SoCal Mafia's April 2010 Tube Swapping Fun

[Bart]

So Mark and Embot paid me a visit for a 'tube tasting' session. Mark and Embot brought part of their vast collection of NOS, ANOS, and current production tubes to be tried on my amps. The amps in attendance were Mark's Victoria 40212, Mel's Silverface Princeton Reverb and Homebrew 'Embot' amp, and my Valve Amps Bimbo 105, Headstrong Lil' King Reverb, and Fender Champion 600. Guitars used were Mel's Strat, Mark's S Series Ibanez Prestige, and my Fender Jaguar.

Thought I'd share some shots and a video link of the event.

Mel working on my Champion 600. He's an awesome amp tech. This will be my daughter's amp when I teach her how to play.


Amps to be tested:




Mark and Mel going through the amps:






The tubes:
Part of Mel's collection. Lots of vintage tubes in there:





YouTube video of Mark playing through my Bimbo 105. We swapped the stock JJ tubes with a NOS Mullard EL84 XF2 (which Mel later gave me) and a NOS Amperex 12AX7 and the tone was amazing. Here, he was pretty much playing straight to the amp. Although the pedalboard was there, no pedal was on at the time.

It was an educational afternoon. I've learned a lot from these guys. Syempre, ako yung dakilang photographer kaya wala ako sa eksena.

[r_chino18]

YouTube video of Mark playing through my Bimbo 105. We swapped the stock JJ tubes with a current production Mullard EL84 and a NOS Amperex 12AX7 and the tone was amazing. Here, he was pretty much playing straight to the amp. Although the pedalboard was there, no pedal was on at the time.

It was an educational afternoon. I've learned a lot from these guys. Syempre, ako yung dakilang photographer kaya wala ako sa eksena.

win!! ang sarap..  

classic!

[gainsucker]

lots of tubes in there... and the Bimbo really sounded great...

more videos please using the other amps... 

[cayle]

sarap nung mga tubes...parang popsicles lang. 

Great sounding amp sir Bart. 

[Bart]

Thanks. Sayang, naubusan na ng memory yung camera ko eh. Hindi ko tuloy nai-video yung Champion 600. Grabe ang laki at kapal nung tunog nung pinalitan namin ng NOS Brimar 6v6GT at NOS RCA 12AX7 yung tubes. Tapos yung speaker eh pinalitan namin ng Jensen MOD 6. Gusto ko sana eh Weber Sig 6 AlNiCo yung ilagay, kaso $30 difference. Nagtipid, hehe. Sa tubes na lang babawi.

[arkeetar]

para matest nang tama ang mga tubes kung dating tubes naka bias sa isang certain bias point dapat sa ganun ulit pag palit ng tubes para tama ang comparison,
same sa preamp, nagbabago voltage pagnagpalit ng tube

kung ano voltage ng pre amp tubes dati dapat ganun ulit pagpalit ng bago para mai-compare ng tama.

share lang po ng info

[Bart]

share lang po ng info

Hindi ako marunong mag-bias eh, Hehe. Yung Champion 600 at Bimbo, parehong cathode biased kaya hindi na kailangang i-bias. Pero yung ibang amps dun, pre-amp lang naman ang pinalitan.

[markflo]

Hindi ako marunong mag-bias eh, Hehe. Yung Champion 600 at Bimbo, parehong cathode biased kaya hindi na kailangang i-bias. Pero yung ibang amps dun, pre-amp lang naman ang pinalitan.

+1 iisa lang power tube nung bimbo at nung 600 kaya wala nang bias kelangan.

bart...may amperex ako dito baka type mo...HEEHEEHEE

[Bart]

+1 iisa lang power tube nung bimbo at nung 600 kaya wala nang bias kelangan.

bart...may amperex ako dito baka type mo...HEEHEEHEE

Sa Bimbo natin sinubukan yan, di ba? Por favor, cuanto cuesta? 

[arkeetar]

successful pa rin, ramdam difference 
taga hatid lang ako mensahe hehe ang sarap ng activities n'yo 

[markflo]

Oh no mel. We've created a bart nos monster!

[Drew Asuncion]

OT: Amfogi talaga ni fafa Mark! 

BTT: I don't have a lot of experience with so-called 'boutique' stuff, but based on my personal observation, Fenders seem to react more to tube changes than Marshalls and a good number of other 'mainstream' amps do. Or maybe it's just me?

[markflo]

OT: Amfogi talaga ni fafa Mark! 

BTT: I don't have a lot of experience with so-called 'boutique' stuff, but based on my personal observation, Fenders seem to react more to tube changes than Marshalls and a good number of other 'mainstream' amps do. Or maybe it's just me?

Bogs! Musta na? Inzaniak! IMO di kasing obvious yung change sa marshalls kasi bano yung tone stack niya...hahaha...kahit anong pihit mo iisa lang talaga tunog ng marshall. hehee...anyway, narinig ni bart yung difference nung inupgrade namin yung tubes from jjs to mullard/mullard & mullard/amperex. nakalimutan ko na sino yung nagsabi pero kaya daw mullards pinakabagay sa marshalls kasi around the same time sila ginawa (late 50's early 60's) kaya yun yung available na tube nung dinedesign ni marshall yung amp niya...ewan ko lang kung totoo but it does kinda make sense.

[dantuts]

nice !!!

[Bart]

Oh no mel. We've created a bart nos monster!

Haha! Ayan na po, umpisa na. Hayop kasi kayong dalawang mang impluwensya.
Ang mahal pala nung binigay sa akin ni Mel na tube.  Sarap naman ng pa-birthday n'ya. Sayang at hindi s'ya makakarating.

[Van*]

sana sa east coast meron din amp party.  


very nice!  

[embot]

Forget the tubes.  Gusto ko yung Grestch ni Bart.

[embot]

Oh no mel. We've created a bart nos monster!

Haha.  Lagot tayo kay Cell.

[rolexm]

Amazing tone on the Bimbo! 

[embot]

YouTube video of Mark playing through my Bimbo 105. We swapped the stock JJ tubes with a NOS Mullard EL84 XF2 (which Mel later gave me) and a NOS Amperex 12AX7 and the tone was amazing. Here, he was pretty much playing straight to the amp. Although the pedalboard was there, no pedal was on at the time.

Actually the Bimbo was using EL34s, not EL84.

[Bart]

Actually the Bimbo was using EL34s, not EL84.

Ay, oo nga pala.

[gainsucker]

question lang bro... recently acquired a Vox ac4tv... what tubes would you recommend para maging mas bright sounding ang output (fenderish)... the tone knob seems to work only when the amp is cranked...

[eugene3ph]

Buti nalang nabenta ko yung Bimbo ko kung nde may bagong pagkakagastusan nanaman.

[siore]

question lang bro... recently acquired a Vox ac4tv... what tubes would you recommend para maging mas bright sounding ang output (fenderish)... the tone knob seems to work only when the amp is cranked...

Try mo 7025's bro.  More top end and less mids than your typical 12ax7.

[markflo]

question lang bro... recently acquired a Vox ac4tv... what tubes would you recommend para maging mas bright sounding ang output (fenderish)... the tone knob seems to work only when the amp is cranked...

anong brand ang nakalagay diyan ngayon? Also, anong brands ang available diyan?