ef86 overdrive ?

[mtx11]

is there a way to add a little distortion to my ef86 stingray amp?
i added the the mid boost can and a fat boost cap foot switch. but need a bit more

[tubeswell]

Maybe you can set the EF86 up to drive the following stage harder? Small signal pentodes are capable of about 10 x more gain that a 12AX7. You might just have to think about how you deal with the microphonics. Take a look at one of Dr Z(ee)s amps.

[Kevin]

The EF86 is one of my favorite first stage preamp tubes. I feel it has more clarity and depth than the 12AX7 type. Of course that's personal opinion. I play a custom guitar amp modeled after a vox AC50 ouput. The changes I made included an EF86 first gain stage with a 12AX7 tone control (top boost) second stage. I spent many hours trying to incorporate a boost stage that would remain clean when not in use. So far everything I tried only hurt the original sound. I tried adding an EF86 before and after the tone tube, I tried both the 12AX7 and 12AU7 before and after. The bottom line after countless hours and one marrige was that yes you can accomplish more overdive at low volumes quite easily but with loss of tone or the addition of noise.
Not to be easily outdone, I added a MXR boost pedal in front of my amp. This will increase the amplitude of signal that your first tube sees causing exactly what your looking for. If fact Boss made a clip on booster called the FA-1. This did the same thing with the addition of a treble/bass boost/cut controls. Turning up the gain setting overdrives your first tube very nicely and cleanly.
The FA-1 is my first choice but not easily found.