6L6 tubes

[Justaguyin_nc]

6L6 Tubes
Im finally getting a bigger amp..
A Bassman Head (which circuitboard is no concern right at the moment) is what I decided on for clean sound.

I would really like a Hiwatt but their prices just seem unreal and SoundCity amps have went up alot in price also this past year or so.(snooze ya lose)

With that said..
I have read you can use EL34 tubes in a 6l6 slot with little rewiring.. so I know thats an option.

I also read so many different suggestions as to whats the best 6l6 versions to place into an amp for different sounds.

I was wondering who here on thefret.net has experimented with 6L6 tubes and which do they find the cleanest, yet not to clean as to kill tone.

Something that would approach Hiwatt sound but ofcourse I know that's an EL34 and a different type amp. any suggestions? ya get what I mean?

 

[duhvoodooman]

Geez, Justa, did you have a rich aunt die recently?? Man, you are scarfing up the cool equipment like nobody's business!

Don't know **** about 6L6 tubes personally, but I'll bet Bloozcat does!!

 

[Tone2TheBone]

Me and Justa are going to start a band. I've decided. He's got all the cool equipment. I was wondering why you were selling all your other stuff Justa!

 

[Justaguyin_nc]

haha.. no rich aunt... I worked all my life.. got a pension.. spend little on lunch and no gas going to and from a job... it adds up.. if I really had any money..I would be buying all 'new" stuff and have a place big enough to keep it all..

now back to those 6L6 tubes..
whats with this 6L6GC tube... return of RCA tube best on market thingy.. and a price to go with them..
Another thing.. say a sylvania 6l6 with different writings on the base.. are they still the same tube no matter? not the tube number.. just base writings? ya'll know what I mean vern?

 

[Mark]

I have been very impressed with the Winged C SED 6L6 and EL34 tubes. The amp I just built will take either with just re-biasing. I have compared them to JJ's and like these better. You can get them here http://www.tubesandmore.com/ also browse that site go info there.

 

[Bloozcat]

The very best 6L6GC type tube that I've ever used with a lot of clean headroom, is the NOS 7581A. Originally a GE tube, the only ones still available now are the Philips NOS version. I have a set of the Philips in my 65 Band Master, and they are absolutely superb. Full, rich, presence laden clean tone, that will break up into power tube distortion - but only when pushed at high volume. Most amps that use 2-6L6GC's in their power section are very loud. They usually run in the 40 watt range, so getting any break-up with tubes voiced for clean headroom is problematic. The other drawback with the 7581A tubes as with all NOS currently, is the cost. They are about $85.00 a matched pair (mine were about $60.00 just three years or so back).

For current production 6L6GC's, I agree with Mark. The SED Winged C 6L6GC (originally Svetlana) is one of, if not the best tube, currently available. Most all of the tube sellers out there pretty much agree. I had a pair in an older Peavey Tube Classic amp a few years ago, and they sounded terrific. Earlier break-up than the 7581A's, but you have so much clean headroom anyway in an amp that powerful, you won't notice. Keep in mind that the older Fender amps that use 6L6GC's, had mainly GE's in them. The break-up characteristics of the SED's are very similar to those old GE's.

If you're thinking that you might want to pursue NOS tubes, I'd send an email to this guy:
[email protected] (that's terry_kilgore with an underscore).

Terry Kilgore is an incredible guitar player, who played on David Lee Roth's first solo album after the Van Halen split, and toured with him (until he'd had a belly full of Mr. EGO). Terry's a real character (in a good way), and I know of no one with a better ear for tone than him. I've gotten more than a few great deals on hard to find NOS tubes from Terry.

Some of my other favorite tube dealers, who all test and burn in their tubes before shipping them to you. Never gotten a DOA, or a quick burn out from any of them.

http://www.kcanostubes.com
http://www.dougstubes.com
Lord Valve (a.k.a. Willie Whiticar) @ [email protected] (that's another underscore, lord_valve). BTW: My 7581A's came from Lord Valve.

 

[Justaguyin_nc]

Mark, Bloozcat thank you both for quick response... will keep those in mind and at the top of the list when I start messing with this..
My first savings is going to be for the windows I blow out in this "room" and the trip to the ear doctor.. after that.. well winged =c= will be looked at for sure for price along with the 7581A.

This brings me back to a tube searching question.. looking on ebay and flea markets etc.. when you find these tubes.. let's say the Philips.. on the glass they may say 7581A on most...but on those bases it seems alot have different names, readings on them.. does that make a difference?

example: glass says 7581A and base has PHILIPS , the next one says glass 7581A base says Philips but different color and has maybe a "ab" or other markings with it? is this just a certian vendor stamping or philips made it for a certain company? ya know what I mean?

 

[Bloozcat]

Mark, Bloozcat thank you both for quick response... will keep those in mind and at the top of the list when I start messing with this..
My first savings is going to be for the windows I blow out in this "room" and the trip to the ear doctor.. after that.. well winged =c= will be looked at for sure for price along with the 7581A.

This brings me back to a tube searching question.. looking on ebay and flea markets etc.. when you find these tubes.. let's say the Philips.. on the glass they may say 7581A on most...but on those bases it seems alot have different names, readings on them.. does that make a difference?

example: glass says 7581A and base has PHILIPS , the next one says glass 7581A base says Philips but different color and has maybe a "ab" or other markings with it? is this just a certian vendor stamping or philips made it for a certain company? ya know what I mean?

I'll have to look at mine again when I get home. They've been in the Band Master for a couple of years now, so I really don't remember for sure. Seems to me though, that they had black bases that were market in green on the base. Wait until I can check. BTW: It seems that these tubes have *really* gone up in price. They may be at the point of being ridiculously priced now (as in, well over $100.00 a pair?).