Instant Chainsaw

[mykey]

One of the least recognized ways to give your tube amp more of the kine grind is to replace your preamp tubes with Chinese "Sino" 12AX7 or 12AT7. these tubes have more gain and sizzle and might really surprise you.
I have not found any other 12AX or 12AT that supplies as much gain improvement, anywhere.
These are also sold by Groove Tubes as 12AX7CH. but more expensive with the Groove Tube re-labeling.
Marshall users take note, if you play lead guitar and want plenty of crunch (even stays crispy in milk), go for it.
the tube is not recommended for the faint of gain. If you play jazz, country, stay back. This is for rock and roll, blues players.
If you thought you needed to mod your amp, or use a preamp pedal, think again...
Here is instant chainsaw that plugs in and is sure to please (give them for father's day).

[Rob Mercure]

Mykey,

You may be correct about this tube - no personal experience - but be aware that increasing the gain of a stage increases the noise level and the "earlier" you introduce noise in a signal chain the harder it is to eliminate it! This is why tubes designed for computer use such as the 5751 - essentially a low gain, low noise 12AX7 designed for DC use - are popular swaps. Depending on the amp your recommendation might be better for a second or third gain stage - then again it might be dead quiet but most of the "hotter" 12AX7 "variants" (who knows what they really are/were) tend to be a bit noisier/hissier.

Heh, heh - and as an "editorial comment" the stripped down rockabilly that is currently marketed as "country" often seems to have some of the most distorted guitars just mixed in at a low level.

Rob

[mykey]

Mykey,

You may be correct about this tube - no personal experience - but be aware that increasing the gain of a stage increases the noise level and the "earlier" you introduce noise in a signal chain the harder it is to eliminate it! This is why tubes designed for computer use such as the 5751 - essentially a low gain, low noise 12AX7 designed for DC use - are popular swaps. Depending on the amp your recommendation might be better for a second or third gain stage - then again it might be dead quiet but most of the "hotter" 12AX7 "variants" (who knows what they really are/were) tend to be a bit noisier/hissier.

absolutely it's noisier and hissier, no question, but not nearly as bad as a preamp pedal or distortion pedal, which it easily replaces.
since I like much more sensitivity, i will use it in V1, or all three.
actually for grindage, i like 6J7 pentode better for a preamp tube, metal envelope please. but who makes guitar amps like that? (unless I make another one myself).