What Brand or Type of valve would you use for a Bass

[blindboybenton]

Hi all

Ive been using valve amps for my bass now for over 10 yrs. When i change the power tubes from brand to brand. I dont here any change in the tone. I use British built amps so its always EL34. When i buy a new set its normally JJ's or Electro harmonixs. Having playing music since i was 15yrs old and now 48 ( On sunday). My ears have see better days. I use a Carlsbro PA100 head at present with a set Electro harnonixs in. I forget the biasing but i do remember doing it on the cold side
I play 60s/70s music so i do like that over driven sound/tone. Fender P and Jazz basses though the carlsbro and a 2x10" cabinet. Want a 15" cabinet to join the 2 x 10"
but until i move. i aint carrying another cabinet down two fights of stairs

The Question is What Brand and Type of Valves would you use for bass.

Blind boy Benton

PS Happy Easter to you all in the uk and if you have a national holiday where you live. Enjoy your long weekend

[Jazz P Bass]

Happy Easter to you too, BBB.
My opinion on output valves is that they should not color your sound.
Unless they are bad.

[blindboybenton]

Happy easter to you Jazz P bass

Do you use a valve amp for your bass? Im fairly happy with the sound, My band members said at last gig that they liked it, This is after a full re valve and recap. But im always open to change, Thoses electro harmonix can soon be used elsewhere for a trial of something else. Being a big fan of Andy Fraser from Free playing that Gibson EB3 play though Marshalls
the sound he got is to die for

BBB

[Gtr_tech]

Normally its common for 6550/KT88 to be used for bass applications due to the high headroom they provide. But its not a rule. A Fender Bassmann 100 with 6L6s can sound great as well as a Traynor YBA3 with EL34. I use a YBA3 with EL34 for bass and it gets great tone. I had EH in it for a while....those sounded fine. Had to rob 'em for a weekend emergency repair and installed Ruby EL34BSTR which also perform well.

[Enzo]

I am sold on those RUby EL34BSTR tubes. I tried them once and have been buying them ever since. Seem to work and be sturdy.

[blindboybenton]

Thanks enzo.. They are cheap too but got to find a uk supplier are you a guitarist or a 4 string man ?

[Gtr_tech]

I also really like the ruby 6L6GCMSTR. Nice tone, reliable.

[Enzo]

Agreed.


blind, I myself am a frustrated bass player, but I have been playing both guitar and bass for 45 years or so, and in that time i have learned one valuable lesson: I suck. I have no talent. I enjoy playing, but I only have two licks, and they sound the same. Same bluesy junk comes out every time I pick it up.

[blindboybenton]

Same here enzo.. I love music and love to play but i dont have a talent .. I get by Root and 5th man with a Pentatonic minor runs

[Diablo]

I am sold on those RUby EL34BSTR tubes. I tried them once and have been buying them ever since. Seem to work and be sturdy.

Is this the same tube as the Shugaung EL34B that Weber sells?

https://taweber.powweb.com/store/tubeord.htm

[olddawg]

I know that this is a post on which tubes to use, but I had to comment. I think what you would use would depend on what your stage volume is and what overhead you need. Just a thought. Technology changes. I just picked up a Behringer BH4500 bass head for $149 with free shipping from MF. It's a copy of a newer SS Ampeg SVT. It is rated at 450 watts peak. I think the rms would be .707 of that. In any case it is loud. I use it as a power amp for monitors sometime. My point is that it is very versatile for what a quartet of tubes would cost.

[Gtr_tech]

Is this the same tube as the Shugaung EL34B that Weber sells?

https://taweber.powweb.com/store/tubeord.htm

Nope. These are supposedly a STR type made by Shug exclusively for Ruby.

http://www.dougstubes.com/media/cata...y6l6gcmstr.jpg

[blindboybenton]

Well thanks chaps
for all the info. I will look out for them Rubys over here in the uk. happy easter to you all hope you are not all hard at work over in the good old USA. I know im not 3 more days off

BlindboyBenton

[Diablo]

Nope. These are supposedly a STR type made by Shug exclusively for Ruby.

http://www.dougstubes.com/media/cata...y6l6gcmstr.jpg

Thanks for the picture. I have a Shugaung EL34B in front of me to compare, and the only difference I can see is the Ruby has oblong holes in the plates, and the EL34B has rectangular holes. So, the EL34B is probably better for "square wave" overdrive....

[Gtr_tech]

Oops. I was thinking you were askin' about the 6L6. I posted a link to that. The EL34 is hard to tell by looking at the plates, but the Ruby does have a ribbed plate where the std Shug has smooth plates.

http://chinesetubes.com/images/EL34B.jpg

http://www.dougstubes.com/media/cata...byel34bstr.jpg