Any Advice on upgrading my Ampeg VL-1002

[BrokenHope]

I have a Ampeg VL-1002 it has el34s in it right now. I would like to know if anybody has any input on getting some more out of it. Maybe some one that owns or did own one that has any tips for getting the max distortion and still keeping a good tone. Brands of tubes? Mods? or any other info. I'm a soild state guy, but I'm having issues w/ my current rig and decided to pull this out of storage as a back up.
Cheers

 

[TOStudent]

Rob Halford's old band Fight used those I believe.
Listen to that I don't know if that is the kind of tones your looking for.

I think they ran an EQ in the loop on those.

Hope that helps.

 

[bravedude2]

tung sol 6550s
tung sol 12ax7s
get the updates to the heaters and the lights that will give ya plenty of gain.

 

[Gitfiddler]

back off the gain knobs until they "redline" (1 o'clock?) and use an overdrive pedal up front. the attenuator sucks and i never used it

 

[RACKSYSTEMS]

I have moded them before. You can put a version of a hairy brown eye in there. Its kind of a cross between that and a 800. Comes out great. You still have the clean as it is. Dave Friedman