I know a 6K6 is standard wisdom but what brand and what brands and models for the 12AX7 and the 12AT7? New tubes or NOS? And does anyone use a 12AX7 in place of the 12AT7?
- Home
- News
- Submit News
- Contact
- Contests
- Donations
- Downloads
- Forums
- Guitar Instruction
- IRC
- Member List
- Private Messages
- Podcast
- Polls
- Photo of the Day
- Links
- Search
- Store
- Surf Band Map
- Wiki
- Yahoo Group
Photo of the Day
Shoutbox
dp:
dude
361 days ago
Bango_Rilla:
Shout Bananas!!
316 days ago
BillyBlastOff:
See you kiddies at the Convention!
301 days ago
GDW:
showman
252 days ago
Emilien03:
https://losg...
173 days ago
Pyronauts:
Happy Tanks-Kicking!!!
167 days ago
glennmagi:
CLAM SHACK guitar
153 days ago
Hothorseraddish:
surf music is amazing
132 days ago
dp:
get reverberated!
83 days ago
Clint:
“A Day at the Beach” podcast #237 is TWO HOURS of NEW surf music releases. https://link...
16 days ago
IRC Status
Current Polls
No polls at this time. Check out our past polls.
Current Contests
No contests at this time. Check out our past contests.
Donations
May Birthdays
- 1st – betomunhoz, Coach, lsylte
- 2nd – BorfJr, GatoStrato, InstroChick, NoiseFloor, Tikitena, ZombieGroove
- 3rd – bobdeans, Dohenyjoe, FredJr, fulgore, Joheny, Masuto
- 4th – Freehawk, JoeJazz2000, PhantomOperators
- 5th – DJ_Sid_Presley, JBPhoto, Millwinder, verschuurpual
- 6th – stimey
- 7th – Agent_Z, BoB69, yantiliu
- 8th – GandyDancer, ruglandma, surfbeat99
- 9th – BradMcNulty, Jerry13
- 10th – Pastana75, tonymcgowan55, tvardy
- 11th – spskins, TheeAaronRev, Wellens_
- 12th – GulfofBrass, PistonDude, SmileySmile, SoCalOldGuy1956, SpaceTimC, Thunderbird
- 13th – Amplion, Beeza71, TheOutpost
- 14th – gabrielpowell, Rskingdom
- 15th – Agent_15, mikeo, speedfaias
- 16th – d4man, dustyWyo, instrumentwire, LM_Olympic, Marky_Wildstone, Rome, SwampCat
- 17th – bigkahunaron, electronificated, jdangerously57, Jimmy_Strings, mom_surfing
- 18th – acidjoker, JohnBlutarski, pavlovsdog
- 19th – Andolf, balt11tab, JoeKer_Z_Wilde, mschafft, ShortScalePDX
- 20th – juankamilo0surf, Skullie
- 21st – Hothorseraddish
- 22nd – BeachCombers, Londonbus, RandySG88, surfdefender2013, SurfsUp, sworgs
- 23rd – 3singes, bubbaznetti, Pingrider, StingrayStingray
- 24th – bigaaron, thesidss
- 25th – romainsan, Rudy92
- 26th – elreydlp, eocb, IvanP, Pyronauts, Trafolta, vampireautoparts
- 27th – coffin_wheels, cohen2344, Donald77, easydranch, Finkdaddy, nsiegel27, Todd_Kelp
- 28th – aaronBONESbata, Silverface
- 29th – DNAdude, rickylasvegas
- 30th – Bennie01, blueeyedlava
- 31st – Hodaddy, Ludella, RedBeard
SurfGuitar101 Forums » Gear »
What's everyone's favourite tubes to use in a reverb tank?
• New Topic
Top
Joined: Jun 11, 2009 Posts: 54 |
Posted on Mar 05 2010 05:24 PM
|
Joined: Feb 26, 2006 Posts: 12159 Seattle 
|
Posted on Mar 05 2010 05:30 PM
I honestly don't notice a big/any difference between pre-amp tubes. I've probably put in a 12AX7 for a 12AT7 before, but don't remember it(it was probably an accident). I'd do new tubes for the pre-amp. |
Joined: Feb 26, 2006 Posts: 3546 mojave desert, california 
|
Posted on Mar 05 2010 06:24 PM
I'm a big fan of GE for power tubes, and GE also makes nice pre-amp tubes...Mullard also makes nice pre-amp tubes. Mostly I look for longevity, durability and ruggedness n my tubes....and, you know, no weird squeely-ringy noises... I've heard real good things about Telefunken and also JJ tubes... anyway, as long as the tube is functioning within parameters, the brand probably has very little significance... |
|
Joined: Jun 10, 2009 Posts: 317 |
Posted on Mar 05 2010 07:23 PM
I generally go with stock tubes and only replace them if they become problematic or blow. NOS / boutique tubes are by in large a waste of money imo. The differance, or improvement in tone is minimal at best. |
Joined: Feb 23, 2007 Posts: 1650 Santa Rosa, CA
|
Posted on Mar 05 2010 08:40 PM
Yep...old RCA's NOS or good used also — |
Joined: Aug 18, 2008 Posts: 373 Orange, CA
|
Posted on Mar 07 2010 04:53 PM
My favorite tube combo in my reverb tank is a Sylvania 6K6, Mullard 12AX7 and a JAN Philips 12AT7. I also sometimes use an RCA or GE 6K6. If you're having a problem with too much gain/harsh reverb you can sub the 12AX7 for a 5751 tube. This seems to tame the harshness a bit |
Joined: Jan 01, 2008 Posts: 2107 Livorno 
|
Posted on Mar 07 2010 06:46 PM
RCA. I Love them! Lorenzo "Surfer Joe" Valdambrini |
Joined: Aug 23, 2006 Posts: 2123 The jungle 
|
Posted on Mar 07 2010 09:29 PM
|
|
Joined: Jan 01, 2008 Posts: 2107 Livorno
|
Posted on Mar 08 2010 06:30 AM
I had some fun trying a few of them in the past days. I left in another post also that I was trying using all 12ax7's in the tank and also got some good results... but the biggest thing I have found is the change of the tone of the high freqs: with this last config I have a much less trebly sound and a fuller tone. —Lorenzo "Surfer Joe" Valdambrini |
|
Joined: Feb 26, 2006 Posts: 3546 mojave desert, california
|
Posted on Mar 08 2010 11:28 AM
Sounds similar to what I have going on: GE 6K6, Mullard 12AT7 and GE JAN 5751 |
Joined: Nov 09, 2008 Posts: 1140 Davenport Iowa
|
Posted on Mar 09 2010 10:55 PM
RCA black 6k6 and JJ pre...the 12at7 tends to die slowly and un noticed unitl you a b it with a fresh one I have a pile of old pre tubes that I sometimes will a b and go with whatever sounds best to me that day. —Give me reverb or give me death! |
Joined: Oct 12, 2008 Posts: 580 San Antone, TX
|
Posted on Mar 12 2010 01:05 PM
I've got an RCA Victor 6k6 installed right now, out of the 3 6k6's that I've got that one's currently my favorite. —The Phantomatics on Facebook |
|
Joined: Aug 20, 2008 Posts: 654 California |
Posted on Mar 12 2010 01:47 PM
Sylvania or RCA 6k6 and JJs |
|
Joined: Jun 11, 2009 Posts: 54 |
Posted on Mar 13 2010 11:23 AM
What effect would using a 6L6 have (if it's even possible to mod the tank to take a 6L6)? |
Joined: Mar 10, 2014 Posts: 5 Bakersfield, California
|
Posted on May 19 2014 12:47 PM
I know it's an old thread but I wanted to chime in. I have been rolling tubes a reissue unit that I got new about 90 days ago. Gigging with it a few times a week and daily rehearsal. A few observations: The Belton spring pan really loosens up after a few months and drips a bit more after some use and car travel with the pan unlocked. Also, the late 1960's Mullard 12AT7 and the late 1950's black plate RCA both sound great in this thing, slight preference to the Mullard, but not by much at all. |
|
Joined: Nov 16, 2013 Posts: 4537 Wisconsin
|
Posted on May 19 2014 04:21 PM
buckaroo wrote:
Always glad when you do. I think all the above has shown that it's worth the time & effort (and sometime$ coin) to plug & play to find 'that' tone that you alone are looking for. I've kept my Belton pan around with the MOD in the tank currently, but found that a 5751 (a good one, not the even-lower-gain 5751-M Groove Tube) in place of the usual 12AX7 gives back a bit more chimey-ness and is easier than swapping the Belton back in if that's what I'm going for. Lots of colors available on the paint-brush. That old RCA 6K6 does seem to be a go-to tube though and, on the fly, would be what I'd tell someone for a power tube. Wes DISCLAIMER: The above is opinion/suggestion only & should not be used for mission planning/navigation, tweaking of instruments, beverage selection, or wardrobe choices. |
Joined: Jan 04, 2011 Posts: 1588 Berlin L-Berg 
|
Posted on May 20 2014 02:15 AM
JJ Gold and I did notice a real huge difference. — |
|
Joined: Nov 16, 2013 Posts: 4537 Wisconsin
|
Posted on May 23 2014 11:53 AM
Spent a few minutes a/b'ing this morning so will post to feed someone's search later. Mathematic sample of n-1 with what I had available; just my impressions in a '63 re-issue tank. Power tubes: The EI (Elektronska Industrija) tube sounds also very bright, similar to the Sylvania. Small bottles: 12AX7 position: Little difference really noticed (was surprised) between a typical current Russian 12AX7 (Sovtek, GT marketing as 12AX7-R) and a moderately used JJ (Slovakian tube); see edit at the bottom. I have a Chinese tube around too, but didn't bother because it's so noticeably abominable in an amp. As mentioned by many previously, a GOOD 5751 in this position can be swapped for the typical 12AX7 if the resulting mix & tone is too harsh. The old GE 5751 is one of the few tubes that, imho, is worth every penny due to their value in taming the pre-amps of high-gain amps. Even the Almost NOS ones are 1/2 the price & worth it, this is a robust tube. Still shows that it's really based on what 1 person hears as their sonic goal, since all the tubes in togetherness make up the result. Ah, the stuff a person does when they don't have to recover from the summit. Post-testing edit 1310 CDT: Played something that I know previously how it sounds and found slight diff in high clarity between Russian 12AX7 and the Slovak JJ. JJ wins for me, ymmv. —Wes DISCLAIMER: The above is opinion/suggestion only & should not be used for mission planning/navigation, tweaking of instruments, beverage selection, or wardrobe choices. Last edited: May 23, 2014 13:10:52 |
Please visit our friends in the surf music community:
Contact Us • About Us • Terms of Service • Privacy Policy • Colophon
SurfGuitar101.com © 2004 - 2025 by Brian Neal. All comments and user contributed articles are property of the posters.
Thanks to all the surf bands, past and present. And thanks to all the fans who care about and keep surf music alive.