Removing gain channel preamp tube(s) Palomino V50 for better clean channel tone?

[tubeFrank]

I have Palomino V50 (made by Crate), which has been a decent (and loud) amp, but I've never been thrilled with the sound I got from either channel, no matter how I tweek the settings. It always seemed harsh and not particularly dynamic or responsive, especially the gain channel. I had a pair of JJ 6v6s and a couple of 12ax7/ECC83s tubes lying around, and I decided to swap out the Electro-Harmonix EL34s and the Sovetek 12ax7wa tubes that came in the amp. The difference in the clean channel was like night and day. The amp breathed, the treble end had some nice bite if you laid into the note, and the bass notes had that good tight bounce feel, etc... like a tube amp should. However, when I tried switching to the gain channel, I got zero sound out of the amp. I traced the problem to one of the JJ 12ax7s that I had put into the V2 spot. Since I had no extra JJs, I put one of the Sovteks back in. That solved the problem of the non-functional gain channel, but it noticeably flattened out the responsiveness of the clean channel. In the long term, I'll probably get another JJ 12ax7 to throw in that spot, and see how it sounds, but until then, I'm wondering about just removing one or both of the gain channel preamp tubes (V2 & V3), since I currently don't really use the gain channel anyway, and the amp sounded so good with the dead tube in there. I understand that it's fairly common to disable one of the channels on Fender Reverbs and Twins in this manner, for the purpose of altering the sound of the remaining channel, since components of the 2 channels interact even when only one is engaged. However, there is only a single 12ax7 for each channel in those amps, so disabling one of the channels just means pulling the corresponding tube.

If I'm reading the diagram correctly, the V2 and V3 are the preamp tubes for the gain channel. When V2 was dead, the amp sounded sweet.

a) Is it ok for the health of the amp and remaining tubes (esp. V3) to simply pull V2 and render the gain channel non-functional?

b) If it's ok to take out V2, is it advisable to leave V3 in or remove it as well?

I've attached the V50 diagram so y'all can take a look for yourself how this thing is set up.
Thanks in advance for any thoughts or insights... -frank

[pdf64]

Taking out tubes like this will tend to raise power supply voltages. Part of the change you're hearing maybe related to the higher B+ to V1.
Whatever, I can't think how any harm may be done (they're 450V B+ caps in the V32).
Regards V3, see if removing it improves the sound any, if so then take it out.
Keep the tubes safe, not rolling around in the bottom of the amp, as they may be needed as spares in future.

[Chuck H]

Or... Just commit to the idea that you don't really like this amp and sell it to rais $$$ for one you do like.

[tubeFrank]

Or... Just commit to the idea that you don't really like this amp and sell it to rais $$$ for one you do like.

Well, I've committed to the idea that the Sovtek 12ax7's sound terrible in this amp.

As soon as I am able, I'm going to try putting in another JJ 12ax7/ECC83s, but living on a small Caribbean island, it could be a while until I can get that tube. In the meantime, I was just wondering whether I could safely run the amp with no tube in that slot (or both gain channel slots), rather than continuing to put up with the Sovtek sound.

[Chuck H]

The amount of voltage that tube will drop for current in the above diagram is too small to matter. If you want to, just pull the tube and wail away. It shouldn't cause any problems.