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Topic: TUNG SOL reissue tubes |
Dave Zielinski
From:
Pennsylvania, USA
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Posted 12 Feb 2006 6:25 pm |
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Just got the first two gigs out of a new set of the "5881 TUNG SOL REISSUE" tubes. I put these in my original 1960 5F6-A bassman. The pair I got were within 2mA of eachother. I biased them at 35mA per side and listened to the amp. Nice, tight, great dynamics. I bumped the bias up to 37mA per side and got more dynamics out of them. Buttoned the amp back up and took it to the gig Friday and Saturday.
My usual gig volume with this thing is set to about 4.
Was I happy. My band plays 2-3 nights a week, and I replace rectifier tubes and power tubes about every 6 months, or when they start to lose that punch. I have used nothing but NOS Tung Sol, RCA and Sylvanias. (All at over $120/pair)
We'll see how these last. But right now, I'm ecstatic as these are $45 bucks a set!
Dave
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Jon Graboff
From:
Santa Fe, New Mexico
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Posted 12 Feb 2006 7:06 pm
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Dave,
Do keep us posted on the test run of these tubes! My original '65 Twin is in need of some new glass and it would be nice if there were some real alternatives to NOS American made tubes. |
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Dave Zielinski
From:
Pennsylvania, USA
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Posted 28 Sep 2006 4:27 am
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Ok....Done with this set.
I put them in Feb 2006, and took them out last week. Thats 7 months or so of gigs, I would estimate 50-60 gigs. 3-4 hours a night and a few double headers in there.
The tubes are still good. they didn't get mushy, bass response is very good still. I keep my volume pretty much the same. The tubes never got noisy or gave any trouble. The amp started to lose some dynamics about a month ago, and we are recording next week, so I changed them out. However, I did change a preamp tube at the same time. I'll still keep them for backups, or move them to another amp. They were 4mA apart when I took them out.
No more NOS stuff for me. $45/set is fine with me. I've never gotten more than a year out of NOS stuff at premium prices, and have run into more issues with old tubes than I care to talk about. Try them out for yourself, let me know what you think!
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Jon Light
From:
Saugerties, NY
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Posted 28 Sep 2006 11:32 am
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| Thanks for the follow-up. Just out of curiosity, have you ever tried JJ 6L6's? Just wondering how you would compare them to these. I have refused to use (and become addicted to) NOS tubes, for budgetary reasons. I've always been happy enough with the JJ's but I'm always wanting to hear other people's experiences. |
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Jay Ganz
From:
Out Behind The Barn
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Posted 28 Sep 2006 11:52 am
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Luckily, I've got original TUNG-SOL's in my
old '59 5F6-A as well as my 5E7 Bandmaster.
Plus a bag of extra's just in case. I'd be
curious to compare them to the reissues sometime.
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Bill Terry
From:
Bastrop, TX
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Posted 28 Sep 2006 1:11 pm
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I have a '59 Bassman 5F6-A that I bought with the original Tung-Sols. I replaced them, but didn't throw them away.
Are they likely still good after all these years? I seem to remember reading that QC was so much better in those days that tubes typically had a much longer life expectancy.. True? |
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Kevin Ruddell
From:
Toledo Ohio USA
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Posted 28 Sep 2006 4:47 pm
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| I got 2 of the new Tung-Sol 12AX7 preamp tubes after Mike at KCA electronics recommended them to me. Very clear and sharp sounding but not a good match with my Peavey Classic 30 , a little too piercing. This is in the house though, haven't played out with them yet. I might try them in my ART mike preamp and tube compressor |
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Dave Zielinski
From:
Pennsylvania, USA
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Posted 28 Sep 2006 4:51 pm
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Wow, we are a group of fortunate 5F6A owners!
Keep those old tubes!!!! My bassman also came with the original 5881s as well, beautiful tubes. They still work, but the dynamics those amps are known for just don;t jump out with that set. I keep them though, liek everything else!
I have tried the JJs and like these guys better. I used JJ 6L6GC in my old 64 super reverb, and it sounded great.
True, the QC might have been betterm but I think it was materials that made the difference. Nickle and pure-er metals were used in the old days, now I think they skimp on materials. New tubes seem to rattle apart.
All in all, I'm satisfied with these. They are darn OK.
Dave |
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