JJ tubes
 

My pedalboard has an ART (brand) MP tube preamp on it to a) supply phantom power to my LRBaggs Para DI -- I use this pedalboard for acoustic electric as well as electric -- and b) to get tube sound even if I plug in direct to a house PA system. Anyway, the tube pre is a few years old and I decided to change out the tube before it gives out mid-set somewhere, so I replaced the o.e. cheap Chinese 12ax7 with a JJ Electronic 12AT7XXX ECC881 and am thrilled with the outcome. Once it starts to break up, it sounds so good, better than with the previous tube.

I have another unit I use for vocals and I put a Sovtek 12ax7wa in it. Seems to break up a little sooner than the stock tube, though I haven't tried a guitar through it yet.

I never realized that a single tube could change the tone so much.

Anyway, thanks to Steve Dirosa for mentioning JJ tubes a while back on another thread.

12AX7 is one of the longest lasting signal tubes around. Good used pulls aren't at all expensive, or even free by the bucket, if you know where to look. You should get a few and try them. Telefunken made good tubes. It's the boxed NOS that the cork sniffers have driven to stratospheric heights.

i believe that the 12at7 would be better for vocal usage than the 12ax7. the at7 has less gain than the ax7, so the ax7 would be better for guitar usage.

play music!

That's what all the literature I read seems to say, but I like the sound of the 12at7 in my guitar rig. Maybe I'll have to buy another for the vocal preamp...

Fore some of the best around, Telefunken, two ECC801S and three ECC81 tubes I have. Found them in an old piece of test equipment that never got used.

https://i.imgur.com/g6rNovX.jpg

woah! finding tubes in non-guitar-related gear is always a find!

play music!

Quite the find!

Yeah, and all I want is a good 12AY7.

Tried the newer ElectroHarmonix one? I've auditioned them in a few tweed Fender builds, and they compare quite favorably to the Old GE JAN version. The good ones do, anyway.

In the affordable range of vintage tubes are probably vintage Raytheon longplate tubes for 12ax7s. Sylvania for 12AT7s.

New production... Probably Sovtek LPS... Very neutral and balanced.

For chime, tungsol.. For dark JJ83... For a thick bump in low mids... JJ803 ... For mid scoop with nice present attack .. Chinese.. Sovteks WAs for strong with an edgy cut.

Hope this helps!

Just re-tubed my Vox AC15C1 with JJ's, and I can't believe the difference in tone! It's like a blanket was taken off the amp..

The stock Chinese tubes just weren't doing that amp justice..

I can't recommend JJ's highly enough.

https://i.imgur.com/t2fvpP3.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/ULLMsAr.jpg

There are better tubes than JJ's---these were recomended on this site for my Amper jet ll
http://www.thetubestore.com/Tubes/Preferred-Series