Jcm800 tube suggestion

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is there magic in certain power tube brands ?
What brand of tubes to use in JCM800 50 watt combo?
Is there such a thing as wrong tubes if they are the type made for a amp ? example el34 for an el34 amp.?
Are Tub amp doctor tubes good in an marshall jcm 800 50 watter combo ?
 
What power tubes are in it now? EL34's or 6550's? If they're EL34's I would reccomend SED EL34s for new production tubes.
 
I second that SED vote :thumbsup:
I've had decent luck with TAD stuff, but I think SED's sound better than anything I've tried so far
 
Tad el34, bought c wing el34 but amp tech did not like because the interior rattle to much and said it will rattle and drive u nuts, so put on tube amp doctor el34 but the amp sounds same as original tubes that were in there. Tech did Bias the tubes and said they r good. Perhaps am not a Marshall guy. Another tech told me tose tad are not right for this amp. Am all fucck up now too different techs different views. Ask second tech to guarantee it will sound great. He said it will sound better but has not heard the amp yet. First tech has degree in electronics second tech self taught is guitar player and been sound guy for 35 yes.
 
EL35??
Thats BS.
The guy is playing you, there are no EL35's (they dont exist) All that stuff about winged "C"s rattling internally is horsecrap.
Get your amp back as soon as possible, something is very wrong with this picture.
 
Anyone else notice c wings rattling inside? This will in return be heard when playin. Of you hold the tubes at the base and tap on the glass u can hear the rattling. Don't get it?confused
 
There are other things that make a bigger differance Then power tubes, such as a fresh set of cap cans(if its an old used 800) or some small changes of the board. Alot of the stuff u hear about certain brand tubes etc being light years better in tone etc is hype and I doubt that most players could do the blindfold test, although some could. It is based more on the build quality and reliability of the tubes. If u have an early 80's 800, many came stock with 6550 tubes so hopefully when yours was swapped to 6550 it was done properly.
 
pstar":kpyqqnpb said:
Anyone else notice c wings rattling inside? This will in return be heard when playin. Of you hold the tubes at the base and tap on the glass u can hear the rattling. Don't get it?confused
No , I havent heard this. In fact, alot of guys prefer them, and many amp co use them stock. Unless yours are defective which could be, I highly doubt u would notice when playing.
 
Amp has el34's stock it's a 4204 no 6560. Tech says u will notice when playin because being a combo with 2x12 lots of shaking gonon on. Is he something some seeweed? I really wanted to lov this amp but maybe sell it look else where
 
I would not give up on it yet, I think the 4200's were channel switchers w/ reverb? (is that correct?) Some of those had an issue with the reverb tank rattling at high volumes, and it would come through the speakers (as if it was something electrical going out)
I guess my question is- does it make the rattling sound with the reverb off? Or does it make no difference?
 
no channel switching, no reverb. It is a 4204 model early 80's model 50 watter 2X12. Sorry to clarify, there is no rattle sound now because the tech 1 said not to put the c wing tubes in because they will rattle and it will get worst as the amp puts on hours with these tubes, so we did not use them and instead used the tube amp doctor tubes. Tech 1 's observations were the internals of this matched set of el34 were too loose, but these are brand new tubes. Is tech 1 right about this ? So talked to tech 2 and he saya TAD tubes are the wrong brand to use for this amp, that we would put in the best sounding tubes for this amp. Well I asked which brand ? he refused to say stating that " you have to pay me for that information " If he (tech2) would work on the amp he would do some tweaks and thew amp would sound better. Tis tech 2 did not hear the amp, and i ask what are the tweaks, again he (tech2) refused to say what he would do to the amp. Also would changing those celestion 70's to something else else make a big difference?
 
pstar":1evqgeo2 said:
no channel switching, no reverb. It is a 4204 model early 80's model 50 watter 2X12. Sorry to clarify, there is no rattle sound now because the tech 1 said not to put the c wing tubes in because they will rattle and it will get worst as the amp puts on hours with these tubes, so we did not use them and instead used the tube amp doctor tubes. Tech 1 's observations were the internals of this matched set of el34 were too loose, but these are brand new tubes. Is tech 1 right about this ? So talked to tech 2 and he saya TAD tubes are the wrong brand to use for this amp, that we would put in the best sounding tubes for this amp. Well I asked which brand ? he refused to say stating that " you have to pay me for that information " If he (tech2) would work on the amp he would do some tweaks and thew amp would sound better. Tis tech 2 did not hear the amp, and i ask what are the tweaks, again he (tech2) refused to say what he would do to the amp. Also would changing those celestion 70's to something else else make a big difference?

Never heard of the winged C's rattling. I've tried just about everything except the TAD. The SED winged C's sound the best to me. Not a huge difference but you can tell. The poster above is right though. Different tubes don't sound that much different. Hell, even EL34's and 6550's won't sound as different some will have you believe. They do sound different but they don't change the amp into a different animal.

Schaf
 
I complain to tech 1 about the low noise/hum, he says " those cheap wads at marshall do not shield there wires properly", anyone agree or disagree with this, first time I have heard this ?
 
pstar":3kik9a7f said:
no channel switching, no reverb. It is a 4204 model early 80's model 50 watter 2X12. Sorry to clarify, there is no rattle sound now because the tech 1 said not to put the c wing tubes in because they will rattle and it will get worst as the amp puts on hours with these tubes, so we did not use them and instead used the tube amp doctor tubes. Tech 1 's observations were the internals of this matched set of el34 were too loose, but these are brand new tubes. Is tech 1 right about this ? So talked to tech 2 and he saya TAD tubes are the wrong brand to use for this amp, that we would put in the best sounding tubes for this amp. Well I asked which brand ? he refused to say stating that " you have to pay me for that information " If he (tech2) would work on the amp he would do some tweaks and thew amp would sound better. Tis tech 2 did not hear the amp, and i ask what are the tweaks, again he (tech2) refused to say what he would do to the amp. Also would changing those celestion 70's to something else else make a big difference?
I dont think tech 1 is right. I dont think tech 2 is either. I would not deal with someone who refused to tell me the info I wanted to know before "fixing" the amp. Honestly, it sounds like both of those guys can tell you dont know much about the amp (not a jab at you-dont take that personally) and they both have alterier motives for responding in the manner they did. The one guy may stock TAD tubes cause he gets a better price on them and has a higher profit margin, so he will naturally find fault with everything else out there. I've not heard of "loose" issues with winged "C"s. You could call any one of half a dozen tube guys who could steer you on which tubes to get, but if you asked everyone here what are some good-solid EL34 tubes, a ton of them would say that either SED's or JJ's (I'm not a big JJ guy) would work fine.
I dont like techs who talk in circles, or refuse to answer questions. Or say insulting things like "you'll have to pay me for that info" No way would I deal with them. Tech 2 should have been more than happy to tell you what he would do, its your amp, you are entitled to know whats gonna be done to it. He dosent have to tell you "how" he will do it, that I could understand.
Changing the spkrs would make a difference, but I dont think it will change your mind about an amp your not happy with ;)
Sorry, I know this dosent help much
 
Get those 70 watt Celestions outta there asap. Better yet, get a 4x12 or 2x12 with some good Greenbacks, or Blackbacks, or 65's and plug into the extention speaker output and see how the tone changes. You'll be amazed. I dont know what kinda shape your amps in, or if any mods have been done previously, but I know for a fact, that amp thru the right speakers should be crunch heaven. Any speaker you hook it up to is gonna sound better than those. Worst speaker ever designed.
 
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