(Part 2) Best guitar amplifier parts according to redditors

Fender Hot Rod Deluxe. On the second output it can get very quiet. It can get even quieter if you switch one of the tone tubes for [one of these](JJ Electronics T-12AT7-JJ Vacuum Tube ECC81 Electric Guitar Power Amplifier https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000UMFQHA?ref=yo_pop_ma_swf)

It can also be used at gigs if you get to that point.

Monoprice 1 x 12 Tube Amplifier and an Eminence Patriot Swamp Thang 12" . Under $300 and awesome.
Edit The amp sounds well enough as is. However, upgrade to the swamp thang and that will be all you need for anything from practice, recording to even playing small venues.

Being that you've got nothing to compare it with, your best shot is to buy a new power tube (which isn't that expensive, typically), of which I'd recommend a Tung-Sol 6V6GT for the Fender Champion, and toss that in. Unfortunately, you can't compare your tube to another one in the amp because it's just the one, so your best shot is just to retube.

From what you've described, it sounds like a dead power tube. It happens after a while in every amp; tubes die. If it was a pre, you'd still be getting output but it'd sound weak/muddy/off. Feel free to replace that one too if you want, as it might die soon as well. Here's a link to a retube kit.

Hope your amp gets back in action soon!

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000UMCLIC?pc_redir=1395826954&robot_redir=1
This was a lifesaver for me. I also felt uncomfortable at the start, but you will get use to rocking them back and forth and get a 'feel' for their durability.

The FX Audio DAC-X6 provides a good amount of power - around 1W unbalanced - to the nominal 35Ω 93dB/?mW HE400i. You should not expect a significant performance change just from having more power available.

A powerful option for a tube hybrid DAC/amp is the xDuoo TA-01B, which can deliver 2.1W into 32Ω. I got mine on Drop for US$120, swapped the stock tube for a US$14.97 (including S&H) Electro-Harmonix 12AU7 EH and have enjoyed it with my HE400i, though it mostly powers my nominal 32Ω 90dB/1mW M1060C.

Depends on what you are looking for. The one I listed is very entry level. A great cost saver is the DIY kits, but you'd have to be comfortable around a soldering iron. And of course, it does help to swap out the included stock tubes. The Chinese ones that generally come with most of these ChiFi amps are pretty lackluster. I'd substitute these guys for the stock pre-tubes;

https://www.thetubestore.com/sed-6p1peb

Various options for the rectifier tube here, though it's not going to change the sound too much;

https://www.tubedepot.com/t/tubes/rectifier-tubes/5r4-5v4-5z4

There are some decent power tube replacement tubes in all sorts of prices as well, many from Amazon. And Amazon still honors returns on tubes! So if you don't like them, no big deal. (most dedicated tube sellers don't allow returns based on sound quality.)

https://www.amazon.com/Electro-Harmonix-6SN7-EH-Vacuum-Tube/dp/B001LNLZHW

I'm not sure if it would be enough. There was another product from Groove Tubes called the Fat Finger which is supposed to do exactly what you're talking about, add more mass to the headstock for better sustain. It weighs about 4 oz. I have one that I used to use on my P bass. I think it helped but I don't remember it making a dramatic difference. It's been a while though. I might have to put it back on and give it another try.

You're off to a good start ;)

My first proper AC/DC set was a Hallicrafters S-38C. Made somewhat more... interesting... due to the metal chassis. The RF chassis was floated on rubber bushings, but if they ever failed... Zappy time!

I remember the chassis used to have enough leakage you'd get a tingle if you were well grounded when you touched it

Oh, one thing:
I wouldn't recommend using the "Noise" function on the TV-11. I was having a look over the schematic, and the TV-11 only uses an autotransformer. No line isolation is provided to any of the connections... so a mild electrical fault could put you in a bit of a pickle as it is.

As it stands, I'd recommend using any unisolated metal radio/equipment with an isolation (1:1) power transformer. Should be much safer to use all of the features after that. Short of that, at least with a GFCI outlet.

The T-60 does, however, have isolation. The neon indicator for shorts should be an NE-51 neon lamp. These are thankfully still available on the Internet, for example: https://www.amazon.com/Dial-Lamp-0003A-Bayonet-Package/dp/B003WUMX3C/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1480133962&sr=8-1&keywords=NE51

JJ makes them. They're dirt cheap.

You can also use 6l6GC's, or KT66's, kt88's, etc.

This has all 5 of them:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AOA6FXC/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_dp_ss_2/188-6137407-2567854?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_r=0915A8DDT6FXC2YQEM8N&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_p=1944687562&pf_rd_i=B00VVNIIVS

This is just the power amp section:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003FO89CE/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_dp_ss_1/188-6137407-2567854?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_r=0915A8DDT6FXC2YQEM8N&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_p=1944687562&pf_rd_i=B00VVNIIVS

And this is just the pre-amp section:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005F5TP6U/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_dp_ss_3/188-6137407-2567854?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_r=0915A8DDT6FXC2YQEM8N&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_p=1944687562&pf_rd_i=B00VVNIIVS


You could also google something like "VOX AC15 tube replacement kit" to compare brands and prices for the whole set of them.

Perhaps something like this? https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002CZREU
Rated for 25 watts. Think I should go for a higher wattage rating?

Despite it's name, the Peavey Classic 20 combo amp is a 15 watt amp.

The Bravo seems decent but I just don't trust cheap Chinese tube amps, especially when they don't post full measurements (I wonder what they're trying to hide?)

But, under $114, on Amazon, there isn't really much in choices. The Bravo plus a warm sounding tube, like this one, will fit the bill.

I also would recommend this. It offers more flexibility because you change tubes and opamps to mod your sound. You can also adjust gain with it unlike the Ocean.

Heh, fair enough. Switches shouldn't set you back more than a few bucks apiece if you replace them yourself, and then go from there.

What tubes are in there? Six 6L6GC? Looks like about $130 on Amazon if you go with JJs, but they don't have a set of six matched tubes. The old ones may still have plenty of life left in them anyway.

Electrolytic capacitors are the other "wear" item to watch out for. When you do the teardown for the switch replacement, keep an eye out for any leaky caps -- they will let the magic smoke out. Having never worked with a Twin, I'm curious if it has the same giant "canister" style multi-stage capacitor that my Princeton and Bassman did. Those are safe to replace with multiple plain old electrolytic caps, but finding a secure place to put a board full of capacitors can be "fun." At least the replacement caps were cheap.

If the speakers turn out to be trashed, Weber makes some niiiiice replacements that play well with a clean or pedal-based setup. Looks like that will set you back about $228 plus shipping, if you need them.

So, somewhere between $30 and the black market value of a slightly used human kidney. Haha. As for whether it's worth it... Twins are, hands down, the best amps you can get for sheer clean tone -- AMAZING studio amps -- but max volume on the thing may set off car alarms all the way up and down the block. Maybe you'll need to play a set on an airport tarmac?

I have the same amp.

I used these.

And these.

They work great. PRO TIP: After you pull your stock tubes, go in and re-tension the socket pins before you put the new ones in. I forgot this and ended up with a dead amp because a pin wasn't making contact, and having to pull all this screws out to fix it is annoying.

Both Jensen AND Eminence make 6ish inch sized speakers.

https://www.amazon.com/Jensen-MOD6-15-Watt-Guitar-Speaker/dp/B00346IBBC

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/620H--eminence-620h-6.5-inch-hemp-guitar-speaker-4ohm

Not like this is going to be seen anyway because users use the downvote feature improperly. Oh well.

I'd just buy one of these and pop it in!

I need a preamp for my AT2035 and I have these 3 picked out. I'm new to all this stuff so I'm not sure what the difference between them is and which one is the best to get.


https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002GZZNY

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000CZ0RME

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002BG2QI

I've actually never used TAD tubes but I do know that Electro Harmonix surprisingly makes a good 6V6 (the 6V6GT).