Tube change...+...EL34

[OldTelecasterMan]

Had the Mark V for almost 2 years and decided to get a new set of tubes. I also got a set of EL34s so I could try them out. Very cool tone, lots of sustain, I like them. I am going to put in the new 6L6s and go back and forth a couple of times to listen to the difference. But as it stands the EL34 tubes are going to be in there for a while. Oh yea, I did replace all the tubes. But I have a tube tester so I'll go through the old ones and toss the weak ones. But EL34 tubes really change things. I won't say they are better, they are just different and sometimes change is good. No negatives on any channel as far as I hear.

 

[SamuelJ86]

Yep, throwing some el34s in is always fun. They seem to add a little bit of gain and it really helps channel 2 come alive. I usually have to roll in some more bass and presence. You really notice all the low end you're missing when you put the 6l6s back in though. But the el34s have a nice way of tightening things up in a way where you don't really notice it too bad. My favorite thing to do with the el34s in is to drive them hard in channel ones tweed mode. I put it in 10 watts and flip the variac switch and crank it. It makes 4 hours feels like 15 minutes.

 

[Wayno]

I love el34's in my Mark V. Especially when with my band. Dont get me wrong the 6L6's sound great too, however, when i dialled in a nice thick tone my bass player would complain that i was standing on his toes a bit too much. El34's i can get a real nice thick tone, espescially 70's rock and 80's - 90's metal and indie tones without the extended low end and the bass player is much happier. Overall the band sounds much clearer as we're not competing so much. I feel the 6L6's are best suited to lone playing and full band situations where you are fully mic'd up and a FOH engineer is in control sitting every instrument in its place. Being a small pub / club covers band i really like the el34's more focused frequency range as the only instruments through the PA are the vocals and kick drum, sometimes the bass too if we're in a big room. Therefore i have to be a little more considerate in how much of the frequency range i use, and allow space for the bass and other guitar to sit as well as me. I find its very easy to dominate the virtually the entire frequency spectrum with 6L6's.

just my 2c worth