EVH 5150 III retube Part 2

[SFW]

After months of thing about it, I finally decided to get rid of the JJ preamp tubes in my 5153. I have never had much luck finding my tone with JJs. So after a bit of digging around I found out what the original 5153s were shipped with. Put in an order at tubestore.com and they came in today. I'm not sure if you will be able to tell in the video, but in the room it sounds killer. The amp sounds and feels much fuller now, without the top end buzz that JJs tend to bring to the table. I have no idea why EVH strayed from this tube setup, but shame on them.

 

[blackie13]

EH or Chinese?
I have chinese and winged c in my soldano...
they are amazing...
I hate JJ too...

 

[TX6Strings]

Sounds great!

 

[lettmusic]

so what are the new tubes? They sounded great.

 

[D-Rock]

JJ pre's are one of my fav's.
Although I wouldn't use such a high gain tube in that amp. The treble you hear isn't treble from the JJ's because they have lowered highs. It's the added juice they have in the gain dept stacking on top of the EVH's gain. Basically throwing hot sauce on a jalapeno and creating extended high gain sizzle.

 

[moltisanti]

that PC1 is fuckin badass

 

[SFW]

Tubes used:
V1- Sovtek 12AX7WC
v2- EH 12AX7
V3- EH 12AX7
V4- Sovtek 12AX7WC
V5- EH 12AX7
V6- EH 12AX7
V7- Sovtek 12AX7 LPS
V8- Sovtek 12AX7 LPS

V9 - V12- Sovtek 6L6WXT+

And thanks for the PC1 comment. Love this guitar. I'll be installing a big brass block on the Gotoh FR this afternoon when I do a string change. I'm looking forward to hearing what difference it makes.

 

[Keyboard Man]

Tubes used:
V1- Sovtek 12AX7WC
v2- EH 12AX7
V3- EH 12AX7
V4- Sovtek 12AX7WC
V5- EH 12AX7
V6- EH 12AX7
V7- Sovtek 12AX7 LPS
V8- Sovtek 12AX7 LPS

V9 - V12- Sovtek 6L6WXT+

And thanks for the PC1 comment. Love this guitar. I'll be installing a big brass block on the Gotoh FR this afternoon when I do a string change. I'm looking forward to hearing what difference it makes.

JJ power tubes are superior in any acceptable EL34 amp ~ particularly the JJ E34L. Beefy, tight, crisp, complex and very harmonically rich when the valve is pushed hard.

Personally I would not mix preamp tubes as you have. V1 is always dominant in all tube guitar amps.

Sounds very cool in any event.

 

[SFW]

JJ power tubes are superior in any acceptable EL34 amp ~ particularly the JJ E34L. Beefy, tight, crisp, complex and very harmonically rich when the valve is pushed hard.

Personally I would not mix preamp tubes as you have. V1 is always dominant in all tube guitar amps.

Sounds very cool in any event.

First of all, the 5153 is not an EL34 based amp. Secondly, "superior" is your opinion. My opinion of JJ tubes is that they are far from superior. I don't like the tone of JJ tubes. In my experience, they don't last very long. I am glad that you have had good experiences with them. I have not. The tubes that I chose to use are the exact same tubes that the original 5153s were shipped with. So they were probably the tubes that the amp was designed with. For my tastes, the Sovtek/EH mix has made a vast improvement in tone to the amp. What you hear as complex and harmonically rich, I have heard as dull and lifeless. I have had JJs in several of my amps. I have always pulled them out.

Then again, that is the beauty of music. Tone is a very personal thing, and everyone has their personal vision of the perfect tone. They tubes that I have chosen to use have allowed my to better reach the tone that I like. If JJs help you to reach yours, then that's awesome.

 

[napalmdeath]

Tone is definitely subjective. Sovteks in V1 would never happen for me, but then, the Tungsol is a Sovtek variant that I do like. EH's aren't bad. Sovtek and EH in the entire preamp would be a high-end, shrilly, ice-pick mess, IMO. JJ's have their place, and a couple here & there are nice to warm an amp up. JJ 6L6's would be my choice of power tube as well. BTW, my 5153 shipped with ALL JJ power, and preamp, from the factory.

 

[blackie13]

If you think that EH and SOvtek are nice,try the chinese TADs or GT 12ax7-c
the first 5150 was designed with chinese tubes in mind
and winged C in the power section...
once you try it you just can't go back...

 

[FondledDuck]

My 5153 shipped with JJ's and I couldn't be any happier. Is your 5153 a Vietnamese or Mexican built? Mine is Mexican.

 

[SFW]

My 5153 is MIM. It did ship with JJs. I just didn't like them.

 

[the4thlast1]

Did you change the powertubes at the same time also ? My findings with the evh is that JJ preamp tubes with the Sovtek Powertubes sounded best to me.

I purchased the original preamp tube mix as you mentioned.,The Sovteks and EH's because I was curious too. I was actually disappointed when I took out the JJ preamp tubes and swapped in the original mix.... However I think the Sovtek 6L6 Wxt+ powertubes are killer in that amp.

 

[modulo]

HI, didn't change the tube yet but, i changed the facia of my 5150 III 50 watts head.

Hope you like it!!

Thanks!!

 

[Tuckerbomb]

HI, didn't change the tube yet but, i changed the facia of my 5150 III 50 watts head.

Hope you like it!!

Thanks!!

That is hella cool!

 

[cphr3d]

Sounds awesome!!!

 

[madrigal77]

All JJ's sound like poo, but they work well mixed with other tubes. I can't remember my exact layout, but I think it's:

V1- Tung Sol
v2- JJ
V3- JJ
V4- JJ
V5- Tung Sol
V6- Penta
V7- JJ
V8- Sovtek LPS


Mesa for the power tubes. It sounds MUCH better than the stock all JJ's. The Tung Sol adds detail and articulation, while the JJ's balance out the brightness. I had originally planned to take all the JJ's out as in the past I've hated them, but after lots of experimenting, I found this combo to sound the best.

 

[napalmdeath]

Tubes used:
V1- Sovtek 12AX7WC
v2- EH 12AX7
V3- EH 12AX7
V4- Sovtek 12AX7WC
V5- EH 12AX7
V6- EH 12AX7
V7- Sovtek 12AX7 LPS
V8- Sovtek 12AX7 LPS

V9 - V12- Sovtek 6L6WXT+

And thanks for the PC1 comment. Love this guitar. I'll be installing a big brass block on the Gotoh FR this afternoon when I do a string change. I'm looking forward to hearing what difference it makes.

JJ power tubes are superior in any acceptable EL34 amp ~ particularly the JJ E34L. Beefy, tight, crisp, complex and very harmonically rich when the valve is pushed hard.

Personally I would not mix preamp tubes as you have. V1 is always dominant in all tube guitar amps.

Sounds very cool in any event.

I heard that. A Sovtek would be the last tube I'd put in V1 of ANY amp. It's funny how we all hear things different. That mix of tubes would normally be grating to the ears in that amp.

Sovtek preamp tubes have very little character, and EH's are ice-pick bright.

 

[hammered]

Tubes used:
V1- Sovtek 12AX7WC
v2- EH 12AX7
V3- EH 12AX7
V4- Sovtek 12AX7WC
V5- EH 12AX7
V6- EH 12AX7
V7- Sovtek 12AX7 LPS
V8- Sovtek 12AX7 LPS

V9 - V12- Sovtek 6L6WXT+

And thanks for the PC1 comment. Love this guitar. I'll be installing a big brass block on the Gotoh FR this afternoon when I do a string change. I'm looking forward to hearing what difference it makes.

JJ power tubes are superior in any acceptable EL34 amp ~ particularly the JJ E34L. Beefy, tight, crisp, complex and very harmonically rich when the valve is pushed hard.

Personally I would not mix preamp tubes as you have. V1 is always dominant in all tube guitar amps.

Sounds very cool in any event.

I heard that. A Sovtek would be the last tube I'd put in V1 of ANY amp. It's funny how we all hear things different. That mix of tubes would normally be grating to the ears in that amp.

Sovtek preamp tubes have very little character, and EH's are ice-pick bright.

I`m pretty sure the OP has moved on from the EVH in this five year old thread and is really digging his Splawn . At least thats what most of his current posts lead me to believe