Hi. Tubes! I have an original 1979 Princeton reverb and have been trying different tubes over the last two years. Every time I change the brand and vintage of the tubes there is definitely tone difference. But my ears seem to adjust quickly though and I’m left with a great sounding amp and spare tubes are everywhere. The biggest difference in tone and sustain has been different string brands and gauges. My picks make a huge difference in reverb, tone, etc. I’ve been using plexi picks medium or heavy for most surf rocko-psycho style music. I like, plexi picks, they seem to really drive the reverb and my trem picking is faster. But is it just practice?? Rabbit 🐇 holes everywhere… I step in the damn things all the time. I’m building two different home made “moonshine” tube reverb units now to learn more about reverb and to get some different reverb happening. Nice teaser on the Blasters “Dark Night” 👍👍 Hot air hangs like a dead man, From a white oak tree… It’s been hot 🥵 here, no A/C, I’m sure it’s affecting my tone…
Sounds good man! Id stick with the 6K6, I think it “drips” differently than the 6V6, plus it’s one of the smoked out types. I just acquired a blackface unit yesterday!!
Hi Eric! I’ll try order some soon. We have a new design landing imminently. Honestly can’t remember what amp I was using in this video. It’s ether a blues JR or a deville 2x12
The only way to notice differences is LIVE and IN REAL TIME! As soon as you use a microphone and all a chain of reproduction (including YT!!!) you CANNOT judge of anything…
The NOS 6K6 sounded better to me on my smarty-pants phone. Brighter and cleaner. Both sounded great but I preferred the swapped valve. Maybe I'm biased 🤣 I grew up in a Navy family. It's got an anchor on it so it's gonna keep you grounded 😭 alright enough dad jokes. Now I've got gat a serious case of I want a drippy surf reverb pedal. Stay well and keep on strumming.
Went full nerd and watched this immediately after the TV Jones pups install video. FWIW I liked the harsher edge of the stock, but I'm listening through the shitty laptop speakers so ignore my observations, ho hum.
It’s much appreciated! I’m listening with headphones and finding it hard to differentiate. It sounded more different in the room… that’s what I thought 🤔
Listening through the soundbar on my TV at reasonably high volume I could definitely hear a difference, it's subtle but definitely a change.. The original sounded harsher and the NOS much warmer. It depends on the sound you're going for but I prefer the NOS warmth. And thank you for the clear view of your playing so I can sit and learn the stuff you're noodling on.
Presumably the fact that it is a different valve makes the difference more than the age. I had always assumed tung sol were chinese cos it doesnt sound english or especially russian!!
Yeah it was the different kind of valve that was gonna make the difference. The age of it was a surprise and I thought it would make for a more exciting video title. Dirty trick I know!
It didn’t make much difference to me which you were using. Maybe had a slight preference for it before you swapped it out??? I definitely enjoyed all of your noodling to get the sound samples 🤠 I’m still amazed that my main guitar and amp set-up is the same as yours, Gretsch 6120RHH/Blues Jr. I’ve had the Jr since roughly 2005/2006 and the 6120 since early 2016. Have a good one Nico!
Cheers CC! Listening back I don’t hear much of a difference, I did seem to enjoy the second one more but not sure if it’s a case of ‘emperors new clothes’ I’m looking forward to trying it out this weekend in a live setting. I have used the RHH and blues JR for many years now and always come back to that, even after trying loads of other stuff! It just works ! Cheers pal ! 🍻
@@DEATHRAYCAT - Have fun trying that out this weekend! My original pairing of the Blues Jr was with my telecaster, that is mighty sweet too along with the Gretsch!
My experience with tube swaps is they can make a minor difference, like 15% at best. Now there will be a huge difference if the old tube is failing and the new tube is not. A new or a new to the amp speaker makes way more of difference than just about anything else. The next big upgrade would be a power transformer or a choke. That can be a big difference too. But tubes, small potatoes. You sound good amigo!😎👍✨
Just ten seconds in and I can hear a lot less harshness/treble with the 6K6. I have an original 61 reverb unit, and not to send you down the rabbit hold, but the two vintage 6K6s I've tried sounded noticeably different. I think I have a Sylvania in there right now? I will have to look later. : )
@@DEATHRAYCAT I do not have the greatest ear ever, but there is a metallic harshness/treble I find in Fender reverb units that can kind of run away on you. If you listen to clips of the Boss Fender FRV pedal, its pretty noticeable when the tone and mix are up.
