2 and V3, two standard ECC83S's for V4 and V5 along with a balanced ECC83S for the phase inverter in V6.

Anyone give this kit a go? I am still running stock tubes & looking for a replacement. I play metal, rock & blues.

I was also going to get this:
Mesa Roadster & Trem-O-verb GZ34 Rectifier Upgrade
Price: 32.00
Description: If you like the Rectifier tube sound but you find the stock 5U4's too mushy then here is the answer! A pair of the JJ GZ34's which are plug and play. These will maintain the Rectifier tone but put the mush on hold.

Anyone try these?

 

[JohnDNJ]

Well, not that it's going to help you but I just ordered the full high gain re-tube kit
for my Mark IV...I heard lots of good things about the jj's and very few negatives.

I guess I'll find out :lol:

 

[thejay]

I used JJs and Tung-Sols in my B52 Head and I loved them! I haven't used anything but Mesa tubes in my Roadster as of yet but I think the JJs aren't as well loved as some other tubes in the Roadster. I am sure someone will weigh in shortly

 

[R_ADKINS80]

I've tried JJ branded tubes and the new mesa rebranded JJ's in my triple reto and I found them to be very stuffy, congested and lacking any kind of dynamics. I would highly recomend you find a SED winged C to try in your V1. there is a guy from the UK on ebay selling a ton of them that I got some from. They beat out every last one of my vintage tubes for a killer metal tone.

 

[MetalMatt]

I bought some JJ pre's (along with others) for my Quad preamp. Then out of curiosity I threw them in my Road King II and was not impressed. Dull and lifeless is how I wold call it. They worked better with the Quad pre, but still not a very impressive preamp tube, IMO. However some Tungsols with my recto got me all fat and happy!

 

[ixoye777]

Thanks for the insight so far guys. I emailed dougstubes and he got back to me right away. Seems like a really good guy. I explained to him I have a stock Roadster and what type of music I play. I am going to try the Tung Sol EL34b's (thanks for the advice Nitrobattery ).

Doug recommended this for the preamp:
V1=Tung-Sol
V2=high gain JJ ECC83S
V3=Penta Labs
V4=Shuguang C8 unlabeled
V5=Sovtek LPS

Rectifiers:
EH=Electro Harmonix

I am willing to take his word on the preamp tubes. I am wondering about the rectifier tubes though. I liked the description about the JJ GZ34's from Eurotubes:

Mesa Roadster & Trem-O-verb GZ34 Rectifier Upgrade
Price: 32.00
Description: If you like the Rectifier tube sound but you find the stock 5U4's too mushy then here is the answer! A pair of the JJ GZ34's which are plug and play. These will maintain the Rectifier tone but put the mush on hold. The GZ34's can be used with any of the retube kits below.

What do you think?

 

[KH Guitar Freak]

I like the Mesa SPAX7 preamp in V1... :mrgreen:

 

[ixoye777]

Well I ordered this today from dougstubes:

V1=Tung-Sol
V2=high gain JJ ECC83S
V3=Penta Labs
V4=Shuguang C8 unlabeled
V5=Sovtek LPS
Rectifier Tubes: JJ GZ34's

I'll let you know what I think when they arrive.

 

[Silverwulf]

Well I ordered this today from dougstubes:

V1=Tung-Sol
V2=high gain JJ ECC83S
V3=Penta Labs
V4=Shuguang C8 unlabeled
V5=Sovtek LPS
Rectifier Tubes: JJ GZ34's

I'll let you know what I think when they arrive.

Doug has excellent customer service and he responds fast, but his recommendations are full of it sometimes. That's the exact same combo of tubes he recommends for what seems like 90% of everyone who inquires, regardless of what music they play. I've questioned him as to why before, and he couldn't even justify why he chose that combo of tubes over another. All he gave me was BS answers. He can tell you why he likes a Tung Sol in V1, but the rest of it...it's almost random.

Great guy, great customer service, and I wouldn't hesitate to order from him in a second...but I don't take his recommendations to heart... 8)

 

[ixoye777]

Thanks for the info Silverwulf

 

[wezzley]

Well I ordered this today from dougstubes:

...

I'll let you know what I think when they arrive.

I'm curious to know if you've received the tubes and if you've put them in your amp yet.