Feel free to ask Myles

[myles_rose]

HI there Myles. I have a Trayner Tube amp, YCV40. Recently Ive noticed more amp noise in my recordings, the process has been gradual. Its like quiet static fuzzy sound that is constant. It also makes a pop sound within the first hour of it warmed up. I changed the tubes but that didnt change the fuzz or the pops. The fuzz isnt very loud, but you can hear it in the recording and this is without any gain. Now when I swith to the gain channel.. the static is gone and the amp sounds much better all around. Any thoughts? Thanks a lot!!

 

Sounds like a bad preamp tube or a cap or noisy resistor but most common would be a bad tube.

[myles_rose]

Myles,

 

My stepson has taken it upon himself to build me a 5E3 kit. I'm looking for some recomendations.

 

I play jazzy type material in both a big band and in a guitar sax duo. My main guitar is a Byrdland. I like clean headroom, I don't like pre-amp distortion. I like power section distortion up to the point where the sound thickens up. Not quite grinding, just thicker sounding. I like dark sounding tones. I almost never use the bridge p'up on any guitar, and I frequently turn down the tone knob a tick.

 

I am looking for the amp to sound more true to vintage as opposed to a hopped up Deluxe.

 

Soooo, I need some input:

 

Speakers???? Celestion Greenback or Jensen P12R or P12Q? Why?

 

Tubes? I've got no idea where to go with this.

 

You once recommended 6L6R2's at a #2 to #3 rating for my SF twin reverb, which I still really like. I think I might need to go to a higher # to get some headroom out of a low watt amp.

 

Thanks in advance.

 

 

The 5E3 - a deluxe... is a 6V6 not a 6L6 amp.

 

On speakers .... the Q has a higher output and higher power handling capacity. I use P12N's in tweed deluxes a lot but the best speaker ever made is still the Vox blue or Celestion silver bulldog ... same speaker.

 

I dislike greenbacks in tweed deluxes. A H30 would be better for my tastes if I did not use a Vox Blue.

 

 

[Corner Pocket]

Myles,

 

My stepson has taken it upon himself to build me a 5E3 kit. I'm looking for some recomendations.

 

I play jazzy type material in both a big band and in a guitar sax duo. My main guitar is a Byrdland. I like clean headroom, I don't like pre-amp distortion. I like power section distortion up to the point where the sound thickens up. Not quite grinding, just thicker sounding. I like dark sounding tones. I almost never use the bridge p'up on any guitar, and I frequently turn down the tone knob a tick.

 

I am looking for the amp to sound more true to vintage as opposed to a hopped up Deluxe.

 

Soooo, I need some input:

 

Speakers???? Celestion Greenback or Jensen P12R or P12Q? Why?

 

Tubes? I've got no idea where to go with this.

 

You once recommended 6L6R2's at a #2 to #3 rating for my SF twin reverb, which I still really like. I think I might need to go to a higher # to get some headroom out of a low watt amp.

 

Thanks in advance.

 

 

The 5E3 - a deluxe... is a 6V6 not a 6L6 amp.

 

On speakers .... the Q has a higher output and higher power handling capacity. I use P12N's in tweed deluxes a lot but the best speaker ever made is still the Vox blue or Celestion silver bulldog ... same speaker.

 

I dislike greenbacks in tweed deluxes. A H30 would be better for my tastes if I did not use a Vox Blue.

 

 

Sorry, I knew it was a 6V6 amp. Keeping in mind I like the 6L6R2's in a twin, what 6V6 tube(s) would you recommend?

 

Thanks again.

[myles_rose]

Myles,

 

My stepson has taken it upon himself to build me a 5E3 kit. I'm looking for some recomendations.

 

I play jazzy type material in both a big band and in a guitar sax duo. My main guitar is a Byrdland. I like clean headroom, I don't like pre-amp distortion. I like power section distortion up to the point where the sound thickens up. Not quite grinding, just thicker sounding. I like dark sounding tones. I almost never use the bridge p'up on any guitar, and I frequently turn down the tone knob a tick.

 

I am looking for the amp to sound more true to vintage as opposed to a hopped up Deluxe.

 

Soooo, I need some input:

 

Speakers???? Celestion Greenback or Jensen P12R or P12Q? Why?

 

Tubes? I've got no idea where to go with this.

 

You once recommended 6L6R2's at a #2 to #3 rating for my SF twin reverb, which I still really like. I think I might need to go to a higher # to get some headroom out of a low watt amp.

 

Thanks in advance.

 

 

The 5E3 - a deluxe... is a 6V6 not a 6L6 amp.

 

On speakers .... the Q has a higher output and higher power handling capacity. I use P12N's in tweed deluxes a lot but the best speaker ever made is still the Vox blue or Celestion silver bulldog ... same speaker.

 

I dislike greenbacks in tweed deluxes. A H30 would be better for my tastes if I did not use a Vox Blue.

 

 

Sorry, I knew it was a 6V6 amp. Keeping in mind I like the 6L6R2's in a twin, what 6V6 tube(s) would you recommend?

 

Thanks again.

 

 

6L6R (EH) for production tubes .... but if you want to do it right ....

 

http://www.kcanostubes.com/content/estore_details.asp?category=&product=224

 

http://www.kcanostubes.com/product_pics/224c.jpg

 

[jross68052]

Myles,

 

I was reading an interview with Bruce Zinky who was the designer of the Fender Prosonic. In the article he states" See those ceramic disc caps on the tube sockets ... Cut them out..

 

Apparently these can cause a massive local feedback. Can you help me understand what he is talking about? What are these parts,and where are they located? I would like to fund them and remove them if this will be an improvement.

 

Thanks,

 

Joe

[myles_rose]

Myles,

 

I was reading an interview with Bruce Zinky who was the designer of the Fender Prosonic. In the article he states" See those ceramic disc caps on the tube sockets ... Cut them out..

 

Apparently these can cause a massive local feedback. Can you help me understand what he is talking about? What are these parts,and where are they located? I would like to fund them and remove them if this will be an improvement.

 

Thanks,

 

Joe

 

Joe,

 

If you cannot find a disk cap on a tube socket you really should have a tech do this.

 

 

[davidm]

Hi Myles,

 

I'm trouble-shooting pre-amp tube problems in my Quiana Studio 112. When I tap on V4 with the tip of a pencil, I hear a hollow, tinny sound, which is different from all of the other pre-amp tubes. I tried two GT-12AX7Ms (one brand new) in the V4 slot and both sounded the same when tapped. When I moved the new GT-12AX7M to V1 in did not have the hollow sound.

 

Is this normal for V4?

 

Additionally, the new 12AX7M in V1 generated distortion when turning up the reverb. The previous 12AX7M in V1 didn't have that effect.

 

Is this normal? I wonder if I can use that new 12AX7M in another slot like V3 or V4 if needed?

 

Thanks,

 

Dave

[myles_rose]

Hi Myles,

 

I'm trouble-shooting pre-amp tube problems in my Quiana Studio 112. When I tap on V4 with the tip of a pencil, I hear a hollow, tinny sound, which is different from all of the other pre-amp tubes. I tried two GT-12AX7Ms (one brand new) in the V4 slot and both sounded the same when tapped. When I moved the new GT-12AX7M to V1 in did not have the hollow sound.

 

Is this normal for V4?

 

Additionally, the new 12AX7M in V1 generated distortion when turning up the reverb. The previous 12AX7M in V1 didn't have that effect.

 

Is this normal? I wonder if I can use that new 12AX7M in another slot like V3 or V4 if needed?

 

Thanks,

 

Dave

 

Dave,

 

Any tube has some microphonic characteristics and even two of the same tubes from the same batch can be the same.

 

As long as the tube does not go into feedback or squeal things are usually fine.

 

V1 expects different things from a tube and subjects it to different things as it is the primary tone and gain stage ... V4 is the effects loop so the same tube in these two positions will react differently.

 

 

 

 

[myles_rose]

Hi Myles,

 

I'm trouble-shooting pre-amp tube problems in my Quiana Studio 112. When I tap on V4 with the tip of a pencil, I hear a hollow, tinny sound, which is different from all of the other pre-amp tubes. I tried two GT-12AX7Ms (one brand new) in the V4 slot and both sounded the same when tapped. When I moved the new GT-12AX7M to V1 in did not have the hollow sound.

 

Is this normal for V4?

 

Additionally, the new 12AX7M in V1 generated distortion when turning up the reverb. The previous 12AX7M in V1 didn't have that effect.

 

Is this normal? I wonder if I can use that new 12AX7M in another slot like V3 or V4 if needed?

 

Thanks,

 

Dave

 

Dave,

 

Any tube has some microphonic characteristics and even two of the same tubes from the same batch can be the same.

 

As long as the tube does not go into feedback or squeal things are usually fine.

 

V1 expects different things from a tube and subjects it to different things as it is the primary tone and gain stage ... V4 is the effects loop so the same tube in these two positions will react differently.

 

 

 

 

[surfdawg]

Myles,

 

I'm looking for a small combo amp large enough for small clubs. I've recently played the blues deluxe and was impressed with the sound. I play an alder body, maple neck strat with texas specials and diaddario 11's. A few questions if I might?

 

Is it worth searching for a blues deluxe (circa 93) of US construction, or are the Mexican made reissues equivalent?

 

Torres engineering does a mod with new caps, resistors, transformers etc for around 600.00. Would this make a substantial difference in tone? (The cost of the amp itself is around 625.00!)

 

What "boutique" amp would you consider to be an upgrade of this amp in the same tone category (based on fender bassman 59 circuit?) Victorias?

 

More than one user has recommended upgrading to the Celestion G12-65, any thoughts?

 

How far back logged are you for blueprinting sevices? I live in the West LA area.

 

Thanks for the service you provide to all,

 

Surfdawg

[kapa21]

Hi!

Thanks for exelent forum. I have a guestion about my THD Tweed Head. It´s from -95 and I can´t find any useful information about it. I think there was article about it in GuitarPlayer -92. I can´t find that anymore. I was wondering what are the prices today and is there how many happy users aroud the world? Do you have experience of this amp? Or anyone else?

-Kapa

[myles_rose]

Hi!

Thanks for exelent forum. I have a guestion about my THD Tweed Head. It´s from -95 and I can´t find any useful information about it. I think there was article about it in GuitarPlayer -92. I can´t find that anymore. I was wondering what are the prices today and is there how many happy users aroud the world? Do you have experience of this amp? Or anyone else?

-Kapa

 

These are great amps. Contact Ed or Andy at THD for info

[myles_rose]

Myles,

 

I'm looking for a small combo amp large enough for small clubs. I've recently played the blues deluxe and was impressed with the sound. I play an alder body, maple neck strat with texas specials and diaddario 11's. A few questions if I might?

 

Is it worth searching for a blues deluxe (circa 93) of US construction, or are the Mexican made reissues equivalent?

 

Torres engineering does a mod with new caps, resistors, transformers etc for around 600.00. Would this make a substantial difference in tone? (The cost of the amp itself is around 625.00!)

 

What "boutique" amp would you consider to be an upgrade of this amp in the same tone category (based on fender bassman 59 circuit?) Victorias?

 

More than one user has recommended upgrading to the Celestion G12-65, any thoughts?

 

How far back logged are you for blueprinting sevices? I live in the West LA area.

 

Thanks for the service you provide to all,

 

Surfdawg

 

 

Send me an email and I will send you my phone number and we can talk.

 

 

[Sauce]

Hey Myles I posted this down below and I was wondering if you could help me out as well.

 

I'm an idiot, I know, but here's the deal. I busted a tube tonight (really stupidly) in my Blues Jr. during rehearsal (one of the EL84's) and I don't currently have any spares. I need to get replacements this weekend, preferably tomorrow and I was wondering if you know any reliable places in Boston, Cambridge, etc. (i.e. T accessible) that I could get some at.

 

And second, excuse my complete ignorance here as I've never changed tubes before. I know I need to get a matched set for the power tubes but I can just leave the same preamp tubes in there right? And then can I just go to the store and buy them, take them home and plug them in? Or will I need to bring my amp? And what's the deal with biasing? Thanks a lot.

[myles_rose]

Hey Myles I posted this down below and I was wondering if you could help me out as well.

 

I'm an idiot, I know, but here's the deal. I busted a tube tonight (really stupidly) in my Blues Jr. during rehearsal (one of the EL84's) and I don't currently have any spares. I need to get replacements this weekend, preferably tomorrow and I was wondering if you know any reliable places in Boston, Cambridge, etc. (i.e. T accessible) that I could get some at.

 

And second, excuse my complete ignorance here as I've never changed tubes before. I know I need to get a matched set for the power tubes but I can just leave the same preamp tubes in there right? And then can I just go to the store and buy them, take them home and plug them in? Or will I need to bring my amp? And what's the deal with biasing? Thanks a lot.

 

 

Just replace the output set duet .... both tubes .... matched pair ... #4-7 and the stock bias is fine (this is about the only grid biased EL84 amp out there that needs to have the bias looked at but a 4-7 tube range works with the factory bias)

 

As far as dealers in Mass....

 

BAY STATE VINTAGE GUITARS

295 Huntington Ave

Suite 304

Boston , MA 02115 Phone: 617/267-6077

 

 

Bay State Vintage Guitars

295 Huntington Avenue

Suite 304

Boston, MA 02115 Phone: 617 267 6077

 

 

Boston Guitar Works - GT Tubes

1717 Main Street

Brockton, MA 02301 Phone: 508-580-0088

Fax: 508-580-0179

 

Website: www.bostonguitar.com

 

 

CAPE COD AUDIO

14 Plant Road

Hyannis, MA 02601 Phone: 508/775-1710

Fax: 508/775-0303

 

 

CROSSROADS MUSIC

128 Rockland Street

Hanover, MA 02339 Phone: 781/826-1619

 

 

Daddy's Boston

159-165 Mass Ave.

Boston, MA 02115 Phone: (617) 247-0909

Website: www.daddys.com

 

 

Daddy's Burlington

47 Middlesex Turnpike

Burlington, MA 01803 Phone: (781) 270-0058

Website: www.daddys.com

 

 

Daddy's Dartmouth

127 Faunce Corner Rd.

N. Dartmouth, MA 02747 Phone: (508) 992-3377

Website: www.daddys.com

 

 

Daddy's Dedham

888 Providence Hwy.

Dedham, MA 02026 Phone: (781) 329-9924

Website: www.daddys.com

 

 

Daddy's Peabody

108 Newbury St.

Peabody, MA 01960 Phone: (978) 535-0123

Website: www.daddys.com

 

 

Daddy's Shrewsbury

161 Boston Trnpk Rt. 9

Shrewsbury, , MA 01545 Phone: (508) 797-4421

Website: www.daddys.com

 

 

Daddy's Springfield

935 Riverdale St.

Space C-105

Springfield, MA 01089 Phone: (413) 737-4443

Website: www.daddys.com

 

 

GUITAR CENTER (550)

14 Fordham Road

Allston, MA 02134 Phone: 617/782-6094

 

 

GUITAR CENTER (551)

120 Andover St.

Danvers, MA 01923 Phone: 987/777-1950

Fax: 978/777-1825

 

 

GUITAR CENTER (552)

321-C Speed St.

Natick, MA 01760 Phone: 508/655-6525

Fax: 508/655-6075

 

 

GUITAR CENTER (553)

1505 S. Washington St.

North Attleboro, MA 02760 Phone: 508/399-0000

Fax: 508/399-0005

 

 

Guitar Center Pro PK Pandey - New England

14 Fordham Rd. Floor 2

Allston, MA 02134 Email: pk@gcpro.com

Phone: 508.341.3499

Fax: 508.302.7968

 

Website: www.gcpro.com/acctmgrs/pkpandey.shtml

 

 

J.C. GUITAR SHOP

4 Winthorp Ave.

Beverly, MA Phone: 978/927-3498

Fax: 978/927-0303

 

 

KURLAN MUSIC

17 East Mountian Street

Worcester, MA 01606 Phone: 508/853-6417

Fax: 508/853-3479

 

 

MATT'S MUSIC

778 Washington St.

Hanover, MA 02339 Phone: 781/829-0111

Fax: 781/829-0715

 

 

MERCENARY AUDIO

131 Morse St

Foxboro, MA 02035 Phone: 508/543-0069

Fax: 508/543-9670

 

 

MR. C'S

505 Northboro Road

MARLBOROUGH, MA 01752 Phone: 508/481-4325

Fax: 508/485-6269

 

 

MUSIC PLACE

41 Main Street

Niorth Reading, MA 01864 Phone: 978/664-6213

Fax: 978/664-0349

 

 

Parsons Audio - GT PRO AUDIO

192 Worcester Street

Wellesley, MA 02481 Email: info@paudio.com

Phone: 781-431-8708

Fax: 781-431-8783

 

Website: www.paudio.com

 

 

PERFORMANCE MUSIC CENTER

446 Main Street

WOBURN, MA 01801 Phone: 781/938-6411

Fax: 781/938-0979

 

 

RICK'S MUSIC WORLD

421 New State Highway

Raynham, MA 02767 Phone: 508-977-0200

Fax: 508-977-9849

 

 

SOUTH SHORE MUSIC

13 Washington St.

Weymouth, MA 02188 Phone: 781/331-3333

Fax: 781/331-3941

 

 

Vintage Electron Inc.

16 Hillside Court

Gloucester, MA 01930 Phone: 978-815-6724

Fax: 978-281-3113

 

Website: www.vintageelectron.com

 

[Sauce]

Wow great. Thanks a lot Myles.

[myles_rose]

Wow great. Thanks a lot Myles.

 

You are quite welcome

 

[RocketRick]

Myles,

 

I had the amp checked. The tubes are fine and the tech said the output transformer needed to be replaced. He said it was causing distortion and low output.

 

What does it do and how is it tested?

 

thanks

 

Rick

[RocketRick]

Myles,

 

I had the amp checked. The tubes are fine and the tech said the output transformer needed to be replaced. He said it was causing distortion and low output.

 

What does it do and how is it tested?

 

thanks

 

Rick

[myles_rose]

Myles,

 

I had the amp checked. The tubes are fine and the tech said the output transformer needed to be replaced. He said it was causing distortion and low output.

 

What does it do and how is it tested?

 

thanks

 

Rick

 

What an output transformer does briefly is match the impedance of the output tubes (more than 6000 ohms) to that of the speaker (4-16 ohms).

 

The OT is the heart and soul of the amp. They are also the most pricy part of any amp.

 

It is easy to test, a good tech can meter the input and output windings and from simple math determine a lot of things.

 

Some output transformers were known to be a bit fragile such as some Marshall transformers. Some of very stout such as Dr. Z ... in their 65 watt SRZ-65 a 120 watt capacity output transformer is used.

 

Output transformers can be easily damaged by running with the improper speaker load or can blow in short order ... sometimes in a second ... if the amp is switched on with no speaker load connected.

 

It sounds like you are in for a pricy repair but not an uncommon one.

 

Your tech should contact Mercury Magnetics. They probably have a replacement and are the best sounding and most stout units out there with a substantial warranty, maybe even lifetime. They are well worth the cost and will sound better than anything out there.

 

 

 

[RocketRick]

Thanks Miles.

 

He said he has several online sources for parts like that but I'll mention that place to him.

 

I think he said a replacement wld be abt $60.

 

Not sure the old 60watt UniVox head is worth the trouble but it is an older type unit and I fig for a few dollars, I aught to be able to get some usuable recording sounds from it.

 

Oh, he did talk about measuring the resistance or the windings and how the Z changes depending on the freq. He's an old hand..

 

Rick

[myles_rose]

Thanks Miles.

 

He said he has several online sources for parts like that but I'll mention that place to him.

 

I think he said a replacement wld be abt $60.

 

Not sure the old 60watt UniVox head is worth the trouble but it is an older type unit and I fig for a few dollars, I aught to be able to get some usuable recording sounds from it.

 

Oh, he did talk about measuring the resistance or the windings and how the Z changes depending on the freq. He's an old hand..

 

Rick

 

 

Rick,

 

He is giving you a very good price for the replacement part.

 

The head is worth saving .... Univox was very cool stuff.

 

 

[JasonDW]

Hi Myles,

I'm fairly new around here and people tell me I should address this question to you. Thanks in advance for your help:

 

My grandfather, who turned 95 this year, is a retired electrician. A few weeks ago, when helping him move some things around in his basement, I opened a few of his old tool boxes and found several hundred old vacuum tubes. Being the owner of a couple tube amps, I'm intrigued by this discovery but digging through piles of tubes, I'm having a hard time figuring out exactly what I'm looking at. Specifically I found a whole bunch of tubes that look vaguely like 12AX7 pre-amp tubes. They're mostly from GE and RCA but I also found a Mullard and a couple Tung Sols. Unfortuntately, only a couple of them say 12AX7 on them. Most of them say 12AU7 and several of them have other designators that are greek to me. My question is, what is likely to happen if I pop a few of these into my Fender Blues Junior in place of the 12AX7s? Is it safe to experiment like that? Are 12AU7s interchangable with 12AX7s? Does anyone know where I can find a list of other tubes that are compatible with 12AX7s?

 

Thanks,

Jason

 

[myles_rose]

Hi Myles,

I'm fairly new around here and people tell me I should address this question to you. Thanks in advance for your help:

 

My grandfather, who turned 95 this year, is a retired electrician. A few weeks ago, when helping him move some things around in his basement, I opened a few of his old tool boxes and found several hundred old vacuum tubes. Being the owner of a couple tube amps, I'm intrigued by this discovery but digging through piles of tubes, I'm having a hard time figuring out exactly what I'm looking at. Specifically I found a whole bunch of tubes that look vaguely like 12AX7 pre-amp tubes. They're mostly from GE and RCA but I also found a Mullard and a couple Tung Sols. Unfortuntately, only a couple of them say 12AX7 on them. Most of them say 12AU7 and several of them have other designators that are greek to me. My question is, what is likely to happen if I pop a few of these into my Fender Blues Junior in place of the 12AX7s? Is it safe to experiment like that? Are 12AU7s interchangable with 12AX7s? Does anyone know where I can find a list of other tubes that are compatible with 12AX7s?

 

Thanks,

Jason

 

 

Feel free to experiment with any 12AX7, 12AT7, 12AY7 or 12AU7 in your amp.

 

No adjustments necessary.

 

Roughly .... on tubes made in the past (ones today rarely meet spec), the gain on these tubes is as follows:

 

12AX7 - 100

 

12AT7 - 70 or so

 

12AY7 - 40 or so

 

12AU7 - 16 or so

 

The AT7 to me is a terrible tone generator ... best in reverb drivers or phase inverters in Fender BF/SF amps.

 

The AY7 is a great tone machine ... used in the tweed bassman and tweed deluxe.

 

 

[JasonDW]

Myles,

Thanks so much for your reply. Do any of these numbers mean anything to you?

 

6GH8A

5AM8

5N8

[myles_rose]

Myles,

Thanks so much for your reply. Do any of these numbers mean anything to you?

 

6GH8A

5AM8

5N8

 

 

These are all tube types.

 

If you need them .... www.tubesandmore.com

 

 

[nauc]

i got a question, about how many dbs can you get going from one 12" driver off 100 watts to 2 12" drivers off 100 watts

 

how about stepping up to 200 watts too

[myles_rose]

i got a question, about how many dbs can you get going from one 12" driver off 100 watts to 2 12" drivers off 100 watts

 

how about stepping up to 200 watts too

 

If the speakers are the same the dB will not change, it will just seem louder as you are moving more air. Generally, when you double the amount of speakers some folks feel it appears to sound four times louder.

[nauc]

how can that be, isn't it true the more air you move, the louder the sound

 

hence, "theres no replacement for displacement"

[myles_rose]

how can that be, isn't it true the more air you move, the louder the sound

 

hence, "theres no replacement for displacement"

 

 

That is one way of looking at it ....

 

500HP at 10,000 rpm out of a turbo'd 100 cubic inch engine is not really the same as 500HP out of a 427 ZL1 motor at 3,000 rpm with three times the torque.

 

......... or as they used to say .......... "no replacement for cubic inches"