Members Bb Posted May 7, 2004 Members Share Posted May 7, 2004 The little booklet with the AC15 displays the tube locations and purpose...I'll double check the AC30 tonight....I'm pretty sure about my previous post. Bb Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members iwantpedals Posted May 7, 2004 Members Share Posted May 7, 2004 what would make this thread even more enjoyable for me.... is if i had one... i fed up with my amp i'm just playing acoustic cause i'm pissed at my amp. i reaaaally want one of these... but oh well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members fuzzface71 Posted May 10, 2004 Author Members Share Posted May 10, 2004 Bb wrote on 05-10-2004 01:50 PM:Fuzzface,Last friday I got a GT-12AX7-M from one of the online NOS Tube dealers (KCA) and had a chance to gig it in V1 of my Top Hat Club Royal. WOW!!!!!! Jaw droping tone improvement (replaced a $100 NOS telefukin).Groove Tubes has set up a "Golden" production line at the China tube factory to create a reissue of the famed Mullard 12ax7 (NO at $100 each or more). It is called the GT-12AX7-M and sells for around $25 each. Not cheap but less expensive than most NOS.Does it sound exactly like a NOS Mullard....No. However, it is 100 times better than any other 12ax7 made today...at least.It is one of my favorite tubes in my entire tube collection. I only like NOS GE/RCA 5751s, Mullard ECC83, Mullard CV4003 (AT7), and NOS RFT 12ax7/ECC83s better than the new GT-12AX7-M. I like it better than my Brimar, Amerpex, Telefukin NOS collection.I have officially stopped collecting NOS pre-amp tubes because of the GT-12ax7-M.Kev...aka BbThis tube rocks!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members fuzzface71 Posted May 10, 2004 Author Members Share Posted May 10, 2004 BB, What is your take on the Ei's that came stock with the AC30? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Bb Posted May 10, 2004 Members Share Posted May 10, 2004 Originally posted by fuzzface71 BB,What is your take on the Ei's that came stock with the AC30? I like them....they also are what ships in the Top Hat Club Royal.In Vox style amps (including top hat) the Ei tubes (goldpin version?) seem to do better than most others.The JJ ECC83 can be too mid heavy (when pushed you get a little buzzy action).The Russian 12ax7s (the LPS and WA version only...the Ei another version) sound harsh, thin, and microphonic in such amps. They seem too bright. For new tubes in Vox re-issue and similar amps this is my take:GT-12AX7-M, best new tube produced by a mile...no it isn't as good as a NOS mullard....it is 1000 better than anything else made today and I prefer this to most NOS AX7 tubes (I only like RCA blackplates and CV4004 Mullards better). Great tube and a bargin at $25.A distant second, the 12AX7-C from China....very nice warm and fat tone. If you find Ei's too bright this is the tube.A distant second, the Ei 12AX7...good linear tube that appears to my ears to have a little mid dip to keep EL84 based amps from becoming too mid heavy (EL84s are a very mid heavy power tube). Brighter than the China version but on equal footing. It really comes down to personal taste.I went with the China produced 12ax7 as I like a darker tone. The Mullard copy is the best by far but the choice between the China and E1 12ax7 really comes down to taste. If you want more warmth go with the China tube...need more highs...go with the Ei. Bb Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members fuzzface71 Posted May 11, 2004 Author Members Share Posted May 11, 2004 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Ivor The Engine Driver Posted May 11, 2004 Members Share Posted May 11, 2004 great thread... Just wanted to contribute the results of me swapping a 5y3 rectifier tube to lower headroom, add some sag, and brown the top boost channel a bit. Really happy with the results: Inputting directly into the Brilliant channel's high gain input, and keeping the tone controls (bass and treble) all the way down, with the cut almost wide open, the amp now starts to break up nicely at about 11:00 and doesn't get much louder until after 1:30... Of course, my guitars' (a 52RI tele and a Rick 360) pups need to be all the way up to push it into overdrive, but it seems to work. Again, not a lot of gain -- but when you crang down hard on a chord, it growls like you would hope it would. So, now I just use a boost pedal (Baron Boost) to send it into even more submission when I need more gain/sustain for solos and such. I do still have my trusty Rat on my board for higher gain stuff -- sort of a What's The Freq Kenneth tone... but glad I made the rectifier switch. Anyway, just thought I'd post my latest findings on this experiment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Ivor The Engine Driver Posted May 11, 2004 Members Share Posted May 11, 2004 Originally posted by fuzzface71 I mainly use a tubescreamer with my Vox. I am so "used to" using that tone thru the Vox that when I use something different. It's just not the same for me. so... do you prefer the TS tone over the COT 50? (not to put you on the spot, but I recall a thread on the COT 50 being the end-all, be-all pedal for the AC30... wondering if that's still the case.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Bb Posted May 11, 2004 Members Share Posted May 11, 2004 Thanks Unity Gain, nice to get some other opinions and experiences other than my own into the thread.I'm going to try your amp settings tonight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members fuzzface71 Posted May 11, 2004 Author Members Share Posted May 11, 2004 Originally posted by Unity Gain so... do you prefer the TS tone over the COT 50? (not to put you on the spot, but I recall a thread on the COT 50 being the end-all, be-all pedal for the AC30... wondering if that's still the case.) I would say if you want a "livelier" almost "real" tone out of your guitar/Vox combo, go for the COT 50. I'm just so used to that middy honk that tubescreamer based pedal does. For me it sounded more classic. And btw..I don't use a tubecreamer to play SRV. Plus..I can't anyway.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Ivor The Engine Driver Posted May 11, 2004 Members Share Posted May 11, 2004 no problem fuzzface. just curious... I'm pretty content with my tone right now ... my ideal dirty AC30 tone is what Peter Buck was getting on the Monster album... not a huge fan of that band or album, but loved the Vox sounds on it. my Rat is pretty close, but in the band's mix could be a bit more "articulate" and clean up better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members fuzzface71 Posted May 11, 2004 Author Members Share Posted May 11, 2004 Originally posted by Unity Gain no problem fuzzface. just curious... I'm pretty content with my tone right now ... my ideal dirty AC30 tone is what Peter Buck was getting on the Monster album... not a huge fan of that band or album, but loved the Vox sounds on it. my Rat is pretty close, but in the band's mix could be a bit more "articulate" and clean up better. Ever tried a tubescreamer? I think you might get close with that pedal. I hated the Rat pedal with the AC30. That's just me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Thelonius Posted May 11, 2004 Members Share Posted May 11, 2004 I'd like to try the COT. I was using a rat the other day with the club royale and I was really enjoying the tones I was getting from it. I'd like to see how a keeley fix would be on that puppy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Ivor The Engine Driver Posted May 11, 2004 Members Share Posted May 11, 2004 used correctly and in moderation, the Rat can be pretty cool with an AC30. I find that rolling off the tone a little more than normal helps the Rat out, as it softens it enough to make it seem more natural.. but as I mentioned before, it gets lost in the mix without help from an eq box (I used a dano fish n chips to add some bass). anyway, the rat works for me, but I feel there has to be a better choice -- so, looking forward to trying a COT 50. I've tried some TS-type pedals... the Keeley SD-1 is a good match and I liked the Maxon OD 820... but found both a bit too midrangey... the AC30 is middy already, so much more is too much for my taste. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members fuzzface71 Posted May 11, 2004 Author Members Share Posted May 11, 2004 AS cool as the Cot 50 is. I have to warn you guys that it's not that flexible and not having a volume control might be a bummer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Ivor The Engine Driver Posted May 11, 2004 Members Share Posted May 11, 2004 does it lose volume when engaged -- i.e, is it less than unity gain? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members markod Posted May 11, 2004 Members Share Posted May 11, 2004 I want an AC30 soooo badly... I wish I had a job that payed. A nice guitar comes first though... so much stuff to want, so little money. damn. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members fuzzface71 Posted May 11, 2004 Author Members Share Posted May 11, 2004 Originally posted by Unity Gain does it lose volume when engaged -- i.e, is it less than unity gain? You just love to say that.."unity gain";) It is..but as you crank the gain. It's a tad louder.. then.. you can control it with your guitar's volume. It might be a bummer if you use a fair amount of pedals that have more available volume. Plus, if you're a "just step and play" guy..you might have to get used to it. Still a great sound..very much like a Hotcake on medium gain. The Hotcake is cool too..with the Ac30. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ollenorin Posted May 12, 2004 Members Share Posted May 12, 2004 i have the mi audio blues prototype...and it gives me the best sound for me...perfect...everything from warm overdriven to pure crunch Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members fuzzface71 Posted May 12, 2004 Author Members Share Posted May 12, 2004 Originally posted by ollenorin i have the mi audio blues prototype...and it gives me the best sound for me...perfect...everything from warm overdriven to pure crunch Do you have pix? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ollenorin Posted May 12, 2004 Members Share Posted May 12, 2004 Originally posted by fuzzface71 Do you have pix? of the sound or the pedal ??? the pedal looks like this: i also have a smaller mxr-sized mi audio-proto with pink led on the way.... im afraid that if this one gets broken, there wont be a new one to buy so i got me a backup. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members fuzzface71 Posted May 12, 2004 Author Members Share Posted May 12, 2004 Can you give an example of the kinds of tones it can produce? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members valvedriventone Posted May 12, 2004 Members Share Posted May 12, 2004 Originally posted by fuzzface71 Can you give an example of the kinds of tones it can produce? go Mike's website, he's got a bunch of sound samples http://www.miaudio.com/mi_audio.htm click on "specials" and you'll find 'em.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members fuzzface71 Posted May 12, 2004 Author Members Share Posted May 12, 2004 Thanks! Those sound great! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members valvedriventone Posted May 12, 2004 Members Share Posted May 12, 2004 Originally posted by fuzzface71 Thanks! Those sound great! even better when you can feel it pushin air Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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