what brand of tubes you guys using?

dstroud

dstroud

Well-known member
Just had both the jj EL34's in my Blankenship Masterplex become microphonic. One worse than the other, but had some crazy static at a gig last night - luckily I always have a backup. A little pencil tapping lead me right to those 2 power tubes. Replacing them immediately fixed the problem, but my replacements were JJ's and I guess I need to look somewhere else lol Suggestions?? TIA
 
I had some JJ E34L that worked very well, no issues for years and I ended up selling the amp.

Right now I have ARS. I heard those are JJ's as well? I believe they are the stock tubes from 2003 and still going strong with no issues.

I think every brand can have faulty tubes but aren't JJ's used by most builders due to them actually having better reliability?
 
maddnotez":1spzrv9s said:
I had some JJ E34L that worked very well, no issues for years and I ended up selling the amp.

Right now I have ARS. I heard those are JJ's as well? I believe they are the stock tubes from 2003 and still going strong with no issues.

I think every brand can have faulty tubes but aren't JJ's used by most builders due to them actually having better reliability?
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I THINK I saw a Friedman thread where Dave said he was moving away from JJ's due to failures in the field. I do like the way they sound. Maybe I'll keep some spares and give it another go. BUT at this point I am curious what other guys are using.
 
I've been thinking the same thing since my JJ's shit out. Is there anything really solid and reliable at this point out there?
 
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No runs, no drips, no errors ...
 
RACKSYSTEMS":1aza1l4u said:
Yeah but now am having failures with the other. Im doomed
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bummer man! Think it's a temporary thing or is just the equipment they use to make tubes is not allowing them to make them as good as they used to? They way I understand it is they have to use the same equipment from like the 40s and 50s to make tubes.
 
Seems when I find a new production power tube I think I like, I try it in a different amp and prefer something else. It just seems so amp dependent. It also seems that non-master volume amps are also different than master volume amps and might sound better with a different brand (and bias).

There's only a few manufacturers and when I look at tubes made by same factory but different 'brand' I often wonder if they're the same damn tube. For example, look at a new production Mullard 12AX7 next to a Sovtek LPS. They look identical and are both made by New Sensor. Sound about the same to me (warm and muscular). Same with Tung Sol 12AX7 and EH 12AX7. Both New Sensor and look identical inside. And they sound about the same to me (bright).

I like the sound of EH EL34 in my NMV Marshall but I only rolled a few in it. And sample size is way too small for me to say they're reliable. EDIT: Also preferred them in my Quick Rod but the Shuguang EL34B isn't bad either.
 
Sovtek 5881's in the power section of the SLO. I recently tried some Ruby tested JJ 6L6GC's and didn't care for them with that particular amp. HG Chinese in V1 and V2. NOS in the rest. When I had my 2204 clone, I really liked Ruby EL34BSTR's in it. They were good, but still not as good as the wing-C EL34's. When I had my Bassman, I liked the TAD 6L6's a lot in it. I ran old RCA 12ax7's in the preamp.
 
Mr. Willy":2h0xukdy said:
When I had my 2204 clone, I really liked Ruby EL34BSTR's in it. They were good, but still not as good as the wing-C EL34's.
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Those are burned-in/tested Shuguang EL34-Bs. They have a snarl to them.
 
I have =C='s in my Deliverance but they are old as hell. Will be switching those to Sovtek's as in the Fryette manual, SF states to NOT use anything fancy and cheap Russian tubes are more than sufficient. There are Ruby's in my Henning Bottle Rocket. The Quick Rod has Splawn branded tubes. Not sure what those are.
 
JerEvil":105o3sks said:
There are Ruby's in my Henning Bottle Rocket. Quick Rod has Splawn branded tubes. Not sure what those are.
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Many of the amp-branded tubes (for smallish builders, not Marshall) are Chinese. The Splawn site recommends and sells Shuguang EL34-Bs so I would guess that's what those are. The Ruby's could be the exact same tube. Compare them side-by-side and if they look identical they're the same tube.
 
SpiderWars":9ll99wqf said:
JerEvil":9ll99wqf said:
There are Ruby's in my Henning Bottle Rocket. Quick Rod has Splawn branded tubes. Not sure what those are.
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Many of the amp-branded tubes (for smallish builders, not Marshall) are Chinese. The Splawn site recommends and sells Shuguang EL34-Bs so I would guess that's what those are. The Ruby's could be the exact same tube. Compare them side-by-side and if they look identical they're the same tube.
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Ah, good to know.
 
Splawn labeled power tubes were Sinos a few years back. Not sure if they still are. They all sound the same to me. Nothing a little knob twisting can't make up for anyway.
 
As someone else stated earlier any tube brand can have a few failures here and there. I've been using JJs in all my amps (except for my Marshall VM 2466, it still has the factory tubes) and have not had any issues other than normal wear and tear. Could I get a better tone with other tubes? Maybe, but I dig the tones I get now so why bother? I'd rather play more guitar!

Martlin
 
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