Tubes in Your Rectifiers!

[ibanez4life SZ!]

Hey guys!

So, what tubes are all you guys running in your rectifiers? Preamp? Power Amp? Rectifier?

I'm still searching for my tone in this beast....the JJ E-34Ls have most recenlty gotten close, but especially on channel 3 modern, they seem to be a bit harsh.....

So, I'm looking for more opinions.....what are you guys using?

 

[cant play pool with a rop]

From reading your posts you seem like a KT-77 dude.I never put 'em in my Rec cause I sold it but I've had them in my Roadster and loved them.They had more clean headroom and more dynamics than EL34Ls-I ain't knocking ELs just comparing the two in my opinion.I use Tungsols in preamp positions V!,V3,V4 In my opinion Tungs all the way was a bit harsh in my amp.What really helped the harshness was puting a =c= in V5 and a JAN 5751 IN V6.Those last two helped harshness and clarity quite a bit.Best of luck to ya!

 

[53crew]

Tung Sol in V1
Sovtek 12ax7 LPS in V2 and V5
Chinese 9th Gen in V3 and V4
Ruby EL-34BSTR power tubes - More head room
JJ GZ34 rectifiers

-Steve

 

[G.I.G.]

I was never a big fan of the EL34's in my Recto's, mostly because of what it does to the clean tones. Where I'm finding a little bit of difficulty is finding the right brand....

I jumped on the JJ band wagon last year and retubed my Dual Recto with JJ 6L6's and EC83S's. I'm not fully convinced that this was a change for the better. Don't get me wrong, I still like them and have them in my DR, but the Mesa tubes have never failed me. I just think the JJ's have a little more low end to them and in order to get my tone I have to bring up the trebble and presence a bit.

I know this debate has been going on for a while, but having played both kinds of tubes extensively I don't favor Mesa or JJ tubes over the other. I've had a bad JJ preamp tube....never a bad tube from Mesa. I know that dosn't say much but reliability is huge....especially if you play live. I don't know, but I think that I might end up sticking with Mesa tubes in my Roadster.

 

[ibanez4life SZ!]

I really haven't been to happy with JJ's either.....Don't plan to go back to them to be honest....

Some have recommended me KT-66's....others SED "winged C" 6L6s.....

 

[dennq45]

On the newer pre-amp tubes...

Tung-Sol in V1
JJ ECC83 V2
Chinese V3
Chinese V4
JJ ECC83 Matched and balanced

On power tubes...
SED =C= EL-34 or 6L6
or the Tube Amp Doctor
6L6 WGC-STR

 

[cant play pool with a rop]

I second the SED 6l6s! I know I reccomended the Kts--I was stickin in the EL, KT territory.Ive done the switchin thing and ended with the SEDs.I decicded to run two seperate amps one with 6l6s and the other Els.So far I like the Seds the best they're clear and have a great punch and with the Tungs its where I need it to be.Now I rely on my fingers to do the rest.I didnt mean to go back and forth with my opinion I thought you were stickin in the EL territory.Hey throw on that B.B Diary Of Jane piano version track brother, like you I love that version!

 

[dennq45]

...and on the KT-66's, the amp lost its balls. Mine are going on Flea-Bay

 

[ibanez4life SZ!]

I think it's going to be the SED 6L6s though....do the Tung Sol and SEDs help to clean up the muddy low end?

Also, how about rectifier tubes? The 5U4GBs seem to be a bit too mushy, while the JJ GZ-34s a bit too stiff.....

What would you guys recommend with the Tung Sol and SEDs? What do you use? Doug at Doug's Tubes recommened the Jan Phillips rectifier tubes....I'm also considering the Coke Bottle 5U4G.....

 

[NoGlassNoClass]

I think it's going to be the SED 6L6s though....do the Tung Sol and SEDs help to clean up the muddy low end?

Also, how about rectifier tubes? The 5U4GBs seem to be a bit too mushy, while the JJ GZ-34s a bit too stiff.....

What would you guys recommend with the Tung Sol and SEDs? What do you use? Doug at Doug's Tubes recommened the Jan Phillips rectifier tubes....I'm also considering the Coke Bottle 5U4G.....

I was going to suggest the 5U4G's, I think they would give the kind of response you are after, but from what I understand, they dont last as long. No experience w/ the JAN Phillips, but Doug gives sound advice and the NOS tubes seem to be of higher quality than the new-production.

Right now I have an all-JJ set (6L6, hi-gain pre's, GZ34) in my Triple. Great sounds and no reliability problems, however they are about 18 mos old with a LOT of loud hours on them, so it's about time for some fresh glass. I'll try a mix-matched preamp this time as many here have had good luck. The jury is still out on power tubes...I really like the JJ's, but no harm in experimenting either.

 

[ibanez4life SZ!]

Can anyone else chime in on the reliability of the 5U4Gs?

Any other recommendations are welcome!

 

[G.I.G.]

Can anyone else chime in on the reliability of the 5U4Gs?

I have the stock 5U4G's in my Dual Recto and they seem to work fine. I typically use the silicon diodes in that amp but they are escencially being "used" whenever the amp is on. I recently went back to experimenting with the tube rectifier setting and they still sounded good. My amp is almost 5 years old so I guess that speaks to their reliability. I remember speaking to Tim Mckee at Mesa and he told me that the rectifier tubes typically last the longest and should be replaced every 4 or 5 years with average useage. I hope that helps.

I am also curious about the SED's. I wasn't aware that they are the "new" Svetlana's. I wanted to try a set of Svetlana's because I heard good things about them, but they seemed to disapear a few years ago. Has anyone tried these or have a comparison of them vs. standard Sovtek or Chinese tubes? Mesa used to carry the Svetlana's but I don't think they replaced them (unless the STR-425's are SED's).

 

[jbird]

Stock Mesa's!

 

[MesaENGR412]

Stock Mesa's!

+1 for now.....

-AJH

 

[Elpelotero]

Ibanez,

As time goes by, i'm starting to think you're just not a recto guy. have you ever considered another amp brand? like diezel or something? what kind of artists' sounds are you trying to get?

 

[ibanez4life SZ!]

I've actually been asking myself the same question

On some days, I LOVE my tone.....others, I can't stop tweaking....

Tomorrow, I'm actually doing to to some tube swapping between the JJ E-34Ls, GZ-34s, and the stock mesa tubes....I'm beginning to think I'm digging for something that was in the amp to begin with.....

I'll give a little tone report tomorrow!

As for my influences, two tones that I really love would be Tremonti's, but more most recently, Breaking Benjamin's (more specifically, the album "We Are Not Alone"....)

Do you think I'm not with the right amp? BB uses H&K....

 

[NoGlassNoClass]

Mesa used to carry the Svetlana's but I don't think they replaced them (unless the STR-425's are SED's).

They were the STR-454's. Mesa no longer has them, but you might be able to find some in a music store.

Nice to hear about the coke-bottle 5U4G's holding up...I may try a set next retube.

 

[David.W]

I've actually been asking myself the same question

On some days, I LOVE my tone.....others, I can't stop tweaking....

Tomorrow, I'm actually doing to to some tube swapping between the JJ E-34Ls, GZ-34s, and the stock mesa tubes....I'm beginning to think I'm digging for something that was in the amp to begin with.....

I'll give a little tone report tomorrow!

As for my influences, two tones that I really love would be Tremonti's, but more most recently, Breaking Benjamin's (more specifically, the album "We Are Not Alone"....)

Do you think I'm not with the right amp? BB uses H&K....

I think you may need to move into RKII land. I dont know you personally ibanez4life SZ, but you always make good posts and it sounds like (to me) you need diversity, your tweaking ability will be limitless on the RKII and Ive only ever heard "this amp can do it all" as a review. You sound like a hard ear to satisfy.

There is another massive factor no one has pointed out yet (or ive missed)..You may require a different guitar to achieve your tone. Im not a PRS guy myself, I found them thin, and my ESP's where synthetic sounding with the EMG's. I had to move into Gibsons to reach the bottom end w/ tone. Anyway Im just thinking that tubes alone do not make a tone, you know as well as anyone that pups speakers tubes guitars even cab construction and cables contribute to tweaking sound. Maybe you just need to look outside the tubes for a while, to me it sounds like youve made massive progress so far.

Just thoughts, I hope some of my post is useful to you,
Good luck man.
David.W

 

[ibanez4life SZ!]

Definitely very helpful, thank you!

I really love the PRS...it has been a great step in the right direction with my tone, so I really think that isn't my problem.

The RKII would be a great head to own.....I bit pricey at the moment though :?

 

[53crew]

If you want to use 5U4G's, just get some good NOS ones. They aren't much more and last way longer and are more reliable. I got some great Sylvania's from Doug's tubes.
-Steve