7581 Tubes

[dumbassbob]

Has anyone used this tube Tung Sol 7581? I am looking for a good 6L6GC to sub in my 1963 Bandmaster...I have been using Mesa Boogie power tubes but the pins are sooo big I can't push them all the way in..and my sockets are 51 years old....I also tried JJ's but they only last a month or two....What about the Tung-Sol 6L6gc STR I only have two pairs of RCA BP left,and want to save them.....

[Jazz P Bass]

I have had real good luck with the Sovtek 6L6WXT tubes.

You will need adjustable bias as they tend to run a tad hot.

As to the 7581's, I don't think the manufacturers are there yet with these tubes.
They most certainly are not any where near the NOS 7581's.

[dumbassbob]

What about the Boogie tubes..Vs Tung Sol 6l6gcstr I was aso thinking of trying the Shunguang 6L6GC I like there 6Ca7 tubes..The only problem with tubes from China is going through a few to finally get "good" ones... Also are RCA 6L6gcBP 25 watt ?

[Leo_Gnardo]

What about the Boogie tubes..Vs Tung Sol 6l6gcstr I was aso thinking of trying the Shunguang 6L6GC I like there 6Ca7 tubes..The only problem with tubes from China is going through a few to finally get "good" ones... Also are RCA 6L6gcBP 25 watt ?

Boogie sells tubes they get from another test/rebrand outfit. And paint "Mesa/Boogie" on the outside, that's what makes them "special." Paint. You want to pay exta for that? They're no better sounding nor more reliable for that. Look past the paint and you'll see they're Shuguang, one of the Russki labels from New Sensor, or JJ. That's all the companies making commercial quantities of tubes now.

To avoid having to do the Shuggie boogie, get pairs tested by Ruby thru Antique Electronics. I find Ruby's matching is closer in general than other outfits, and they are good at culling out bad tubes, they don't get sold. Or you can choose Sovtek 6L6WXT as Jazz P suggests. Good tough tubes they are.

RCA 6L6GC AFAIK are rated 25W plate dissipation. Damn good tubes if you can get 'em.

[Audiotexan]

Has anyone used this tube Tung Sol 7581? I am looking for a good 6L6GC to sub in my 1963 Bandmaster...I have been using Mesa Boogie power tubes but the pins are sooo big I can't push them all the way in..and my sockets are 51 years old....

You say 'tube' and 'sub' (singularly)...hopefully you're pulling/replacing them in pairs

On the rest, I'd personally say one of two routes if you want to maintain something near the original tone:

1. Winged C's (recent, but discontinued -you can still find new stock if you look)
*great all around tubes, good warmth, decent life span
*logo looks like =C=

2. If you have the means, or think long term, spend a bit more, and buy NOS
or used/guarenteed pulls. You may balk at the initial price difference, but think of it like this: Spend the same amount every year for re-tubing (if you're lucky to have them last that long) OR spend double-triple the price of 'new tubes' once, and chances are much higher that the NOS or 'used pulls' will last another 10-15 years.
-Simply because they were made in an era where they HAD standards for making a tube.

/my .02

[big_teee]

I've wanted to try the Tung-Sol 7581, but haven't.
They are supposed to be tough, and have a lot of headroom.
The last 6L6s I put in my Traynor YCS-50, was the TAD 6L6GC-STR tall bottles.
They may be the same tubes sold by Ruby.
They sound better than any others I've had in it.
They are over two years old and sound great.
I bought the TADs from Mojo.

[stokes]

You say you have 2 pairs of RCA black plates.What are you saving them for? Sure,if you keep them in a box they will last a loooong time,but they sound so much better in the amp.Put them in your amp and enjoy the best sounding,long lasting 6L6 types ever made.They will likely outlast any 3 pairs of current production tubes.

[audiopete]

I've A/B'd the Tung Sol 6L6GC in a client's old Supro Thunderbolt against Winged C, and 2 different pairs of 60s NOS GEs. The GEs rattled, which showed up in the output of the speaker. It sounded like a tiny glass rattlesnake when you gave 'er. The T/S and Winged C did not rattle. That is, aside from the cheap amp cabinet shakin all over.

Sound wise, I think the Winged Cs were very very close to the GEs, but perhaps were a little grainier when pushed, the GE's more refined and smoother sounding. The Tbolt is a raunchy amp by design. The T/S were the grainiest in the overdrive, which is a good thing if you want that sound - great for dirty blues guitar or harp. We went with the Winged Cs and they still rock today after maybe 3.5 years of regular gigging. Money was not an issue, btw, but I think the GEs were around $140 a pair and the WCs were still at maybe $60 a pair. Winged Cs are my fave of (former) new production tubes. I don't know if I would pay over $100 for a pair now, but I have a few pairs of 6L6GC and EL34 for personal stash. I've had good reliability with them but one EL34 in my plexi popped the heater at power up, and now a pair of 60s Mullard XF2 have filled that void. I also dig the T/S 5881 and like to put them in Traynor YCVs and Fender Blues series to mellow them and warm them up a little, provided that's what the client is after.

I have a pair of T/S 7581 on the shelf that was ordered for someone but never picked up. I don't have a good 6L6 amp atm to try them in. I would like to put them in the right amp for one of my clients.

I like the T/S in most American voiced amps and the Mullards in British/Canadian amps since the vintage Canadian stuff was built with a lot of British/Dutch parts, due to our past close trade relationship with Britain and the restrictions and tariffs on US goods.

Not a big fan of JJ in guitar amps and I haven't had good luck in reliability when I have had to install them. I'd be more inclined to try them in hifi and studio gear.

[audiopete]

You say you have 2 pairs of RCA black plates.What are you saving them for? Sure,if you keep them in a box they will last a loooong time,but they sound so much better in the amp.Put them in your amp and enjoy the best sounding,long lasting 6L6 types ever made.They will likely outlast any 3 pairs of current production tubes.

Tubes can lose vacuum sitting on the shelf. I'd rather that happen in an amp.

[Justin Thomas]

I've pulled too many UOS 6L6GCs out of vintage amps and they work just fine. I treat them politely, and they sound great and keep on rocking. THe only one I ever had a problem woth was a GT 6L6GS STR###. It rattled a little bit. The ones in the 69 Showman are still rockin every week, another two are in my Concert, amd a single is waiting. I have I think 3 more with busted base pins, but still work. I keep thpe tubes when I sell the amp, ofncourse. One I dropped, and it lost its vacuum, for some odd reason... @#$%&*!!!!!!!!!!!! Oh - ALL of these were origonal USA made, no reissues.

I bet your NOS ones will last at least as long as you do; keep your bias reasonable, don't go too nuts with voltages, and if they die,better to be fulfilling your purpose in life than moldering away in the closet.

Justin

[Leo_Gnardo]

Tubes can lose vacuum sitting on the shelf. I'd rather that happen in an amp.

Only a defective tube could lose vacuum sitting on a shelf. Falling off a shelf, that's another thing. Consider they are in California the earthquake state, better put those ol' RCA's to work DAB, while you're still alive & well and got plenty of years of future to enjoy how good they are.

[Daver]

I've used the TS 7581's before. I really liked them. I re-tubed a guys Vibroclone with a pair. He plays surf and wanted good headroom and they delivered. I also like the two TAD offerings a lot too.
Dave

[TimmyP1955]

Our Fuchs heads came with TAD 6L6WGC-STR short bottles. One assumes that they chose these because they are reliable and sound good. The spares I bought from Mojo were $100/quad.

[nsubulysses]

Anybody used Tung Sol 7581A in high voltage applications like Ampeg V4 or similar? If it is similar to a 6L6 buy maybe a bit more rugged and 35W plate dissipation it seems like it might be good. It has 500V max plate voltage and 450V max screen volts which is same as 6L6 and 6L6 seems to stand up to 540V/530V plate and screen pretty good.

I want to buy some to try it out. I figured I'd ask first because it's cheaper

[soundmasterg]

Audiopete, the Sovtek 5881's sound great in a Supro T-bolt if you have never tried it. Usually those tubes sound bland in most amps but in the T-bolt they sound much better than usual, and they are cheap and hold up to abuse better than most tubes.

Greg