Thinking about re-tubing Mesa TR w/ JJ Tubes...

[B-Roll]

Hi all, I'm new to this board and am looking to try JJ tubes. Right now, I'm playing a Mesa 3ch Triple Rectifier out of a VHT cab. At the moment, I think it is too fizzy and I always have to mess with it to get it sounding ok but it's still not doing the job. I love the amp and have always re-tubed with Mesa tubes but I think I might want to try KT88s. Any other suggestions? I'm playing hardcore/metal and we're on tour 10 months out of the year. Don't get me wrong, I think the thing sounds great but there's just that little extra fizz and breakup that I don't need. I think the KT88s could help and also add a little more low end as well.

We play in Drop B with ESP guitars and EMG pickups. Standard hardcore/metal setup heh.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Right at the moment I'm playing with the Mesa tubes but the outer tubes pulled out so it's running 100 watts right now.

www.myspace.com/deathbeforedishonorbhc to get a sample of our sound.

 

[backwordsman13]

I used the GZ34/6V6 high gain retube kit from eurotubes in my dual rec and it helped get rid of the "fizz". Definately a lot tighter than with Stock Mesa tubes i had in it before.

 

[fishyfishfish]

There are several ways to go about a re-tube. I really like the JJel34l's in my Rec. I have tried the High Gain Pre option, but found it made my amp a little to gained out. Both Doug's Tubes and Eurotubes are great folks to deal with.

 

[RJ2213]

for the longest time with my triaxis i've loved the tone but always felt that it needed just that much more oomph behind it, just a bit more harmonic livliness. i just did a full retube kit on my 2:90 and a high gain retube kit on my triaxis from Eurotubes, i am now fullfilled. i might as well throw the stock tubes in the trash, i did some crappy recordings at each stage of the tube swaps with the triaxis being last to get upgraded. the high gain preamp tubes is what really made this rig hit the tones and reaction to the guitar that i've been craving.

nothing but great things to say about JJ tubes and the guys at eurotubes from me.

good luck, i think youll like the tone if you like high gain metal.

 

[Undeadpaladin]

Well i'd say go with El34's but if you want alot of low end and detuned tone then i would stay away from them.

I heard alot of the JJ's make the amp pretty dark maybe even more so than it is. Might be something to keep in mind. I went with some tubes from Doug (El34's) and i'm very happy with the tone! Don't forget to change the preamp, that seemed to make the most difference.

 

[B-Roll]

Anymore suggestions?

JJ seems very reputable but I've heard bad things about their preamp tubes? If so, which company does everyone prefer for theirs?

What other companies besides Doug's and JJ are out there?

For my first try with something else I think I wanna try out JJ but like I said, I hear their preamp tubes aren't the best so I'm looking at something else. Any help is appreciated.

I'm open for anything. Thanks again.

 

[JF Omalycat]

After reading recommendations from this board, I put some SED Winged C's in my Rec, and was pleasantly surprised at the results. I'm fairly new to tube amps and didn't realize what a drastic difference there could be. I lost a lot of the fizz, and the low end didn't seem quite so flubby.

I tried some EH's in the preamp section, and although they sounded good, I've had problems with them burning out quick. (within three months I replaced three of the five.)

I put the stock Mesa pre's back in and it sounds fine. I'm thinking of trying some Tung-Sols, though.

My only experience with JJ weren't great. A local shop loaded my old Ampeg V4 with them (power and pre), and I thought they seemed pretty lifeless. A friend of mine tried them in his Fender Hot Rod Deville and had the same experience.

Tone is pretty subjective, though, so don't take that for gospel.

 

[Elpelotero]

the only two negatives I've heard about JJ's on a consistent basis are that they are very dark sounding and are not very good in a Mark-series amp.

However, I'm just recapping what I've read on here throughout the years. I've never really tried them myself.

 

[stompboxfreak72]

I retubed my DR and SR with JJ's last year and took them out within a few months. I bought the hi gain set from Eurotubes for both amps.

bob was very nice to deal with but I did not care for the tubes much. They were not bad but honestly the stock Mesa's were better for me. I also had one of the guides on a JJ 6l6 break off into my amp when installing it. It was quite traumatic. It may have been the installer ( me!) who caused the problem but I am not really too sure. I have never had this happen with other brands of tubes.

 

[B-Roll]

I just went with Doug's Tubes.

I need help though.

I got 3 rectifier tubes, 6 Ruby 6L6's and 5 different preamps.

I need to know which spots to put the preamp tubes. Some are labeled and some aren't.

I have 1 JJ for V2
2 blank ones for V4 and V5
And a Tung Sol that's blank and a Penta that's blank. Can I put them in either of the leftover spots?

Also, what am I looking for on the Ruby Tube boxes to match them? This is my first time using Rubys and every tube has a different labeling on it. What am I looking for to match them? Im a newb.

 

[fishyfishfish]

Look up your manual on line for the pre-amp positions like V1, V2, V3, ext.
Then, if you bought a a matched set of power tubes it shouldn't matter what position or order you put them in. Doug's Tubes has a special order for the pre-amp tubes that they sound the best, so look that up on the web site. Changing tubes is pretty straight forward, just gently rock them a little while pulling them STRAIGHT out. No twisting. And be gentle putting them in, don't force them especially the pre amp tubes. Sometimes the pins on the 12AX7's need to be straightened up before they will fit into the tube socket.
Just relax and have fun!