Feel free to ask Myles

[picker]

Myles, I got the 5751 from a guy in Texas. I wanted to be sure I'm putting it in the correct socket to get the desired gain reduction from my Fender Super 60 amp head.. I think that would be V101, which if I'm not mistaken, is the socket closest to the input. Is that correct?

[myles_rose]

Yes, most close to the input jack.

 

[CouchBed]

Hey, Myles!

So, I'm planning on building a 1x12 extension cab for my amp. I have scoured the internet, but I don't know how to figure out which wire is positive and which one is negative. The speaker in the combo amp that I have is not hard wired in. It's got a 1/4" jack that plugs into one of the two speaker outs. I looked at the jack, but I'm new to this and I can't see which wire goes to the tip and which goes to the sleeve (I think that's the right terminology, sorry if not.) I think I've got everything else figured out pretty well, but I just don't know which is positive and negative.

Oh, and if you have a suggestion about what wire to use in the cab, that'd be great! Thanks!

I really appreciate it! It's really nice to be able to consult somebody that I feel actually knows about this stuff, not just the DIYers all over the web. Thank you!

[myles_rose]

Hey, Myles!

So, I'm planning on building a 1x12 extension cab for my amp. I have scoured the internet, but I don't know how to figure out which wire is positive and which one is negative. The speaker in the combo amp that I have is not hard wired in. It's got a 1/4" jack that plugs into one of the two speaker outs. I looked at the jack, but I'm new to this and I can't see which wire goes to the tip and which goes to the sleeve (I think that's the right terminology, sorry if not.) I think I've got everything else figured out pretty well, but I just don't know which is positive and negative.

Oh, and if you have a suggestion about what wire to use in the cab, that'd be great! Thanks!

I really appreciate it! It's really nice to be able to consult somebody that I feel actually knows about this stuff, not just the DIYers all over the web. Thank you!

 

Tip is generally + and sleeve is generally -

 

Wire ... I prefer wire of at least 14 gauge in my own cabs. If the head is going to be used with a 50 or 100 watt amp I go 12 or larger but 14 would be fine. Don't use any of that thin stuff like lamp cord or zip cord. All you are doing is constricting the amp.

[CouchBed]

Awesome! thank you!

 

[tommyga]

Myles,

out of the 3 speakers ..Celestion Heritage 30, Jensen C12N, and Jensen Mod 70, will the]]Mod 70 do a good job of helping get me that crisper or "AMERICAN???????"(if that's what I mean) type of sound? Your idea of an old JBL is a great idea, I think...but I wouldn't know what/where to get the speaker and also have it done. And, as far as the V1 tube, would a 5751, or a 12AT7 be a good start...along with a new set of JJ EL's ?

[myles_rose]

Myles,

out of the 3 speakers ..Celestion Heritage 30, Jensen C12N, and Jensen Mod 70, will the]]Mod 70 do a good job of helping get me that crisper or "AMERICAN???????"(if that's what I mean) type of sound? Your idea of an old JBL is a great idea, I think...but I wouldn't know what/where to get the speaker and also have it done. And, as far as the V1 tube, would a 5751, or a 12AT7 be a good start...along with a new set of JJ EL's ?

 

On speakers it is a matter of personal taste but a C12N is a classic USA Fender response curve.

 

NEVER use a 12AT7 as a tone generator tube. 5751 yes. 12AT7 no. They may be close in gain but their curve traces and TC of 1200 (5751) vs 5500 for the 12AT7 are not even close. The 12AT7 is a great phase inverter or reverb driver. It is not a tone generator.

 

[Caevan O’Shite]

Myles... Your idea of an old JBL is a great idea, I think...but I wouldn't know what/where to get the speaker and also have it done.

 

If I may butt-in...

 

Am I correct in presuming that your amp has a stock Peavey Blue Marvel 12" speaker in it?

 

If so, those are... not the greatest speakers out there... Amps with those speakers tend to benefit greatly from speaker upgrades.

 

I searched-up info on speakers for another GP Forummite and friend here that was looking for some tight, clear speakers with strong low-end; seems to me they might also serve you well. Note that JBL D120F's, which the second speaker mentioned below is similar to in some ways, came factory-installed as an optional upgrade in many vintage Fender Twins...

 

 

Hmmn; I ran across this EVM12L-like speaker- hefty, but should be clean, clear and loud and strong in the low-end dept., and the price isn't too bad at all as new speakers go:

 

Eminence Delta Pro 12A

Bass/Mid-Bass Speaker/Guitar Speaker

 

As a guitar Speaker, The Delta Pro 12A became popular as a guitar speaker through the public, Eminence didn't have anything to do with it, as an alternative to the EVM12L. It ironically has similar specs. It's clean, relatively neutral - you get out what you put in....hear more amp than speaker coloration, big low end, warm/smooth mids and highs.

 

And another Eminence speaker that might suit your stated needs, this one a JBL D120-like model:

 

Eminence Commonwealth 12 Guitar Speaker

 

Clean, warm, full, non-distorted, un-adulterated guitar tone. Coloration: Warm and rich, but also very clean and well defined. Great presence! Very full and smooth. Very little cone break-up, but likes Overdrive. Genre: All Genres.

 

Cast aluminum frame an aluminum dust cap. Compares favorably to JBL D120.

 

____ [video:youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PuD65-5P4fw

[myles_rose]

Caevan O'Shite -

 

Feel free to "butt-in" any time. Lots of good info here from you. There is more than one option and the more info the more informed the decision.

 

Thanks,

 

Myles

 

[Caevan O’Shite]

Caevan O'Shite -

 

Feel free to "butt-in" any time. Lots of good info here from you. There is more than one option and the more info the more informed the decision.

 

Thanks,

 

Myles

 

Thanks, Myles.

[myles_rose]

You are quite welcome

 

[Caevan O’Shite]

Say, Myles- would a recent-make VHT Lead 20 benefit from a "Matched"/"Balanced" driver/phase-inverter tube, or not?

[myles_rose]

Say, Myles- would a recent-make VHT Lead 20 benefit from a "Matched"/"Balanced" driver/phase-inverter tube, or not?

 

No. V3A drives both of the 6V6 tubes. Since only half of the tube is used to drive the output set directly save you money. No benefit to a matched 12AX7 in this circuit.

[Caevan O’Shite]

Say, Myles- would a recent-make VHT Lead 20 benefit from a "Matched"/"Balanced" driver/phase-inverter tube, or not?

 

No. V3A drives both of the 6V6 tubes. Since only half of the tube is used to drive the output set directly save you money. No benefit to a matched 12AX7 in this circuit.

 

Thanks! I was not sure about this particular amp. It is good info to have- knowing that a tube with a good "A" side would be beneficial.

 

FWIW, this one uses a duet of EL84's.

[CEB]

I just picked this amp up on Saturday. I read it had 2 - EL84s and 4-12AX7s.

 

I have not opened the amp up. If it is a fixed biased amp I would probably take it to a shop. I don't have the gear to set the bias.

 

I would like the amp to have good clean tones. My initial inquiry was whether or changing out the stock Chinese tubes would even do much to imrove the amp.

 

The price seemed right and I needed about a 20 watt combo. My Boogie is too loud.

 

One thing that surprised me was the amp is not as brite as I expected. All my oth other amps have always been 6L6s. I've never own a EL anything before. I thought they were supposed to bright and jangly. LOL

 

Any easy lower cost ideas to improve the amp would be appreciated.

 

Thanks.

[myles_rose]

If the tubes are not red plating your bias is in a usable range.

[CEB]

Thanks!

 

I will put a matched set of Ruby's or JJs in it and if it isn't red plating I will see how it sounds. If it starts to look like Chernobyl I will take it to my amp guy.

 

Or am I barking up the wrong tree?

[myles_rose]

Say, Myles- would a recent-make VHT Lead 20 benefit from a "Matched"/"Balanced" driver/phase-inverter tube, or not?

 

No. V3A drives both of the 6V6 tubes. Since only half of the tube is used to drive the output set directly save you money. No benefit to a matched 12AX7 in this circuit.

 

Thanks! I was not sure about this particular amp. It is good info to have- knowing that a tube with a good "A" side would be beneficial.

 

FWIW, this one uses a duet of EL84's.

 

No change regarding the output tubes. The reason for the EL84 change was for the same reason Fender uses EL84 in the Blues Jr. Cheaper than 6V6 tubes and same sockets as the preamp tubes which are also cheaper and drop stocking costs. Economic change rather than a tone change.

 

When Steve Fryette sold VHT and the name the end result was much more corporate thinking than musician thinking in the end product if this is a "post" real VHT item.

 

The tip off is on the back panel ... does it say "Made in China".

 

I based my phase inverter answer on their 20 watt amp that had 3 12AX7s and not 4. I don't have a print on your model so all bets are off

 

[CEB]

Yes it is a Chinese amp. (If not I might have been more upset when our outdoor show on Saturday night got hit wiith a monsoon, LOL.)

 

[myles_rose]

Just play it and have fun. I'd not worry about NOS or matched tubes. The Chinese VHT stuff is fun and cost effective.

 

[Caevan O’Shite]

Hey again again, Myles.

 

It's time to retube a couple of amps, one of them being my old, earlier model Fuchs Lucky 7. What are your thoughts on these as candidates for its output-tube (V3)? And any suggestions for its driver-tube (V2)? I am VERY much into the whole "play the amp" approach to varying from clean to mean to scream using my "touch" and my guitar's volume-knob with my Lucky 7 cranked up past Noon, 3:00 O'Clock, higher or maxed...

 

Thoughts on these?

 

NOS Tesla EL34 (Singles/Pairs) (Not JJ!) (Link)

 

__

 

BACK IN STOCK! One of the best deals in great sounding NOS EL34s. Very similar in tone to Mullards at less than half the price. Arrived in 50pc bulk packaging and will be sold in white boxes.White label version are later tubes ca late 1970s, yellow label version are earlier, ca lat 1960's-1970.

 

"Hi Mike: I put the tubes and biased them up (around 33ma) in my Top Hat Emplexador (Plexi semi clone). They sound really nice, added some thickness to the lower-mid with a nice bite on top. Bill Hughes"

 

Mike, Received the Tesla EL34s and the RFT ECC83s. Installed in my stock '74 Marshall 1987 and wow!! The Teslas are awesome:) Throw in the RFT (12AX7s) and the amp sounds amazing! I'm ordering another set of Teslas for my 1987 reissue:) Thanks! Bob

 

Price: $75.00

Matching: *

No Matching (Single Tube), $75.00

Matched Pair, $150.00

Matched Pair within 1 mA, $155.00

Matched Quartet, $305.00

Yellow Label Version (1960's-1970) Single Tube, $85.00

 

 

Or, your thoughts on these?

 

NOS 'Siemens' EL34 (Singles, Pairs, Quartets) (Link)

 

________________

 

Some labeled Siemens, others AEG.

 

East German EL34s (manufactured by RFT) with great tone. Last of the reasonably priced NOS EL34s. Great original boxes. Not recommended in amps with plate voltage over 450 volts though many cases of success at up to 500 volts have been reported. Bottle has dimple in the glass on top. 4 staples in the plates.

 

"Mike: These are SO much better sounding than the JJ E34Ls in my JCM800, I can't believe the difference. I'd like 2 more pairs to match the first pair. Thanks. Lee Bridenstine"

 

Mike: Thanks much for the quad of Siemens EL34 tubes. Very surprised how they sound (Rivera Chubster 45 watt amp). Like them very much. Very balanced with excellent creamy distorton when driven, excellent bass, treble, & midrange tone. Roger Fisher

 

Mike: These tubes sound absolutely fabulous! Really brought my amp (Dr Z 6545) to life. I will definately be doing business with you again when I need more tubes. Brian Neal.

 

Mike,

I just want to thank you for taking the time to answers my questions to make sure I achieved the tone I was looking for. I installed the Siemens EL34s I purchased from you and I biased them at about 33-34 ma (445V plate). They are within 1 ma of each other as your said they would be. I just can't believe the difference in tone. I tried all types of new production EL34s, but I was never really satisfied with the tone. They all seem so brittle on the high end. The Siemens are warm and creamy just as you said they would be. Vinny

 

Price: $75.00

Matching: *

No Matching (Single Tube), $75.00

Matched Pair, $150.00

Matched Pair within 1 mA, $155.00

Matched Quartet, $310.00

[myles_rose]

Hey again again, Myles.

 

It's time to retube a couple of amps, one of them being my old, earlier model Fuchs Lucky 7. What are your thoughts on these as candidates for its output-tube (V3)? And any suggestions for its driver-tube (V2)? I am VERY much into the whole "play the amp" approach to varying from clean to mean to scream using my "touch" and my guitar's volume-knob with my Lucky 7 cranked up past Noon, 3:00 O'Clock, higher or maxed...

 

Thoughts on these?

 

NOS Tesla EL34 (Singles/Pairs) (Not JJ!) (Link)

 

__

 

BACK IN STOCK! One of the best deals in great sounding NOS EL34s. Very similar in tone to Mullards at less than half the price. Arrived in 50pc bulk packaging and will be sold in white boxes.White label version are later tubes ca late 1970s, yellow label version are earlier, ca lat 1960's-1970.

 

"Hi Mike: I put the tubes and biased them up (around 33ma) in my Top Hat Emplexador (Plexi semi clone). They sound really nice, added some thickness to the lower-mid with a nice bite on top. Bill Hughes"

 

Mike, Received the Tesla EL34s and the RFT ECC83s. Installed in my stock '74 Marshall 1987 and wow!! The Teslas are awesome:) Throw in the RFT (12AX7s) and the amp sounds amazing! I'm ordering another set of Teslas for my 1987 reissue:) Thanks! Bob

 

Price: $75.00

Matching: *

No Matching (Single Tube), $75.00

Matched Pair, $150.00

Matched Pair within 1 mA, $155.00

Matched Quartet, $305.00

Yellow Label Version (1960's-1970) Single Tube, $85.00

 

 

Or, your thoughts on these?

 

NOS 'Siemens' EL34 (Singles, Pairs, Quartets) (Link)

 

________________

 

Some labeled Siemens, others AEG.

 

East German EL34s (manufactured by RFT) with great tone. Last of the reasonably priced NOS EL34s. Great original boxes. Not recommended in amps with plate voltage over 450 volts though many cases of success at up to 500 volts have been reported. Bottle has dimple in the glass on top. 4 staples in the plates.

 

"Mike: These are SO much better sounding than the JJ E34Ls in my JCM800, I can't believe the difference. I'd like 2 more pairs to match the first pair. Thanks. Lee Bridenstine"

 

Mike: Thanks much for the quad of Siemens EL34 tubes. Very surprised how they sound (Rivera Chubster 45 watt amp). Like them very much. Very balanced with excellent creamy distorton when driven, excellent bass, treble, & midrange tone. Roger Fisher

 

Mike: These tubes sound absolutely fabulous! Really brought my amp (Dr Z 6545) to life. I will definately be doing business with you again when I need more tubes. Brian Neal.

 

Mike,

I just want to thank you for taking the time to answers my questions to make sure I achieved the tone I was looking for. I installed the Siemens EL34s I purchased from you and I biased them at about 33-34 ma (445V plate). They are within 1 ma of each other as your said they would be. I just can't believe the difference in tone. I tried all types of new production EL34s, but I was never really satisfied with the tone. They all seem so brittle on the high end. The Siemens are warm and creamy just as you said they would be. Vinny

 

Price: $75.00

Matching: *

No Matching (Single Tube), $75.00

Matched Pair, $150.00

Matched Pair within 1 mA, $155.00

Matched Quartet, $310.00

 

Very hard call. These two EL34 tubes are different. The Tesla is really terrific. Some folks confuse this with JJ. It is the same as comparing a Mercedes to a Camry. Both fine four door sedans but totally different.

 

The Siemens is a classic as well.

 

In the end you can't go wrong with either. Which? Personal taste and preference.

 

I have a little amp similar to yours that Carl Verheyen keeps at his place for studio gigs and small gigs. It is a single ended class A amp head. I also supplied him with a small suitcase of tubes where there are many of each type of tube. He swaps them around depending on what he is looking for. So, my answer to your problem is .... get both

 

The driver tube .... Get a nice 12AX7, 5751 and 12AU7. That will give you many options and give you a very cool jazz amp if you use the 12AU7.

 

On the 12AX7, get a nice medium or long plate for driver tube use and assure it has at least 1.0mA of plate current output (spec is 1.2mA as a side note). Most production tubes today are 0.8mA which is 33% down from spec and makes your amp dull.

 

[Caevan O’Shite]

Very hard call. These two EL34 tubes are different. The Tesla is really terrific. Some folks confuse this with JJ. It is the same as comparing a Mercedes to a Camry. Both fine four door sedans but totally different.

 

The Siemens is a classic as well.

 

In the end you can't go wrong with either. Which? Personal taste and preference.

 

I have a little amp similar to yours that Carl Verheyen keeps at his place for studio gigs and small gigs. It is a single ended class A amp head. I also supplied him with a small suitcase of tubes where there are many of each type of tube. He swaps them around depending on what he is looking for. So, my answer to your problem is .... get both

 

Thanks, Myles, particularly re: the driver tube.

 

Can you shed any light on what I might expect from the Tesla and the Siemans, how their sounds and feels would likely differ in my Lucky 7? I will likely have to buy one to start with, and get the other- if I do- further on down the road. And might you have any particular biasing recommendations for either of them?

[myles_rose]

It is like trying to describe the difference between blue and green.

 

The Siemens is more vintage.

[Caevan O’Shite]

It is like trying to describe the difference between blue and green.

 

The Siemens is more vintage.

 

Cool, thanks!

[picker]

Myles, I got the 5751 installed in the Super 60 I wrote about, and I like the tone and feel of the lead channel very much. But something that may have been going on all along is happening that I don't like. When I switch to the clean channel, the eq changes from an average, sort of balanced tone to a very bassy one, overbearingly so, to my way of thinking. Are you familiar enough with the Super 60 to know if that is a common thing?

[myles_rose]

Myles, I got the 5751 installed in the Super 60 I wrote about, and I like the tone and feel of the lead channel very much. But something that may have been going on all along is happening that I don't like. When I switch to the clean channel, the eq changes from an average, sort of balanced tone to a very bassy one, overbearingly so, to my way of thinking. Are you familiar enough with the Super 60 to know if that is a common thing?

 

The EQ was developed around the gain structure of a 12AX7.

 

[picker]

So to use the 5751, I need to have the tone stack modded?

[myles_rose]

So to use the 5751, I need to have the tone stack modded?

 

No. It just does what it does and what you hear is what you get. You can have a good tech mod most any amp.

 

By the way .... love your tag line .... I am going to steal it - Dont pick a fight with an old man. If he is too old to fight, hell just kill you.

[picker]

Steal away, it ain't like I wrote it myself...