LukeFRC Posted February 21, 2015 Share Posted February 21, 2015 so I got a new bass amp last week (Mesa Walkabout Scout12) and it's amazing - but also my first amp with valves in it So the tinkerer I am I wouldn't mind trying some other valves in there. Not cos I need to, but just because - reading the 12million walkabout posts on talkbass and there seems a consensus that there's not much improvement over the mesa valves currently in there - unless you get some nice older valves... .... which led me to ebay and the old valve sections.... man what a minefield, and £200 for a valve!!! wheres the best place to track down old 12ax7 valves? I'm not after some thing in a pristine box that's never been used before, just a different flavour to try out. Mind you is one valve costs £80 I might give it a miss! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Telebass Posted February 21, 2015 Share Posted February 21, 2015 Always remember to check out British numbering for these things. If you're up for splashing out on this type of valve, look out for Mullard ECC83 also. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted February 21, 2015 Share Posted February 21, 2015 Try Watford Valves, they`re meant to be fairly good with all this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beer of the Bass Posted February 21, 2015 Share Posted February 21, 2015 Perhaps I have cloth ears, but I've tried swapping modern EH and Sovtek 12AX7s with old Mullard and Brimar ECC83s in a couple of different amps, and any difference was so subtle that I couldn't be sure I wasn't imagining it. Both amps had fairly low-gain, clean sounding preamps, so it could be that the differences are in their behaviour when overdriven. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deepbass5 Posted February 21, 2015 Share Posted February 21, 2015 I put three Brimar Ecc83's in my GK 500MB fusion it was warmer sounding but just enough to be able to say there was a difference. I got them from an old BT engineer friend and haven't paid him yet, If he wants any more than £20 each he can have them back. From what you have suggested £80 each would not be worth the difference in sound. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taunton-hobbit Posted February 21, 2015 Share Posted February 21, 2015 (edited) See, the problem I have with all this twaddle (how do you do the 'cross out' thing?) stuff is that I come from the 'bung another 83 in & it'll work' generation - and, amazingly, it did ! Edited February 21, 2015 by taunton-hobbit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anders Posted February 22, 2015 Share Posted February 22, 2015 My experience with NOS tubes is that some amps are built for the tubes to make a difference in sound and some not so much.I haven't owned or switched tube in a Mesa walkabout,so I don't know what new tubes will do.Also,I would recommend TAD's premium tubes.Send them an email and tell them what you want.They have given me the most honest answers ,and I have bought from watford valves and alot of others.At least that's my experience regarding tubes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LukeFRC Posted February 22, 2015 Author Share Posted February 22, 2015 [quote name='taunton-hobbit' timestamp='1424554187' post='2697736'] See, the problem I have with all this twaddle (how do you do the 'cross out' thing?) stuff is that I come from the 'bung another 83 in & it'll work' generation - and, amazingly, it did ! [/quote][s] it's the strikethrough - the s with the line through it[/s] - as to the valves you're probably right as too "working" , but theres a bit of me that's curious [quote name='Anders' timestamp='1424571599' post='2697953'] My experience with NOS tubes is that some amps are built for the tubes to make a difference in sound and some not so much. [/quote] good point Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hamfist Posted February 22, 2015 Share Posted February 22, 2015 Why not borrow some old valves from someone to see if you hear any difference. If not, then there will be no need to waste your money in getting some of your own. On some circuits the valve seems to make a huge difference, on others almost none. You won't know until you try. You should be able to get decent old Sylvanias, Brimars and Miniwatts etc from ebay for about £30 each. Make sure the seller states that they are tested and gives the actual results and, ideally, offers a refund for faulty ones. I must have bought several dozen old 12AX7's over the years from ebay and not had a duff one yet. IMO genuine Blackburn Mullards are the best, but they do cost. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Telebass Posted February 23, 2015 Share Posted February 23, 2015 Frankly, the best thing to do is go SS. IMHO, the difference valves make, be it a hybrid or all-valve, is unpleasantness for hybrids and too much weight for all-valve. Unless you have a roadie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
acroxixo Posted February 23, 2015 Share Posted February 23, 2015 Any experience in changing valves from a Genz-Benz Streamliner 900 out there??? Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LukeFRC Posted February 23, 2015 Author Share Posted February 23, 2015 (edited) [quote name='hamfist' timestamp='1424631827' post='2698554'] Why not borrow some old valves from someone to see if you hear any difference. If not, then there will be no need to waste your money in getting some of your own. On some circuits the valve seems to make a huge difference, on others almost none. You won't know until you try. You should be able to get decent old Sylvanias, Brimars and Miniwatts etc from ebay for about £30 each. Make sure the seller states that they are tested and gives the actual results and, ideally, offers a refund for faulty ones. I must have bought several dozen old 12AX7's over the years from ebay and not had a duff one yet. IMO genuine Blackburn Mullards are the best, but they do cost. [/quote] good idea. [quote name='Telebass' timestamp='1424709111' post='2699422'] Frankly, the best thing to do is go SS. IMHO, the difference valves make, be it a hybrid or all-valve, is unpleasantness for hybrids and too much weight for all-valve. Unless you have a roadie. [/quote] had all solid state for years - some solid state amps are nice to my ears, others horrid, some hybrid amps are nice, others no so nice. Some all valve amps I guess are great and others not so great (but all heavy). I've got an amp that I like a lot and it's happens it's got some valves inside it. *shrug* Edited February 23, 2015 by LukeFRC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Dare Posted February 23, 2015 Share Posted February 23, 2015 Watford Valves helpful in my experience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Telebass Posted February 24, 2015 Share Posted February 24, 2015 (edited) I'm not suggesting all-valve doesn't sound good. It does. But not enough to outweigh (pun intended!) the weight disadvantage. If I didn't have to carry it, I'd be using valves. Not least because I'm a valve trained electronics tech. They're relatively easy to work with. Only the weight is a gigging problem. Edited February 24, 2015 by Telebass Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2x18 Posted February 25, 2015 Share Posted February 25, 2015 Hi Luke I have a couple of old ( But working perfectly ) Mullard valves you can borrow if you fancy trying them -- 1 x ECC83 and 1 x ECC82 Will. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
afterimage Posted February 26, 2015 Share Posted February 26, 2015 Watford valves Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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