Tubes and leads.

gregtarr · Post by **gregtarr** » Mon Mar 21, 2005 7:14 pm

Ok. I'm wondering what brands of tubes and leads people think are good. They're both things that most of us use (unless we're Rog or have wireless units). Whether you use a strat or an ESP with EMG's. Blues through a vintage Fender or high gain metal through a Mesa. I'm sure you get the picture.
What do you guys think, both tone wise and cost wise (and whether-the-Rockshop-will-ever-get-the-ones-you-want-in wise)

philipnz · Post by **philipnz** » Mon Mar 21, 2005 7:39 pm

Well reading the overseas sites if it ain't Mullard, it ain't shit.

I have been quietly snaping up every Mullard in NZ offered on Ebay and Trademe. No way I can get a quad of EL84's tho. That would be $500us and only last a year. I'm not that big into tone.

Cable-wise I like the planet waves ones. They dont need soldering and you can fix them on the run. Handy off/on switch too

The Scarecrow · Post by **The Scarecrow** » Mon Mar 21, 2005 8:29 pm

Marshall gold EL34 tubes in the DSL, and fender california cables - the tubes are smooth as silk and the cables tend not to bunch up and tangle as much as others. Plus, they're cool colours and look like the old green garden hoses.

Polar Bear · Post by **Polar Bear** » Mon Mar 21, 2005 8:58 pm

I've got Ei valves in my AC30. I'm looking at putting Electro-Harmonix in there though. I'm also going to put some JJ or Tesla KT88s in my Holden Wasp head. As for my JAnsen Bass 75, there is an RCA 7027a that workls in there at the moment, but it needs a pair that goes, so I'm keeping my eye out on Ebay.

Red Fred · Post by **Red Fred** » Mon Mar 21, 2005 9:22 pm

I have heard that JJ tubes are very good value. I have also heard that some EH tubes are just rebranded Sovteks and as a result are over-priced.
Yeah I also heard that about Mullard. $500 is crazy though.

I use a no name cable and a planet waves one because I was told the cable after effects doesn't need to be high quality. The planet waves one annoys me because it is gloss so it tends to get tangled alot.

philipnz · Post by **philipnz** » Mon Mar 21, 2005 9:35 pm

I had a sovtek ef86 in one channel which i replaced wih a mullard - much better, less noise

I swapped the 3 JJ ecc83's for mullards and changed them back - the jj's were smoother

ash · Post by **ash** » Mon Mar 21, 2005 10:02 pm

I use whatever I have lying around mostly. I don't know who does Planet Waves stuff locally, but MW has a load of George L's cable stuff which is plug 'n play or cut 'n 'plug ' play like the Planet Waves ones. They're also priced as if to suggest they're worth something more than a normal cable.

If I ever get my Gunn going again it will get JJ/Tesla EL43s and whatever 12AX7s are the flavour of the month. Each brand has their "specialty" tube, which they may do better than the others. With JJ its the EL34 for example.

philipnz · Post by **philipnz** » Mon Mar 21, 2005 10:33 pm

You have George L's. I'd like to see them, what store are they at?

TMG 03 · Post by **TMG 03** » Mon Mar 21, 2005 10:42 pm

I have no idea what tubes are in my amp. Never looked or changed them.

Cables are those planet waves ones. And as for Strings I am trying out the B 52 Rockers. 11-48.

Bluesbird · Post by **Bluesbird** » Mon Mar 21, 2005 11:20 pm

For cables I use Evidence Audio Lyric HG. They're supposed to be the best, and who am I to argue?

http://www.evidenceaudio.com/ And they have a cool retro look owing to the woven cloth jacket, goes nicely with the Vic

The tubes on my Victoriette have gone a little microphonic, but not sure what I'll replace them with yet. Not sure NOS is worth the expense.

Rog · Post by **Rog** » Tue Mar 22, 2005 8:52 am

Just to make y'all feel better - here's a post from another forum of mine:

As some of you may have read in a thread on the Banter forum, I will no longer be dealing with a tube amp, and instead will continue what little guitar playing I do on a solid state amp.
Therefore I have a box full of spare tubes that I know somebody can use in their tube amp.

Before I go through the E-Bay circus trying to sell these things, I'd like to offer them to one of you here.

Pre-amp Tubes

I have a mixed bag of 12AX7's, 12AT7's, & one 12AU7A
Brand names include...
JAN / Phillips
General Electric
Sovtek
Sovtek / Fender
Sovtek / Groove Tubes
Sylvania
DuMont
Most of these tubes are in boxes..(8 are not), most have very little use, and some have not been used at all. All non Sovtek tubes are NIB US made vintage tubes.
Total count....
12AX7's = 26
12AT7's = 5
12AU7's = 1

Power Tubes
Also a mixed bag with most being.....
Sovtek
Fender / Sovtek
Sovtek / Groove Tubes
Two complete matched quads of Sovtek 6L6/5881WXT
One matched pair of Sovtek/Fender 6L6/5881WXT
One natched quad of Sovtek/Fender 6L6/5881WXT
Plus 5 mixed brand & used 6L6 type tubes.
For a total of 19 power tubes, all but 4 in boxes.

Also included is one G.E. 6V6, one RCA 5AR4, and one JAN/Tung Sol 5Y3GT.

All tubes come in a General Electric tube caddy that's in good to fair condition.

I'd preffer to see them go to somebody I know that will use them in their own amps, and not try to turn them around on E-Bay again for a proffit.

The first one to offer me $50.00 plus whatever it costs me to ship it to them gets it all.

ash · Post by **ash** » Tue Mar 22, 2005 3:17 pm

philipnz wrote:You have George L's. I'd like to see them, what store are they at?

"I" don't have them, but I think MW Takapuna would be the first place to ask. If they don't have them, ring the sales dude, Steve (634 0099) and ask which stores have the George L's cable stuff in stock.

goldtop0 · Post by **goldtop0** » Wed Mar 23, 2005 3:59 pm

Mullards sold new worldwide now come from Russia and marketed by New Sensor Corp, New York,these are not as good as nos Mullards which are much higher priced.
I have Svetlana,Sino and Philips valves in my combos with no probs.

gregtarr · Post by **gregtarr** » Wed Mar 23, 2005 6:05 pm

What do people think about Groove Tubes?

ant · Post by **ant** » Wed Mar 23, 2005 7:52 pm

GT are just rebranded JJ/sovtek/svetlana/chinese etc etc, they test them and whack some number on them. I would think other tube dealers would buy tested tubes but you might want to confirm so you don't get a DOA, in general you pay more for the GT name/hype.

The only advantage I see is that you can buy a matched pair of output valves, (ie same GT 'number') which isn't terribly crucial in guitar amps anyways, in the old days you didn't buy 'matched pairs' for your marshalls.