Metropoulos Forum

I just recently picked up 2 JAN SYLVANIA 6L6WGB's and am running them in my Fender AB165 Bassman. I know they are rated for a lower plate voltage than the Bassman produce, but...WOW...they sound amazing to my ears, alot warmer than standard 6L6GC's. Quicker break up, and when really cranked...pretty "brown sounding"

Any Feedback from you Fender guys on these tubes???

Thanks!

Ken

Those are the tubes both my Bassman heads are running, and you're dead on. They're warm and furry in just the right way. The Bassman heads I have are only at about 425VDC on the plates IIRC, which is a little hot for the 6L6WGB's (which are more comparable to a 5881 than a real 6L6GC) and yet even though everyone tries to tell me that a 5881-style tube shouldn't be in an amp with 400+ plate volts, that's exactly how Fender ran 5881's in the last of the heralded white-tolex Bassman amps. So I stick with them, they hold up OK and sound killer, with great overdrive for either Strats or Gibsons.
On the othere hand, my Bandmaster chowed down a set in short order, I've got another set in it right now but I'm gonna swap them for some older GT-branded US 6L6GC's that sre sitting around. The Bandmaster runs the 6L6WGB's at almost 480VDC on the plates though, big difference from the Bassman heads.
Also, FWIW Tim Swartz (who goes through most of the vintage amps Elderly Instruments sells) has no problems putting the 6L6WGB's in a Fender that calls for "real" 6L6GC's, does it all the time, just says to be diligent in changing your tubes before they die on their own.
For Bassmans they're a flat-out favorite for crunchy blues over the "real" 6L6GC's that I had in those heads to my ears.

Huh, we must comprise the entire "Fender Guy" contingent here.
C'mon guys, man cannot live by Marshall alone......every once in a while at least.......

Hot rodded Peavey Bandit

Flames,

Thanks for your input! I love the Tone...just didn't want to fry a transformer, or screw something esle up. I have them biased around 35...they do see to be running hotter than the Ruby's that was in there, but so far so good. I played fro several hours today...sweet tone and no crapping out!


I know that there are at least a few other Fender guys here!! Jon, Shawn......Shawn I know has built a few Vibroverb clones..I'm hoping he starts a thread on that and gives us some input..( hint, hint, nudge, nudge.)

I've even dropped sa few lines trying to get George on the Band wagon...For us vintage Amp, PTP board guys, Old Fenders can still be a good buy.

I'm try to find a decent 68-69 Bandmaster reverb to build a vibroclone..so I guess no 6L6WGB's in that amp!

Ken

I got hit with the idiot stick and passed on a Dual Showman Reverb head a month ago for $250, all she needed was new plate resistors but I was feeling financially cramped from life with the new baby. Shoulda snagged it for a cheapo project, but I figured I neede top double my wattage like I needed a kick in the jewels. Oh well.
Seems like I run my WGB's at 34-35mA too, IIRC. Not recommended for the Bandmaster Reverb project though. I've been meaning to try the =C= Svet 6L6 tubes, which I keep reading are pretty nice sounding, but it seems like every time I wanna order 'em nobody's got 'em in stock.

I know of folks running the later Philips version of this tube in Soldano SLO's and I've seen plate voltages as high as 510 with that amp. That dude at London Power states over and over again that the 5881 was underrated as far as it's ability to handle plate voltage is concerned. He goes ahead and gives them a 500 rating. I remember seeing 440 as being a max for the Philips version somewhere or another. I can't remember what the old Tung Sol specs were, but they were underrated as well. Some folks have run the old Tung Sols in circuits with as much as 525 volts on the plates and they're fine. They may not last as long, but they'll hold up for a little while.

Anyways, just some food for thought. Tubes are tubes and they can go at any time. Kind of like the mood swings of a woman.

Dale

You can go ahead and run those over 400V. Just make sure the 470 screen resistor stays in spec. And expect about half the lifespan.


George

Seems like I run my WGB's at 34-35mA too

does that mean i can drop the 5881's in my jcm 800 without re-biasing. im running the el34's at 35-39ma... where should the el-34's be biased??
also, i use the 1k 5 watt resistor..

You can go ahead and run those over 400V. Just make sure the 470 screen resistor stays in spec. And expect about half the lifespan.

i guess i would have to change over from the 1k 5 watt to the 470 then?? or is the 1k better??
mike

I love those tubes in an old bassman.

I've had them in Tweeds, my 61 Blonde, and also BF. They always sound killer, just love that tube, along with some nice GE preamp tubes, mmm...mmm...

That's yummy.