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Topic: Recommended Mfg. for 6CA7 Tubes |
Larry Robinson
From:
Peachtree City, Georgia, USA
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Posted 7 Jul 2006 12:07 pm |
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I have a MM amp head, model 2275-65. The 6CA7 output tubes need replacing. Anyone have and recommdations/experience on which is better quality? I've seen advertisements for Groove Tubes, JJ Tesla, EH. Any ifo appreciated.
Larry Robinson |
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David Spangler
From:
Kerrville, TX USA
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Posted 7 Jul 2006 12:41 pm
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I have had good results with JJ Tesla tubes. You can find matched pairs or quads on eBay pretty reasonably. The 6CA7 is also known as EL-34.
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David Spangler |
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Jim Sliff
From:
Lawndale California, USA
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Posted 7 Jul 2006 12:53 pm
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Unless you can splurge on Amperex or Mullard labels, JJ's are the only way to go in newly-manufactured EL34's IMO.
Sovtek, EH - same thing. Groove Tubes buys from the same sources, marks them up a ton, and sells the same tubes as everyone else except for a couple they make (and their "made in USA" tubes are PARTLY made here' but mostly in China)...they are mainly a "label", not a "brand". |
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Thomas Bancroft
From:
Matawan, New Jersey, USA
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Posted 12 Jul 2006 5:22 am
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Svetlana/Winged C/SED makes great EL34's. I put them in my MM 65 reverb head (same chasis)and they sounded real good.
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Mullen D-10, Melobar Rattler, Nashville 1000, Alesis Midiverb, Too Many Guitars![This message was edited by Thomas Bancroft on 12 July 2006 at 06:23 AM.] |
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Dave Mudgett
From:
Central Pennsylvania and Gallatin, Tennessee
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Posted 12 Jul 2006 7:56 am
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I believe the original equipment on these old Musicman amps was the American-made Sylvania 6CA7. I have one of the 130-watt models with NOS Sylvanias in it. The original American-made 6CA7 is basically the same tube as the traditional European-made tall-skinny bottle EL34, but construction is quite different - the original 6CA7 is a tougher, cleaner-sounding tube, IMO.
One of the hazards of some of these great old Musicman amps is the high-low power switch. In the high-power setting, there are about 700 volts on the plates. Do the newer tubes - even the JJ/Tesla - hold up to that voltage? IMO, even the the old tall-skinny bottle EL34s did not. Of course, for steel, I prefer the high-power setting, but it's definitely tough on the power tubes. I know I will face changing these tubes, and I'm still not sure what to do - the Sylvanias are stupid money now, if you can find them at all. It does not appear to me that anybody has really made a true replacement for the old Sylvania 6CA7 - but if it exists, please enlighten us.  |
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