My tubes are SHOT. What would you do?

I usually avoid Groove Tubes, because I've had repeat issues with crazy microphonics in their 12AX7's and 5AR4's, as well as their high relative cost.

I've had good luck with Electro Harmonix tubes in my Deluxe Reverb reissue. I periodically change the power tubes (about once a year), but have not had a failure so far. The same pres have been running without issue for about 4 years now. I like the EH tubes because they are reliable, not too expensive, readily available in my area, and sound acceptable. Then again, my amp uses 6V6, and yours is 6L6, so perhaps someone with experience with the EH 6L6 might tell you otherwise.

Then there are the controversial NOS tubes. I have very little direct experience with NOS tubes.

NOS is a lot of fun, but can become a serious obsession bordering on disease. The major players are Telefunken, Amperex and Mullard not to mention the American brands and a few other high priced exotics. Each of these has particular sonic personalities that work well depending upon the application and the particular piece of equipment they are driving. Check this amazing site, this guy is seriuos about tubes and sells the best tubes I've ever seen. http://www.vintagetubeservices.com/

Also you could consider buying used tubes, a lot cheaper for sure. Be careful with ebay, Mullard tubes for example are really only special in the fifties and sixties, the eighties tubes are junk, if they are going cheap, they're probably eighties tubes. Next thing you know you're into factory date codes and the obsession grows from there...

Have fun!

I've got a SF VibroSonic (pretty much the same as a twin but with a 15"speaker) that needs new tubes too. For Fenders and Music Man Amps, I love Svetlanas. they are really clean and bright, especially with single coils but have enough bass to make your guitar sound big. For a little more distorted sound I tend to like the jjs that are being made in(correct me if I am wrong) the old Tesla factory in Russia. I have them in a marshall amp and it is much to my liking. For Preamp tubes, I have a really good tech that recommended ruby tube(from China?) and I use them in everything.

I checked out Tube Store and they seemed to have "the goods". I ordered some JJ/Tesla 6L6s and 12AX7s and some Jan Phillips 12AT7s. Will report back once installed and rocking. Thanks for the help, guys.

notimeforlove wrote:For Fenders and Music Man Amps, I love Svetlanas.

I've been using Svetlanas for many years. They are very clean and clear, and they really can take a beating, too.

Make sure you don't get pulled into the name trap. They are now called SED and have a "winged C" logo (Cyrillic S). The "Svetlana" branded tubes are sold by New Sensor and are not the same company.

MrTransistorm wrote:

notimeforlove wrote:For Fenders and Music Man Amps, I love Svetlanas.

I've been using Svetlanas for many years. They are very clean and clear, and they really can take a beating, too.

Make sure you don't get pulled into the name trap. They are now called SED and have a "winged C" logo (Cyrillic S). The "Svetlana" branded tubes are sold by New Sensor and are not the same company.

I work for New Sensor so I am biased a bit... But I will say this.

As the original and current SED sound great I have found them to be unreliable for various reasons (microphonics due to structural compromise and also mechanical failures).

I have had very good luck with the current (new sensor) Svetlana 6L6GC but they sound a little darker than the SED varient. improvements that are most obvious were made to the mica spacers and the metal clips that hold them in place.

Oh, and I'm sure you know this, but adjust the bias to accommodate the new power tubes. I have the pros at Savage Audio here in Minnesota do that kind of work for me. Good for the tubes and the amp. Be careful of deadly voltages, guy.

I don't know what kind of $$$ yr looking to shell out, but I have a pair of RCA "blackplate" 6L6s that sound pretty good. (They were salvaged from an old Silvertone 1484 and put in several amps I've used.)

They're expensive and hard to find, but they've made a noticeable improvement in every amp I've stuck them in. And I didn't previously put a lot of stock in all of that vintage NOS tube hooey.

Other choices: You can drop in KT66s or 5881s as a pin-for-pin replacement.
The Tung-Sol 5881s sound good both clean and cranked up.

TheeMajorMiller wrote:I checked out Tube Store and they seemed to have "the goods". I ordered some JJ/Tesla 6L6s and 12AX7s and some Jan Phillips 12AT7s. Will report back once installed and rocking. Thanks for the help, guys.

How'd those JJs work out? I'm about to get some for my Twin as well.