The gain channel was my nightmare too re-tube in my rebel 30 and 20 and after $$$$ and many new tubes none had that tone that sounded good to my picky ears.
I wanted a over-drive sound classic rock vibe and what I got was loud harsh lots of gain overly fat midrange that was bloated sounding.
Then I found the tube kings reviews of NOS 12ax7 black plate tubes no. 1 was RCA long black plate - no. 2 Sylvania shiny black plate 12ax7 with its fantastic OD sound . Amperex-raytheon- tungsol - all black plates except the amperex 12ax7 that's a grey plate.
Another good colorful tube is the RCA grey plates which may break up a little early for some folks !
I found out these fantastic black plate 12ax7 -5751 tubes were much better than the descriptions indicated.
New production 12ax7 Tungsols are the better new production tubes for overdriven tones , however there harsh and not in the same class at all.
NOS 12ax7 mullard long plates are ok but mostly a great clean channel v1 tube imop.
Ei pre war 12ax7 in a head are full sounding big warm clean channel tubes, the new tubes only produce a fraction of the harmonic over tones the NOS tubes produce.
I find many NOS tubes are un-suitable for guitar tones stages also GE-is a bright tube ect:
Save your money up for a good clean v1 tube and a 12ax7 black plate RCA for the gain stage and other tubes can do effects loop and EQ recovery duties if there not to bright , these new tubes are way bright and harsh I finally found out !
The Sylvania has the most ballsy OD sound like a train wreck amp has very recordable indeed !
New production 12ax7 tube only reproduce the fundamental tone with no colorful harmonics like the tubes of old, no one seems to know why black plates reproduce the beautiful colorful harmonics and when designed did not know they would be so darn great when pushed .
I just wanted to pass along this discovery so folks would not spend like I did on every new tube made to try an find that tone I was looking for.
The gold pin GoldLion 12ax7 tube is not a bad full sounding v1 tube, only some tubes are great being gained up and that was my problem , but not anymore !
I do finally luv the Rebel 20 amp head now too !
I wanted a over-drive sound classic rock vibe and what I got was loud harsh lots of gain overly fat midrange that was bloated sounding.
Then I found the tube kings reviews of NOS 12ax7 black plate tubes no. 1 was RCA long black plate - no. 2 Sylvania shiny black plate 12ax7 with its fantastic OD sound . Amperex-raytheon- tungsol - all black plates except the amperex 12ax7 that's a grey plate.
Another good colorful tube is the RCA grey plates which may break up a little early for some folks !
I found out these fantastic black plate 12ax7 -5751 tubes were much better than the descriptions indicated.
New production 12ax7 Tungsols are the better new production tubes for overdriven tones , however there harsh and not in the same class at all.
NOS 12ax7 mullard long plates are ok but mostly a great clean channel v1 tube imop.
Ei pre war 12ax7 in a head are full sounding big warm clean channel tubes, the new tubes only produce a fraction of the harmonic over tones the NOS tubes produce.
I find many NOS tubes are un-suitable for guitar tones stages also GE-is a bright tube ect:
Save your money up for a good clean v1 tube and a 12ax7 black plate RCA for the gain stage and other tubes can do effects loop and EQ recovery duties if there not to bright , these new tubes are way bright and harsh I finally found out !
The Sylvania has the most ballsy OD sound like a train wreck amp has very recordable indeed !
New production 12ax7 tube only reproduce the fundamental tone with no colorful harmonics like the tubes of old, no one seems to know why black plates reproduce the beautiful colorful harmonics and when designed did not know they would be so darn great when pushed .
I just wanted to pass along this discovery so folks would not spend like I did on every new tube made to try an find that tone I was looking for.
The gold pin GoldLion 12ax7 tube is not a bad full sounding v1 tube, only some tubes are great being gained up and that was my problem , but not anymore !
I do finally luv the Rebel 20 amp head now too !