Fred_C Posted November 21, 2013 Share Posted November 21, 2013 Hey Myles, If you read the forum posts, you are probably aware that I just scored an Ampeg GVT15-112. Like most players, I seek the "Jazz Holy Grail of Tone". I want a tone that is: 1. CLEAN!!! 2. Smooth 3. Liquid 4. Mellow The tubes in the amp are as follows: 2-6V6 2-12AX7 Could you make any recommendations regarding tube substitutions that would contribute to achieving that tone? Thanks for your help. If you play cool, you are cool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A String Posted November 21, 2013 Share Posted November 21, 2013 You should post this in the "Ask Myles" thread, sticked at the top of the page. Craig Stringnetwork on Facebook String Network Forum My Music Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fred_C Posted November 21, 2013 Author Share Posted November 21, 2013 Hey Craig, Yeah. I knew that. I just zoned it. You can delete the post, if you wish and I'll post it appropriately. My error. Regards. If you play cool, you are cool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fred_C Posted November 21, 2013 Author Share Posted November 21, 2013 Craig, I did it again. But, I have figured out what I was doing wrong. I was clicking on "New Post" rather than "New Reply". Sorry. Please delete as appropriate. If you play cool, you are cool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caevan O’Shite Posted November 21, 2013 Share Posted November 21, 2013 Hey, Fred. Obviously I'm not Myles, but I can recommend that you seek out an honest-to-goodness NOS 5751 (same pin-out as a 12AX7, and generally similar if not identical EXCEPT for lower gain) for V1 (the first preamp-tube, possibly ID'd as V1A and V1B in schematics, as all the 12A-type 9-pin minis are dual-triodes, like two tubes in one bottle). SRV used to put 5751's in V1 of a lot of his amps, particularly "blackface" Fenders, for less preamp-tube/front-end overdrive. A good 12AY7, especially a good NOS 12AY7, would be another, toneful option here for cleaner sounds. They were used in a lot of classic 1950's Fender "tweed" amps, and are nice. But the 5751 may be even better for you. And I recommend a good NOS 5751 or NOS 12AU7, either of these tested for "Balance" or "Matched" triodes and strong/original-spec plate-current, for V2, the Phase-Inverter/Driver tube. A 12AU7 might even be the better choice here for you. These will give you strong, full, warm, balanced tones with less gain and overdrive or distortion, and a Matched Phase Inverter can make for dramatically improved evenness and less perceived "dead spots" throughout the fretboard. An UN-balanced PI will give uneven performance with weird phase/frequency cancelations and reinforcements and thus the perceived "dead spots" with weak notes and/or tones here and there. Two excellent vendors that I've purchased tubes from- and that Myles recommended to me in the first place- are Doug's Tubes and KCA NOS Tubes. They've both given me superior tubes and customer service and support. I know for a fact that Doug at Doug's Tubes can and will give you EXCELLENT recommendations on specific tubes for specific sockets in your amp (including the 6V6 output-tubes) if you tell him what amp and guitar you have and what you want and don't want from the amp, how you use it (pedals, no pedals, loud, low, volume-knob on guitar, etc.). Please feel free to tell either Doug or anyone at KCA that I (Kevin Miller) recommended them to you; it probably won't get you any special deals, but I'd like them to know that I vouched for them if you do any business with them, "paying it back/forward", etc. For 6V6's, try to get a matched pair that are strong and meet spec, rather than those that are "late distortion", "#7 - #10", etc., as these latter are out-of-spec tubes that may sound cold and harsh as well as lower-gain/overdrive/distortion. Go with "Average" or "#5 or #6". I have little direct experience of late with 6V6's, so I won't suggest specific brands, models, etc. I'm sure that Myles and Doug can help you there. If either of them recommends 6V6's that are "late distortion", "#7 - #10", etc., go with their suggestion, I defer to their call. In general, and especially with NOS preamp tubes, while NOS offerings (while there are any left!) can get pricey, they will usually not only sound and perform better, they will likely last a much longer time. Sometimes, with luck, you can find pretty good deals on NOS tubes, too, if you buy from a reputable vendor/tester, as some old brand-names and models that are generally lesser known across the interweb- and thus less costly than some- can be similar or virtually identical in spec, tone and performance to better known examples that command premium prices! Ask yourself- What Would Ren and Stimpy Do? ~ Caevan James-Michael Miller-O'Shite ~ _ ___ _ Leprechaun, Esquire _ ___ _ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fred_C Posted November 22, 2013 Author Share Posted November 22, 2013 Hey Caevan, Thanks so much for your knowledgeable and insightful advice. I will probably run the amp stock for a while and do the upgrade when it's time to retube. Unless the sound out of the box is unacceptable. Regards. BTW: I have always thought that "Caevan O'Shite was your real name! If you play cool, you are cool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Fraser Posted November 22, 2013 Share Posted November 22, 2013 I will probably run the amp stock for a while and do the upgrade when it's time to retube. Unless the sound out of the box is unacceptable. I would say that if the sound is unacceptable out of the box, that's not the right amp. Scott Fraser Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larryz Posted November 22, 2013 Share Posted November 22, 2013 I will probably run the amp stock for a while and do the upgrade when it's time to retube. Unless the sound out of the box is unacceptable. I would say that if the sound is unacceptable out of the box, that's not the right amp. +1 I agree, there are other amps out there if this one does not please you right out of the box... Take care, Larryz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
desertbluesman Posted November 23, 2013 Share Posted November 23, 2013 I recommend JJ's from Eurotubes http://www.eurotubes.com/ I like them because they give a fatter, rounder, deeper, sound. I use them in all of my amps when I re-tube..... Call them up they will design the right set for your needs. Probably low gain pre's and high headroom power tubes. dbm If it sounds good, it is good !! http://www.soundclick.com/bands/default.cfm?bandID=143231&content=music Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fred_C Posted November 23, 2013 Author Share Posted November 23, 2013 I recommend JJ's from Eurotubes http://www.eurotubes.com/ I like them because they give a fatter, rounder, deeper, sound. I use them in all of my amps when I re-tube..... Call them up they will design the right set for your needs. Probably low gain pre's and high headroom power tubes. Hey DBM, Interestingly enough, the amp comes stock w/JJ tubes. If you play cool, you are cool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fred_C Posted November 23, 2013 Author Share Posted November 23, 2013 I will probably run the amp stock for a while and do the upgrade when it's time to retube. Unless the sound out of the box is unacceptable. I would say that if the sound is unacceptable out of the box, that's not the right amp. +1 I agree, there are other amps out there if this one does not please you right out of the box... Hey Larry and Scott, That sounds like good advice to me. Thanks! If you play cool, you are cool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larryz Posted November 23, 2013 Share Posted November 23, 2013 I'll bet she's gonna sound sweeeeet Fred! Take care, Larryz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fred_C Posted November 24, 2013 Author Share Posted November 24, 2013 I'll bet she's gonna sound sweeeeet Fred! Yeah, I hope so. All the information and user reviews indicate that it has a nice clean tone. I don't need to play loud. "Living room" levels are absolutely fine. My Roland Cube 40 XL has a button that takes the output from 40 watts to 2 watts. The output at 2 watts is absolutely room filling and is loud enough to play a restaurant or small lounge with no effort. I think this Ampeg may work out great. If not, as you and Scott recommended, I'll send it back. BTW, if anyone is thinking about getting something, MF is offering a sixty (60) day return policy rather than 45 on purchases until Christmas. So you have more time than usual to evaluate the product. If you play cool, you are cool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larryz Posted November 24, 2013 Share Posted November 24, 2013 +1 Fred, MF has the best return policy IMHO. Haven't ordered anything from them in a long time but when I did, they would email you a return postage paid mailing label! Take care, Larryz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimberWolf Posted November 24, 2013 Share Posted November 24, 2013 +1 Fred, MF has the best return policy IMHO. Haven't ordered anything from them in a long time but when I did, they would email you a return postage paid mailing label! I agree about their completely "No Hassle" return policy; and my experience has also been - in the case of minor issues I had that didn't warrant a return - they have offered me modest (and in some cases substantial) credit against the price I originally paid as an option. I never have concerns about purchases through MF - just bought a Peavey ValveKing head for $299 (Stupid Deal item) and the shipping charge was only slightly more than I would have paid in tax if I'd purchased it @ typical retail locally . . . Hope you have many hours of enjoyment with the new amp, Fred. TimberWolf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fred_C Posted November 24, 2013 Author Share Posted November 24, 2013 [ Hope you have many hours of enjoyment with the new amp, Fred. Thanks, Timberwolf! If you play cool, you are cool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caevan O’Shite Posted November 25, 2013 Share Posted November 25, 2013 UPDATE/CORRECTION: I was mistaken in my previous post above here on this thread, where I suggested, among others, using a 12AU7 as a Phase-Inverter/Driver; I have it on good authority that this would in fact be a poor choice for that function in this amp. Ask yourself- What Would Ren and Stimpy Do? ~ Caevan James-Michael Miller-O'Shite ~ _ ___ _ Leprechaun, Esquire _ ___ _ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fred_C Posted November 25, 2013 Author Share Posted November 25, 2013 UPDATE/CORRECTION: I was mistaken in my previous post above here on this thread, where I suggested, among others, using a 12AU7 as a Phase-Inverter/Driver; I have it on good authority that this would in fact be a poor choice for that function in this amp. Thanks for the update. Correction noted. Regards. If you play cool, you are cool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caevan O’Shite Posted February 1, 2014 Share Posted February 1, 2014 So how've ya been making out with that there, Fred? Ask yourself- What Would Ren and Stimpy Do? ~ Caevan James-Michael Miller-O'Shite ~ _ ___ _ Leprechaun, Esquire _ ___ _ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fred_C Posted February 2, 2014 Author Share Posted February 2, 2014 So how've ya been making out with that there, Fred? Thanks for asking, Caev. I've been playing through the Ampeg for over a month now and the amp has really burnt in. The speaker has loosened up and the little tubies are glowing happily. I had mentioned that I wanted a low power tube amplifier with a good (make that great) clean tone. Well, I must have sent some good karma goin' 'round because I really hit the jackpot with this amp. It's rated at 15w Tetrode and 7.5w Triode. The owner's manual states that the triode setting is "a gentler setting with more headroom". Perfect for my needs!! As a matter of fact, I've never played through the 15w Tetrode setting which the manual refers to as being "more aggressive". The Triode setting is obviously designed to play clean with that nice triode sweetness. The clean tone is gorgeous. Notes blossom/bloom from the Celestion speaker with very nice definition and articulation. One of the major features of the amp is the "Baxandall Tone Circuit". Evidently, the Baxandall design features non-overlapping frequency bands and therefore, adjustments to one band have no effect on the other two bands. Plus, the tone controls have a wide range (+/- 12 db in the treble and bass with a +/- 10 db range in the midrange frequencies. This greatly enhances the customizability of the tone. Dialing in a clean, fat,liquid jazz tone was a snap. I could not be happier with the amp. The tone is pristine and rivals many other more expensive amps. Best of all,I bought a $600.00 amp for $300.00! What's not to like? If you play cool, you are cool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dannyalcatraz Posted February 2, 2014 Share Posted February 2, 2014 Winnah, winnah, chicken dinnah! Sturgeon's 2nd Law, a.k.a. Sturgeon's Revelation: âNinety percent of everything is crapâ My FLMS- Murphy's Music in Irving, Tx http://murphysmusictx.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caevan O’Shite Posted February 2, 2014 Share Posted February 2, 2014 Glad to hear it! Ask yourself- What Would Ren and Stimpy Do? ~ Caevan James-Michael Miller-O'Shite ~ _ ___ _ Leprechaun, Esquire _ ___ _ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larryz Posted February 3, 2014 Share Posted February 3, 2014 Congrats Fred, glad you're a happy camper! Take care, Larryz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
desertbluesman Posted February 4, 2014 Share Posted February 4, 2014 Great news Fred, enjoy. dbm If it sounds good, it is good !! http://www.soundclick.com/bands/default.cfm?bandID=143231&content=music Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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